Corporate Websites Research Articles

Determinants of consumers’ attitudes towards digital advertising – A meta-analytic comparison across time and touchpoints

By means of a meta-analysis, we synthesize the findings of over two decades of research from 88 empirical studies regarding four well established and theoretically rooted determinants on consumers’ attitude towards digital advertising: informativeness, entertainment, irritation, and credibility. Among other findings, we show that the effects of these determinants have changed over the past 20 years as the internet has developed. We also find that the effects differ depending on which type of online touchpoint was considered. In particular, we differentiate between the most prominent online touchpoints: email advertising, social media advertising, search engine advertising, web display banner advertising, electronic word-of-mouth communication, and corporate website advertising. Additionally, we extend the well-established determinants by more recent ones accounting for the ongoing digitalization and advances in online touchpoints (i.e. personalization, privacy concerns and interactivity). We also derive important managerial implications and several fundamental directions for future research.

Accessibility and social inclusion: an empirical investigation on the adoption of World Wide Web Consortium guidelines on corporate websites

Accessibility and social inclusion: an empirical investigation on the adoption of World Wide Web Consortium guidelines on corporate websites

La investigación en los servicios públicos de salud y su reconocimiento en las carreras profesionales de las comunidades autónomas en España

ObjectiveHealth research is an accessory activity for most health professionals in the national health service of Spain. One way to recognize your worth is through professional careers. The objective of this paper has been to compare how research activity is valued in the professional careers of the health services of the different regions of Spain. DesignReview of agreements, resolutions and decrees that define the professional careers of each community collected from the corporate websites of health services and health ministries. SiteHealth Research and Innovation Commission of the Extremadura Health Service. ParticipantsMembers of said commission. MethodsThe following was considered for comparison: if the research activity is valued in isolation from other concepts, if it is considered to advance in different levels, if it is a requirement for any of them, and the percentage of score assigned to the block to which it belongs. ResultsAlmost all the regions consider research as merit at all career levels. The score of the research block is between 4 and 50% of overall. They are only considered independently, of others activities, in the Canary Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla-León, Cataluña, Madrid and Murcia. They are required to climb a certain level in the Canary Islands and Castilla-León. ConclusionsThere is a high variability in the recognition of research activity between regions. The careers that best value research would be those of the Canary Islands and Castilla-León, which consider it an independent activity and it becomes a requirement. The regions that have a more negative approach are those that can be promoted to the highest level, without making any contribution to research.

Content Analysis of the Corporate Social Responsibility Practices of 9 Major Cannabis Companies in Canada and the US

The cannabis industry has sought to normalize itself and expand its markets in the 21st century. One strategy used by companies to generate positive public relations is corporate social responsibility (CSR). It is critical to understand these efforts to influence the public and politicians given the risks of increased cannabis use. To analyze cannabis industry CSR behaviors, determine their characteristics, and compare their practices with those of the tobacco industry. This qualitative study of CSR activities conducted between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2021, evaluated 9 of the 10 largest publicly traded cannabis companies in the US and Canada. Data were collected from August 1 to December 31, 2021. The 10th company was excluded because it engaged in cannabis-based pharmaceutical sales but not CSR. A systematic review of corporate websites and Nexis Uni was performed, resulting in collection of 153 news articles, press releases, and Web pages. Charitable and philanthropic actions were included. Themes were identified and interpreted using modified grounded theory. CSR activities and spending. Nine major cannabis companies in the US and Canada engaged in CSR activities that encouraged increased consumption and targeted marginalized communities. Companies claimed these activities would mitigate the harms of cannabis prohibition, promote diversity, expand access to medical cannabis, and support charitable causes. They developed educational programs, sustainability initiatives, and voluntary marketing codes and used strategies similar to those used by tobacco companies to recruit public interest organizations as allies. These findings suggest that cannabis companies developed CSR strategies comparable to those used by the tobacco industry to influence regulation, suggesting that cannabis companies should be included when addressing commercial determinants of health.

Contents and determinants of CSR website communication toward international stakeholders: evidence from Chinese MNCs

With Chinese companies increasingly transforming into powerful social and economic institutions in the global market, they have begun to face progressive pressure to sustain communication with international stakeholders in a socially responsible fashion. This study represents a preliminary attempt to explore Chinese MNCs’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication to their international audiences through corporate websites, as well as its company-level determinants. The CSR information posed by 149 leading Chinese MNCs on their official English websites was analyzed in terms of their visibility, extent, and themes, and the impact of four company-level factors on the communication was tested. The findings indicated that Chinese MNCs generally presented CSR information in a visible and readily accessible way, yet the extent of the communication was relatively low. The communication focused on issues related to consumers and stakeholders, followed by the community and employees, with inadequate addressing of suppliers. The positive impact of company-level determinants (i.e. degree of internationalization, overseas experience of top management, and industry affiliation to polluting sectors) on communication was confirmed. Theoretical and practical implications for online CSR communication in the global context are subsequently discussed.

Employing Internal Audit System towards Business Sustainability: Evaluating its Impact on the Triple Bottom Line Perspective in the Manufacturing Industry

This study aims to formulate a model to show how Internal audit implementation affects the Triple Bottom Line Business Sustainability of Manufacturing Companies in the National Capital Region (NCR) Area. These factors are categorized into three: (1) Financial Performance, (2) Corporate Social Responsibility, and (3) Environmental Consciousness. Moreover, it indicated some additional factors that could affect, such as net worth, firm size, and years of operation. This study stems from the lack of clarity based on existing studies on the practical contribution of internal audits to firm performance. This study is a correlational design under the quantitative research design. This is also considered a moderation analysis design in which the moderating effect of internal audit cost and firm profile on the relationship between internal audit and firm performance were considered. Documentary analysis was employed through publicly listed companies' documents on their corporate website. The researcher used both descriptive and inferential statistics. Multivariate analysis was performed on the gathered data in which there are multiple dependent variables, which was explained by one independent variable – internal audit implementation. Key findings of this study show that internal audit has a significant effect on firm performance, t(301) = 2.5, p = 0.012. It shows that internal audit has been found to have an effect on firm performance, β = 0.139, p = 0.012. This supports the probability that firm performance increases around 0.139 per 1 level increase of internal audit. On the other hand, internal audit has a significant impact on corporate social responsibility, t(301) = 2.27, p = 0.023. It indicates that internal audit has an effect on corporate social responsibility, β = 0.127, p = 0.023. It means there is a probability that, for 1 level increase in internal audit, there is an accompanying 0.127 increase in corporate social responsibility. Lastly, the data gathered indicates that the effect of internal audit on environmental consciousness is non-significant, t(301) = 1.53, p = 0.127. The probability that environmental consciousness increases around 0.114 per 1 level increase of internal audit are supported.

Communicating Gender Equality During Covid-19 Pandemic an Analysis of Indian Corporate Websites

Covid-19 has been the test of time for corporates to act responsibly toward the sustainable development goal of gender equality. The present research is conducted to understand the representation of gender equality in Indian corporates through their websites during the pandemic of the Covid-19 second wave using the Impression management technique. Impression management taxonomy has been applied to lead the content analysis of the 110 corporate websites from public and private sector companies for a period of six months. It is found that the corporates have been using more assertive techniques than defensive and the private sector has been active in comparison to the public sector in working towards gender equality initiatives. The situation of pandemic resulted in low business and struggle for existence still some companies tried to be gender- sensitive. In a focus group discussion with corporate representatives, it is found that Covid-19 was a difficult situation even for the corporates, but by posting womencentric stories and sharing their concerns, it was possible for an organisation to get a dedicated women workforce. Websites thus can work as a potent corporate communication tool whereby promoting gender equality, a company can be a morale booster for its employees and can gather positive public support.

THE USE OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS IN HEALTH TOURISM IN TURKEY

In recent years, the digital communication for health tourism has gained undeniable importance in Turkey and all over the world. In terms of tourism, the correct and effective use of digital tools that emerged with the advancement of technology which provides benefits for businesses plays an effective role in the preferences and decisions of consumers. In this study, it is aimed to examine the corporate websites and social media accounts of 10 private hospitals operating in the region of Konya in Turkey, in order to reach both domestic and international health tourists. Content analysis was conducted to evaluate whether hospitals use social media tools effectively. In this context, general information about the hospital, applications, trust, general risks, material information and visuals on the website are included on the corporate website. Regarding social media accounts, the most shared contents on Instagram, retweeted on Twitter and liked on Facebook accounts were included. According to the results of the analysis, it has been determined the information that shared in digital communication channels, but they are weak in interacting with consumers.

How to organize for open innovation from the ground up: a microfoundations approach in a foodservice firm

PurposeThis study aims to analyze what promotes the adoption of open innovation (OI) in the foodservice sector. Specifically, it seeks to shed light on the bottom-up mechanisms (the microfoundations) that allow a foodservice firm to organize for OI.Design/methodology/approachThe research design is an in-depth exploratory case study with 18 semi-structured interviews. The findings have been triangulated with documentation available on the corporate website, the project reports and direct observation. Data were analyzed using an inductive approach, coding individual interview transcripts.FindingsThis study identifies three categories of capabilities that have to be spread to different organizational levels: the capability to sense organizational triggers to change, to develop external collaborations and knowledge exchanges with different parties and the management's ability to be aware of organizational imperatives and the need to proceed with process adjustment. Results highlight the importance of sensing organizational triggers, allowing a quick switch between new strategies in implementing an OI approach. It was crucial for the company to co-develop new products and services with a large audience of stakeholders, not only limited to customers. The case remarks on the required ability of the organization and management team to activate mechanisms aimed at reconfiguring the competencies within each business unit, keeping an alignment with the needs of the stakeholders.Originality/valueThe study emphasizes the multi-level characteristics of OI and provides a framework for microfoundations on how to organize for OI. Results contribute to the recent debate on the skills and routines an organization should design and promote within their employees.

Fashion industry's environmental policy: Social media and corporate website as vehicles for communicating corporate social responsibility

AbstractSociety requires companies to adopt ethical and responsible behavior with regard to environmental policies in order to achieve sustainable development. One of the most controversial sectors in terms of sustainable production is the fashion industry. This study analyzes the extent to which seven of the biggest fashion brands in Spain and around the world communicate their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies (specifically, those related to sustainability). To this end, we identify the social media platforms used the most by the target audiences for these brands, and apply an exploratory, descriptive methodology to a content analysis of communication about their CSR policies, both formal (corporate websites) and informal (social media). The objective is to identify whether these companies communicate their sustainable activities and practices in the context of their CSR. Our findings confirm that the brands analyzed have integrated sustainability and environmental protection initiatives into their CSR policies. However, although they do communicate this on their corporate websites, they rarely do so on social media. We thus conclude that the seven fashion brands analyzed could make better use of social media to raise awareness and educate customers about environmental sustainability.

Online reputation management in Spanish cancer patients’ associations: a proposal model

Cancer patients’ associations have become valid public health players because they help patients to face this disease from physical, emotional and social perspectives. Some of these associations resort to social media platforms not only to improve their relationships with patients, but also to promote their own brand. This paper seeks to understand how Spanish cancer patients’ associations manage their social media platforms to promote their brand. To do that, we conducted a literature review about health communication; we considered 48 indicators to analyze how 107 associations belonging to the Spanish Group of Cancer Patients (Gepac) managed Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and their corporate website for branding initiatives; and we proposed a communication model for branding cancer patients’ associations on these platforms (MedPac Model). We concluded that Spanish cancer patients’ associations prioritize medical information but not brand-related elements, they lack the economic and human resources to produce a quality content, and they have not yet implemented a true corporate communication approach.

Achieving Operational Efficiency through Risk Disclosure

Manuscript type: Research paper Research aims: This study aims to investigate the effect of risk disclosure and CEO age on the operational efficiency. Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative study was undertaken on 130 manufacturing firms listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange in 2019. Risk disclosure was evaluated through the content analysis, while operational efficiency was measured using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique. The data was analysed by utilising weighted least square regression. Research findings: Results show that risk disclosure positively affects operational efficiency. The effect on CEO’s age however, is not substantial. These findings imply that a company becomes more efficient when it discloses more risk, while the CEO’s age has no bearing on the efficiency attained. Risk disclosure operates as a form of risk awareness that demonstrates management’s commitment to resolving the problems. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This study addresses the gap in the literature by empirically assessing how risk disclosure affect firms’ efficiency in developing countries. It also expands on previous literature by considering CEO age as determinant of the efficiency. The findings of the study support the stakeholder theory in which a company must consider its key stakeholders, especially those who encourage it to improve its efficiency, and hence, risk disclosure is required. Practitioner/Policy implications: This research suggests companies to disclose more to improve operational efficiency. It also recommends investors to invest in firms committed to risk disclosure. Research limitation/Implications: In this study, risk disclosure was measured by the number of risks disclosed in the annual report and did not consider other sources. Therefore, future studies should further explore risk disclosure in different media, such as the newspaper, corporate websites, and social medias. Additionally, this study was conducted based on one industry sector, and hence, future studies may incorporate broader range of industries to capture the impact of CEO characteristics. Keywords: CEO Age, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Operational Efficiency, Risk Disclosure JEL Classification: M41

University Websites: Attractive or Casual?

International student mobility is increasing around the world and the number of students who prefer Turkey for higher education is increasing every year. It is also important for universities to be able to influence students' preferences and attract more successful students. The most used and most important means of universities to introduce themselves to students coming from another country, to leave a positive image and to increase their organizational attractiveness are the corporate websites of universities. Universities create an image about themselves with the visuals they use on their websites. In this study, the image attractiveness of the websites of universities in Turkey towards international students was examined. For this purpose, it has been examined by using visual content analysis whether there are contents that will positively affect the organizational attractiveness of the university for foreign students on the home pages of the websites of state and private universities in Turkey. Among 129 state and 74 private universities in Turkey, 25 universities were selected by proportional stratified sampling method. The codes determined as a result of the visual analysis were gathered under four themes. It has been found that universities mostly include their scientific studies on their websites, and private universities give more space than state universities to the educational environments, buildings, campuses and visuals of their students interacting in these environments, which create the first impression of the university for international students.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WEB SITES IN DESTINATION PUBLICITY: A RESEARCH ON THE WEB SITES OF MUNICIPALITIES

Belediyelerin web siteleri, kamuoyu ile iletişim kurabilmek ve bilgi paylaşımı yapmak için kullanabileceği araçlardan biridir. Bu kapsamda destinasyonun tanıtılmasına ilişkin doğru ve etkili tanıtım araçları kullanmanın önemi ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bu çalışmada Nevşehir Belediyesi ve ilçe belediyelerinin kurumsal web sitelerinin tanıtım aracı olarak kullanımı ve bu konudaki başarımları incelenmiştir. Belediyelerin web sitelerinin incelenmesinde içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Web siteleri destinasyon tanıtımında etkili olan özellikler dikkate alınarak incelenmiştir. Genel olarak, değerlendirmede kullanılan özelliklerin belediyelerin kurumsal web sitelerinde yer aldığı görülmektedir. Bununla birlikte destinasyonun tanıtımı amacı ile web sitelerinin kullanımının yetersiz olduğu görülmüştür. Belediyeler, kurumsal web sitelerini turizm destinasyonuna olan talebi etkilemek için kullanabilirler. Aynı zamanda web sitelerini tanıtım aracı olarak daha etkin bir biçimde kullanmaları da mümkündür. Bu konuda destinasyona ilişkin bilgilere eksiksiz, güncel ve daha dikkat çekici bir şekilde web sitelerinde yer verilmesi daha etkili olacaktır. Nevşehir çekiciliklere sahip çok sayıda destinasyondan meydana gelen önemli bir turizm bölgesidir. Bu özelliğine rağmen sadece birkaç destinasyon çekiciliğini duyurma ve tanıtma çabalarını ilgili web sitelerinde yansıtmayı başarabilmiştir. Çalışma, bu konuda araştırma yapacak akademisyenlere ve yöneticilere katkılar sağlaması bakımından önemlidir.

Cappadocia hotels’ website quality evaluation: A multi-criteria Intuitionistic Fuzzy EDAS (IF-EDAS) method application

The internet is becoming increasingly common worldwide, and the number of users is rapidly increasing. This condition offers up new business opportunities for online businesses. For online companies, high customer satisfaction corresponds with a competitive advantage. For this reason, it is vital to understand consumer expectations for services provided through corporate websites and assess the website quality from the customer's perspective. The primary goal of this research is to evaluate and rate the websites of Cappadocia hotels in Turkey. A solution proposal comprising the Intuitionistic Fuzzy EDAS (IF EDAS) approach is developed to assess the website quality of these hotels. A sensitivity analysis is also provided to demonstrate how the proposed IF EDAS method yields robust decisions. It has been concluded that the most important criteria in evaluating the quality of a hotel website are security, privacy and hotel facilities information. According to the findings, the top three hotels in terms of website quality are Kapadokya Hill Hotel & Spa, Exedra Hotel Cappadocia and Anatolian House. This study will likely be helpful to both researchers interested in hotel website quality evaluations and holidaymakers contemplating a trip to Cappadocia.

Corporate Website Job Recruitment Platform: A Moderated Mediation Model of Organisational Image

Corporate companies’ websites recruitment in advanced countries is well established. However, lesser is known about the Malaysian students and employed jobseekers’ intention to apply for jobs on the corporate companies’ websites. Therefore, this study aims to assess the subjective perceptions of these two groups’ intentions to apply for jobs on the websites. This study also aims to analyse the mediating effect of organisational image on perceived person-job fit (P-J fit) and perceived website usability (PWSU) which may be moderated by these two groups of jobseekers’ intentions. The conceptual model was first analysed using two-level confirmatory factor analysis. Adopting Hayes’ Model 7 template, AMOS software was used to differentiate the two groups’ perceptions. The results indicate that the perceived P-J fit and PWSU are the main factors influencing jobseekers’ intentions to apply for jobs on corporate websites. The moderated mediation technique has identified an indirect effect between perceived P-J fit and the intention to apply for jobs indicating the importance of established organisational image that it arouses applicants’ pursuit intention. Thus, the corporate human resource managers need to ensure the sites are designed for easy navigation and job advertisements that contain updated job information and realistic job preview. Using this platform, companies can reduce costs and time for the recruitment of talents. This study provides the subjective perceptions of jobseekers’ intention study and it contributes to the first component of Planning Theory of Intention. Lastly, this research also contributed to an alternate research method of analysing the moderated mediation using AMOS.

Health insurers: evolving into ecosystem-based service companies

PurposeThis study aims to investigate whether health insurers are transforming from pure payers into ecosystem-based health service companies. The authors discuss the findings’ impact on health insurers’ business model approach and their sources of competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a multiple case study of 25 incumbent and rising health insurers from the USA, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The selection of firms was based on databases from Forbes, S&P Global Market Intelligence and Crunchbase. By performing a review of financial reports, app descriptions, corporate websites and media coverage, the authors analyzed health insurers’ digital service offerings and underlying strategic approaches for providing those services.FindingsThis study demonstrates that major health insurers are transforming into ecosystem-based health service companies. They expand the traditional insurance value chain by offering value-adding health services along the patient journey. The analysis results are summarized in a table displaying 18 digital service categories along core patient journey phases with corresponding examples of health insurers and underlying strategic approaches.Originality/valueThe role of digital services and ecosystems has been explored for many industries. This study investigates this subject area with a focus on the health insurance sector, advancing a young field of research. The analysis gives insights into the latest digital service offerings and strategic approaches of an internationally diverse set of incumbents and rising ventures.

Analysis of the efficiency of online promotion channels of different types of hotel enterprises

Nowadays digital environment touches all affects in various economic spheres. Hospitality industry is not an exception, though consisting mostly of human factor. Through the article you will get acquainted with the trendiest channels of online marketing. The author analyzes the effectiveness of various OTA in accordance with specialty of any hotels. According to the author’s opinion, this is important to promote lodgings’ corporate website especially after www.booking.com had left the Russian Federation accommodation market, rather than looking for an appropriate competitor. But nevertheless, hotels should be presented by different distribution channels, including OTA. Which one is the most effective among them? Is it necessary to attract the target audience by social media? What are site aggregators? The answers to these and also other questions are able to be found in this very article.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Reputable Hotels and the Fifth Management Vision of UNWTO

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the leader in knowledge and innovation amongst the tourism organizations within its member states. It has five management vision pillars with the fifth one relating to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Literature reveals that the website of corporate bodies is mostly not utilized to introduce the CSR practices of corporate bodies. Along the edge, these studies concentrated on the banking sector of Ghana. For this reason, there is an existing need to understand how another significant sector of Ghana illustrates its CSR practices on its websites. Hence, this study looked at how 14 reputable hotels in Ghana practice CSR under the fifth management vision of the UNWTO. The qualitative research method was adopted to attain answers to the study's formulated questions. Hotels were selected based on the African Union's identified list of reputable hotels in Ghana. Moreover, content analysis was used to attain the results of the study. Through this analysis, it was identified that most of the hotels in Ghana failed to utilize their corporate websites to promote their CSR practices. Notwithstanding, a few communicated their CSR practices through their corporate website but did not fully meet the fifth management vision of the UNWTO. For policy purposes, the study made it possible for hotels in Ghana to involve the vision of the UNWTO in their core activities. Also, the study made it possible to establish a simple framework that could be referred to during the formulation of CSR policies within every hotel in Ghana.

The Impact of Social Media on Hospitals’ Branding Initiatives

Introduction: Hospitals face a constantly changing context that leads them to accelerate their digital transformation: cyberhealth, new business models, global competition, etc. In this framework, social media platforms have become a useful tool for transforming hospitals and enhancing their public image. Objectives: This paper aims to analyze how the world’s best hospitals manage social media platforms to disseminate brand related content and this way reinforce their reputation. Methodology: To do that, we carried out a literature review about health communication, social media and brands; then, we analyzed how the world’s 100 best hospitals managed their social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube) as well as their own corporate websites for promoting their brand; and finally, we proposed different managerial implications. Results: Most hospitals resort to their corporate websites (76%) and corporate profiles on Facebook (78%), Twitter (73%) and Youtube (78%) for branding initiatives. Conclusions: Hospitals should prioritize a corporate communication approach, focus on useful content for each stakeholder, and promote learning sessions for helping employees become brand ambassadors.