P23 Reputation management in public sector organizations: challenges and opportunities at national, regional, and municipal levels

Panel Chairs:
Dr. Kati Suomi, Dr. Chris Chapleo and Dr. Helena Alves

Corresponding Chair:
Kati Suomi, kati.suomi@utu.fi


Description:
The panel focuses on a topical area: reputation management in public sector organizations. Reputation is important for public sector organizations for reasons that include attracting talented personnel, building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders and citizens, building trust and engagement, as well as ensuring legitimacy. Reputation is impacted by issues such as institutional culture, social responsibility, and transparency (Luoma-aho & Canel 2016). However, reputation management in the public sector has been suggested to be different (e.g. Chapleo 2010), and often more complicated, than in the private sector, for example because of challenges related to politics, bureaucracy, organisational complexity, as well as lack of excellence and uniqueness (Wæraas & Byrkjeflot 2012; Suomi et al. 2014). In addition, a multifaceted stakeholder environment imposes challenges when identifying the targets of reputation management and when designing actions (e.g. Mainardes, Alves & Raposo 2010). Thus, we invite innovative papers (both conceptual and empirical) that discuss challenges and reveal opportunities related to reputation management in the public sector. Some questions to address might include (but not limited to)[1]:

  • Particularities of reputation and brand management in the public sector
  • Reputation & brand understanding and acceptance in the public sector
  • Reputation management in reforms and mergers
  • Consumerization’s effect on reputation management in public sector
  • How political scandal affect reputation management?
  • Brand equity in the public sector
  • Reputation management through social media
  • Metrics of reputation management in the public sector
  • Case studies on brand and reputation management in the public sector

This panel will enhance knowledge in the field of public sector management by highlighting the particularities of reputation management in the public sector supported by up-to-date practices and research results.

Submit an abstract (max 500 words including references)

Opportunity to Publish your PaperJournal cover

All papers presented in this track will be invited to submit their full paper for review to the International Review on Public and Non Profit Marketing . The papers must be prepared according to the guidelines of the journal and will be subjected to peer-review following the usual procedures. If accepted, the papers will be published as part of a special issue.

 

[1] References available upon request