School of Business | Department of Communication | International Business Communication | 2011
Thesis number: 12602
The role of responsible investing in reputation management
- A case study of an asset management company
| Author: | Rankila, Oskari |
| Title: | The role of responsible investing in reputation management - A case study of an asset management company |
| Year: | 2011 Language: eng |
| Department: | Department of Communication |
| Academic subject: | International Business Communication |
| Index terms: | yritysviestintä; business communication; kansainvälinen; international; sijoitusyhtiöt; investment companies; yhteiskuntavastuu; corporate responsibility; maine; reputation |
| Pages: | 104 |
| Full text: | |
| Key terms: | responsible investing, reputational communication, international business communication, corporate social responsibility, corporate communication, financial communication, reputation management |
| Abstract: |
AALTO SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS ABSTRACT
International Business Communication Master’s Thesis April 20, 2011
Oskari Rankila
The Role of Responsible Investing in Reputation Management A Case Study of an Asset Management Company Objectives of the study The objective of this study was to investigate the role of responsible investing (RI) in reputation management. The study aims to explore the perceptions of the case company’s employees and its institutional clients about communicating RI. To find answers to the main research objective the study posed three research questions: (1) What are the institutional clients’ perceptions of and requirements for responsible investing? (2) How do institutional clients see the case company as a responsible investor and how does the company’s identity match its image among the clients? (3) How do the case company’s communication practices support its reputation as a responsible investor? Methodology A qualitative case study was chosen as the research strategy. Empirical data was collected through thirteen semi-structured interviews with the case company’s institutional clients and five semi-structured interviews with the case company’s personnel interacting with institutional clients. Moreover, an examination of communication materials and communication channels was conducted to complement the findings from the interviews. Findings and Conclusions Many institutional clients had difficulties to define RI, but it still clearly affected the company’s reputation. The case company was seen as reliable and responsible but its communication practices did not fully support its identity as a responsible investor and thus the company faced a communication challenge. The case company ought to communicate about its RI processes more explicitly and take an educational stand on its clients. It could be suggested that if the case company succeeded in its RI communication, it would strengthen its reputation. Key Words responsible investing, reputational communication, international business communication, corporate social responsibility, corporate communication, financial communication, reputation management |
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