REPUTATION MANAGEMENT - theworld100.com€¦ · REPUTATION MANAGEMENT Priorities, structures and...

The World 100 Reputation Network MANAGING THE REPUTATIONS OF THE WORLD’S LEADING UNIVERSITIES

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Louise Simpson, Director Lisa Bould, Research Manager

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REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

Priorities, structures and resources in world-class universities

Benchmarking Report for LSE

Directors of Communications and Marketing

Research Project for W100 Membership Year 2014/15

February 2016

http://www.theworld100.com/

mailto:[email protected]



2014/15 Research Project | www.theworld100.com

Reputation Management. Priorities, structure and resources in world-class universities

Benchmarking Report – LSE


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

HOW LSE DIFFERED… .................................................................................................................................... 2

RESPONSIBILITIES .......................................................................................................................................... 4

STRUCTURES AND STRATEGIES ................................................................................................................ 16

BUDGETS AND FINANCE .............................................................................................................................. 21

STAKEHOLDERS ............................................................................................................................................ 25

RANKINGS AND BENCHMARKING .............................................................................................................. 27

REPUTATION .................................................................................................................................................. 31

ABOUT THE WORLD 100 REPUTATION NETWORK .................................................................................. 33

IN THIS REPORT

The following pages detail how the responses from the lead communicator at the LSE, the Director of

Communications and Public Affairs, varied from the overall sample of world-class universities.

Benchmarking is provided for closed questions of the survey only.

The overall sample was made up of 47 respondents from 16 countries.





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HOW LSE DIFFERED…

Background: The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE was amongst one third of

the universities with a background that differed from the PR, administrative or academic categories

that were proposed.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into undergraduate

recruitment as per 30% of the directors. The majority 40% of the universities have a little more

responsibility, contributing but the lead being elsewhere.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into postgraduate

recruitment. This is also true for over a third (36%) of the universities. A slightly bigger group

contribute but the lead is elsewhere (38%).

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into international

recruitment. This is also true for around a third (30%) of the universities. More universities told us

that the Director contributes to this activity, although the lead is elsewhere.


relations and partnerships. This is in line with only a third of the universities. Two thirds contribute

but the lead is elsewhere.

The Director contributes to public engagement but the lead is elsewhere, as per a third of

universities. The greater proportion, 61% of the directors, have overall responsibility.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into communications

with graduate employers. This is also true for over a third of the universities, but a slightly larger

proportion told us that they contribute to this activity with the lead elsewhere.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into community

relations. This is in line with only 13% of the universities. Over half have overall responsibility.

Team size. The Communications and Public Affairs team at LSE is in line with the overall average

for the global universities at 38. The average is 39 and the largest team is 130.

Cross-university PR/marketing staff. There are fewer people at LSE working in communications,

marketing and PR roles outside of the central team with only 50. The average is 68 for global

universities, and the largest is 300. This may of course be due to the academic focus and size of the

LSE.

Strategy. LSE has an overarching communications strategy which is evident in less than half of the

universities.

Reputational priorities. 13 of the 15 areas were identified as priorities for LSE, including the

majority of those identified as priorities by large proportions of other global universities. Raising the

profile of the leader and Attracting more students are the only areas not seen to be priorities by the

Director at LSE.





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Prioritization of communications. LSE prioritizes communications and resources them well.

Turnover. Being a fairly small single faculty university, LSE’s income was less than half the size of

the average at roughly €400 million. The average for the universities was €950 million but the

highest was nearly €6 billion.

Salary. The salary for the director was lower than average for the global universities.

Budget. Total budget for communications and marketing is below the average, again probably due

to the size of LSE. The operational spend is slightly less, as is staff spend. The ratio between

operational and staff spend showing a higher staff spend (73%) than the average 66% spend on

salaries. We assume this is accounted for by the London weightings.

Stakeholders. LSE’s most important stakeholders on an international basis were similar to other

world-class universities (alumni, students and business leaders) although it didn’t chose the most

favoured stakeholder group of ‘academics in other universities’ – chosen by 79% of the directors - or

the fourth preferred, ‘journalists’ – chosen by nearly half of directors. It was amongst only 9% that

chose to put politicians in its top five audiences. This is not surprising given its subject focus, nor its

proximity to the Houses of Parliament.

Evaluation and benchmarking. LSE undertakes the top five ways of evaluating communications -

media, web and social media evaluation, web visits, and search engine performance. It doesn’t,

however, use some of the main evaluation tools that more than 40% of other directors are using –

i.e. conversion rates, audience attitudes to the university, or independent audits.

Reputational measures. Four of the top five choices for LSE were in the top five for other global

universities: ranking, research, culture, and academic programmes. The only one that others put in

the top five that they didn’t was ‘number of Nobel Prizes’, selected by 41% of directors. LSE was

also amongst only 17% that selected Graduate Employability as a reputational indicator.

Barriers and challenges: LSE identified some of the listed challenges to reputation, agreeing with

four of the top five (budget, lack of understanding, insufficient communications people, a poor

website). However, it doesn’t have the challenge of ‘Academics who don’t want to engage with the

media or public’, which is a bonus. Other problems are lack of a unified vision, and an old-fashioned

visual identity.

Key: Charts pick out LSE’s responses in purple.





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RESPONSIBILITIES

BACKGROUND OF THE LEAD COMMUNICATOR

Q: Are you: (tick all that apply)

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE was amongst one third of the universities with a

background that differed from the PR, administrative or academic categories that were proposed.





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COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING REMIT

Q: As the lead manager for the University’s communications, which of these activities do

you have responsibility for?

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has overall responsibility for social media

management. This is in line with almost all of the universities.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into undergraduate

recruitment as per 30% of the directors. The majority 40% of the universities have a little more

responsibility, contributing but the lead being elsewhere.





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The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into postgraduate

recruitment. This is also true for over a third (36%) of the universities. A slightly bigger group contribute but

the lead is elsewhere (38%).


recruitment. This is also true for around a third (30%) of the universities. More universities told us that the

Director contributes to this activity, although the lead is elsewhere.





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The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into admissions. This is also

true for over half (57%) of the universities.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE contributes to corporate strategy but the lead

responsibility is elsewhere. This is in line with two thirds of the universities.





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The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE contributes to international strategy but the

lead responsibility is elsewhere. This is in line with more than three quarters of the universities.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into international relations

and partnerships. This is in line with only a third of the universities. Two thirds contribute but the lead is

elsewhere.





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The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has overall responsibility for brand identity. This

is evident in almost all of the universities.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE contributes to engaging with students’ parents

and families, as do nearly half of the directors.





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The Director contributes to public engagement but the lead is elsewhere, as per a third of universities. The

greater proportion, 61% of the directors, have overall responsibility.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into communications with

graduate employers. This is also true for over a third of the universities, but a slightly larger proportion told

us that they contribute to this activity with the lead elsewhere.





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The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE contributes to alumni relations but the lead

responsibility is elsewhere. This is in line with over half of the universities.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has very little input into community relations.

This is in line with only 13% of the universities. Over half have overall responsibility.





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The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has overall responsibility for public affairs and

government relations. This is in line with around half of the universities.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has overall responsibility for international media

relations. This is in line with almost two thirds of the universities.





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The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has overall responsibility for domestic media

relations. This is also true in over 80% of the universities.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has overall responsibility for the marketing

function, which was the case for nearly three quarters of universities.





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The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has overall responsibility for website content.

This is in line with 83% of the universities.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has overall responsibility for events as per half of

directors.





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The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE has overall responsibility for internal

communications. This is in line with just over three quarters of the universities.

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at LSE contributes to fundraising but the lead

responsibility is elsewhere. This is in line with almost half of the universities.





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STRUCTURES AND STRATEGIES

TEAM SIZE

Q: How large is your main central communications department? Please include all staff with

a communications, PR or marketing related role.

The Communications and Public Affairs team at LSE is in line with the overall average for the global

universities at 38. The average is 39 and the largest team is 130.

Q: How many other staff do you estimate have a communications, PR or marketing role?

Please include all staff working in academic departments or other administrative areas.

There are fewer people at LSE working in communications, marketing and PR roles outside of the central

team with only 50. The average is 68 for global universities, and the largest is 300. This may of course be

due to the academic focus and size of the LSE.





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SENIORITY OF COMMUNICATIONS

Q: Where is Communications / PR / External relations located within your university’s

management structure?

Universities were split as to whether Directors of Communications are part of, or report to, the senior

management team. The Director at LSE was amongst 51% of universities that reports to SMT.





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STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR COMMUNICATIONS

Q: Does your university have a strategic plan for communications?

LSE does have an overarching communications strategy which is evident in less than half of the

universities.

Q: Is there a clear relationship between the strategy for the University as a whole and the

communications strategy?

LSE’s wider institutional and communications strategies have a clear link. This is in line with 70% of the

universities.





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COMMUNICATIONS PRIORITIES

Q: What are currently your top communications priorities regarding communications at

your university? Please tick all the options that apply to you.

13 of the 15 areas were identified as priorities for LSE, including the majority of those identified as priorities

by large proportions of other global universities. Raising the profile of the leader and Attracting more

students are the only areas not seen to be priorities by the Director at LSE.





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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Q: Which best describes the relationship between communications and marketing in your

university?

Marketing is part of communications at LSE, which is the same for the majority 30% of universities.





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BUDGETS AND FINANCE

IMPORTANCE AND RESOURCING OF COMMUNICATIONS

Q: Which best describes how important and well-resourced communications is in your

university?

The Director felt that communications is considered to be a very important function of the University and is

currently well resourced. This is in line with 50% of universities.

FINANCES

All reported figures have been converted to euros for comparability and to retain anonymity of respondents.

Q: What is the total annual income of your University from all sources?

Being a fairly small single faculty university, LSE’s income was less than half the size of the average at

roughly €400 million. The average for the universities was €950 million but the highest was nearly €6 billion.





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Q: What is the salary of the lead/senior communications professional?

The salary for the director was lower than average for the global universities.

Q: What is the annual budget for university communications/marketing?

A) Total Budget

Total budget for communications and marketing is well below the average, again probably due to the

size of LSE.





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B) Operational Budget

The operational budget is slightly less than the average.

C) Staff Salary Budget

And the staff spend is less.





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D) Operational vs Salary Proportional Split





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STAKEHOLDERS

Q: In terms of developing your university’s overall reputation, which of these stakeholder

groups do you think have the most influential opinions? Tick the five most important

influences on public opinion in your home country and the five most important on an

international basis.

LSE’s most important stakeholders on an international basis were similar to other world-class universities

(alumni, students and business leaders) although it didn’t chose the most favoured stakeholder group of

‘academics in other universities’ – chosen by 79% of the directors - or the fourth preferred, ‘journalists’ –

chosen by nearly half of directors. It was amongst only 9% that chose to put politicians in its top five

audiences. This is not surprising given its subject focus, nor its proximity to the Houses of Parliament.





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However, LSE chose all the same domestic key groups as the average for directors.





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RANKINGS AND BENCHMARKING

GLOBAL RANKINGS

Q: There is a number of university rankings available to prospective students worldwide.

Leaving aside the debate about their methodologies, does your university promote its

position in university ranking tables or a rise in its ranking as a means of gaining a

reputation advantage?

LSE promotes its rankings like the majority of universities.





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MEDIA BENCHMARKING

Q: Do you compare the amount and quality of media coverage achieved for your University

with that of rival peer institutions?

LSE states that it doesn’t do media benchmarking.





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EVALUATING OR BENCHMARKING COMMUNICATIONS

Q: Do you currently evaluate or benchmark your communications using the following

methods? Please tick all that apply

LSE undertakes the top five ways of evaluating communications - media, web and social media evaluation,

web visits, and search engine performance. It doesn’t, however, use some of the main evaluation tools that

more than 40% of other directors are using – i.e. conversion rates, audience attitudes to the university, or

independent audits.





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SECONDARY WEBSITES

Q: Which secondary websites do you think are of the most importance for your university?

Please tick all that apply.

The top five were important to LSE.





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REPUTATION

CHARACTERISTICS FOR REPUTATION

Q: A good reputation is often regarded as the most important asset of a university. Which of

the characteristics do you think are the most important for a university's reputation? Please

select five characteristics from the list.

Reputational measures. Four of the top five choices for LSE were in the top five for other global

universities: ranking, research, culture, and academic programmes. The only one that others put in the top

five that they didn’t was ‘number of Nobel Prizes’, selected by 41% of directors. LSE was also amongst only

17% that selected Graduate Employability as a reputational indicator.





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REPUTATIONAL BARRIERS

Q: What are the biggest challenges you face in terms of enhancing your university's

reputation? Please tick all that apply

LSE identified some of the listed challenges, agreeing with four of the top five (budget, lack of

understanding, insufficient communications people, a poor website). However, it doesn’t have the challenge

of ‘Academics who don’t want to engage with the media or public’, which is a bonus. Other problems are

lack of a unified vision, and an old-fashioned visual identity.





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ABOUT THE WORLD 100 REPUTATION NETWORK

THE NETWORK

The World 100 Reputation Network is a group of the world’s most prestigious universities undertaking

research that enhances reputation management, international relations and strategy.

The Network connects senior directors responsible for reputation in world-class institutions. It is the only

professional network for directors of communications, marketing and international. Although global in

outlook the Network offers members the opportunity to become part of ‘local’ community existing to share

good practice, transfer knowledge and overcome common challenges.

Membership is exclusive to universities ranked in the top 200 of the THE, QS SJT and US News rankings in

the last three years. Now comprising 47 members from all continents, we believe that our international

diversity is one of the reasons members find the Network so valuable.

ANNUAL RESEARCH

Each year the Network undertakes at least one major topical piece of research. To date we have covered

the following topics:

Website best practice for world-class universities

Structures, strategies and resources for reputational advancement

Rise and Fall: Managing reputation associated with significant world ranking change

Internal communications and staff engagement in world-class universities

How international PhD students choose top universities and interpret reputation and rankings

Choice factors in international Academic job change

Members of the Network can access reports for the above projects (limited to summaries for Discover

members) online at www.theworld100.com or email [email protected].

UPCOMING RESEARCH…

The annual research project for 2015/16 is The R-Word: Strategies and tactics for communicating research

excellence.

If you have topics of interest that you would like the Network to explore in the future, please contact Lisa

Bould, Research Manager at [email protected].

FIND OUT MORE

Full details of the Network, membership rates and benefits, research projects, events and more can be

found at www.theworld100.com or contact the Network Director, Louise Simpson directly at

[email protected].






Other research by the World 100 Reputation Network

Website best practice for world-class universities

Structures, strategies and resources for reputational advancement

Rise and Fall: Managing reputation associated with significant world ranking change

Internal communications and staff engagement in world-class universities

How international PhD students choose top universities and interpret reputation and rankings

Choice factors in international Academic job change

The World 100 Reputation Network

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