Corporate Websites Research Articles

Drivers of managers’ affect (emotions) and corporate website usage: a comparative analysis between a developed and developing country

PurposeExisting literature reveals a general lack of research on business-to-business (B2B) ecommerce showcasing how managers’ affect plays a role in enhancing their attitude toward the businesses they work with. The purpose of this study is to fill that void by ascertaining whether managers’ corporate website knowledge, corporate website expertise and affect toward a corporate site influence their attitude toward the corporate website. It also investigates whether managers’ attitude guides corporate website usage intention in the context of two culturally diverse countries.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from managers from the USA and Kuwait using an online survey method. Structural equation modeling using EQS 6.2 software was used for analysis.FindingsThe results indicate that corporate Web knowledge influences Web expertise and affect in the US sample; in the Kuwaiti sample, Web knowledge influences Web expertise but does not influence affect. The findings in both studies reveal that managers’ knowledge about the Web has a positive effect on their attitude toward a business website. For Kuwaiti managers, Web expertise has a positive influence on affect. However, Web expertise does not influence managers’ affect in the US sample. The results further suggest that affect influences a manager’s attitude toward corporate websites in the US and Kuwaiti samples.Originality/valueSelf-efficacy and affect infusion theories serve as the foundation for this study. This research adds to these two theories in three ways. First, it examines the combined influence of affect and attitude on B2B managers’ intent to use a corporate website. Second, it proposes a single model that examines the combined relationships among managers’ knowledge and managers’ Web expertise that elicit managerial affect toward corporate websites. Third, the proposed model was tested using samples from two diverse countries (developed, the USA, and developing, Kuwait).

Examination of Corporate Websites of Private Hospitals: Example of Marmara Region

Examination of Corporate Websites of Private Hospitals: Example of Marmara Region

Online popularity as a development factor for cooperatives in the winegrowing sector

Spain is a global leader in the wine sector in terms of production capacity, which is in stark contrast to its low domestic wine consumption. This situation forces Spanish producers to develop a clear focus on exports. Traditionally, the business model in Spain has been based on low prices, high volumes, and a strong dependence on traditional markets, which places Spain at a clear competitive disadvantage in terms of value. Given these commercial challenges in this sector, where cooperatives play a central role, information and communication technologies, particularly websites, offer a source of competitive advantage. The main aim of this research is to analyze the organizational factors and commercial features that are associated with the online popularity of wine producers. This study seeks to verify the influence of organizational aspects (company size and integration), commercial features (sales of bottled wine, internationalization, and organic certification), and website quality on the popularity of corporate websites. The analysis was conducted using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results reveal that the number of website visits is positively related to business integration, organic certification, export activity, website quality, and the marketing of bottled wine.

Sustainability is the new black: Exploring website communication practices of Indian sustainable fashion brands

Sustainable fashion brands are increasingly facing the challenge of striking the right balance between prominence and transparency. The core theme of this article is to examine the strategic communication practices of successful Indian sustainable fashion brands – specifically how they build their value profile and message mix to achieve greater transparency in their website communication. A qualitative content analysis allows for an in-depth understanding of the brand’s communication strategy through semi-structured interviews with ‘informed consumers’ of sustainable fashion along with an exploration of brand communication on the corporate website. The analysis throws light on the importance of connecting fashion vs. sustainability message content and brand value profile to ensure transparency in communicating the brand’s engagement with sustainability.

The role of company’s top officials in corporate communications

In contemporary society, corporate communications are becoming an increasingly important and significant component of management. This field includes not only building an external and internal image of a company but also interacting with stakeholders and achieving business aims. This research aims to define the potential and features of company’s top officials (owners, CEOs, presidents, and other top managers) involvement in corporate communications and representing a business. It is based on the content analysis of corporate websites of the first 100 international companies from the Forbes list. The study demonstrated that most (62%) world successful firms involve their owners, CEOs, and top managers in corporate communications as speakers. At the same time, business owners appear on corporate websites less often (only 2%). CEOs engage in such communications in 47% of cases. Most often, other authorized representatives are speakers of companies (51%). A descriptive analysis of topics helped to distinguish the most common types of texts: formal ideological speeches, corporate news, corporate blog texts, and personalized corporate storytelling. Most texts are posted on corporate websites in the News chapter (28%). This suggests that news as a genre may be the most appropriate form of communication on behalf of management. Thus, some recommendations are proposed regarding the participation of top officials as speakers. From a practical point of view, companies can be guided by the outcomes of this research when deciding to engage their leaders in corporate communications.

From strategic corporate social responsibility to value creation: an analysis of corporate website communication in the banking sector

PurposeIncreased public scrutiny and stakeholder pressure have given more importance to strategic corporate social responsibility (SCSR) and its three dimensions – orientation, process and value creation. At the same time, they provide banks the inspiration needed to pursue business goals, attain positive performances and communicate their social responsibility efforts. This paper analyses whether and how companies in the banking sector use corporate websites to communicate SCSR dimensions.Design/methodology/approachA content analysis was performed based on the corporate websites of leading banks included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index to assess the prominence of SCSR communication.FindingsThe study shows that banks give less prominence to SCSR on corporate websites differently from companies belonging to other sectors, as they are less likely to expose their orientation to SCSR and pay slightly less attention to value creation than other companies.Practical implicationsThe paper provides theoretical insights into SCSR dimensions and how they are communicated on corporate websites. From a practical standpoint, the study provides guidance for managers in the banking sector aimed at improving their communication efforts, avoiding decoupling issues and adopting a consistent value creation perspective.Originality/valueFew studies have used a value creation perspective to differentiate between the dimensions of a SCSR approach. The paper fills this gap by assessing the communication efforts adopted by banks and insurance companies in this area.

Using web content analysis to create innovation indicators—What do we really measure?

This study explores the use of web content analysis to build innovation indicators from the complete texts of 79 corporate websites of Canadian nanotechnology and advanced materials firms. Indicators of four core concepts (R&D, IP protection, collaboration, and external financing) of the innovation process were built using keywords frequency analysis. These web-based indicators were validated using several indicators built from a classic questionnaire-based survey with the following methods: correlation analysis, multitraits multimethods (MTMM) matrices, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results suggest that formative indices built with the questionnaire and web-based indicators measure the same concept, which is not the case when considering the items from the questionnaire separately. Web-based indicators can act either as complements to direct measures or as substitutes for broader measures, notably the importance of R&D and the importance of IP protection, which are normally measured using conventional methods, such as government administrative data or questionnaire-based surveys.

STUDY THE ROLE OF E-MARKETING ON BUILDING THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS FIELD STUDY ON THE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES SECTOR

This study aimed to study the role of e-marketing in building the competitive advantage of electrical appliances companies in Egypt from the customers' point of view. To achieve the goal of the study, the descriptive analytical approach was used to collect data and information, and the field study was conducted with the guidance of (520) survey forms and distributed them electronically to those interested in the field of study, Statistical packages v.25 SPSS have been used to test the hypotheses of the study in addition to v.24 AMOS, where the modeling of the structural equation SEM is a technique for building and testing statistical models. The study has found a significant relationship between the role of e-marketing and between the price, the quality of the environmentally friendly electric product, the value for money, and the creativity and innovation of the environmentally friendly electric product. The study recommended the need to pay attention to safety and privacy on the corporate website to enhance customer satisfaction with the environmentally friendly electric product..

Disclosure of AGM Minutes on Corporate Website: An Assessment of Malaysian Listed Companies

Disclosure of annual general meeting (AGM) minutes on the corporate website is considered as additional disclosure. Consequently, Listing Requirements states compulsory disclosure of corporate information. In this regard, the awareness of compulsory disclosure of information among all Malaysian listed companies in 2017 was below expectations. Despite the role of AGM minutes as documented proof of meeting, the management had been reluctant to disclose AGM minutes on the corporate website unless demanded by the shareholders. This paper focuses on previous mandatory disclosure of discussions on key matters after AGM minutes among 261 listed companies based on the financial year ended December 31, 2016. The findings indicated that shareholder activism and the role of grey directors exerted influence on the disclosure of AGM minutes on the corporate website. Undoubtedly, management and investors have contributed toward voluntary disclosure in line with the government’s role to enhance shareholder rights. Besides, grey directors’ contribution towards information disclosure has remained relatively unexplored.

Resort Otel İşletmeleri Web Sitelerinin Dijital Pazarlama Performanslarının Analizi: Alanya daki Beş Yıldızlı Otel İşletmeleri Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Today, hotel businesses reach their current and potential customers through corporate websites and carry out their marketing activities from this channel. The effectiveness of hotel website digital marketing activities is an important factor in terms of the success and performance of the business. The purpose of this study is to analyze the digital marketing performances of the corporate websites of resort hotels. For this purpose, websites of 79 five-star hotels in Alanya were analyzed by content analysis method and their digital marketing performances were analyzed according to 74 criteria determined in 10 dimensions. According to the findings obtained from the analysis, the digital marketing performance of resort hotel websites in terms of sales promotion tools is poor. In terms of public relations and mobile features, the performance is insufficient. Digital marketing performance is excellent in terms of information about the services offered at the hotel. As a result of the study, the overall digital marketing performance of resort hotel websites has been determined as good.

Environmental Website Disclosure of ICT Use and Compliance Management

The concept of ‘Environmental Management' includes the responsibility to ensure that the company complies with environmental laws and regulations. Because this responsibility is not only exercised towards authorities, but also towards the stakeholders, and because growing environmental awareness is combined with the growing development of ICT, some companies publish their information concerning ‘environmental compliance management' on their corporate websites. The present exploratory website study was performed to fill the research gap in the field of environmental website disclosure through a survey of 170 large production companies in the USA and in Europe. The analysis of the empirical data suggests that corporate websites contain only limited information about ICT use for environmental management and environmental compliance management. Because very large and mostly global corporations were observed, only small differences between the two regions were expected. However, the study revealed that the USA companies outperformed the European companies in terms of extent of disclosure.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY IN BRAZIL

Social responsibility is a growing theme, given the rapid and necessary transformations observed in corporate management in recent years towards sustainable development. Thus, the purpose of this research was to study the communication of social responsibility in the food and beverage sector in Brazil, as well as to characterize the link between social responsibility and business strategy. As for the research methodology, it is descriptive and explanatory, with a bibliographic and documental survey on corporate websites, with the purpose of knowing the projects and the results of social responsibility actions, which are communicated and published by the selected companies. The selection criteria of these companies is their position in the ranking of net revenue of the sector. The results indicate, for the studied companies, that investments in social responsibility are linked to the competitive strategy. However, there is scope for improvement through more detailed responsible business practices and the results of social responsibility projects, enabling it to meet stakeholder demands, strengthening reputation and increasing long-term sales and profits.

Toplumsal Bir Sorun Olarak Obezite: Sosyal Bağlantı Modeli ve Şirket Çerçeveleri

The social connection model defines the responsibility of a corporation beyond the economic, social and environmental responsibilities as a broader area of responsibility and as a dimension that leads to discussions of corporate citizenship. According to this model, in case of a problem, all actors involved in the relevant product, application or activity should take responsibility. The aim of this study, is to determine how companies that produce fast food, snacks and soda drinks define their frames and responsibilities in regard to the problem of obesity in accordance with the social connection model. To identify the corporate frames on the issue of obesity, information provided in the corporate social responsibility/sustainability reports and corporate websites is analyzed. Qualitative content analysis is applied to the reports and website texts of eight corporations selected among the leading producers of snacks, fast food, and beverages. Texts and coded using MaxQDA 12. We concluded that corporations take responsibility predominantly in their communication activities rather than in their products. They frame the responsibility on the issue of obesity as an individual responsibility. The solution to the problem of obesity is framed as “the rational and educated nutrition and life choices of consumers”. Corporations’ definition of responsibility and solution is shaped by their definition of the problem. Corporations do not define obesity as a social problem. Thus they deny that the ingredients of their products and the snacking culture that they promote have any part to play in the increase in cases of obesity. Consequently, they focus on reforms in advertisement and endorsement of an active lifestyle as the ultimate solution.

The Quality of Annual General Meeting Minutes of Listed Companies in Malaysia

The annual general meeting (AGM) minutes act as an integral part of a good disclosure and transparency in delivering corporate information. Through the content of AGM minutes, shareholders can have an overview of the company's performance. The paper examines the in- depth context of the AGM minutes of listed companies in Malaysia. Using the content analysis, a self-constructed checklist was developed to measure the quality of AGM minutes of listed companies in Malaysia. A sample of 115 AGM minutes from various sectors listed in Bursa Malaysia for the financial year ended December 31, 2016, was reported. The results indicate that the quality of AGM minutes discloses by listed companies relatively low consistent with the prior literature that sought for more exploration on the AGM. Using SPSS version 24, a descriptive analysis was presented in this paper. The low level of AGM minutes' disclosure among Malaysian listed companies suggests that these companies merely disclose within the mandatory requirements. The initiative by the Minority Shareholder Watch Group (MSWG) encourages more disclosure cause listed companies to disclosure additional information such as AGM minutes' content. The result of this study provides meaningful information, especially on the quality of AGM minutes' disclosure in Malaysian listed companies, which remained largely unexplored. The study provides insight contribution of the quality AGM minutes on the corporate website prior implementation of Companies Act 2016.

Identidad gráfica para un equipo de biomedicina universitario: consiguiendo notoriedad

The aim of this article is to present the work carried out by communication researchers within a biomedical engineering group that works against breast cancer at the University of Girona (Spain). It will gradually detail how the identity of the group was developed, how the storytelling was built, how we construct a Strategic Communication Plan, and the concrete and specific actions to achieve two objectives: to be visible and to obtain extra funding. It was assumed that one objective should be linked to the other. This paper is a real world application. It is based on the theoretical perspective of Institutional Theory as understood by Macagnan (2013), and the philosophy put forward by Abratt and Kleyn (2011). They state that corporate identity and corporate branding are inseparable elements that shape the reputation of an organisation, in the same way as the role played by the public. Thus, the strategic communication plan that was developed followed the guidelines outlined by Scheinsohn (2009), the flexibility outlined by Matilla (2009) and following Capriotti (2009) in relation to the phases of strategic management and its relationship with the public. First, we focused on seeking notoriety. The assumption was that by achieving visibility and awareness it would be more accessible to secure more funding. In other words, we tried to ensure that the biomedical contributions based on 3D engineering, developed within the team, did not go unnoticed. The mission of the project, called ONCOen3D, is to test new therapeutic targets against Triple Negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive cancers, with a high degree of recurrence, which mostly affects young patients. The drug tests, which is one of the team's tasks, are tested, in our case, on matrices printed with 3D systems that, with low cost, allow many tests. This creative idea, the basis of the project, was absolutely unknown outside of academic walls, until this multidisciplinary research team incorporated experts from the area of communication. Thus, communicative actions were devised, scheduled and focused on different audiences to achieve notoriety. To begin with, the name and visual identity of ONCOen3D was created: a logo, a graphic identity embodied in communicative elements of dissemination (flyers, roll-ups) and institutional videos hosted on the corporate website. The videos explain and present the work both to a more specialized and scientific public, or to a more generalist public: patients, families and organizations supporting breast cancer patients. Other actions were aimed at achieving the second objective: to seek funding outside the usual channels of the university. Visits to the laboratories were scheduled to introduce the institutions and organizations with which we normally collaborate, and to engage new potential sponsors. Another event planned was the organization of a solidarity market for emerging talented designers. In addition, the informative story was constructed to present ONCOen3D in society through a classic technique of Public Relations: the press conference. The results were more than 50 impacts in national and international media; a remarkable publicity was obtained. This international presence prompted ONCOen3D to compete in the 3D Printing Academy Awards 2019 and win the Best Healthcare Application 2019 award. Therefore, these initial responses show that, with the multidisciplinary nature of the teams, dissemination is more effective in terms of both positioning and reputation. This project conceived and implemented with a Spanish public university is serving to give visibility to science.

Identidad gráfica para un equipo de biomedicina universitario: consiguiendo notoriedad / Graphic identity for a biomedical university team: gaining visibility

Identidad gráfica para un equipo de biomedicina universitario: consiguiendo notoriedad / Graphic identity for a biomedical university team: gaining visibility

What do companies report for their corporate social responsibility practices on their corporate websites? Evidence from a global airline company

Purpose This study aims to investigate what Turkish Airlines as a global airline company reports for corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts on its corporate website by developing a framework assessing reports of airline companies’ CSR practices. Design/methodology/approach Content analysis was conducted on reports, documents and written policies published on the Turkish Airlines corporate website by the end of 2017. Findings The research findings suggest that Turkish Airlines publishes numerous reports highlighting their CSR activities. The study results show that Turkish Airlines reports its CSR activities through reports, documents and written policies. While the CSR reporting efforts deal with all CSR areas, the environmental dimension is the mostly emphasized area. Practical implications The study provides a model and data-driven analyzes for decision-makers and policymakers. Originality/value As one of the first study in the field, this research examines CSR reporting efforts in the airline industry via a new framework developed for airline companies.

Cigarette Packs With URLs Leading to Tobacco Company Websites: Content Analysis.

BackgroundTobacco companies include on the packaging of their products URLs directing consumers to websites that contain protobacco messages. Online media tend to be underregulated and provide the industry with an opportunity to present users with protobacco communication.ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to document the content of websites that were advertised on tobacco packs in 14 low- and middle-income countries.MethodsWe purchased tobacco packs from 14 low- and middle-income countries in 2013 and examined them for the presence of URLs. We visited unique URLs on multiple occasions between October 1, 2016 and August 9, 2017. We developed a coding checklist and used it to conduct a content analysis of active corporate websites to identify types of protobacco communication. The coding checklist included the presence of regulatory controls and warnings, engagement strategies, marketing appeals (eg, description of product popularity, luxury/quality, taste), corporate social responsibility programs, and image management. We coded brand websites separately and also described social media and other website types.ResultsWe identified 89 unique URLs, of which 54 were active during the search period. We assessed 26 corporate websites, 21 brand websites, 2 nontobacco websites, and 5 social media pages. We excluded 2 corporate websites and 14 brand websites due to limited accessible content or incomplete content. Corporate social responsibility was discussed on all corporate websites, and marketing appeals were also common. Corporate websites were also more likely to include more nonspecific (12/24, 50%) than specific (7/24, 29%) health warnings. Promotions (6/7, 86%) and sociability appeals (3/7, 43%) were common on brand websites. The small number of social media webpages in our sample used gendered marketing.ConclusionsURLs appearing on tobacco packs direct consumers to websites where users are exposed to marketing that highlights the “positive” contributions of tobacco companies on corporate websites, and extensive promotions and marketing appeals on brand websites and social media pages. It is essential that marketing regulations become more comprehensive and ban all protobacco communication, a policy that is in line with articles 5.3 and 13 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. For countries that already ban internet tobacco advertising, enforcement efforts should be strengthened. Tobacco companies’ use of URLs on packs may also be compelling for plain packaging advocacy, where all branding is removed from the pack and large graphic health warning labels are the only communication on the tobacco packaging. Future research should consider including tobacco websites in marketing surveillance.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ РАЗРАБОТКИ КОРПОРАТИВНОГО САЙТА ДЛЯ ПОВЫШЕНИЯ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ БИЗНЕСА

ОСОБЕННОСТИ РАЗРАБОТКИ КОРПОРАТИВНОГО САЙТА ДЛЯ ПОВЫШЕНИЯ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ БИЗНЕСА

Diversity or Division: Language Choices on International Organizations’ Official Websites

Research problem: With the extensive use of the internet, cyber language management has become a critical issue for international organizations (IOs). IOs' language choices on their official websites represent the very interests of member nations and form a key factor in organizational image construction. However, research on IOs' cyber language management is rather limited. Literature review: Previous studies examined the use of different languages on websites of large corporations, state institutions, and organizations that aim to reach linguistically diverse populations, but discussions of language management of international organizations generally focus on traditional offline language policies. This article attempts to examine the choices of languages on IOs' official websites. Research questions: 1. What languages are used on international organizations' official websites? 2. How do intergovernmental organizations differ from nongovernmental organizations in such language choices and cyber language management? Methodology: Data from the official websites of 50 intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and 20 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) were collected, and both qualitative and quantitative approaches were adopted to analyze the data. Results: The findings show that English is the dominant language on IOs' official websites, and is especially preferred by NGOs; inconsistency of IOs' cyber language policy is found among the languages used on specific pages, e-documents, and the general available languages; and IGOs' language choices are more diversified, unified, and standardized than NGOs'. Conclusion: Accordingly, the effect of technology on IOs' language policy is further analyzed, and suggestions for IOs' language management are presented concerning the linguistic ecology at supra-national levels.