The trend to create study and research centers in the higher education system implies the search for strategies that allow the socialization of their results in the various sectors of the national economy, culture, education, the environment and the rest of the programs social.
This work proposes a methodological strategy to diagnose the image positioning of study and research centers located within universities; serving as a reference for further research in this field.
What is the image?
Anyone who assiduously visits the points of sale where Cuban productions are sold will easily notice the increase in the variety of offers aimed at satisfying the same demands. And it is that our economy as it diversifies and develops, has made dissimilar and innovative products and services available to the market, which make quality no longer the only attribute that defines demand, thus arising the imperative need to make a difference. And it is then where research, within the field of social sciences, plays an important role since it facilitates the assumption of changes and commercial decisions that ensure a distinctive personality to companies, supported by the scientific and empirical arguments that these studies throw up..
In this way, research on identity, culture, communication and organizational image have become fashionable in our scientific work, which although they are currently framed in the field of Public Relations, as a sphere of professional action, constitute the best evidence of the articulation of multiple disciplines such as communication, psychology and sociology, sciences that have contributed to the new paradigm of organizational management, its postulates, systems of theories and research methods, to facilitate the design of strategies that allow a better relationship between organizations and their environment.
The imaging study, specifically, is the one that provides the greatest amount of data from the organization. Its field of study, from the point of view of communication, is very broad, covering a large number of elements such as the analysis of culture, communication, identity and the organization's climate, offering a general notion of the state of the organization. entity in these rubles.
Its development has two fundamental advantages for the organization: first, it provides information on one of the points that most concern organizations: what do we represent? and how do our audiences see us? knowing in this way what aspects must be strengthened to achieve the goals; second: it is the basis for the design of organizational strategies with a high level of involvement of the workers, since it takes into account their feelings towards the organization, thus increasing their participation in the achievement of the objectives.
There have been multiple ways in which the term image has been approached in the literature, and although this is a category common to many disciplines, the diversity of approaches that have tried to conceptualize and study it from different positions, have fragmented its nature, making it lose, to a certain extent, the primordial particularity that it has as an integrating and determining element of individual and collective subjectivity.
The mental image, a single concept and multiple applications.
The main consequence of the adoption of the image category in the field of communication and marketing research has been its multiple renaming, being coined with adjectives that mark the various spheres of action where it has been received; thus, terms such as corporate image, internal image, external image, visual image, self-image and finally organizational image appeared, which have caused a regrettable division of the concept, epistemologically distancing it from its own scientific genesis.
At this point in the discourse we consider it necessary to establish the uniqueness that exists between the mental image and any of the terms that we have previously exposed. Obviously, the image that the public has of a company or organization (it is not found in the physical environment, but in the "latent memory" of individuals and in the collective imagination). Therefore, everything that is referred to as an image and has the subjective world of man as a substrate is nothing more than a mental image. Consequently, the image is the property of the individual and not of the company as many believe. In this sense, it is not susceptible to prior elaboration by the organization, which can only positively influence its training if it is consistent with what it does and what it says.
The mental image is the result, a priori, of the dialectical relationship between the affective and cognitive processes that generate the experience and the image respectively, and that give way to the development of the so-called psychological senses that constitute, in turn, dynamic regulators of the human behavior. And it is here really where the image acquires strategic connotation for the business and commercial world, because although its incidence in the determination of human behavior does not occur in a linear way, it does decisively affect most of the behavioral actions that are executed in relation to a fact, thing, phenomenon or organization.
The image of a company is the configurative effect of sensations, perceptions, inductions, deductions, experiences, emotions and experiences, which arise in the subject-company relationship. Which are articulated in individual subjectivity through associations that give rise to the meaning that this business image connotes for the subject.
Taking this point of view and sharing the feelings of other authors, we consider that the image of a company is the mental representation in the imaginary, collective, of a set of attributes and values that function as a stereotype and determine the opinion that its public have of it..
Individuals, the public, are the center of this mental image, determining the quality that it acquires based on their value chart, their system of meanings, their lifestyle, their motivations, expectations and personal preferences. So the image "of" the company is the image that is "in" people's heads. And because it is a psychosociological image, and not a thing or an object, the company can only manage it indirectly, through the meaning of its actions and communications.
The organizational image
In our country, the fundamental problem that exists in the use of the term image within the organizational world is given by the ignorance of what organizational image really means. Often there are those who consider that it is only the appearance of a company, its physique or personality, defined graphically, establishing an equality between it and what is called visual identity. This is evidenced by Aldo Gutiérrez, who states that in the use of the term, the graphic and generic identity elements such as the logo or the name of the brand or the company are placed in the center, that is, the personality that the company shows to through its perceptible attributes.
The main contributions that have been produced on the applicability of the image to the organizational world come from capitalist countries, and without wanting to fall into an extremist position when talking about the differences of this system with ours, we cannot help but express that generally what It works from an essentially mercantilist perspective, it cannot necessarily be adjusted to the patterns and methods of the socialist company, whose conceptions and values are different.
The review of the literature on the subject shows the existence of multiple tendencies in its approach, one of which is represented by authors who are interested in the practical utility of the image category. Within this group there are obvious subdivisions. In the academic world, Kennedy, van Raaij, Dowling; those who care about the image formation process. A second subgroup brings together scientists such as Olins, Ind, Joan Costa and Villafañe, among others, who have developed a special interest in the way in which a set of actions can be managed from the organization to obtain a favorable image as a result.
Villafañe is one of the few who, by taking the image to the context of the organization, part of a Gestalt vision, in which the functional is so important, that is, the way in which the processes that give reason for being to all are carried out. the organization, as the formal or what is the same, the world of representations, of communication.
Referring such definition to the corporate field, for this author the image of an organization, entity or company will result from the integration in the minds of the public with which the company is related, of “a set of images that with greater or lesser protagonism, the company projects abroad ”.
Studies and conceptions for the positioning of the image.
In this competition market, where offers are increasingly similar, whether in price, design or novelty, we have reached the era where we must fight for space in the minds of the public; because that is where the company has its true capital. Image positioning is discussed for the first time in 1972, in a series of articles published in the magazine "Advertising Age" by Americans Al Ries and Jack Trout.
The fundamental objective of any marketing strategy is the mind of the consumer, but this is subjected to a constant bombardment of information. The human mind, in the face of all this invasion, discriminates and rejects what is not interesting, in addition to having a limited capacity so we could not keep everything that catches our attention even if it was our will. For example, before we only had to remember the address, the telephone number and the identity card number; Today we must also remember the access code to the office computer, the e-mail, the fax, the ATM codes and others that are essential for physical and social survival.
So how to make us who this consumer remembers? How to make our products or services; that is, our information is received, classified, discriminated and hierarchized in the mind of the consumer in such a way that we are always among their first possibilities of choice?
The aforementioned authors -Reis and Trout- define positioning as the “place that a product or service occupies in the mind of a consumer in relation to competitors”. Positioning is the strategy specially designed to consolidate and enhance the specific image of products, services, ideas, brands or even a person in the minds of its target audiences.
Philip Kotler offers a positioning concept with a strategic focus where he highlights the importance of marketing planning and market research.
It conceptualizes positioning as: "deciding what a company or a brand wants its target audience to grant it, in such a way that it occupies a place in their mind". From here we can take into account that the products are positioned according to how their consumers see them "the image they have of them", taking into account their attributes and importance and the value that is conferred on them.
When a product is launched, taking into account the marketing approach, it is about positioning it in such a way that it appears to have the characteristics most desired by the target audience, this image to be perceived is fundamental, because the positioning of products or services reflects the classification and consideration processes of consumers, which in turn are permeated by their motivations, needs and desires. It is looking for a space both unexplored and virgin as occupied by others, to place ourselves, with our communication mix.
How to determine the positioning of a product / service or organization?
The French have a phrase in marketing that defines this point: "Cherchez le créneau" (look for the gap) and that is nothing more than looking for the site in which to position ourselves. For marketers, defining themselves by positioning is not an easy thing, so you must first answer yourself, nine fundamental questions.
- Who is the competition? Identify who our competition is. Determine: potential competitors, substitute products, rivalry in the competition and the attributes that generate competitive advantages in rivals. How is our competition perceived? The challenge at this point is to identify which is the context in which the consumption is carried out, the attributes of the product and the type of buyer. Who is our consumer? It is very important when designing a positioning strategy to know who our consumer is:How is the market segmented? What place does our product category occupy in the mind of the consumer? What really motivates the consumer to buy this or that product? What consumer habits or activities are important to our product? Once our consumer has been identified, it will be possible to deepen the segmentation. What is the current positioning (if it has any) of the products and the center? It does not consist of knowing who we are, but rather to find out who the consumers think we are. What is the position we want to occupy? We must, first of all, determine which is the niche in which there is space or which is available for our product.If the center does not take this precaution, it can enter a niche in which there is no room and make the product doomed to failure even before it goes on the market. Who should we beat? Find a position that has not yet been filled by any competitor. How many marketing resources do we have? Are they enough? Will we be able to achieve and maintain this position? To conquer a position, the "Share of Mind" (portion of the mind) of the consumer, requires a constant effort over time. Perhaps an exhaustive selection of the media and the geographic area within which the product will be launched should be made. As strategists we will probably have to go "little by little": first locally, then regionally, and then nationally and internationally.Are you able to withstand the chosen positioning for a long time? For how long can the company resist and maintain this positioning? Will the consumer think the same next year, in two years, in 5 years? In order to achieve a position and move up this ascending ladder of the consumer's mind, it is necessary to be bold and at the same time be consistent and constant in the work that the center does to build and strengthen that position. You should start with a few programs, but large in scope that allow you to penetrate deeper into the target. Many companies tend to do the exact opposite and get lost in a tangle of activities that do not seem to pursue the same positioning and that are lost in the middle of that information hurricane.Is our commercial communication in accordance with the positioning? Does it support and strengthen it? It is vitally important to first maintain the consistency of the image you want to position. As we have already said, when it comes to a positioning strategy, creativity takes a back seat. An ad oriented towards positioning strategy is more important than a creative ad.
Methodological proposal for the investigation of image positioning in University Study and Research Centers.
To achieve this work, a methodology was designed to determine the image positioning of the Research Center in its target audiences. We start from the multidisciplinary nature that every type of study that seeks to address elements of organizational activity and its social perspective must have. For this reason we rely on the theoretical considerations of sciences such as communication, psychology and marketing.
Qualitative design is used, supported by the Hermeneutic paradigm, consistent with the systemic approach in approaching organizations. As we conceive research in an organization that has a significant time of creation, our methodology starts from analyzing the environment where the organization has developed, following the path inside the institution, determining the congruence that exists between the perception of the public and what the center is and claims to be, that is, its identity and culture and the communication policies that have been used to achieve the level of image positioning that they have in the market.
Steps of the methodology:
First step: Characterization of the study center.
Objective: To familiarize the researcher with the object of study, to know its main characteristics. Exploratory character.
Methods and instruments to use.
- Document analysis. Exploratory studies. Interviews
Content
| Structure | Means | Sector | History | Productions |
| Organization chart | Human capital | Policies | Stages and evolution of the organization in terms of: | products |
| Strategy | Social object. | |||
| Systems | Laws | Goals. | ||
| goals | Staff composition | Methods. | Services | |
| Goals | Regulations | Organizational structures. | ||
| Processes | Technologies | Human Resources. | ||
| Procedures | Rules | Events | Trademarks | |
| Written Rules Trades | Financial |
Second step: Development of the strategic marketing diagnosis.
Objectives: To know the position of the company with respect to the macro and micro-environment and the external and internal factors that influence the positioning of the center's image in its audiences.
Methods and instruments to use:
- Documentary analysis. Expert interview. Observation Questionnaire. Group work techniques: Brainstorming and focus groups.
Content:
| Strategic projection | External analysis | Internal analisis |
| Mission | - Macro environment | General situation of the company. |
| Economic forces | ||
| View | Political-legal forces | Products and services |
| Sociocultural Forces | ||
| goals | Technological Forces | Quality management |
| - Microenvironment | ||
| Goals | Potential competitors | Prices |
| Substitute products | ||
| Tactics employed | Competition rivalry | Trademarks |
| customers | ||
| Providers | Distribution | |
| Potential market | ||
| Real market | Commercialization |
Third step: Analysis of identity, communication and image. In this step, the methodological procedures established for the image, identity and communication audit are used.
Objective: Audit the identity of the center, establish how it has been projected through communication and determine the image that the public has.
Methods and instruments to use
1. Documentary analysis.
2. Observation.
3. Questionnaire technique.
1. Interview technique.
2. Test of functional perception of the identifier, the container and the labels.
3. Group work techniques.
- Tool: “Observe, what do you see” photo set. Technique of the "Brainstorming".
Content:
Identity
Communication
Image
Physical features
Cultural features
Internal
External / Commercial
Internal
External
Name
Visual identity manual
Identifier
Signs / Uniforms
Products / Services
Brands and labels
Distribution and location of the premises
Aesthetics, decoration
Cleaning
Architecture
Furniture
Corporate colors
Packaging and labels
Critical access path to the center
Written and spoken language
Philosophy
Climate / environment
Shared values
Standards / Rules
Languages / speeches
Behaviors
Attitudes
Rites
Legends
Commemorations
Significant achievements
Leadership and direction
Foundational identity features
Current identity features
Ways and means used for internal communication. (their effectiveness is evaluated)
Communication flows.
Internal marketing actions
Perceptions of the internal public about communication in the center.
Ways and means used in external communication.
PR Strategies
Promotion Actions
Participation in trade fairs.
Commercial communication strategies.
Relations with the mass media.
Presence on the Internet.
Slogan or business slogan.
Messages that are transmitted.
Workers' perceptions about:
1. The identity of the center. (physical traits, cultural traits)
2. Internal and external communication processes
3. Social recognition.
4. Social prestige.
• Public perception about the identity of the center and communication.
• Notoriety that the center has in its audiences.
• Attitudes that they manifest about:
1. Products and services.
2. Study and research center
3. Address
4. Communication with the public.
• Social recognition.
• Social prestige.
Fourth step: Determination of the factors that influence the positioning of the image.
Goals:
- Determine, through the results obtained, the factors that determine the image of the public of the center. Establish the position of the center, its products and services in the market.
Methods and instruments.
- Information processing techniques Data triangulation.
Content:
Determinants of image positioning
Indicators
Condition before image positioning
Threat
Opportunity
Macroenvironment
Economic forces
Technological Forces
Sociocultural Forces
Political-legal forces
Microenvironment
Competitors
Substitute products
Competition rivalry
customers
Providers
General situation of the company
Human Resources
Financial
Innovation and development
Technology
Marketing variables
Product strategy. Lifecycle
Existing pricing strategies
Distribution strategy
Actual / potential market
Identity
Physical features
Cultural features
Corporate personality
Communication
Communication plan.
Sale promotion
Means and channels of contact with the public
PR
Image
Notoriety of products and services
Social prestige of the center
Attitudes expressed by the Public
Perceptions, evaluations of the internal and external public
Bibliography
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