Frantisek Pollak | UEB - The University of Economics in Bratislava (original) (raw)

Papers by Frantisek Pollak

Baštýřová, K., Kalamen, K., Pollák, F. (2024). The Role of Social Media in Online Reputation Management: A Case Study of Automotive Companies in the Czech Republic. Economic Review, 53(4), 229 ─ 242., 2024

This study examines how social media content strategies, including post frequency, content type, ... more This study examines how social media content strategies, including post frequency, content type, and sustainability-related topics, influence online engagement and perceived reputation for leading automotive companies in the Czech Republic such as Škoda, Hyundai, Audi, Kia, and BMW. By analyzing Facebook and Instagram posts from August to October 2023, the study explores how tailored content strategies shape audience trust, consumer perception and alignment with environmental values. The results show that Hyundai and BMW are leaders in the use of interactive and visually compelling content, while Kia has room for improvement. These findings highlight the critical role of social media management in enhancing online reputation through effective engagement strategies.

Transportation Research Procedia, vol. 74, 2023

The search for optimal approaches to building the online infrastructure of luxury brands is an ar... more The search for optimal approaches to building the online infrastructure of luxury brands is an area that takes on an extremely dynamic dimension in times of accelerated digitization. The aim of the study is to investigate changes in online reputation levels for selected luxury hotels on the Adriatic coast, comparing their status levels before and after the Covid-19 pandemic. The research sample is narrowed down to the 15 best hotels on the Adriatic coast, selected according to the ranking of the prestigious British periodical. For comparison, we use a reference study from 2019, which we follow up with an empirical analysis carried out using the same methodological procedure. Specifically, we use extended sentiment analysis in its complex TOR form. The results of the analysis and subsequent comparison indicate that there was no significant change in the level of online reputation of selected luxury brands during the pandemic. All monitored partial parameters show a high degree of optimization. Based on the findings, strategic recommendations for the field of tourism are drawn up, at the same time key reputators are identified, which must be regularly monitored in the online reputation management process. The study thus serves as a knowledge base for practice, as well as a possible methodological base for further investigation of the impact of the pandemic on the infrastructure of brand development in the online environment.

alamen, Kristián, František Pollák, and Peter Markovič. 2023. "Pandemic Economic Crises" Encyclopedia 3, no. 4: 1489-1497. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia3040106, 2023

The market serves as the convergence point of supply and demand and represents the process throug... more The market serves as the convergence point of supply and demand and represents the process through which market relations between economic units materialize. From a global perspective, the focus shifts to the world market, which is the fundamental structure on which the global economy is based. The world economy operates as a very complex ecosystem. When it is exposed to the extremely damaging effects of a global pandemic, the term of a pandemic economic crisis becomes relevant.

Pollák F, Markovič P, Majdúchová H. Reputation of Electric Vehicles in the Environment of Carbon Reduction and Accelerated Digitization. Energies. 2023; 16(9):3836. , 2023

The accelerated digitization of the third decade of the twenty-first century poses a challenge bo... more The accelerated digitization of the third decade of the twenty-first century poses a challenge both for science and for practice. The study presents partial results of continuous research on online reputation management of entities operating in the environment of low-carbon economy. The aim of the study is the application of a standardized methodology for calculating the Total level of Online Reputation (TOR) to determine the market position of selected Electric Vehicles (EVs) compared to the market position of conventional Vehicles with Internal Combustion Engines (ICEVs) in the online environment. The research sample consists of the ten best-selling Vehicles and the ten best-selling Electric Vehicles in the world by sales in the year 2021. Based on the measurement results and the subsequent analysis of the context, it can be concluded that the EV market shows the parameters of a developing market not only from the point of view of sales but also in terms of the overall level of Online Reputation as such. At the same time, it is possible to point out a high geographical specificity and significant disproportionality of the EV market compared to ICEVs. From the overall market perspective, the future of cars in the EV category is still unclear, as building trust in low-carbon products is limited by historical tradition. The main representatives of the EV industry thus represent the first forays of the onset of the low-carbon era in individual transport. The description of the issue will require the monitoring of status indicators over time. The results of the presented study can thus serve as a baseline and methodological framework for further research of the adoption of low-carbon policies in common practice.

Brand Management, 2022

The issue of brand management is taking on new dimensions at a time of accelerated digitization. ... more The issue of brand management is taking on new dimensions at a time of accelerated digitization. The aim of the chapter is to approach selected areas of the issue by pointing out the basic forms of promotion in the digital environment of the Internet. An appropriate mix of these forms is essential for effective marketing communication in the digital environment. Where appropriateness and efficiency are necessary factors that need to be taken into account in the process of building a brand in the eyes of reference markets. Understanding the fundamentals of the issue of promotion in online environment creates a precondition for a holistic approach, which in combination with scientific knowledge tools reduces uncertainty and increases the assumption of market success. The chapter in the form of a theoretical overview study presents the results of ongoing research into the topic of Internet marketing. It synthesizes the knowledge of the authors, as well as the results of the work of selected reference authors, who at the beginning of the millennium shaped the issue into the form in which it is known to the wider professional public by today. The theoretical overview, supplemented by highlighting the key context, presents a relatively clear starting point for an introduction to the study of the topic of Internet marketing.

Ekonomický časopis/Journal of Economics, 70(4), 368-389., 2022

The issue of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy is highly topical at a time of g... more The issue of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy is highly topical at a time of gradual economic recovery. The study presents the results of more than a year and a half of empirical research on changes in consumer behaviour patterns of Slovaks obtained through an analysis of their online interactions with the five main representatives of the e-commerce industry. During both pandemic waves B2C and C2B interactions of a sample of more than half a million customers in the Facebook social network environment were systematically recorded. Subsequently, the data were compared with the reference period one year after the historically first lockdown. The results suggest that during the pandemic, customers switched into completely new patterns of consumer behaviour aimed at maximizing benefits. However, as the pandemic progressed, these patterns combined with the pre-pandemic standard behaviour and created a new, relatively stable evolving trend. This economically significant trend must be considered in business practice.

Economics and Sociology, 15(2), 296-311, 2022

The issue of finding effective approaches to marketing communications has been the subject of int... more The issue of finding effective approaches to marketing communications has been the subject of interest for the academic community as well as marketing managers for several decades. This study presents the results of an empirical analysis concerning the preferences of more than 5,000 Central Europeans aimed at identifying the customers´ preferred way of obtaining information depending on their age. The results of the analysis suggest that younger customers prefer online media, while middle-aged and older customers tend to prefer traditional information sources. The scientific contribution of the study is mainly in the results of cluster analysis, where we discover interesting mergers of customer clusters with a combination of preferentially similar age groups of customers. These newly discovered clusters can serve as a guide for more effective targeting of marketing communication to optimize the use of corporate resources and increase the overall competitiveness of companies operating in the Central European market.

Journal of Open Innovation Technology Market and Complexity. 2022, 8(3), 105., 2022

This paper outlines the importance and role of non-product-related brand attributes, e.g., user i... more This paper outlines the importance and role of non-product-related brand attributes, e.g., user imagery and usage imagery, in local news media content consumption by a younger audience aged 15-24. Due to technological developments, new media content consumption patterns have emerged. New dynamic, interactive, and multiplatform marketplaces have changed how media brands deliver content and how audiences consume it. The main catalysts of change are multiple platforms, on-demand content consumption, and social media platforms. The increasing use of global social networks offers media brands possibilities to distribute content and connect with their audiences, all while creating new challenges and competition in local media. These changes have brought about possibilities of broadening media audiences, as well as challenges, e.g., because of decreasing media brand associations and preference being given to social media platforms and global media brands. Generation Z's traditional media consumption patterns are below average. This audience segment prefers mobile access and online media content on various platforms, uses social media more than other age range audiences, and chooses global media and social media platforms over national media brands. These dynamics increase the challenges for local news media brands in attracting and growing a future audience, as Generation Z consumes fewer national media content in their local or national language, and what they do consume is through the medium of social media. The authors analyse media consumption trends in Latvia and determine how media brands increase their equity and the consumption of media regarding younger audiences. This research was designed to understand media consumption trends via secondary information analyses and employs a quantitative survey to identify non-product-related brand attitudes. The research question of this paper is concerned with defining how media brand associations affect content consumption and engagement. We used regression analyses to predict the most significant correlations between brand attributes and content consumption and concentration. The study focuses on national news media brands.

Journal of Risk and Financial Management 15(6):250, 2022

The issue of corporate reputation management in the time of accelerated digitization has been a s... more The issue of corporate reputation management in the time of accelerated digitization has been a subject of research by academics and practitioners for more than a decade. The aim of this study was to provide an insight into the issue of reputation management in the Internet environment in the time of global pandemic. As for the structure of the research, the study mapped two horizons of events, the first one being the onset of the pandemic in the first half of 2020, and the second one the period of cancellation of antipandemic measures after 24 months. The research was localized in the market of Central Europe, specifically in the online market of the Slovak Republic. This market synthesized two important factors, namely the highly developmental nature and at the same time the increased degree of restraint it experienced during the two years of the pandemic. A sophisticated online reputation analysis (sentiment analysis, analysis of reputation determinants, and data synthesis through the TOR indicator) was performed on a significant sample of e-commerce representatives, the results of which provided relevant findings on reputational challenges and reputational threats. Based on the findings, it can be stated that the market has adapted relatively quickly to the changed conditions. The pandemic represented a market opportunity rather than an existential threat for the subjects examined. It also played the role of an imaginary accelerator in the evolutionary transition from offline to online.

Behavioral Sciences, 2022

The global pandemic caused by the new coronavirus has largely changed established business practi... more The global pandemic caused by the new coronavirus has largely changed established business practices. The aim of this study is to present the results of eighteen months of intensive research into the effects of the pandemic on e-consumer behavior. In one of the most active e-commerce markets in Europe, the Czech Republic, we analyzed a sample of more than one and a half million Facebook users in terms of their C2B interactions on the B2C activities of the five major e-commerce market players. The measurements were carried out in three periods, which corresponded to the onset of the first wave, the peak, and the fading of the second wave of the pandemic. This enabled us to monitor the effect of seasonality and the stabilization of patterns of consumer behavior during the coronavirus crisis. The results suggest that a specific panic pattern of e-consumer behavior was developed at the time of the onset of the pandemic. However, as the pandemic progressed, the market adapted to a new normal, which, as evidenced by the change in trends, appears to be a combination of the pre-pandemic and pandemic behavioral patterns. Using a statistical analysis, it was possible to identify the delta of changes within the patterns of consumer behavior, thus fulfilling the final condition for creating an empirical model of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on e-consumer behavior presented in this study.

SHS Web Conf. Volume 135, 2022, 2022

The issue of corporate reputation management is one of the key areas in the process of building t... more The issue of corporate reputation management is one of the key areas in the process of building trust between the supply and demand side of the market. The services sector, which, as a rule, works predominantly with intangible products, is particularly vulnerable to reputational damage. The presented study aims to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall level of reputation of eleven Slovak teaching hospitals. The data sources used in the form of publicly available databases cover both the traditional factors of the brick-and-mortar market, as well as the factors related to the virtual Internet environment. The results of the analysis point to the fact that while the traditional level of reputation of the entities reflected changes in the market only to a relatively limited extent, the level of the online reputation of the analysed entities decreased significantly due to the pandemic. This finding underscores the fact about the fragility of reputation in the Internet environment. By comparing individual reputational factors in the pre-pandemic period with the situation during the peak of the third wave of the pandemic, the study offers a relatively compact knowledge base for formulating basic transformations for comprehensive research into the impact of a pandemic on corporate competitiveness.

SHS Web Conf. Volume 135, 2022, 2022

At a time of global crisis, also at a time of accelerated digitalisation of businesses, sensible ... more At a time of global crisis, also at a time of accelerated digitalisation of businesses, sensible investment in communication with their customers is becoming very topical. The paper focuses on the development of investments in Internet advertising in the period 2012-2020. The method used for the research was a comparative analysis, which showed that the amount of money invested in internet advertising increased every year and that, unlike other types of advertising, no year was recorded for internet advertising during the period under review, when the value of investments in a given year would be lower than the value in the previous year. The results show that online advertising is taking an increasing share of total advertising investment. Another finding is that television advertising maintains a dominant position in the advertising market and is not directly affected by the development of investment in Internet advertising. However, the growth of investment in Internet advertising has a direct impact on the volume of investment in print advertising and OOH (Out of Home) advertising. The given types of media showed the largest decrease in terms of market share and negatively copied the development of investments in Internet advertising. In the case of radio advertising, there was also a decrease, but its dependence on Internet advertising has not been proven. However, the question arises as to the development of investments in the coming years. It is possible to anticipate the continuing strengthening of the role of Internet advertising and it will also be interesting to see whether Internet advertising will jeopardize the position of TV advertising. The results of the research will help both researchers and companies in the process of their decision to invest in selected types of advertising.

International Journal of System Modeling and Simulation, Dec 29, 2017

Polish journal of management studies, 2011

Modern forms of business and continuous use of innovations in marketing encourage many customers ... more Modern forms of business and continuous use of innovations in marketing encourage many customers to make more use of what is modern what is "in". However, it is very important to realize that not all customers are able to give up traditional way of shopping or a traditional perception of products and services. The aim of this paper is to analyze customer preferences in relation to traditional forms of shopping and to analyze the preferences of the same customers for new forms of shopping through e-commerce applications.

Research background: The paper discusses the issue of sustainable development of corporate reputa... more Research background: The paper discusses the issue of sustainable development of corporate reputation, more specifically discusses the issue of traditional and innovative approaches to reputation management of selected global brands owned by the family businesses.Purpose of the article: The main aim of the paper itself is to present the available ways and methods of measuring the phenomenon of reputation, especially online reputation, as the modern challenge for responsible and sustainable development of the perceived image of subjects, as their very fragile intangible assets.Methods: Selected European and US brands owned by the family businesses were analyzed by the standardized multifactor reputation analysis TOR in the virtual environment of the Internet. Taking into account all relevant factors, the online ratings were normalized and then compared against the offline ratings. Relationships between factors were examined to identify and describe basic facts affecting the online re...

38. mednarodna konferenca o razvoju organizacijskih znanosti: Ekosistem organizacij v dobi digitalizacije: konferenčni zbornik, Mar 18, 2019

International Journal of Business and Economic Affairs

Preprints, 2021

The global pandemic caused by the new coronavirus has largely changed established business practi... more The global pandemic caused by the new coronavirus has largely changed established business practices. The aim of the study is to present the results of eighteen-month intensive research into the effects of the pandemic on e-consumer behavior. In one of the most active e-commerce markets in Europe, the Czech Republic, we analyzed a sample of more than one and a half million Facebook users in terms of their C2B interactions on the B2C activities of the five major e-commerce market players. The measurements were carried out in three periods, which corresponded to the onset of the first wave, peak, and fading of the second wave of the pandemic. This enabled us to monitor the effect of seasonality and the stabilization of patterns of consumer behavior during the coronavirus crisis. The results suggest that a specific panic pattern of e-consumer behavior was developed at the time of the onset of the pandemic. However, as the pandemic progressed, the market has adapted to a new normal, which, as evidenced by the change in trends, appears to be a combination of the pre-pandemic and pandemic behavioral patterns. Using a statistical analysis, it was possible to identify delta of changes within the patterns of consumer behavior, thus fulfilling the final condition for creating an empirical model of the COVID-19 pandemic impacts on e-consumer behavior presented in this study.

The issue of the impact of the pandemic on the economy is still relevant, especially in time afte... more The issue of the impact of the pandemic on the economy is still relevant, especially in time after the peak of its second wave. Entities on both the supply and demand sides of the market had to adapt to highly non-standard market conditions in a relatively short time. Closing the economy, combined with social distancing, was supposed to slow the spread of the pandemic. The question of how successful this effort has been can only be answered over time. In any case, the consequences of a lockdown in the form of changes in common patterns of behavior can be monitored almost immediately. The aim of the presented study is to examine selected characteristics of consumer behavior of Slovaks during a pandemic compared to the reference pre-pandemic period. During the first lockdown in 2020, the B2C interactions of the five largest Slovak e-shops and their customers in the environment of the social network Facebook were monitored on a daily basis. The results suggest that customer interaction...

Polish journal of management studies, 2011

The article deals with basic online trade-relating questions. The chosen theoretical basis connec... more The article deals with basic online trade-relating questions. The chosen theoretical basis connects to the research task itself, which was to gain elementary knowledge about preferences of customers shopping on the internet. For the purpose of drafting this article, the authors focused on the research part, which discusses attitudes of online customers' towards prices of goods and services offered through this modern medium. Thanks to data collection techniques, such as CAWI and thanks to the results of an identical research carried out in 2010 we were able to gather information on the development in 2010 and 2011, which were than compared on the year-on-year basis. A favourable development of e-commerce reveals a great potential of online business.

Transportation Research Procedia, vol. 74, 2023

alamen, Kristián, František Pollák, and Peter Markovič. 2023. "Pandemic Economic Crises" Encyclopedia 3, no. 4: 1489-1497. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia3040106, 2023

Pollák F, Markovič P, Majdúchová H. Reputation of Electric Vehicles in the Environment of Carbon Reduction and Accelerated Digitization. Energies. 2023; 16(9):3836. , 2023

Brand Management, 2022

Ekonomický časopis/Journal of Economics, 70(4), 368-389., 2022

Economics and Sociology, 15(2), 296-311, 2022

Journal of Open Innovation Technology Market and Complexity. 2022, 8(3), 105., 2022

Journal of Risk and Financial Management 15(6):250, 2022

Behavioral Sciences, 2022

SHS Web Conf. Volume 135, 2022, 2022

International Journal of System Modeling and Simulation, Dec 29, 2017

Polish journal of management studies, 2011

38. mednarodna konferenca o razvoju organizacijskih znanosti: Ekosistem organizacij v dobi digitalizacije: konferenčni zbornik, Mar 18, 2019

International Journal of Business and Economic Affairs

Preprints, 2021

The global pandemic caused by the new coronavirus has largely changed established business practi... more The global pandemic caused by the new coronavirus has largely changed established business practices. The aim of the study is to present the results of eighteen-month intensive research into the effects of the pandemic on e-consumer behavior. In one of the most active e-commerce markets in Europe, the Czech Republic, we analyzed a sample of more than one and a half million Facebook users in terms of their C2B interactions on the B2C activities of the five major e-commerce market players. The measurements were carried out in three periods, which corresponded to the onset of the first wave, peak, and fading of the second wave of the pandemic. This enabled us to monitor the effect of seasonality and the stabilization of patterns of consumer behavior during the coronavirus crisis. The results suggest that a specific panic pattern of e-consumer behavior was developed at the time of the onset of the pandemic. However, as the pandemic progressed, the market has adapted to a new normal, which, as evidenced by the change in trends, appears to be a combination of the pre-pandemic and pandemic behavioral patterns. Using a statistical analysis, it was possible to identify delta of changes within the patterns of consumer behavior, thus fulfilling the final condition for creating an empirical model of the COVID-19 pandemic impacts on e-consumer behavior presented in this study.

Polish journal of management studies, 2011

Intelligent Processing Practices and Tools for E-Commerce Data, Information, and Knowledge, 2022

The issue of the evolution of consumer behavior is the subject of research since the transition f... more The issue of the evolution of consumer behavior is the subject of research since the transition from production to product marketing as consumer preferences evolve over time. The chapter presents the results of the initial phase of a study of changes in consumer behavior caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study is to examine specific changes in B2C interactions of Czech and Slovak consumers during the first lockdown in 2020. The starting point for changing consumer preferences was the fact that the dominant part of consumer interactions shifted from brick-and-mortar to virtual environment, where e-commerce was a safe alternative to traditional forms of trading. The results suggest that both the supply and demand sides of the market were able to adapt to the nonstandard situation in a relatively short time. From the point of view of customer behavior, an increase in B2C interactions was recorded in both monitored markets. The dominant part of the interactions shifts to the time of the standard working week, the weekend decline in interactions was significantly below the average on both sides of the market. The presented results can contribute to the formulation of qualitative assumptions for deeper empirical research in the field.

Communication Management, 2021

The issue of sensory marketing is a relatively new concept in managerial science. Due to the comp... more The issue of sensory marketing is a relatively new concept in managerial science. Due to the competitive environment of the global market, companies are confronted with the constant need to find effective approaches that will allow them to maintain a competitive advantage in the fight for the customer. One such approach is the application of sensory marketing tools to brand-building processes. The aim of the chapter is to bring the issue of sensory marketing closer to the general professional public. The chapter also focuses on the pointing out the fact that only by taking into account the specifics related to sensory marketing, the process of building a brand becomes holistic and sustainable. The theoretical framework describes the basic foundations of the issue. The empirical part presents a description of the selected experiment from a series of five experimental investigations performed to verify the theoretical assumptions in practice. From the point of view of the findings, it can be stated that targeted stimulations of the senses have a significant impact on the overall experience of individuals. Through the synthesis of theoretical and practical knowledge, it was possible to compile a model for the application of knowledge to business practice.

Online Reputation Management, 2019

Main objective of this book is to summarize and presenting results of the comprehensive research ... more Main objective of this book is to summarize and presenting results of the comprehensive research project aimed at examining of the problem of the importance of online reputation. The project is realized with the main aim to extend theoretical knowledge about the researched problem. There are used especially qualitative and quantitative methods of processing and those then serve as a basis for developing of the methodology of comprehensive and effective measures for the purposes of improving of the ORM platform in domestic conditions.

Promotion and Marketing Communications, 2019

The problem of building a reputation in the traditional brick-and-mortar world has been known for... more The problem of building a reputation in the traditional brick-and-mortar world has been known for centuries; we know how to build a good reputation, or more precisely how to help in building a good reputation. Even if we are a target of various half-truths and slanders, we are aware that if they are only spoken words, their durability over time is quickly fleeting. However, written text is different from spoken words; its life durability over time is much longer. In our chapter, we bring the overview of what happens if we must suddenly face the problem of building and maintaining a good reputation in the virtual world of the Internet. Thus, the objective of this chapter is to summarize and present the state of the art in the field of reputation; it consists of the definition of basic terminology and then offers the well-arranged theoretical determination of the problem of reputation in both the traditional brick-and-mortar and virtual world.