Can we Define the Corporate Image with Regard to the Theory of the Signal?
Corporate image is considered as a “plurivocal and fuzzy” concept (Le Moënne, 2008), each author presenting his vision (Gioia and Al, 2000). Some experts see it as a whole (holistic approach), others integrate it into a larger whole (restrictive approach), or decompose it (dichotomous approach). By considering corporate image as a signal, the author propose an integrative approach of three ways allowing to build a decisive stage for a structured research. He offers a new definition of the corporate image and analyzes the academic and managerial implications of the image as a signal and proposes a method of management.