WM9H8-15 Reputation & Relationship Management
Introductory description
An organisation’s reputation and relationships are extremely valuable, albeit intangible, strategic assets based on dynamically changing, organisation-related evaluations and beliefs held by its various stakeholders. These beliefs are used by stakeholders as basis for their positive and negative inferences about an organisation’s, and its individuals, future behaviour, performance, communication and authenticity on a variety of issues.
Enhancing and protecting corporate reputation and relationships is a continually challenging process seeking to minimise and mitigate potential reputational issues and risks in enabling organisations to be seen in a positive light. So, it is vital that all individuals understand their personal reputation’s role in ensuring organisational brand purpose, values, stakeholder value propositions and their fulfilment, are seen as consistent, credible, reliable, responsible and trustworthy in the co-creation of value for all parties and is therefore an essential requirement for every type of business and person.
Module aims
The module will emphasise the importance of understanding the dynamic nature of stakeholder perceptions of reputation and relationships through continuous assessment of internal and external stakeholder interests, power, involvement, commitment and loyalty. This module will provide delegates with a comprehensive range of concepts, processes, theories, tools and techniques to better understand, develop, manage and measure reputation and relationships through a robust stakeholder relationship management plan based on appropriate frameworks and international standards.
The module will help delegates develop core competencies to identify and audit external, internal and relational factors which damage or enhance corporate reputation and relationships in future scenarios. The environmental audit output will reveal any gaps and reputational risks which cause ambiguities between the way organisations and individuals intend to be seen and the way in which stakeholders actually perceive them.
Throughout the module, delegates will develop the ability to construct, systematically apply and review a corporate diplomacy approach comprising authenticity, behaviours, communications, performance, and how to produce an integrated ‘crisis’ communications plan to help defend, protect or repair an organisation’s reputation. Delegates will also learn how digital transformation and social media yields both new challenges and opportunities for reputation and relationship management.
The resultant knowledge will highlight the role of proactive reputation and relationship management as a source of sustainable competitive and collaborative advantage for individuals, business and society over the long term by using scenario planning to generate feasible alternative views of the future.
Provide a comprehensive and critically evaluative understanding of the processes for identifying external, internal and relational factors (some slow, foreseeable and manageable, and some sudden, unforeseen and relatively unmanageable) that can result in the enhancement or damaging of an organisation’s and individual’s reputation and relationships.
Provide a comprehensive and critically evaluative understanding of interpreting and comprehending ‘how’ and ‘why’ the development and management of key skillsets for both corporate and individual reputations can be operationalised within embedded dynamic stakeholder relationships thus enabling organisations, groups and individuals to be seen in a positive light that leads to an on-going achievement of stakeholder interest, involvement, commitment and loyalty.
Provide a comprehensive and critically evaluative understanding of the ability to construct, systematically apply and review a corporate communication approach using a range of tools and techniques to build and manage reputation and relationships for both organisations and individuals to a range of stakeholders through the development and implementation of a crafted collaboration relationship management plan. As well as the development and management of corporate and product brands, other traditional offline marketing communication approaches i.e. advertising, direct mail, sales promotion, personal selling and public relations are also considered alongside online marketing technologies e.g. digital and social media through the production of a robust integrated communications plan.
Provide a comprehensive and critically evaluative understanding of a range of concepts, processes, theories, tools and techniques to understand, manage and measure reputation and relationship management so that any gaps and risks which develop between the way organisations and individuals intend to be seen and the reality, namely the way in which stakeholders actually perceive them, can be minimised.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
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Understanding the Nature and Characteristics of Reputation Management
1.1) Developing the Rationale for Managing and Measuring Corporate Reputation
1.2) Understanding Individual Character and Personal Reputation Perceptions -
Determining, Managing and Measuring an Organisation's Corporate Identity, Brand and Image
2.1) Developing and Sustaining an Organisation's Corporate Identity & Purpose
2.2) Building, Managing and Measuring Corporate Brands, Brand Equity and Brand Image -
Determining, Managing and Measuring Stakeholder Relationships & Value Co-Creation
3.1) Governance, Ethics and Long-Term Collaborative Business Relationships
3.2) Stakeholder Perceived Value Propositions and Organisational Value Appropriation -
Developing and Managing Effective Corporate Communications and Diplomacy
4.1) Identifying and Managing Issues and the Mitigation of Reputational Risks
4.2) Corporate ‘Crisis’ Communication Strategies and Methods
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Critically assess how the deployment, management and measurement of organisational reputation and relationships impacts on business strategy
- Identify and interpret events and market signals which can damage an organisation’s and individual’s reputation and relationships
- Critically evaluate and apply management practices based on internationally recognised Collaborative Business Relationship principles and standards
- Critically evaluate and apply appropriate reputation and relationship management tools and techniques to build, manage and measure a solid reputation between organisations/individuals and their stakeholders in the workplace.
- Effectively manage ‘collaborative mutuality’ between organisation/individuals and their stakeholders through the application of corporate brand vision, values, healthy relationships and effective integrated communications.
Indicative reading list
View reading list on Talis Aspire
Subject specific skills
Reputation & Relationship Management (Individual and Corporate) as input to organisational strategy; Organisational
Corporate Identity and Brand Image; Stakeholder Collaborative Working & Leadership through ISO 44001; Corporate
& Crisis Communications (offline and digital); Stakeholder Value Propositions through Trust & Commitment
Transferable skills
Critical thinking, Problem solving, Self-awareness, Communication, Teamwork and working effectively with others, Information literacy (research skills), Digital literacy, Sustainability, Ethical values, Intercultural awareness, Professionalism, Organisational awareness
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 14 sessions of 1 hour 30 minutes (14%) |
| Practical classes | 6 sessions of 1 hour 30 minutes (6%) |
| Online learning (scheduled sessions) | (0%) |
| Online learning (independent) | 30 sessions of 1 hour (20%) |
| Assessment | 90 hours (60%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
No private study requirements defined for this module.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RRM Post-module Assignment | 100% | 90 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
PQ1 will be a critical evaluation of applied corporate RRM theory to an organisation of the student's choice (3000 words +/- 10%) |
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Assessment group R
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RRM Resubmission Assignment | 100% | Yes (extension) | |
|
Critical evaluation of the management of the reputation and relationships with stakeholders of an organisation selected by the student. |
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Feedback on assessment
Written feedback will be provided in a report for all Post Module assignments
Courses
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of TWMS-H1S9 Postgraduate Taught Management for Business Excellence (Full-time)