Does reputation matter?

Sammanfattning: Purpose: Investigate how the corporate brand can play a strategic role within the cargo port industry through affecting the choice of cargo port from the customer’s perspective. Methodology: A qualitative method with an abductive approach has been used. The research design is based on semi-structured interviews. Theoretical approach: The theoretical foundation complies theory from the strategic management and the brand management fields. It is based on Porter’s Diamond theory on national competitiveness and Urde and Greyser’s Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix on corporate brand management. Empirical foundation: The empirical findings have been collected through interviews with customers of the case company, Copenhagen Malmö Port. Conclusion: The study applies the theoretical foundation practically, and concludes that the corporate brand has a possible strategic role within the cargo port industry. It contributes with a deeper understanding for the decision-making process concerning the choice of port, and emphasizes the importance of external stakeholders.