Public image refers to how a company is viewed by its customers, suppliers, and stockholders, by the financial community, by the communities     1    it operates, and by federal and local governments. Public image is controllable to considerable extent, just as the product, price, place, and promotional efforts are.
    A firm’s public image plays a vital role in the     2    of the firm and its products to employees, customers, and to such outsiders     3    stockholders, suppliers, creditors, government officials, as well as     4    special groups. With some things it is impossible to     5    all the diverse publics: for example, a new highly automated plant may meet the approval of creditors and stockholders, but it will undoubtedly find     6    from employees who see their jobs     7    . On the other hand, high quality products and service standards should bring almost complete approval, while low quality products and     8    claims would be widely looked down upon.
    A firm’s public image, if it is good, should be treasured and protected. It is a valuable     9    that usually is built up over a long and satisfying relationship of a firm with publics. If a firm has earned a quality image, this is not easily countered or imitated by competitors. Such an image may enable a firm to     10    higher prices, to win the best distributors and dealers, to attract the best employees, to expect the most     11    creditor relationships and lowest borrowing costs. It should also allow the firm’s stock to command higher price-earnings ratio than other firms in the same industry with such a good reputation and public image.
    A number of factors affect the public image of a corporation.     12    include physical     13    , contacts of outsiders     14    company employees, product quality and dependability, prices     15    to competitors, customer service, the kind of advertising and the media and programs used, and the use of public relations and publicity.