Negative Publicity on Publics’ Perception of Corporate Image: A Case of G4s Kenya Limited

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Date

2016-06

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Daystar University, School of Communication

Abstract

The relationship between negative coverage and image losses is particularly strong, because negativism, more often than positive reporting goes hand in hand with increased coverage (Media Tenor Journal, 2006). People pay more attention to negative publicity than they do positive publicity. Much of the previous research on negative publicity has been done in developed countries with little emphasis of negative publicity on corporate image in developing countries like Kenya. The purpose of this study was to establish whether news coverage and the public perception of an organization’s corporate image can arise out of negative publicity with particular emphasis on G4S’s Kenya corporate image. This study examined media coverage and how the perception of an organization image can be affected by bad publicity. In order to explore this, the study used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Content analysis of two local dailies and data from in-depth interviews were employed. The data for content analysis were derived from 90 articles of the two purposively selected Kenyan daily newspapers covering the period between the years 2009 and 2010. From the findings, it was established that both newspapers reported their news articles on G4S Kenya more unfavourably than favourably. G4S Kenya still maintained a good corporate image despite the negative publicity. The study recommends other areas of media coverage, like social media, to be assessed to determine the effects of negative publicity to the public’s perception of corporate image.

Description

MASTER OF ARTS in Communication

Keywords

negative coverage, image losses, positive publicity, public perception of an organization’s corporate image

Citation

Chiteri, N. E. (2016). Negative Publicity on Publics’ Perception of Corporate Image: A Case of G4s Kenya Limited. Daystar University, School of Communication