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Brand orientation : Tensions and conflicts in public management

Bertilsson, Jon LU ; Rennstam, Jens LU and Sullivan, Katie (2021)
Abstract
Public institutions such as cities, the police or schools are increasingly adopting a brand orientation, understood as an approach to organization aiming to create coherence around image and identity, such that consistent, precise and coherent messages can be presented about the organization to internal and external stakeholders. This may be seen as an expression of what is sometimes called “brand society,” meaning that branding affects ever more aspects of human life, including public sector organizations (Kornberger, 2010). Similar to other management techniques – like Lean Management or TQM – branding has its roots in private organizations. Although private and public organizations may gain from exchanging management practices, it also... (More)
Public institutions such as cities, the police or schools are increasingly adopting a brand orientation, understood as an approach to organization aiming to create coherence around image and identity, such that consistent, precise and coherent messages can be presented about the organization to internal and external stakeholders. This may be seen as an expression of what is sometimes called “brand society,” meaning that branding affects ever more aspects of human life, including public sector organizations (Kornberger, 2010). Similar to other management techniques – like Lean Management or TQM – branding has its roots in private organizations. Although private and public organizations may gain from exchanging management practices, it also creates tensions between corporate and civic rationales and practices. For instance, whereas the corporate branding ideal is to seek to reduce complexity via a coherent or unified identity and presentation to customers, public organizations are complex and must communicate with and serve a diverse public (Wæraas, 2008). In the wake of this development toward brand orientation, it is important to understand intended and unintended consequences for organizations, public employees, citizens and other stakeholders. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
branding, public administration, public management
host publication
Managing public services : Making informed choices - Making informed choices
editor
Lapsley, Irvine and Mattisson, Ola
pages
15 pages
publisher
Routledge
ISBN
9781003154389
9780367723248
DOI
10.4324/9781003154389
project
Public Management Research
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a701d771-cd50-4fff-9fb0-131056f22b08
date added to LUP
2021-09-30 17:51:27
date last changed
2022-03-14 15:04:53
@inbook{a701d771-cd50-4fff-9fb0-131056f22b08,
  abstract     = {{Public institutions such as cities, the police or schools are increasingly adopting a brand orientation, understood as an approach to organization aiming to create coherence around image and identity, such that consistent, precise and coherent messages can be presented about the organization to internal and external stakeholders. This may be seen as an expression of what is sometimes called “brand society,” meaning that branding affects ever more aspects of human life, including public sector organizations (Kornberger, 2010). Similar to other management techniques – like Lean Management or TQM – branding has its roots in private organizations. Although private and public organizations may gain from exchanging management practices, it also creates tensions between corporate and civic rationales and practices. For instance, whereas the corporate branding ideal is to seek to reduce complexity via a coherent or unified identity and presentation to customers, public organizations are complex and must communicate with and serve a diverse public (Wæraas, 2008). In the wake of this development toward brand orientation, it is important to understand intended and unintended consequences for organizations, public employees, citizens and other stakeholders.}},
  author       = {{Bertilsson, Jon and Rennstam, Jens and Sullivan, Katie}},
  booktitle    = {{Managing public services : Making informed choices}},
  editor       = {{Lapsley, Irvine and Mattisson, Ola}},
  isbn         = {{9781003154389}},
  keywords     = {{branding; public administration; public management}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  title        = {{Brand orientation : Tensions and conflicts in public management}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003154389}},
  doi          = {{10.4324/9781003154389}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}