A rare word, however, that is present in all areas, from political and social, to economic and environmental. To exemplify this, it would be enough to see an episode of the series created by the brilliant Shonda Rhimes "Scandal", to understand the impact that the image has on people, especially when it is intended to reach an end. Because how they see you and perceive you, they will treat you, at least that is always demonstrated by fictional lawyer Olivia Pope in the same series. And it is that in different episodes it is shown that even having the biggest scandals with good image management, you can become a senator or even president, and although this series is pure fiction and is not based on any real story, it is incredible how close it is to reality.And already with this type of knowledge it would be convenient to know in depth the subject of image and the science that studies it.
According to the College of Public Image, he explains that Imaginology is not only a degree taught in its classrooms, but it is the science of the image, the scientific knowledge necessary to create or modify a public image. (College of Public Image, 2017)
Likewise, in one of his networks, he explains that Imagology encompasses the physical image, the visual image, the professional image, the verbal image, the environmental image and the audiovisual image. (College of Public Image, 2016).
Therefore, this article will describe each of its components, as well as subtopics and origins.
IMAGOLOGY
(Latorre, 2010) in his blog mentions that the word “Imagology” comes from the Latin root Imago, which means image, and is defined as the figure, representation, similarity and appearance of a thing; and lodge, a term derived from logos, which is the study, science, the expression of something, in this case the image. Imaginology is supported by knowledge of sciences such as Linguistics, psychology, communication, biological anthropology, semiology, design and the history of art and culture, etc. to study and control the stimuli that a person or institution emits, and how these stimuli shape images subordinate to their target audience.
(González, 2012) in his blog explains to us that the word image comes from the Latin voice imago, which refers to the “figure, similarity or appearance” of something, it is the mental representation that an individual or individuals make about some object or person. To achieve this interpretation, a physical-psychological process of perception is involved, in which, in addition to the visual element represented, a subsequent interpretation is given regarding said element.
(Gordoa, 2007) mentions in his book that the word image can be defined as the figure, representation, similarity and appearance of a thing. It is worth mentioning, as in the very definition of the word it is explained, that the image is not something typical of objects only, people also have an image, which they project to the outside and forms a constitutive part mentioned (González, 2012).
(González, 2012) goes on to say that the image that is projected towards the community becomes an integral element of public opinion, and is what is known as the “public image”.
(González, 2012) mentions that there is a discipline that is responsible for the systematic study of the public image: the "Imagology", which allows the creation, development and maintenance of the public image of a company or person, taking into account three aspects: physical appearance, verbal communication strategies and non-verbal communication strategies, which allow obtaining a coherent image between saying, doing and appearing.
It also suggests that the term Imagology is attributed to the writer of Czech origin, Milan Kudero, who introduced the use of this word in the 1940s. It is a word that comes from the Latin expression imago, which means figure or image, and loggia, which refers to the phrase study. In general terms, Imaginology has to do with the study and art of the tools and instruments necessary to develop and improve the public image of a person or organization.
In general (González, 2012), Imagology is part of the new trends in marketing, whose main purpose is to create an adequate image of the organization or person, respecting their essentials and qualities, thus working on the areas of opportunity in the physical, professional, verbal, visual aspect, etc., that allow the creation and project of an image of credibility and trust to the public.
Bianca Gonzáles explains that Imagology seeks to study images in their context, to extract from them both the “artistic” concept (which refers to the creator-sender) and the psychological one (which refers to the receiver or receivers). And that she is interested in both the explicit (iconography) and the implicit (which Panofsky calls content, and whose study corresponds to the iconological level), where history with its cultural presuppositions plays a fundamental role.
On the other hand (Meregalli, 1989) tells us that Imaginology is the study of the image that people make of themselves and of others.
With the definitions of various authors we could infer that it is necessary to study the image since it is something that is done internally and is projected externally. So in order to project the correct image it is necessary to have the correct knowledge of Imagination.
PUBLIC IMAGE
(Latorre, 2010) mentions that the concept of public image always implies a look in two directions, like the double face of Jano. On the one hand, the image is interpreted as a visual presentation, that is, conceived from the communication-reception perspective; on the other hand, it is considered as a mental idea, as the fruit of the imagination of a creative subject.
(González, 2012) mentions that the author Víctor Gordoa defines the public image as a perception shared by several members of a group, whose criteria are unified and the image is considered as a representation or result of a situation or thing. According to this specialist, the public image addresses three main elements:
- Internal effect, where external factors are interposed that restrict expression. Verdict of cultural value, which has to do with society and judgment. Communication process, where there is a direction and involvement with society.
The author Bianca suggests that in order to create or maintain a positive image, it is necessary to know that it is not static and evolves, so that it can be worked on and perfected according to the interests and requirements of the person or institution, to maintain it present for the public. It is a dynamism that is conditioned to the context and circumstances of the image, since while in one scenario an image may be favorable, in a different one it may be the opposite. Likewise, it recommends that to create a positive image of a person, all dimensions of the individual's personality must be considered, knowing that a good image is formed when acting with self-confidence, confidence and a sense of responsibility are transmitted..
(González, 2012) explains that the public image can be presented in two ways:
- Individual or personal, which includes the physical image, professional image and verbal image Group or organizational, which has to do with the visual image, the audiovisual image and the environmental image
The author Víctor Gordoa mentions that, for the construction of a public image, three elements are required:
- Creativity Sensitivity Knowledge
According to Gordoa, one must also take into account the fact that an image, in the first instance, must be related to the issuer or bearer of it, since in no way can there be an imbalance between appearance and essence, in an effort achieve to maintain credibility in the person or organization, for which the author proposes the follow-up of a methodology that he calls "Intimate System", which consists of four stages:
1. Research: which is the basis that supports the rest of the methodology, where it is carried out in a market study through qualitative and quantitative inquiry, which will provide information regarding the perception that the target audience has of the client. This investigation comprises two parts: the internal investigation and the external investigation.
- to. Internal: whose purpose is to know the perception of the members of the organization in which they work. Its importance lies in knowing how much the work teams are wearing the shirt b. External: its purpose is to know the perception that customers (media, suppliers and competition) have of the company.
2. Design: it is the core part of the image audit, where ingenuity and creativity make their appearance. Here the factors that
they distort the perception and consider possible solutions, considering aspects such as essential, temporary and economic.
3. Production: it is the stage where the consultant puts into practice the recommendations he has made; that is, the improvement ideas are brought down to the practical level.
4. Evaluation: after making the suggestions made and putting them into practice, the results that have been generated should be evaluated, for which a re-investigation is necessary; that is, to follow up on the actions implemented and to know the repercussions that these have caused on the image of the organization, to know if the decisions made have been correct and how successful they have been, as well as to know the failures and implement a plan to to correct
In Public Image there are two large groups of images:
- The personal image: it will be the perception that the target group has about an individual through which it will grant them an identity. Examples: the image of the President of the Republic, the image of a political candidate, the image of the CEO of our company, e The institutional image: it will be the perception that the target group has of a moral person through which it will give it an identity. Examples: the image of a political party, the image of the company in which we work, and
(Gordoa, 2007) mentions that there are two large groups of images, the personal image and the institutional image. But these images are not created by themselves. They need to exist from the conjunction of other images that are going to give them body and that we have called subordinate. We chose this name because it perfectly conveys that they are under the large groups, that they serve as food, that they are at their service and that they are under the orders of their requirements. These subordinate images are: THE PHYSICAL IMAGE, THE PROFESSIONAL IMAGE, THE VERBAL IMAGE, THE VISUAL IMAGE, THE AUDIOVISUAL IMAGE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMAGE.
Figure: Descriptive Scheme of the Public Image Source: (Gordoa, 2007)
PHYSICAL IMAGE
(Gordoa, 2007) mentions that the physical image as a code of non-verbal communication includes not only clothing but also hairstyle, makeup and accessories.
The physical image is not only a matter of clothing, it also includes the shapes made for the body, odors, external patterns used in clothing; It includes the posture when standing and sitting and the way of walking, the smile and other gestures, the gestures, the visual contact and the tactile behavior, aspects that must be studied and know how to handle correctly in order to have a good personal image.
Color: Chromometry
Color has three fundamental characteristics that are:
- l tint: It will be the amount of blue or yellow that the color has, a characteristic that will allow them to be classified as warm (yellow tint) or cold (blue tint) The value: It will be the amount of black or white that the color contains, such that if it has a large amount of black, the color will be of dark value, total black being the color of less value; If it has a large amount of white, then its value will be clear, with total white being the color with the highest value. Chroma: Also called intensity of color, it will mean its degree of purity. The pure colors or with little mixing, will be of bright or strong chroma and the product colors of other mixed ones will be of opaque or weak chroma.
VISUAL IMAGE
According to Gordoa, 007) we can define the isual image as the perception of a person or institution by its target groups as a consequence of the use of stimuli directed to the sense of sight. This definition opens the field to the stimulation of audiences through the use of photographs, shapes and colors, signs, symbols, packaging, promotional items, information materials such as catalogs, brochures, instructions, etc., and all those visual elements that may represent the image of a person or institution.
It is evident that the importance of the specialties of graphic design and photography take on special magnitude in the creation of a visual image and that the presence of a talented photographer and graphic designer is essential in any consulting firm in public image that you want. produce a good visual image of your clients.
PROFESSIONAL IMAGE
In the book The Power of the Image (Gordoa, 2007) he suggests that we can define the professional image as the perception that a person has in an institution by its target groups as a consequence of the performance of their professional activity.
Within the wide range of stimuli that can be emitted in the exercise of our professional work, regardless of the field to which we dedicate ourselves, there are two main factors that will decisively influence the way in which we will be perceived by those with whom we have dealings: the way how we behave during the course of personal contact and how we respond when a crisis occurs. In other words, we are talking about the two areas that will determine our professional image: protocol and crisis management.
- Protocol: The protocol of an activity is the set of ceremonial rules that govern it and that have been established by custom or by express decree. Every professional activity, whatever it may be, has a protocol, a peculiar form of behavior that occurs among all those who practice it: they are its forms, times, places, and rituals that are taken for granted that all participants will observe. Crisis: A crisis is a complicated situation in which there are serious doubts about whether an issue or process can continue, be modified or terminated. It is precisely during these extreme situations that the true strengths and weaknesses that a human being possesses come to light and that in normal times have remained latent until the critical moment of teaching them arrives.
VERBAL IMAGE
(Gordoa, 2007) mentions that we can define the verbal image as the perception of a person or institution by its target groups as a consequence of the use of the oral or written word.
The verbal image is one of the images subordinate to the personal or institutional image that has the most weight in shaping perception because the stimuli that make it up are words in their oral or written form. How many times has it happened to us that the first great impact produced by a great physical or professional image is demerited the moment the individual had to speak or write something, affecting the final result. Having a good verbal image is an essential requirement to succeed in the game of life. An individual who knows how to express himself correctly, regardless of the professional studies he has completed, will always have an advantage over others, since he will be perceived as more capable, hence, to acquire the ability, it will always be advisable to have the desire to prepare,the will to dare and the discipline to practice, since it is a job that the more you do, the better it yields.
The oral or written word, in addition to serving to forge a good personal image, is an ideal means to contribute to the creation of the good public image of a third party, be it a person or an institution. There are two important resources that, based on the word, collaborate in an important way in this process of construction of perception: public relations and the dramatization of reality.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMAGE
(Gordoa, 2007) mentions that we can define the environmental image as the perception of a person or institution by its target groups as a result of the use of stimuli emanating from their settings.
Exposure of a human being to the environment around him is inevitable. He lives in one setting, is educated in another, and works or plays in several more. The important thing is that it will be the way in which the way you perceive the environment is sensory stimulated, which will determine your attitudes and your environmental behavior. Although the perception of the environment is essential to face daily affairs, in general this process is carried out without one realizing it.
The perception of the environment is a wonderful and unique psychological process. Through perception, although this occurs unconsciously, the various environmental stimuli that the individual encounters everywhere, are organized to form a coherent and integrated picture of her world. It is an active, complex and dynamic process that will require coherence in the stimuli for the feeling of integration to be produced, which will ultimately lead to acceptance of the environment. Environmental perception involves the process of knowing the immediate physical environment through the senses. Environmental knowledge comprises the storage, organization and reconstruction of images of environmental features that are not in view at the moment.Attitudes towards the environment will be the favorable or unfavorable feelings that people have towards the characteristics of the physical environment.
These processes do not act in isolation. Perception provides the basic information that determines how the individual shapes the environment, as well as their attitudes towards it. In turn, from these ideas and knowledge, a series of expectations will arise with respect to the environment in question and these will again shape perception. It is then a fact that the colors, the music, the lighting, the temperature, the aroma, the furniture, the decoration elements, their shapes, textures and patterns, just to mention some factors of rapid identification, will affect the perception that one has. of a person or an institution.
What is truly important for a work in public image is to recognize in music a means of communication, a powerful weapon that can be wielded as a producer of emotions in the audience, knowing that it acts on the levels of the id, the self and the super self.
Smell is so sensitive that almost any smell elicits a brain response and registers a clinically demonstrable behavioral or physical reaction.
It is known with certainty that odors provoke a reaction in the brain that induces the release of hormones and neurochemicals that alter the physiology of the body, and, consequently, human behavior. There is the key to why we should consider a serious nature of intentional reduction of aromas as a reinforcing factor of a good environmental image, because it has been proven that it affects the behavioral response of human beings.
Smell is the only sense that has direct access to the limbic system of the brain, which constitutes a control center that coordinates the information sent by sensory stimuli. The limbic system tends to qualify sensory stimuli according to the dichotomous principle of attraction / repulsion and, therefore, of acceptance or rejection that prevails at the emotional level of being. On the physical level it is interpreted as a basic choice between pleasure or pain, safety or danger, follow or avoid. In the human limbic system, along with the hypothalamus, the intersection of feelings and emotional desires with physical needs and instincts is observed. The pheromonal-sexual-olfactory connection takes place in the hypothalamic limbic region of the brain. Therefore, it is clear how and why smell is related to emotion:Smell reaches the limbic system and the ipothalamus directly, where they scan our instincts as motions and control the neurohormonal regulations of the body, as well as access to other parts of the brain that involve memory, attention and psychosomatic integration.
Another characteristic of smell, which increases its importance as an element of environmental image, is its involuntary nature that allows access, as well as the generation of reactions, both to unperceived and detectable odors. This is the subliminal influence of the odors that penetrate even without being captured by the sense of smell, which in any case are capable of producing reactions in people. You do not need to be consciously aware of the presence of an odor for it to effect psychophysiological changes and influence the behavior of human beings.
AUDIOVISUAL IMAGE
(Gordoa, 2007) explains that we can define the audiovisual image as the perception of a person or institution by its target groups as a consequence of the use of stimuli directed to the sense of sight or hearing, emitted either simultaneously or separately. It is evident that the disciplines specialized in advertising, propaganda, audio and video production, including music production, find a fertile field for their development in this field and should be used in order to create a convincing public image. However, the result of the activities described would be unproductive and would not go very far if they did not have the most powerful vehicles for transporting messages that exist: the media.
The ublicity alone and media techniques and social communication tending to influence human behavior in order to sell a specific product or service. As public image work also consists of influencing human behavior in order to convince an audience that our client or their projects deserve to be supported by causing a reaction in their favor, at the end of the day we are facing a sales action that requires advertising; That is why this discipline is one of the most influential ingredients to be able to build a powerful public image; It is a fundamental part of the audiovisual image and when it is done in a serious and talented way.
The word propaganda in Latin means: "that has to be propagated" and as a discipline it can be defined as the set of techniques and means of social communication aimed at influencing human behavior for ideological purposes. In other words, the substantial difference with advertising is found in the objective
wanted: propaganda is the action and effect of making something known in order to attract followers, while advertising does so in order to sell a product or service. Propaganda seeks to gain followers; while advertising says "buy me", propaganda suggests "love me." The use of advertising and propaganda are complementary that will contribute to reinforcing the Public Image.
C O N C LU SI ONES
(Gordoa, 2007) in his book explains the following:
- The image is a result and therefore it is caused by something; In other words, it is the effect of one or more causes. These causes will always be external, alien to the individual, and the effect will be internal, since it occurs within the individual himself, in his mind. The effect produced will depend on the coherence of the causes. The image will produce a value judgment in whoever conceives it, so that their opinion will become their reality. Said reality does not necessarily have to be true or correspond to the reality of the issuing source, so we would be facing a strictly individual "fictitious" reality, that is, an individual image; This situation is the cause of the typical conflict that we have all experienced when we have confronted what we are with what others think we are.The value judgment is the spring that drives the consequent individual action: accept or reject what is perceived. The behavior will then be conditioned by the individual image and will be the product of coherence with the transmitted message. When the individual mental image is shared by an audience or group of audiences, it becomes a collective mental image, giving way to the public image.
TO THANKS AND THESIS TOPIC
I thank God for all his blessings, also for the opportunity to work in the process of improving myself. I thank my parents for supporting me at all times in this new adventure, the National Council of Science and Technology for their support in my postgraduate studies, the Orizaba Technological Institute, the Master of Administrative Engineering, as well as the subject of Fundamentals of Administrative Engineering, for providing me with the necessary bases to be better as a professional and human being.
Topic: The Management and Implementation of Imaginology as a Competitive Advantage in Organizations
Objective: to assess the company's magology by ravés and indicators, to implement a model that allows the creation of a new competitive advantage in the organization.
B I BL IO GRAPHICS
- College of Public Image. (2016). What is Imaginology? - College of Public Image. Recovered from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSUmDSXMfrg Public Image School. (2017). Public image. Retrieved on March 25, 2017, from: https://imagenpublica.mx/González, B. (2012, September 7). Imagology: How the public image is built. Recovered from https://biancagonzalez.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/imagologia-como-se-construye-la-imagen-publica/Gordoa, V. (2007). The power of the public image. Retrieved from: https://issuu.com/angiio15garcia/docs/el_poder_de_la_imagen_p__blica_-_goLatorre, J. (2010, July 20). Imaginology. Recovered from https://imagologiajorge.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/hello-world/Meregalli, F. (1989). Literature from the point of view of the receiver. Rodopi.
