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1 – 10 of over 10000The impressions of others’ expertise are fundamental to workplace dynamics. Identifying expertise is essential for workplace functions such as task assignment, task completion…
Abstract
Purpose
The impressions of others’ expertise are fundamental to workplace dynamics. Identifying expertise is essential for workplace functions such as task assignment, task completion, and knowledge generation. Although prior work has examined both the nature of expertise and its importance for work, formation of expertise impressions in the workplace has not received much attention. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper the author addresses the question – how do we form expertise impressions in the workplace – using data from an ethnographic study of a workplace setting. The author employs a case study of project team formation to synthesize a process framework of impression formation.
Findings
The author proposes a framework that integrates sociocultural and interactional accounts to argue that actors utilize situational and institutional frames to socially construct their expertise impressions of others. These frames emerge as actors engage in activities within a community of practice.
Originality/value
This practice-based explication of expertise construction moves beyond narrow conceptions of personality-based traits or credentials as signals of expertise. It explains why sharing of expertise within organizations through the use of information technology continues to be problematic – expertise is an enactment and therefore it defies reification through knowledge management.
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Mai An Tran, Bang Nguyen, T.C. Melewar and Jim Bodoh
This paper aims to demonstrate the need to explore the image formation process to develop a more holistic definition of corporate image. Diminishing trust in managers has created…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to demonstrate the need to explore the image formation process to develop a more holistic definition of corporate image. Diminishing trust in managers has created increasingly negative perceptions toward corporations. Stakeholders are constantly evaluating and scrutinizing corporations to determine their trustworthiness and authenticity. To develop their perceptions toward these corporations, stakeholders rely on the key role of corporate image. In the present study, the complex relationships between corporate image, corporate reputation, corporate communication and corporate personality are investigated. These concepts form a corporation’s image formation process.
Design/methodology/approach
Radley Yelday (RY), the communications agency collaborating in this research, facilitated 15 interviews with their employees. Using a semi-structured interviewing method, discussions were guided toward the topic of corporate image among the respondents.
Findings
Findings reveal the importance of corporate image under seven different dimensions: visual expression, positive feelings, environments expression, online appearance, staff/employees appearance, attitude and behavior and external communications (offline, online and effectiveness). Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed with suggestions for future researches.
Originality/value
The authors develop a conceptual model that illustrates the corporate image formation process. The model includes seven dimensions – both with tangible and intangible aspects – forming corporate communication and corporate personality. These, in turn, translate into the corporate image. With time and experiences, corporate image creates a more consistent reputation, which consists of five different levels: awareness, familiarity, favorability, trust and advocacy. As demonstrated in this research, the seven key dimensions influencing this process are: visual expression, positive feelings, environment, online appearance, staff/employees appearance, attitude and behavior and external communications.
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Fernando Gordillo, Lilia Mestas, José M. Arana, Miguel Ángel Pérez, Eduardo Alejandro Escotto, Rafael Manuel López and Francisco Pérez
The ability to form impressions allows predicting future behaviour and assessing past conduct by facilitating decision making in different contexts. Both verbal cues (what we know…
Abstract
Purpose
The ability to form impressions allows predicting future behaviour and assessing past conduct by facilitating decision making in different contexts. Both verbal cues (what we know about someone) and non-verbal cues (the emotion expressed) could modulate this process to a different degree. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between these variables and their impact on the formation of impressions within criminal proceedings.
Design/methodology/approach
An experiment was conducted that involved 142 Mexican students, who evaluated emotional response (happiness, sadness, fear and anger) and personality (emotional stability, kindness, responsibility, sociability and creativity) through the facial expression of a Spanish child-murderer. Two groups were formed for comparative purposes, one of which was provided with information on the murderer (activated information (AI)), while the second group had no related information whatsoever (deactivated information (DI)).
Findings
The results recorded a higher score for happiness (p=0.037, η2=0.03) and anger (p=0.001, η2=0.08), and a lower one for sadness (p=0.002, η2=0.06), fear (p=0.002, η2=0.07), emotional stability (p<0.001, η2=0.09) responsibility (p<0.001, η2=0.10) and kindness (p=0.01, η2=0.05) in the AI condition compared to the DI condition.
Originality/value
The formation of impressions is an adaptive process that may be affected by variables that are complex and difficult to control, which within legal proceedings might bias court decisions and compromise the objectivity required of the judiciary.
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The purpose of this article is to examine whether officer uniform color influences impressions the public forms about the character of police officers.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to examine whether officer uniform color influences impressions the public forms about the character of police officers.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey using digitally manipulated photographic prompts was used to examine how various levels of officer race, posture, and uniform color as well as a number of other experiential, attitudinal and demographic variables influenced subjects' impressions of officers' character on factor scores constructed from a set of semantic differential scales.
Findings
Officer uniform color influences impression formation, but not in the expected manner. Black uniforms elicited more positive impressions of officers than did lighter uniforms.
Research limitations/implications
Convenience sample was drawn from university undergraduates.
Practical implications
Darker uniforms for police may enhance favorable character impressions formed by some sectors of the public.
Originality/value
The research instrument improves measurement validity over prior methods while maintaining a precise experimental control. Findings contradict the conclusions of prior research on public perceptions of darker vs lighter police uniforms.
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Sandra Littel and Ulrich R. Orth
This paper aims to examine how visual and haptic package design characteristics singularly and jointly affect consumers' brand impressions.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine how visual and haptic package design characteristics singularly and jointly affect consumers' brand impressions.
Design/methodology/approach
Integrating and extending design perception with congruence and fluency theories, the paper presents three research propositions that are tested in three studies. Bottled water serves as an example category with data provided by professionals and consumers.
Findings
Study 1 identifies key types of holistic bimodal designs (Modern, Big Grip, Prototypical‐Small, Boxy Billboards, and Prototypical‐Large) based on brand visual and haptic factors. Study 2 relates these types to unique single‐modal brand impressions. Study 3 determines how consumers evaluate brands depending on the semantic congruence between haptics and visuals. Except for the excitement dimension, brand evaluations are more positive under conditions of high rather than low congruence.
Research limitations/implications
The findings are obtained for a single category (bottled water) using experiments designed to highlight and focus consumer attention on the formation of impressions. The findings may thus not fully reflect consumer responses in actual retail purchase situations.
Practical implications
The paper provides preliminary guidelines on how to utilize visual and haptic cues in the design of brand packages for stimulating desired consumer responses.
Originality/value
The work presented in this paper contributes to the literature on design‐based brand inferences and semantic congruence by integrating the visual with the haptic perspectives.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence mechanism of waiting time on customer satisfaction based on first impression bias, which explains how customers’ perceived…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence mechanism of waiting time on customer satisfaction based on first impression bias, which explains how customers’ perceived service-entry waiting time (PSWT) influences their first impression of service staff and satisfaction in the context of online service. Furthermore, the moderating effect of three information formats (formal, informal and hybrid) of opening remark on the relationship between PSWT and first impression, and the moderating effect of perceived in-service waiting time (PIWT) on the relationship between first impression and customer satisfaction are investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
Two studies were used to verify the research model. First, an experiment on prepurchase consulting services for cruise tourism products was designed, and 810 Chinese individuals have participated. Second, 20 interviews with e-commerce practitioners in China were conducted.
Findings
The results show that, first, PSWT negatively influences customers’ first impression of service staff. Second, customers prefer the hybrid format to present opening remarks, which not only conveys the respect of the staff but also fosters a relationship. Third, in-service waits are equally as important as service-entry waits in online service. When PIWT is longer, the positive influence of first impression on customer satisfaction is weakening, resulting in lower customer satisfaction.
Practical implications
This study provides suggestions for online service enterprises to minimize the negative impact of waiting time and improve customer satisfaction through waiting time management.
Originality/value
This study provides a new perspective for exploring the mechanism of waiting time on customer satisfaction in online service context, and extends previous research related to waiting time by exploring the influence of waiting time in multiple service stages and expression modes of service staff.
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The purpose of this study is to identify conditions under which consumers prefer matte packages and those under which they prefer glossy packages and to extend the findings to the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify conditions under which consumers prefer matte packages and those under which they prefer glossy packages and to extend the findings to the context of consumer evaluations.
Design/methodology/approach
A series of four experiments-conducted across a diverse range of settings and consumers (through lab experiments and field studies) and using different types of products (mobile phones, invitation cards, wrappers and coffee packs)- examined the effects of matte and glossy packaging finishes on consumer evaluations (i.e. preferences, attitudes and purchase intentions). This paper further developed moderated mediation models to illustrate the mechanisms underlying the examined effects.
Findings
People with warmth and competence focus favored matte and glossy packaging, respectively. In addition, the warmth (competence) focus enhanced the positive influence of matte (glossy) packaging on brand sincerity (competence), leading to more favorable consumer evaluations (i.e. brand attitudes, product attitudes and purchase intentions).
Practical implications
This study provides managers with insights into conferring desired impressions of sincerity (competence) upon a brand and methods of attracting certain warmth focused (competence focused) consumers by using matte (glossy) packaging finishes.
Originality/value
This is the study to systematically investigate the effect of packaging finishes on brand impressions and consumer evaluations.
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Considers three propositions that highlight the need for a greater emphasis on the receiver perspective within corporate communication. Consequently, a new conceptual model for…
Abstract
Considers three propositions that highlight the need for a greater emphasis on the receiver perspective within corporate communication. Consequently, a new conceptual model for corporate communication research is advanced and research methodologies are suggested.
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Seeks to inform the design of corporate communications for e‐business. A critique of market orientation suggests that in the new paradigm of dynamically configured network…
Abstract
Seeks to inform the design of corporate communications for e‐business. A critique of market orientation suggests that in the new paradigm of dynamically configured network organisations, a multiplicity of partners requires that the orientation must be broadened to allow dialogue to permeate and coordinate the network. It discusses the increasing importance of corporate interaction as companies virtualise. Underlying enablers of effective corporate dialogue are examined by comparing sociological and psychological theories of human interaction and relationship formation with organisational interaction theories of corporate relationship formation. The paper continues by examining human‐computer interaction and concludes by synthesising the literature to create a prototype construct to inform Web site design.
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