National Culture Characteristics for Managing Corporate Reputation and Brand Image Using Social Media

The study provides explanations and empirical answers to (1) What country-level factors influence the formation of reputation as a strategic asset and (2) how can businesses better manage their reputations on a global basis? The study examines the effects of a national culture on managing global aspects of corporate reputation and brand image using social media (SM) with the use of Hall’s low versus high-context classification of culture. Using longitudinal time series approach, two surveys were conducted in 2011 and again in 2015. The study involved a total of 326 listed companies in the global stock exchange markets of: the United States – the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Japan – the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), and China – the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE). The study employs non-parametric inferential statistical methods. The results of the study show that the low-context culture group is more responsive and responds more quickly. It was clear that a nation’s culture directly affects SM ownership, reply time, and response styles (attitude). The findings may help multinational companies predict adoption of SM for their brand image and online reputation management and formulate more effective public relations marketing strategies by accommodating cultural influences.