The Research Topic and the Need for It: This thesis starts with a review of what the literature says about the importance of corporate image and how it needs to be managed as a strategic asset. However, the problem is there is no model that shows what corporate image comprises and explains how its various components interact with one another so that it can be managed. The result is a number of confusing and contradictory definitions and unproductive discussions about things like whether corporate reputation and corporate image are different or synonymous. In response to this need, it is suggested that corporate image comprises three different image perspectives; namely, Self Image, Projected Image and Perceived Image and that it is only when these are defined separately and regarded holistically that corporate image can be properly defined, understood and managed. Objective: The objective of this research was to develop and test this model using triangulated approaches in which data could be acquired and understood from different sources. To this end questionnaires were developed by document analysis, consultation and discussion. This research was conducted in two very different organisations - a new university campus and a sugar co-operative. In the interests of confidentiality they have been renamed Barton University's Kingsley Campus and Sunstate Sugar Co-operative Association Limited. Data was input into both SPSS and HIPSYS computer programs for the Kingsley Campus research and into HIPSYS for the Sunstate Sugar research. For both research sites the results were discussed with members of all response groups so that accurate interpretations of the data could be made and additional meaningful data acquired. For Kingsley Campus, response groups included all Academic and General Staff of Kingsley Campus for the Self Image and the Projected Image, and for the Perceived Image all Current and Past Students, a representative sample of Grade 12 high school students, advanced diploma students of Kingsley TAFE, and Community Leaders. In all 3,693 questionnaires were distributed and 934 completed questionnaires were processed. For Sunstate Sugar, response groups included all employees for the Self Image separated by Management, Supervisors and Workforce, all Board members and all Employees who interface with the growers (members of the co-operative) for the Projected Image, and all members of the co-operative for the Perceived Image. In all 1830 questionnaires were distributed and 916 completed questionnaires were processed. Findings: The results from the Kingsley Campus research showed that the Projected Image needed to be more effectively targeted at the Grade 12 target group. The results from the Sunstate Sugar research showed that its Perceived Image was affected by its Self Image as well as by its Projected Image and that its Self Image in particular needed to be made more positive. The results from both organisations suggest that a positive corporate Self Image influences the Projected Image and can have as much impact on the Perceived Image as does the Projected Image. In exploring and discussing the results of this research, each organization derived recommendations which led to their developing action plans for the more effective management of their corporate image. These results indicate that the model created has eliminated a gap in the literature, diffused the confusion regarding what corporate image is, and provided a structure and a methodology by which corporate image can be identified and managed. It has been shown to have considerable utility.

The images of tourist destinations significantly influence travel choices. Accordingly, destination marketers make great efforts to inform their potential consumers about their destinations using deliberately designed projected images. This research focuses on a Chinese tourism destination, Qingdao, exploring the relationships between the images projected by Qingdao government agencies and those perceived by current visitors and by residents. It also examines the factors that influence the image formation of visitors and residents. Three sources of information are used in this research: promotional materials issued by the Qingdao municipal government and the Qingdao Tourism Administration, key informant interview transcripts and a questionnaires survey. The promotional materials were collected from the aforementioned agencies in May 2009. Key informant interviews were conducted in April and May 2009. Self-administered surveys of 578 visitors and 337 residents of Qingdao were administered throughout May and June 2009. The image construct was conceptualized as having three dimensions: cognitive, affective and overall images. The cognitive image attributes included seafood, scenery, beaches, local people, green space, special events, ethnic attractions, weather, squares, architecture, relaxing atmosphere, resorts, hygiene and cleanliness, cultural attractions, golf course, highway system, accommodation, public transport, shopping, fashion shows, value for money, transportation cost, nightlife, football games, airline schedules, and traffic congestion. The affective image attributes included arousing-sleepy, exciting-gloomy, pleasant-unpleasant, and relaxing-distressful. Qualitative evaluation suggested greater congruence between the images projected by Qingdao government agencies and those perceived by visitors than quantitative correlation analysis. The projected images of Qingdao and images perceived by visitors were consistent in their emphases on certain image themes. However, the correlations between these two types of images suggested that the extent to which these image themes were emphasized differed. Similar results were found in the comparison between the images projected by Qingdao and those perceived by residents. Furthermore, most visitors and residents held positive images of Qingdao. Both similarities and differences were discovered in the cognitive, affective and overall images perceived by visitors and residents. Residents were generally more positive than visitors in their cognitive and affective images. It was found that sex, education, place of residence, and previous travel experience only significantly affected visitors’ images of one or two attributes, while age, occupation, primary motivation, most important information source used and number of sources used significantly influenced visitors’ images of between 5 and 8 attributes. Additionally, place attachment and importance of the 2008 Olympic Games were significantly positively correlated with most of the image attributes examined in this study, while importance of German Heritage and Qingdao International Beer Festival were significantly positively correlated with fewer attributes (8 and 6 attributes, respectively). With regard to the factors influencing resident images, it was discovered that sex, education, age, occupation, length of residence, most important source used and number of sources used significantly affected residents’ images to different degrees, ranging from 7 to 18 attributes. Furthermore, place attachment and the importance of German heritage, the 2008 Olympic Games and Qingdao International Beer Festival were significantly positively correlated with the majority of the image attributes examined in this research. This study is one of very few that compares projected and perceived images although methodological challenges for undertaking such research remain. It is also innovative in that it encompasses both tourists’ and residents’ images. Very few such studies have been undertaken in China which has a massive domestic tourism industry and is a major player in international tourism.

The images of tourist destinations significantly influence travel choices. Accordingly, destination marketers make great efforts to inform their potential consumers about their destinations using deliberately designed projected images. This research focuses on a Chinese tourism destination, Qingdao, exploring the relationships between the images projected by Qingdao government agencies and those perceived by current visitors and by residents. It also examines the factors that influence the image formation of visitors and residents. Three sources of information are used in this research: promotional materials issued by the Qingdao municipal government and the Qingdao Tourism Administration, key informant interview transcripts and a questionnaires survey. The promotional materials were collected from the aforementioned agencies in May 2009. Key informant interviews were conducted in April and May 2009. Self-administered surveys of 578 visitors and 337 residents of Qingdao were administered throughout May and June 2009. The image construct was conceptualized as having three dimensions: cognitive, affective and overall images. The cognitive image attributes included seafood, scenery, beaches, local people, green space, special events, ethnic attractions, weather, squares, architecture, relaxing atmosphere, resorts, hygiene and cleanliness, cultural attractions, golf course, highway system, accommodation, public transport, shopping, fashion shows, value for money, transportation cost, nightlife, football games, airline schedules, and traffic congestion. The affective image attributes included arousing-sleepy, exciting-gloomy, pleasant-unpleasant, and relaxing-distressful. Qualitative evaluation suggested greater congruence between the images projected by Qingdao government agencies and those perceived by visitors than quantitative correlation analysis. The projected images of Qingdao and images perceived by visitors were consistent in their emphases on certain image themes. However, the correlations between these two types of images suggested that the extent to which these image themes were emphasized differed. Similar results were found in the comparison between the images projected by Qingdao and those perceived by residents. Furthermore, most visitors and residents held positive images of Qingdao. Both similarities and differences were discovered in the cognitive, affective and overall images perceived by visitors and residents. Residents were generally more positive than visitors in their cognitive and affective images. It was found that sex, education, place of residence, and previous travel experience only significantly affected visitors’ images of one or two attributes, while age, occupation, primary motivation, most important information source used and number of sources used significantly influenced visitors’ images of between 5 and 8 attributes. Additionally, place attachment and importance of the 2008 Olympic Games were significantly positively correlated with most of the image attributes examined in this study, while importance of German Heritage and Qingdao International Beer Festival were significantly positively correlated with fewer attributes (8 and 6 attributes, respectively). With regard to the factors influencing resident images, it was discovered that sex, education, age, occupation, length of residence, most important source used and number of sources used significantly affected residents’ images to different degrees, ranging from 7 to 18 attributes. Furthermore, place attachment and the importance of German heritage, the 2008 Olympic Games and Qingdao International Beer Festival were significantly positively correlated with the majority of the image attributes examined in this research. This study is one of very few that compares projected and perceived images although methodological challenges for undertaking such research remain. It is also innovative in that it encompasses both tourists’ and residents’ images. Very few such studies have been undertaken in China which has a massive domestic tourism industry and is a major player in international tourism.

Cette recherche examine l'influence de l'attitude à l'égard de l'argent sur l'image perçue de la banque dans le contexte syrien. Le rôle des caractéristiques sociodémographiques du client bancaire (Genre, Revenu, Âge) est ensuite étudié. Nous développons enfin une typologie de consommateurs selon leur attitude à l'égard de l'argent. Afin de réaliser ces objectifs, une méthodologie quantitative a été mobilisée. Trois niveaux de résultats peuvent être mis en évidence. Tout d'abord, une relation entre les dimensions de l'attitude à l'égard de l'argent et les composantes de l'image de la banque a été trouvée. Ensuite, nous avons identifié un rôle modérateur des variables sociodémographiques. Enfin, notre analyse typologique a permis d'identifier trois profils de consommateurs selon leur attitude à l'égard de l'argent « les matérialistes », « les économes » et « les indifférents ». / This research examines the effect of the customer money attitude on the perceived image of the bank. The effect of socio-Demographic characteristics of a bank client (Gender, Income, Age) is then examined. Finally, this research develops a typology of customers' according to their attitude towards money. To achieve the objectives of this study, a quantitative approach is used. Three principal results can be noticed. First, a relationship between attitude towards money dimensions and bank image composites has been identified. Second, we have found a moderator role of socio demographic variables. Finally our cluster analysis has reveled three customer profiles considering their attitude towards money: "materialist"," Frugal", "indifferent".

Este trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo evaluar las dimensiones de calidad de servicio que ofrecen las aerolíneas Low Cost para comprender cómo la marca responde ante  las expectativas del cliente relacionadas a la satisfacción del mismo. Sin embargo, existen variables interrelacionadas al objeto de estudio que los usuarios utilizan para evaluar su relación con la marca y que determinan el éxito o el fracaso de una relación entre lo que ofrece la aerolínea hacia el consumidor. Estas variables son: imagen percibida y el valor percibido, e indican que el pasajero puede tener una imagen predeterminada de los productos y servicios que ofrece la aerolínea Low Cost. Cabe resaltar que no todas las variables interrelacionadas impactan de la misma manera al pasajero, esto depende de sucesos anteriores que el cliente haya experimentado o no con la marca. En cuanto a la calidad de servicio, las variables de investigación tendrán como modelo a SERVQUAL que evalúa las percepciones y expectativas de los clientes, ya sean estos pasajeros frecuentes o nuevos. Para este estudio, se proyectó evaluar a usuarios de aerolíneas Low Cost que hayan comprado sus tickets aéreos a la misma aerolínea sin utilizar a terceros como las agencias de viaje, para su propósito y que viajan del aeropuerto de Lima, Jorge Chávez, a otro destino nacional en los últimos 6 meses (contando desde Julio del 2019 a Diciembre del mismo año). / This research work aims to evaluate the dimensions of service quality offered by Low Cost airlines to understand how the brand responds to customer expectations related to customer satisfaction. However, there are variables interrelated to the object of study that users use to evaluate their relationship with the brand and that determine the success or failure of a relationship between what the airline offers to the consumer. These variables are: perceived image and perceived value, and indicate that the passenger may have a predetermined image of the products and services offered by the Low Cost airline. It should be noted that not all interrelated variables impact the passenger in the same way; this depends on previous events that the customer may or may not have experienced with the brand. As far as service quality is concerned, the research variables will be modeled on SERVQUAL, which evaluates customer perceptions and expectations, whether these are frequent or new passengers. For this study, it was projected to evaluate Low Cost airlines users who have purchased their air tickets from the same airline without using third parties such as travel agencies, for their purpose and who travel from Lima's Jorge Chavez airport to another national destination in the last 6 months (from July 2019 to December of the same year). / Trabajo de investigación