Universität Oxford forscht zu Corporate Reputation

Von: KK / 10.12.09

Die Universität Oxford unterhält ein eigenständiges Centre for Corporate Reputation. communicationcontrolling.de hat mit Dr. Jonathan Silberstein-Loeb, wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter, über den Ansatz des Centre, seine Forschung und Herausforderungen des Reputation Management, insbesondere bei der Quantifizierung von Reputation, gesprochen. Lesen Sie hier das Interview (in Englisch).

communicationcontrolling.de: Mr Silberstein-Loeb, you are a research fellow at the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation. Could you please explain in short what exactly the Centre is aimed at, in which specific fields it is doing research?

Jonathan Silberstein-Loeb: The Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation is an independent research centre that aims to promote a better understanding of the way in which the reputation of corporations and institutions around the world are created, enhanced, and protected. The Centre's research agenda is multidisciplinary. It draws on the academic resources of the Said Business School and the wider community at the University of Oxford. The Centre's analysis is independent of companies, governments, political parties or any other vested interest. The Centre is also commissioning executive education programmes for boards and senior executives, using material from its own research programmes and the experience of senior visiting fellows from industry and the professions.

communicationcontrolling.de: What is your personal area of interest?

Silberstein-Loeb: My personal area of interest is the media. I'm especially interested in the ways in which journalism and business interact.

communicationcontrolling.de: Could you please name some current findings of your research and studies conducted?

Silberstein-Loeb: I am currently conducting a research project in which I investigate the relationship between business journalism and corporate decision-making. The project is internationally comparative. We are looking at several European countries. The first country we are investigating is Britain. Research is ongoing, so you'll have to wait for my report for my findings. The report should be completed by the end of the summer 2010.

communicationcontrolling.de: You've participated in the 4th ECRS symposium "Reputation Capital - Building and Maintaining Trust in the 21st Century" as one of the keynote speakers. Could you please summarize your understanding of reputation capital?

Silberstein-Loeb: I'm not certain what exactly the editors of the book meant by the term "reputation capital". I didn't make it up and I'm not certain if I like it. If reputation is the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something, then reputation capital must refer to the extent to which those beliefs or opinions constitute an asset.

communicationcontrolling.de: How important do you find the quantification of reputation's value for the company, also in monetary terms? Is the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation in its research interested in reputation as a company's intangible asset?

Silberstein-Loeb: Quantification is important, but I'm not certain it is feasible. There are a number of reasons why it is difficult to isolate a measurement of reputation. The Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation is certainly interested in reputation as an intangible asset, and is considering ways in which to measure it, but this is just one strand of research among several ongoing in the Centre. We take an holistic view of corporate reputation.

communicationcontrolling.de: In your opinion, what will be future challenges regarding corporate reputation management? What are the Oxford University's next fields of action?

Silberstein-Loeb: I'm not in the habit of prognosticating. At Oxford we are trying to tackle the problems of today with an eye on tomorrow. While the aim of our research agenda will continue to be to explain the life-cycle of corporate reputation, we are ever mindful of the new challenges corporations must face.

communicationcontrolling.de: Thank you for the interview!

About Jonathan Silberstein-Loeb

Dr. Jonathan Silberstein-Loeb is a research fellow at the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation. His research concerns the interaction of business, politics, and technology in the mass media. He is particularly interested in the historical development of media corporations as well as the relationship between communications and corporate strategy. He received his PhD in history from the University of Cambridge in 2008.

Jonathan Silberstein-Loeb war Referent beim kürzlich in München stattgefundenen Symposium des European Centre for Reputation Studies (ECRS) „Reputation Capital – Building and Maintaining Trust in the 21st Century“. communicationcontrolling.de war bei der Veranstaltung vor Ort. Lesen Sie hier den ausführlichen Report unserer Autorin Kristin Köhler.

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