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2011/2012  KAN-SMC_SM57  Corporate Branding, Networks and Communities

English Title
Corporate Branding, Networks and Communities

Course Information

Language English
Point 7,5 ECTS (225 SAT)
Type Mandatory
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Time Table Please see course schedule at e-Campus
Study Board
Study Board for MSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course Coordinator
  • Karin Tollin - Department of Marketing
Main Category of the Course
  • Marketing
Last updated on 29 maj 2012
Learning Objectives
At the end of the course the excellent student is expected to be able to:
1. Discuss the central assumptions that are lying behind the notion of corporate branding, networks and communities and why these constructs are central in today’s markets and for companies that aim to create a sustainable and strong market position.
2. Discuss how the understanding and the practice of corporate branding has evolved over time and what the central issues, processes and capabilities are in contemporary frameworks about corporate branding in the literature.
3. Discuss the entities (roles, links etc.) that constitute a network (relationships in b-to-b markets) and a community (relationships in b-to-c markets), respectively and how to achieve insight about (analyze) these entities.
4. Discuss the antecedents behind the establishment and the future operation and functioning of networks and communities. Furthermore, discuss how to evaluate the functioning and operation of networks and communities from the point of view of a seller company’s communication and innovation goals and processes.
Corporate Branding, Networks and Communities:
Assessment Written Exam
Marking Scale 7-step scale
Censorship No censorship
Exam Period Autumn Term
Aids Please, see the detailed regulations below
Duration 4 Hours
A 4 hour written examination based on issues and theoretical concepts, frameworks, principles etc. that is presented and discussed in the curriculum of the course.
Course Content
The course starts up with a discussion of the arguments, meaning and implication of relating corporate branding to marketing and innovation management. Thereafter, marketing’s role in market creation processes, as representing a particular field of knowledge and competence, is put at centre - considering the occurrence and dynamics of business relationships and networks in industrial and consumer markets. This discussion is initially guided by the following type of questions: what constitutes a market, a business relationship, and a network? Why do business networks emerge in a market, and how can companies make use of them in market creation processes? Thereafter, the focus is on the private consumer and his/her increasing inclination ‘to be on-line’. We discuss, by reference to exemplars/cases from ‘the one-line world’, the following type of questions: Why do consumers create virtual communities? How can we understand and make use of ‘on-line networks/communities’ in market creation processes? At last, we discuss based on the literature and cases the theoretical and practical implications of relating the three constructs (corporate branding, networks and communities) to one another.

Progression
The course is affiliated to the course ‘Marketing, Creativity and Innovation’.

This course deals with some of the most essential prerequisites for realizing open innovation and market creation, namely the establishment of relationships with various external partners – and in particular between the firm and its customers and end-users. From this follows that the question of what makes customers and end-users want to take part and co-create in innovation processes become vital. Accordingly, it becomes essential that the firm’s top managers (marketing managers inclusive) understand the values, relationships and communication patterns of their company’s b-to-b-to-c network. Alongside with this it appear essential that the firm’s top managers understand and constantly reflect on the ideas and values that they and their firm express, through various communication channels, to existing and potential future co-operating partners. Thus, one aim of the course is to further develop the student’s understanding about the nature and functioning of business networks and consumer communities - linked to firm’s innovation processes through off-line and/or on-line communication channels and relationships. A second aim of the course is to develop an understanding of the role of the firm’s culture and identity, its corporate brand and corporate branding logic, in establishing and nurturing important relationships with customers and end-users in market creation processes.
Teaching Methods
The course consists of lectures, seminars and case-works.
Literature
  • Strategic Market Creation – A New Perspective on Marketing and Innovation management, (2008), editors: Karin Tollin and Antonella Caru, Wiley, Chichester.
  • Majken Schultz, Antorini Yun Mi and Csada, Fabian F.. (2005), Corporate Branding – Purpose/People/Process, Copenhagen Business School Press.
  • Mary Jo Hatch and Majken Schultz, (2008), Taking Brand Initiative, 2008, Jossey Bass


A selection of articles in the field of open innovation, networks, communities and corporate branding
  • Antikainen, Maria, M. Mäkipää, M. Ahonen, (2010), Motivating and supporting collaboration in open innovation, European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol.13 (1).
  • Balmer, John M.T., (2008), Identity based views of the corporation: Insights from corporate identity, organisational identity, social identity, visual identity, corporate brand identity and corporate image, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 42 (9/10).
  • Baumgarth, Carsten, (2010), “Living the brand”: brand orientation in the business-to-business sector, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 44 (5).
  • Dobni, Broke C, (2008), Measuring innovation culture in organizations: The development of a generalized innovation culture construct using exploratory factor analysis, European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 11 (4)
  • Elmquist, Maria, Tobias Fredberg, Susanne Ollila, (2009), Exploring the field of open innovation, European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 12 (3).
  • Geersbro, Jens and Thomas Ritter, (2010), External performance barriers in business networks: uncertainty, ambiguity, and conflict, Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing,Vol: 25 (3).
  • Horppu, Marianne, Olli Kuivalainen, Anssi Tarkiainen, Hanna-Kaisa Ellonen (2008),Online satisfaction, trust and loyalty, and the impact of the offline parent brand, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol: 17 (6)
  • Ojasalo, Jukka, (2008), Management of innovation networks: a case study of different approaches,(2008), European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol: 11 (1).
  • Sicilia, Maria, and Mariola Palazón,(2008), Brand communities on the internet: A case study of Coca-Cola's Spanish virtual community. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol 13 (3).
  • Quinton, Sarah and Sally Harridge-March, (2010), Relationships in online communities: the potential for marketers, Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, Vol: 4 (1).