Understanding the Influence of CEO Tenure and CEO Reputation on Corporate Reputation: An Exploratory Study in Italy

Abstract

The study aims at investigating the main activities of corporate reputation in which CEOs are actively engaged, focusing also on the influence of CEOs tenure on their commitment in reputation management. Moreover, the paper analyzes the CEO’s view on the relation between CEO reputation and company’s reputation. Through a structured questionnaire, a web survey has been carried out addressing CEOs of large companies located in Italy and included in the report of Mediobanca. Findings highlight a relevant CEO commitment in corporate reputation management, above all in leadership, performance and workplace activities. Long-tenured CEOs tend to be more involved in managing firm’s reputation, than short-tenured CEOs. The study also shows CEOs are aware that their reputation are increasingly intertwined with the corporate reputation. The paper supports the strategic leadership perspective, contributing to the ongoing debate on CEO reputation. The influence of CEOs’ good name on company’s reputation stimulates them, and communication managers, to create an effective CEOs’ brand. The paper is the first study that provides empirical evidence on the increasing importance of CEO’s role in Italian large companies, and it can be viewed as a starting point for future cross-country comparison.

Empirical Evidence on CEO Reputation: Perspectives, Actions and Influence

“…The present study is in continuity with the research undertaken in Conte (2018), whereby the methodological approach and the sample are the same. In order to investigate the CEOs' perceptions of their role in corporate reputation, a structured questionnaire was addressed to 349 CEOs of companies located in Italy, selected from Mediobanca 2015 report (Note 1) 1 .…”

“…The objective of the study, in continuity with the research of Conte (2018), is twofold. First, it aims to explore the theoretical perspective (ability or symbolic image perspective) that underlies the development of CEO reputation, investigating also the CEO activities that contribute to create a leader's good name.…”

“…In this respect, the study undertaken by Hill & Knowlton underlines that CEO's role is among the main factor in influencing corporate reputation and CEO reputation has a greater relevance in Italy (Kitchen and Laurence, 2003). Also the research of Conte (2018) shows that Italian CEOs are aware of the importance of their reputation in contributing to the development of company's reputation. However, in order to have a more detailed view on this relationship, it is advisable to deepen further the self-perception of CEO on the influence of his/her own role -and then reputation -in developing corporate reputation, thus the third research question is: RQ3: according to CEOs' view, how much CEO reputation affects corporate reputation?…”

Employer Review Platforms – Do the Rating Environment and Platform Design affect the Informativeness of Reviews? Theory, Evidence, and SuggestionsDate submitted: December 29, 2019Date accepted after double-blind review: December 2, 2020

“…However, media reports on companies focus particularly often on the management personalities of companies. In addition, various studies (Conte, 2018;Love et al, 2017) examine the influence that executives (especially CEOs) have on the reputation of companies. It is therefore likely that employees in executive positions are particularly aware of their influence on a company's reputation.…”

Konfigürasyonel Teori Bağlamında Kurumsal İtibar ve Örgütsel Bağlılık İlişkisi: Eğitim Kurumları Üzerinden Karşılaştırmalı Ampirik Bir Araştırma

“…Bu yön itibarın ve bağlılığın kurumun politikalarına yön verenler nezdinde yeniden tartışılmasının da önünü açar. İtibarı olumlu algılayan ve bağlılığı üst düzey çalışanlar diğer çalışanlar için de itibarın olumlu algılanmasında ve bağlılığın güçlendirilmesine birer kaynak olabilir (Conte, 2018;Durham, 2015) etkin iletişim sistemleri ile ulaşılabileceğini varsaydığımız kazanımlar, örgüt içindeki yönetsel değişkenler ile gerçekleşebildiği görülmektedir. Her ne kadar itibar ve örgütsel bağlılığın iletişim ile olumlu yönde geliştirilebileceği ileri sürülse de iletişimin konusu olmayan yönetimsel koşullarla ve kararlarla bağı da açığa çıkmaktadır.…”