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Question 1: Toyotas 2010 Global Vision programme described social expectations that value pro-environmental stance and puts

less weight on nationalism. In terms of markets, the vision outlined Toyotas goal to capture 15% of global automobile markets by using the opportunities offered by China, India and other emerging economies. Toyota also decided to seek to project among its shareholders a corporate identity of a leader in global regeneration and in the application of IT in cars for better and safer motoring as well as being seen as the one expanding the appeal of automobiles across the world. Toyotas vision partially aligns with the companys internal culture and its image. Toyota has taken several initiatives to earn environmentally-friendly image, such as launching its Fourth Environmental Action Plan that outlines what Toyota needs to do to sustain its image, including plans to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from its vehicles by 15% by adopting superior environmental technologies. Hybrid technologies also contributed to the leadership position that Toyota had taken on environmental issues in the car industry. In 1999, Toyota received United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Global 500 award as the first vehicle manufacturer for the leadership demonstrated in the development of environmental technologies and measures. Toyota also earned the leading position on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) in the automobile sector in 2003, which makes it seem that Toyota executes systematically its strategies regarding environmental issues, including recycling, efficiency and technology. However, as Toyota focused on the environmental issues, it seems to have forgotten its strengths. Toyota and its luxury line Lexus have been among the top automobile brands in terms of reliability, quality and long-term durability. This reputation has been seriously damaged by series of product recalls due faults in the accelerator pedals, and as a result customers have become wary of buying a Toyota. This suggests that Toyotas pursuit of larger market shares has undermined its reliability records. This means there is a gap between the image and the vision as Toyota wants to be seen as reliable, safe, and environmentally-friendly, yet it is seen as environmentally-friendly but lacking in reliability. These events led also to a culture image gap, as the technological faults in Toyotas cars were totally opposite to the message Toyota wanted to send to its customers: Toyota - a safe and reliable car. It is not mentioned in the case study how Toyota communicated with its employees about its goals and vision. However, through Toyotas track record it is possible to see that whenever Toyota adopted a new strategic direction it was described clearly as in 2010 Global Vision programme or Guiding Principle. These encouraged the employees to dedicate themselves to provide clean and safe products, and guided towards enhancing the quality of life everywhere through Toyotas activities. Especially Toyotas participation in Formula One (F1) had helped to motivate its 260,000 strong workforce around the world. All the employees took pride in the Toyota TF 103, the racing car that competed in the F1 Grand Prix and was built using the same technological basis as the production cars they built and sold. Even though the vision was clearly stated, vision-culture gaps have emerged in Toyota. Due to the recall crisis and challenges from competitors in the market Toyota finds itself in dilemma whether it should rebuilt its image relying on its strength (reliability) to appeal to customer, or add more value on

emotional criteria. In 2009, the President of Toyota ordered back-to-basics overhaul of product development, but also started challenging the company engineers to build cars that are less dull and are fun and exciting to drive. This contradicts the Vision statement emphasizing the environmentallyfriendly vehicles, and may lead to misunderstanding among employees toward the new vision of the company; that is, whether the direction will focus on eco-friendly approach or on emotional approach. To address these gaps, Toyota should focus on gaining back its reputation as a manufacturer of reliable and affordable cars and improve the emotional appeal of its vehicles at the same time. Even though Toyota faces challenges from its competitors, the environmentally-friendly image is already established in the customers minds and hence can be given lesser priority momentarily. In order to gain back its lost reputation Toyota should also momentarily give up its goal of being the largest vehicle manufacturer in the world and concentrate on quality over quantity. However, there is always the risk that focusing less on the eco-friendly aspect would see Toyota losing its reputation to some of its competitors, but thinking from a consumers point of view, none of the other big vehicle manufacturers have yet to reach the kind of image as Toyota has in the environmentally-friendly field. Question 2: This far, Toyota has set the environment and the safety and reliability of its cars as its strategic intent for communication strategy. Toyota has been using both product-led communications around specific cars as well as corporate-led communications around themed messages identified in its Global Vision document, such as encouraging a pro-environmental stance, especially the reuse and recycling of goods and becoming the leader in global regeneration and in the application of IT in automobiles for better and safer motoring, as well as being a good brand citizen by respecting all peoples in the workplace and working communities regardless of nationalities and ethnicities while simultaneously aiming for 15% of the global market by 2010 by tapping the emerging markets like China and India. The message styles used for aligning with above message theme were predominantly the symbolic association message style and the rational message style. The symbolic message style was used for example by using Leaf Car logo, a design that features a car in the shape of green leaf of a tree in corporate advertising to symbolize the company-wide drive toward environmental awareness. Toyota also used its participation in Formula 1 World Championships to symbolically associate its cars with high performance. The rational message style was used by making a claim about Toyotas overall environmental leadership, backed up by reference to the launch of Prius and the Lexus LS Hybrid, as well as to the companys global Earth Charter and guiding principles promoting environmental responsibility throughout the company and the reduction of carbon emission at manufacturing plants. However, to deal with the challenges that Toyota faces, it should change the communication strategy. In terms of strategic intent, Toyota should change, rebuild and extend its reputation from the initial focus on environmental leadership and the safety and reliability of its cars to a reputation that uses these already established values but also stresses the emotional fun and enjoyment of driving Toyotas cars; something that has traditionally been lacking but is increasingly gaining the attention of consumers when it comes to Toyotas cars.

Based on this, the themed messages about environmental leadership, the leadership in hybrid system and electric-vehicle technology, and the companys culture of safety and reliability should be kept and used further. But on top of that, Toyota also needs to add more emotional messages about the experience of driving its cars (for example how comfortable, fun and exciting it is to drive a Toyota) and messages about its designs and styling (such as Toyota cars being fashionable, modern, joyful, colourful etc.). The use of message styles should be broadened from the previous symbolic association message style and rational message style to include emotional message style and pre-emptive message style. The emotional style should be included for example by offering in its advertising campaign positive emotional benefits that driving Toyotas cars offer to the customers, and by assuring the customers that the negative emotions about safety and reliability are unfounded. The pre-emptive message style could be used by creating a new superiority claim for Toyota, such as Beyond eco-friendly cars, which focus not only on its strength and leadership in environmental issue but also on the new emotional benefits.

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