This study is aimed to develop a scale to measure the reputation of a city and to compare the reputation index of main cities in the country by indexing it. Since the competitive power of a city becomes more important under the global competitive envi...
This study is aimed to develop a scale to measure the reputation of a city and to compare the reputation index of main cities in the country by indexing it. Since the competitive power of a city becomes more important under the global competitive environment and the improvement of quality of citizens' lives as well, this is the time to feel keenly the necessity of the development of index that can understand these at a glance and the development of index for the popularity of a city can be said to be a very meaningful work.
To achieve the aim of the study, this study has gone through a strict process of scale development. First, the 61 preliminary scales able to measure reputation of a city were deduced through studies of literature related with domestic and international municipal brand, evaluation of a city, and reputation of a city. Second, these were refined into 32 questions through group interviews. Third, the refined scale at the previous step was rearranged into 44 scales through Delphi method survey for 3 times by 28 experts. Fourth, the degree of reliability and validity were verified through a preliminary survey that was conducted with the subject of 127 persons such as urban specialists, brand specialists, and reputation specialists etc. Last but not least, the reputation index by cities was calculated in the main survey with the subject of Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, Incheon, Ulsan and Jeju island.
To summarize the result of this study, first, the reputation of a city consists of two dimensions, 44 questions with 9 factors. In other words, it was found that the reputation of a city consists of a dimension of substance made up with 6 factors such as economic environment, citizens' leadership, urban infrastructure, urban environment, cultural environment, and recognition of a city etc. and a dimension of relationship of the stakeholder concerned made up with 3 factors such as reliability, affinity, and social responsibility etc. Second, the degree of importance by dimensions of reputation of a city showed that the substantive dimension was 62.17 and the relational dimension was 37.83. If this was viewed from the whole percentage, the weight on the degree of importance of reputation of cities was derived in the order of reliability as 13.61, economic environment as 13.57, urban infrastructure as 12.68, urban environment as 12.37, attachment to a city as 12.31, social responsibility as 11.91, cultural infrastructure as 9.19, recognition of a city as 7.38 and finally the factor of the citizens' leadership as 6.98.
Third, as a result of calculating the index of reputation of cities over 8 cities and provinces, it showed in the order that Seoul was the highest showing 65.97 and the second highest was Jeju island as 64.08 and the third was Busan as 63.38. The fourth was Gwangju as 61.18, the fifth was Ulsan as 61.14, the sixth was Daejeon as 59.19, the seventh was Incheon as 58.58, and finally the eighth was Daegu as 55.13. If these were converted to S grades, Seoul, Jeju island, and Busan were B+ which was fallen under the range of 85~90 points that is a general recognition standard. Gwangju, Ulsan, Daejeon, and Incheon were B- which came under the range of 80~85 points. Daegu was C+ which corresponded to the range of 75~80 points.
Fourth, the effect of the substantive dimension and relationship dimension of reputation of a city on the loyalty of a city was analyzed by correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. As a result of correlation analysis, it showed that there was a meaningful correlation between the loyalty for a city and all the factors constituting the reputation of a city. As a result of looking into the effect of the substantive dimension and relationship dimension on the loyalty for a city, it showed that all the factors except for economic environment had an influence on the loyalty of a city.
The meaning of this study lies in, first, securing the theoretical foundation of reputation by developing a scale of urban reputation, applying the theory of reputation that has been developed focusing on companies or organizations to a city. Second, with the situation exposed to market competitive environment like companies, it is also important for a city to manage long-term relationship with various stakeholder concerned but it has been a part that was overlooked in urban brand and evaluation of a city. Therefore, there will be a meaning in reflecting the importance of long-term relationship with stakeholder concerned on a scale for reputation of a city with recognition of it.
Besides, this study formulated the index of reputation of a city by analyzing the degree of importance among constituents of reputation of a city. It could be identified that if the index of reputation of a city is high, it would have an positive influence on the loyalty for a city, which generates lasting residence and revisiting.
There are two things that should be considered to manage strategically the reputation of a city. First, the reputation of a city must be strategically managed through understanding on systematic relationship between city identity, city image and the reputation of a city. Because the management of reputation of a city is made by 3 stages such as city identity, city image and the reputation of a city. Second, it is necessary to manage long-term relationship of internal and external stakeholder concerned.