The present study investigated whether internal versus external stakeholders perceive a company's corporate reputation differently. Eighty undergraduate students completed a 36 item survey and a 3 item scenario from the perspective of either an internal stakeholder (for example, a prospective employee) or an external stakeholder (for example, a stockholder). Three aspects of corporate reputation were examined: company performance, corporate social responsibility, and employee benefits. The results showed that internal stakeholders considered employee benefits significantly more important than external stakeholders, whereas external stakeholders considered company performance significantly more important than internal stakeholders. Similarly, job applicants considered benefits significantly more important than investors, and investors consider company performance significantly more important than job applicants. No significant differences were observed for corporate social responsibility. In addition, gender was not a significant variable. Overall, the results of this study suggest that corporate reputation is perceived differently by internal versus external stakeholders. Recognizing those differences can allow organizations to tailor their messages more effectively.
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