Corporate sound as a company-controlled element of corporate identity management has been widely ignored in corporate identity and corporate image literature so far. Moreover, established corporate identity models show some visual dominance that has inhibited the integration of other sensory elements such as the auditory dimension. This thesis advances current knowledge in the corporate identity, corporate image and corporate communication domain by investigating the construct of auditory identity from a corporate perspective. In detail, the study investigates factors that determine the management of auditory identity as well as consequences of corporate auditory identity management (CAIM) as perceived by managers. A triangulated research approach was employed by using qualitative data from interviews with managers and consultants from UK companies as well as quantitative data from questionnaires completed by managers from UK companies in the media, information and communication as well as the banking and finance industry. While qualitative data initially was used to gain deeper understanding of the underresearched auditory topic, quantitative data was statistically examined using EFA and PLS-SEM to test the structural model. Findings suggest, inter alia, that the definition of corporate auditory identity provided in this research is widely supported by qualitative data. Moreover, quantitate data indicates that the support of the CEO is a key factor for the successful implementation of an auditory identity programme. Furthermore, all ten consequences of corporate auditory identity management such as gaining differentiation, improving corporate image, supporting consistent corporate communication and increasing recognisability just to name few are widely supported by qualitative as well as quantitative data. This thesis advances corporate identity, corporate image and communication literature in many ways. Mainly, it provides a valid definition of the new construct of auditory identity as well as scales for measuring corporate auditory identity management on which researchers can build in the future. Based on the identified potential of corporate sound academics are encouraged to overcome the visual dominance by incorporating auditory identity into future concepts, frameworks and models. Moreover, managers can benefit from this research and the provided definition of auditory identity in particular as it reduces the uncertainty about the auditory domain and suggests a more holistic view of corporate identity management. Additionally, this study provides managers with a deeper understanding of the potential of corporate sound by testing a set of consequences of auditory identity management. Consequently, managers are advised to employ a more strategic management of sonic elements and applications in the future. To sum up, this research is one of the first that investigates the management of sound from a corporate perspective and the researcher strongly believes that it constitutes a foundation that facilitates a variety of avenues for research.

Thesis (doctoral)--Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden, 2001. / "Stellingen" ([1] leaf) inserted. Includes bibliographical references (p. [105]-115).

V této práci se zabývám firemní komunikací. Pro její plánování a rozvoj je třeba udržovat aktuální komunikační a informační strategii. Pro zjednodušení jsem systém firemní komunikace rozdělil na 4 subsystémy: Kultura, informační systém, komerční komunikace a firemní styl, z nichž každým se podrobně zabývám. Společným působením těchto čtyř disciplín vzniká unikátní identita organizace a toto jsou její základní kameny. Jedním ze způsobů, jak docílit silné identity, je budování promyšleného a stabilního firemního stylu. Firemní styl je úžeji vymezen jako vizuální tvář podniku, tzv. Corporate Design. Jeho základními elementy jsou: logotyp, barevnost a typografie. Přestože firmy si mohou být v těchto základních elementech podobné, odlišují se jejich aplikacemi na komunikační aktivity. Každá vizuální identita se stává unikátním otiskem složitého firemního organismu. Účelem aplikací není pouze marketingový úspěch či vizuální dokonalost; ten spočívá v jejich funkčnosti. Proto je při jejich tvorbě nutné respektovat daleko více kritérií.

This research is primarily concerned with extending the current knowledge of the corporate logo by developing a comprehensive conceptual model of its influence on corporate image and corporate reputation within the discipline of marketing. By examining the conceptual model, this research challenges the claim that a corporate logo, as a company’s ‘signature’, communicates corporate identity (Bromley, 2001; Van Riel et al., 2001) and enables the company to build an image of the company in the consumer’s mind (Henderson and Cote, 1998). Despite the significant and positive view of corporate logos as a communication tool, little systematic research has examined the effect of the components of logos on consumer evaluations of corporate logos (Henderson and Cote, 1998; Pittard et al., 2007; Van der Lans et al., 2009). Furthermore, too little study has been made of the relationship between the corporate logo, its dimensions, antecedents and consequences (Van Riel et al., 2001). This thesis adopts a mixed-method research design – a predominantly quantitative approach, which is supported by insights from an exploratory phase which encompasses in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The research’s conceptual model was developed on the basis of qualitative study and the existing literature. In the second phase, this conceptual model was used to examine consumers’ perceptions of the influence of the corporate logo on corporate image and corporate reputation in the context of a financial setting in the UK. A sample of 332 respondents allowed multivariate analysis of the data to be undertaken. It used exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Cronbach-alpha and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to ensure that the scales developed and adapted were robust in terms of validity and reliability. Structural equation modelling (SEM) allowed the hypotheses between constructs to be examined. The model confirmed a good fit to the data, good convergent, discriminant and nomological validity and stable reliability. Based on the statistical results, qualitative study (in-depth interviews and focus groups) and the related literature, the current research found that, apart from colour, all the antecedent factors (corporate name, design and typeface) impact favourably on the corporate logo. Furthermore, the relationship between the corporate logo and the consequences were evaluated; the results of the hypotheses testing demonstrate that that the corporate logo has greater impact on corporate image, attitude towards advertising, recognisability and familiarity. In addition, the relationship between corporate image and corporate reputation was confirmed. However, an unexpected outcome was that the relationship between attitudes towards advertising, recognisability and familiarity and corporate image were not significant. Overall, this study presents the corporate logo as a complex phenomenon. This thesis is the first systematic research to have conceptualised and operationalized the concept of the corporate logo, its antecedents and its consequences. This examination is expected to be of value in advancing current knowledge by offering a threefold theoretical contribution to the literature as theory extension, the level of conceptualisation and measurement and theory testing and generalisation. In terms of methodology, this research used a multi-disciplinary approach to the corporate logo concept since a major contribution of this research aimed to provide a holistic perspective on the domains of marketing, corporate identity, corporate visual identity and the literature on corporate logos. Furthermore, it is hoped that this investigation will make a considerable managerial contribution to the understanding of decisionmakers and graphic designers about the whole relationship between a favourable corporate logo, its antecedents and its main consequences. A clear understanding of the dimensions of the relevant concepts can help managers and designers to devise corporate logos which are more likely to advance a favourable corporate image and corporate reputation. This study seeks to develop an understanding of the construct of the corporate logo and some of its antecedents and outcomes, although the findings are not without some limitations in the methods of sampling/analysis and measurement. Additional guidelines are presented in the hope of stimulating further investigations to incorporate the novel research directions in the study of the corporate logo and its antecedents and consequences.

Positioned within the corporate marketing domain, and adopting an explicit managerial perspective, this doctoral thesis advances knowledge in the form of a substantive and analytically generalisable theory of corporate heritage identity stewardship, which is derived from an empirical, theory-building, qualitative case study of Great Britain’s oldest brewer. In broad terms, corporate heritage identity stewardship theory articulates the particular management requirements of a corporate heritage identity in terms of two mutually constitutive dimensions namely (a) stewardship mindset and (b) enactment. Stewardship mindset refers to a shared awareness amongst management (i.e. positionality, heritage, and custodianship awareness) underpinned by specific managerial dispositions to feel, think, and act (i.e. sense of continuance, belongingness, self, heritage, responsibility, and potency). Enactment refers to the multi-modal implementation (i.e. narrating, visualising, performing, and embodying) of a corporate heritage identity and its relational positioning visà-vis stakeholders (i.e. temporal, spatial, and socio-cultural anchoring), which at once is predicated on and reinforces the stewardship mindset. The theoretical contribution of this study is significant in that it empirically confirms the existing, largely conceptual, literature in terms of the applicability and efficacy of the nascent corporate heritage identity construct per se. More importantly, it expands the extant body of literature by introducing a detailed theoretical explication of corporate heritage identity stewardship, which has important implications for future scholarly work. The study is, additionally, of instrumental relevance for corporate marketing management practice. First, it identifies different ways of implementing and anchoring a corporate heritage identity within societal environments vis-à-vis stakeholders, which can be utilised by organisations. Second, it articulates different enabling management dispositions, which help management to better understand the specific requirements of corporate heritage identity stewardship. The doctoral thesis articulates several avenues for future research (qualitative and quantitative) and provides – with the analytically generalisable corporate heritage identity stewardship theory – a new conceptual lense for future empirical and conceptual work within this nascent area of corporate marketing.

The topic of the thesis is a change of corporate identity of the company and role of communication during this process. There are components of corporate identity and relationship between corporate identity, image and reputation described in the thesis. Furthermore it is dedicated to integrated marketing communication, internal communication and role of communication in change management. The theoretical knowledge is applied on company Nicoll Česká republika, s.r.o. which have been coming through the changes of name and corporate identity since January 2015. The main goal is to describe in detail and analyze the process of this change from the preparation phase to realization with respect on communication, evaluate this communication and suggest further recommendations. The analysis contains of description of the company including former communication mix, furthermore there is a description and analysis of changes and also analysis and evaluation of communication. In the end of the thesis there are summarized the main problems connected with the changes and also key mistakes, which were done in communication. Finally it suggests further steps for future.

Companies are increasingly drawing on their user communities to generate promising ideas for new products, which are then marketed as "user-designed" products to the broader consumer market. We demonstrate that nonparticipating, observing consumers prefer to buy from user-rather than designer-driven firms because of an enhanced identification with the firm that has adopted this user-driven philosophy. Three experimental studies validate a newly proposed social identification account underlying this effect. Because consumers are also users, their social identities connect to the user-designers, and they feel empowerment by vicariously being involved in the design process. This formed connection leads to preference for the firm's products. Importantly, this social identification account also effectively predicts when the effect does not materialize. First, we find that if consumers feel dissimilar to participating users, the effects are attenuated. We demonstrate that this happens when the community differs from consumers along important demographics (i.e., gender) or when consumers are nonexperts in the focal domain (i.e., they feel that they do not belong to the social group of participating users). Second, the effects are attenuated if the user-driven firm is only selectively rather than fully open to participation from all users (observing consumers do not feel socially included). These findings advance the emerging theory on user involvement and offer practical implications for firms interested in pursuing a user-driven philosophy. Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1999. (authors' abstract)

Les phénomènes d'hybridation en sciences de l'information et de la communication. Analyse discursive des communications de recrutement des armées professionnelles françaises de 1996 à 2012. La décision de suspension du service national en 1996 a contraint les armées professionnelles à communiquer pour recruter. En 2012, cela a fait seize ans que le ministère de la défense diffuse des communications qui ont pour objectif de recruter leurs personnels militaires. À partir d'un travail d'investigation effectué sur les dix-neuf campagnes de recrutement diffusées en 1996 et 2012 par l'Armée de Terre, la Marine Nationale et l'Armée de l'Air, cette thèse se propose d'analyser le discours de recrutement militaire en postulant sa polyphonie énonciative. Quelles sont les différentes formes discursives qui s'enchevêtrent dans le discours de recrutement militaire ? Existe-il des phénomènes de tensions ou de complémentarités dans l'énonciation de ce discours de recrutement ? Comment aménage-t-il une place aux destinataires dans cette hybridation des formes discursives ? En définitive, que nous dit cette hybridation des discours dans la compréhension des communications de recrutement militaire ? / Hybridization occurences in information and communication sciences. Discourse analysis of recruitment communications and campaign for the professional French armies from 1996 to 2012.The suspension of the conscription with its obligatory national service in 1996 has led the professional armies to communicate to recruit their military personnel. In 2012, it has been sixteen years that the Ministry of Defense has released communications for that purpose. Following a work of investigations carried out on the nineteen recruitment campaigns released between 1996 and 2012 by the French Army, the French Navy and the French Air Force, this thesis analyzes military recruitment discourses by postulating their enunciative polyphony. What are the different discursive forms that are entangled in the military recruiting speech? Is there any form of tensions or complementarities in the enunciation of this recruitment speech? How does it make a space for recipients in this hybridization of discursive forms? Ultimately, how does this hybridization of discourses help us with the understanding of military recruitment communications?

This is an unconventional study, which addresses the thematic field and the esoteric nature and essence of Corporate Identity. The thesis concentrates in the understanding of Corporate Identity aiming towards an holistic explanation of the concept appropriate for practical multidisciplinary use. It proposes a systematic methodology and establishes a design practitioner perspective, which aims at reliable co-ordination and control of Corporate Identity operations. The methodology to structure the literature A Strategic methodology of questions was developed to operate as a research methodology, which explored Corporate Identity, by revealing the “Form” of its concepts, its connections and its anomalies, as they occur extensively in the published and public domain. The review of published literature was carried out through a discussion process of published material subjected to diagnostic questions; through which the Terminology, Functional concepts, Methodologies are reported to influence Corporate Identity; contributing to the understanding of Corporate Identity’s Form and to further clarifying research issues. Literature review, was subjected to discussion, provisional observations and conclusions and is presented into 8 chapters. The Strategic Enquiry continued and extended on discussing Corporate Identity Field Examples, to interrogate real life experience material, to reveal an extended understanding of overt and covert issues of Corporate Identity’s Form, and to focus research planning accordingly. This process contributed into bringing together clusters of relevant information, gleaned from a rather fragmented published literature, thus forming a more holistic and broader understanding of the concept. However, from this holistic picture it was observed that certain essential texts are missing. Hence a further information literature search, was carried out which reported on texts which are not sufficiently or at all covered in specialised Corporate Identity literature but were regognised by this researcher as essential for a meaningful development of this thesis. The most important information brought into the context of Corporate Identity, at this stage, was a well established tool applicable to complex design projects, which was considered to be useful towards a more effective and holistic Corporate Identity control. The Field work This systematic approach and treatment of the published material contributed to an holistic understanding of the nature, scope, importance, complexity and topicality, of the subject; and lead to a diagnostic understanding of important problems that continually challenge the field. This was achieved through the research design of the thesis, which incorporated the inferences and observations of the Strategic Enquiry and the tried and tested systems design model for the organisation of complex design projects was used as a reference datum to inform the compilation of the questions of a semistructured interview. The Field study explored how Corporate Identity processes were holistically carried out in a Big UK financial institution specifically looking for practice discontinuities and deviations in the procedures. A diagnostic tool appropriate to investigate Corporate Identity operations was created as a result. The interview material was also subjected to content analysis to explore whether the thesis’ inferences and deductions could d also be grounded in practice. The thesis was then evaluated by relating the thesis material, to the thesis objectives, highlighting the outcomes and limitations employing SWOT analysis. As an epilogue to this thesis, within resources available this study appears to have contributed a substantial insight to the Form and operations of Corporate Identity. It also identified the opportunity for more valuable research, to be carried out.