Corporate Brand Management: Aligning Core Values, Strategic Vision, Corporate Culture and Image

CORPORATE BRAND ALIGNMENT 1
Corporate Brand Management: Aligning Core Values, Strategic Vision, Corporate Culture and Image.

Abstract
Although the importance of corporate brand alignment is generally recognised, only a limited number of tools are available to assess and manage corporate brands proactively. In this article the
Vision, Culture and Image (VCI) method by Hatch and Schultz (2001) was used to assess corporate brand alignment. The main research objective was to investigate the role of core values in gaps identified using the model. An alternative model, with core values at the centre of the VCI model is proposed. Data was collected in a manufacturing organisation in the Netherlands. A selected group of
39 employees participated in structured depth interviews to describe the current situation.
Results show that the VCI method is a useful method to explore potential gaps between vision, culture and image. Eleven different gaps were discovered among vision, culture and image, and illustrated with additional information regarding the extent of gaps and the perceived effects on the organisation. Moreover, a positive relation between the link to core values and the effect of gaps was found. Gaps that are strongly linked to core values have a significant negative (perceived) effect on the organisation. Further, it appears that different management and employees use different perspectives on core values in order to link them to misalignments. Depth interviews show that in this case study managers link values-in-use to gaps meanwhile the employees links espoused values to gaps.
Keywords: corporate brand alignment, core values, VCI model, branding tool, brand management CORPORATE BRAND ALIGNMENT 3
Introduction
Corporate Branding
Corporate branding can be defined as a systematic process of creating and maintaining positive images and a positive reputation of the company as a whole by sending signals to all stakeholders, by managing

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