Advancing the country image construct from a public relations perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Buhmann ◽  
Diana Ingenhoff
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Travel Behavior ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Path Model ◽  
Reputation Management ◽  
Country Image ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Central Target ◽  
International Public Relations ◽  
Stakeholder Behavior

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a new model for the measurement of the constitution and effects of the country image as a central target construct in international public relations. Design/methodology/approach – The authors combine concepts from reputation management (Eisenegger and Imhof, 2008; Ingenhoff and Sommer, 2007), national identity theory (Smith, 1987), and attitude theory (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980) to derive a four-dimensional model, conceptualizing country images as stakeholder attitudes toward a nation and its state, comprising specific beliefs and general feelings in a functional, normative, aesthetic, and emotional dimension. Furthermore, the authors develop a path model to analyze the country image’s effect on stakeholder behavior. This model is operationalized and tested in a survey regarding the country image of the USA and its effects on travel behavior. Findings – Results show how functional, normative and aesthetic image dimensions vary in affecting the formation of the affective image component. It is also demonstrated how the affective image di-mension acts as a mediator in the image’s effect on stakeholder behavior. Practical implications – For international public relations and public diplomacy practice the developed model supplies a new approach for country image analyses which will serve and improve the development and evaluation of cross-national communication strategies. Originality/value – The paper introduces a new theory-grounded approach to clarify the dimensionality of the country image construct. It is the first to operationalize cognitive and affective dimensions of the country image by combining formative and reflective indicators in a mixed specified construct.

Zimbabwe economic crisis may escalate further

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Foreign Currency ◽  
Fiscal Deficit ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Public Relations ◽  
The Us ◽  
Funding Programme ◽  
Us Dollar

Significance Since the abandonment of the multi-currency regime in June, the new Zimbabwe dollar has lost almost 60% of its value relative to the US dollar. The parallel market for foreign currency has re-emerged, forcing the authorities to adopt increasingly draconian measures to enforce the use of the new currency. Meanwhile, more than half of Zimbabweans are at risk of being food insecure. Impacts Despite hiring several international public relations firms, Harare will continue to suffer reputationally amid a renewed crackdown. As the authorities attempt to support the Zimbabwe dollar and re-balance the fiscal deficit, further austerity measures are likely. While Harare hopes austerity measures will help regain IMF confidence, a new funding programme in early 2020 is now unlikely.

Reputation spillover: corporate crises’ effects on country reputation

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Ingenhoff ◽  
Alexander Buhmann ◽  
Candace White ◽  
Tianduo Zhang ◽  
Spiro Kiousis
Keyword(s):  
Soft Power ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Country Image ◽  
Attribution Of Responsibility ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Image Prior ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Media Reports

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how varying degrees of media-constructed associations between organizations and their home countries affect audience perceptions of such associations and, subsequently, how recipients attribute crisis responsibility and reputational damage to the home country. Additionally, the paper investigates if pre-crisis country image can buffer negative effects of the crisis for the country. Design/methodology/approach The authors hypothesize that the strength of actor associations in media reports about crises affects recipients’ cognitive processes of crisis responsibility attribution and, thus, the “direction” of reputational damage (corporation vs country). Empirically, the authors analyze the effects of different levels of actor association in crisis reports (strong actor association vs weak actor association) regarding a Chinese corporation in a one-factorial (between-subjects) experimental design; and the intervening effect of China’s country image prior to the crisis. Participants for the study lived in Switzerland and the USA. Findings The effect of different actor associations presented in the media on perceived association between a corporation and its home country is confirmed. Furthermore, these varying perceptions lead to significantly different tendencies in people’s ascriptions of crisis responsibility (corporation vs country), and different degrees of reputational fallout for the home countries. Finally, the data did not confirm a moderating effect of pre-crisis country image on the reputational damage caused by the crisis. Research limitations/implications The study contributes to the understanding of key factors in the formation of crisis attributions as well as insights for the study of country image and public diplomacy. Practical implications It provides a new approach for corporate communication and public diplomacy to analyze the complex interdependencies between countries and internationally visible and globally known corporations, which potentially affect the country’s perception abroad. Social implications Particularly for smaller countries that cannot rely on political and economic power to defend national interests in a global context, their “soft power” in terms of reputation and country image can play a central role in their political, economic, and cultural success. Originality/value The paper applies a new conceptual framework and methodology to analyze how both mediated and cognitive associations between different actors influence attribution of responsibility in crises, and how these associations ultimately bear on reputation spillover for the different actors.

Trust research in public relations: an assessment of its conceptual, theoretical and methodological foundations

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Valentini
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Central Element ◽  
Strategic Communication ◽  
Reputation Management ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Conceptual Foundation ◽  
Content Type

PurposeDuring the past few years, public trust in organisations, institutions and systems has decreased. Trust is an important antecedent not only for relationship-building but also for image and reputation management. This study aims to systematically review scientific publications on public relations and trust to explore the current status of trust research, including its conceptual definition, measurement and theorisation.Design/methodology/approachOnly English-language scientific papers published in key public relations journals were analysed. Titles, abstracts and keywords were searched with the terms “public relations” and/or “strategic communication” and/or “communication management” and “trust”, returning 254 discrete articles. Quantitative content analysis and thematic analysis were used to extract information.FindingsTrust research has limited methodological and intellectual diversity. Most studies have been published by North American scholars using surveys and interviews as the primary methods, and most are positioned within the public relations literature. One-third of papers do not use any specific theory to define trust, and about 13% of those in which trust is a central element do not refer to any conceptual foundation. The majority of papers are centred on professional and managerial problems, with limited discussion of publics/stakeholders' or societal problems.Originality/valueThis study offers important information about the development of trust research in public relations and sheds light on current knowledge gaps that can inform future research.

Social media will be key Nigerian poll battleground

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Political Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Public Relations ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Online Access ◽  
Age Limits ◽  
Public Relations Firms

Subject Nigerian social media. Significance A growing number of Nigerians have online access and are sharing information on social media platforms. Such dissemination is proving increasingly influential in driving political change, sustaining protests and shaping electoral processes. Impacts Nigeria’s electoral commission will face an uphill battle to combat sophisticated hacking of tabulated results. A recent lowering of election age limits is unlikely to result in a sizable increase in youth candidates due to high campaigning costs. Nigerian political parties will likely again employ international public relations firms in campaigns despite their dubious effectiveness. Authorities in neighbouring Cameroon are likely to pursue internet shutdowns ahead of their forthcoming polls amid worsening insecurity.

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