Visitors can use the feedback form to send their questions to this section.  We will post our views on their questions or send the questions to prpoint@vsnl.com

What is image audit?

Image audit is a research tool to measure the hidden perception of internal and external stakeholders.  Internal stakeholders are employees and external stakeholders are customers, media, regulatory authorities, general public, etc.  In other words, Image audit is a barometer to measure the internal and external image.

Generally the employees are highly closed and do not reveal their perceptions about the functions of the management.  Is it possible to measure the hidden perception of the employees?

Yes. It is possible to extract the hidden perceptions of internal stakeholders.  It  depends on the manner in which the Image Audit is administered on the employees.  The administrator of the audit should create a confidence amongst the employees that the individual datasheet so collected would not be handed over to the management and only the consolidated opinion would be passed on to the management. Further the audit is to be conducted anonymously, so that the respondent is not identified.

What is the basic difference between market research conducted by different organisations and the image audit?

Generally market research is being done for consumer products.  In this case, target audience  are not having any fear or reservation about their views on the product.  In the Image Audit, we conduct an audit of the perception of the employees, who are really afraid of giving out their views to others for their personal reasons.  In the market research, identity of the respondent is not an issue.  In the image audit, identity is kept anonymous.  Image Audit  deals with a  highly sensitive issue and it is mind oriented.  If not administered carefully, the target audience will not come out with basic perceptions.

Is there any difference between the image audit conducted during the emotional situations and during calm situations?

yes definitely.  Normally image audit is to capture the basic perception of the target audience.  Normally basic perception is likely to oscillate due to emotions.  This oscillation is only temporary and will come back in due course.  When image audit is conducted during this situation, when there is an oscillation of basic perception, the output may not reveal the realistic situation.  We need to wait for the time, when the target audience is not affected by emotions.  For an example, if an employee gets a cash reward from the management, on that day, he would perceive the management better due to emotions.  Another person, who is not getting the reward may rate poorly.  These phenomena are only temporary and they will be back to normalcy after a week or so.