Maddalena Della Volpe

Using Text Mining and Natural Language Processing to Support Business Decision: Towards a NooJ Application

Decision-making process has become extremely difficult especially for the large amount of textual data that companies must analyse to be competitive. The use of Natural Language Processing and Text mining in data discovery allows extracting knowledge from business texts that in the majority occur in unstructured form. The Decision Support System and the Information Technology departments face the new challenges that change poses, relying on linguistic analysis capabilities, no longer based on keyword research but on the syntactic properties, lexical and semantic word. In this paper, we focused on document-driven decision support, describing ways in which business communication performance can be improved by using a natural language interface as NooJ. In order to achieve our goals, we developed Linguistic Resources typically used in Economy knowledge domain, with regard to compound words and multi-word atomic linguistic units (MWALUs).

The role of physical metaphors for decision-making in integrated corporate communication

Purpose The role of metaphors in information management has generally been acknowledged owing to their ability to convey immediately huge amounts of information and richness. Their role is more and more important in the current digital context of communication and marketing activities, as the decision speed and accuracy are crucial. The purpose of this study is, thus, to analyze physical metaphors as tools for making sequential decisions to achieve effective integrated corporate communication (ICC). Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on the critical analysis of literature on corporate communication and stakeholder management as building blocks for implementing an integrated approach to corporate communications. Findings A revision of two well-known physical metaphors in the communication literature (the “wheel” and “umbrella”) has been proposed. It is argued that integrated communication within corporate communications is more complex than in marketing communications, as it involves a greater variety of elements to coordinate and harmonize. The proposed physical metaphors suggest an effective sequential decision-making as they allow a clear distinction between different decision levels. Research limitations/implications The paper adds to the debate on the link between theory and practice of ICC. From a practical standpoint, the proposed metaphors as simple and concrete tools for handling complex information and ICC problems could aid novice practitioners and students of corporate communications courses. Originality/value The paper shows that while scholars have concurred that ICC is crucial for different type of organizations, the use of physical metaphors can be beneficial for the reality-based challenge of ICC.

Dual marketers and sustainability communication. Empirical evidence from corporate websites

Although companies frequently sell to both end-consumers and business customers, the practice of dual marketing has been scarcely studied in the marketing literature. Despite the increasing interest in corporate sustainability, no studies have provided systematic observations regarding these types of companies and their sustainability communication activities. Drawing on a thorough review of the literature, this article aims to fill this gap with an empirical contribution focused on evaluating whether dual marketers adopt appropriate sustainability communication in the digital context. Using the OSEC model, the corporate websites of 174 companies included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Word Index (DJSWI) 2015 were assessed. Our findings revealed a positive outlook, highlighting a significant commitment to sustainability disclosure. However, they show a pragmatic approach to legitimacy, as they are not strongly characterized by a strategic orientation and do not show a strong commitment to stakeholder interaction and engagement. These results provide indications for helping dual marketers improve their digital sustainability communication.

Semantic Predicates in the Business Language

In recent years, the interest in the use of language for business has grown. It is recognized that the hidden persuasive linguistic potential improves the company’s positioning in the public consciousness. The language of the business world is multifarious: we try to identify its features and behaviour, considering the evolution that it has faced primarily with the globalization of markets. Business activities are so complex that they require the application of several disciplines at the same time and therefore the use of specific languages and technical terminology. In order to reach an efficient analysis of business language, this study explores the role of semantic predicates constructed from lexical and the syntactic structures in which they are placed within business communication contexts. From the point of view of LG framework, a set of lexical-syntactic structures defines the value of semantic predicates, while the arguments selected by each semantic predicate are given the value of actants, subjects included. The features of each verb are expressed by the application of the rules of co-occurrence and selection restriction, through which verbs select semantically their arguments to construct acceptable simple sentences. In this way, the entries belonging to electronic dictionaries should be classified presuming their similarity and proximity. Even if the list of semantic tags is not simply identifiable, grammars could be built for single sets of semantic predicates. LG descriptions assign correlated predicates and arguments by applying electronic dictionaries of Italian. Using NooJ environment and Italian linguistic resources to automatically processing natural language, we will process a corpus of business documents. We will show and describe the syntactic structures, semantic and syntactic properties of predicates, in order to build formal grammar for business language.

Oltre il manufacturing: l’impresa diventa content provider?

Obiettivi . Una crescente sfida per le imprese manifatturiere e rappresentata dalla diffusione delle pratiche di autoproduzione da parte dei consumatori. A favorire tali pratiche sono le tecnologie digitali (social media, stampanti 3D, ecc.). Il lavoro esplora quale ruolo possano svolgere in futuro le imprese manifatturiere che, se da un lato vedono ridursi gli spazi per i tradizionali processi produttivi in “fabbrica”, dall’altro scoprono nuove opportunita di offerta al mercato, incentrate soprattutto sui contenuti informativi per i consumatori. Metodologia . Prendendo spunto da diversi filoni di ricerca (marketing, economia della conoscenza, service-dominant logic, corporate communication), nel paper viene svolta una ricognizione dei cambiamenti riguardanti il rapporto impresa-consumatore, a seguito delle trasformazioni innescate dalle tecnologie di comunicazione. Risultati . Il crescente ruolo attivo svolto dal consumatore e le potenzialita delle tecnologie digitali inducono un ripensamento delle logiche produttive delle imprese nel settore cosmetico, nella direzione non solo della co-creazione ma soprattutto della creazione di contenuti, in abbinamento alla tradizionale produzione in fabbrica o in sostituzione di questa, a seguito del diffondersi di processi di autoproduzione da parte dei consumatori. Limiti della ricerca . Il presente conceptual paper presenta i tipici limiti dell’approccio literature-based. Implicazioni manageriali . Nel nuovo scenario, la competitivita tra le imprese si esprime nell’abilita delle stesse di fornire contenuti rilevanti, originali e specifici. La creazione di contenuti connota le imprese come organizzazioni in possesso di competenze distintive che accrescono la loro reputazione. Originalita del lavoro . Il lavoro, approfondendo le nuove tendenze nelle pratiche di produzione nel settore della cosmesi, offre spunti di riflessione sulla trasformazione del manufacturing: dallo stabilimento produttivo all’autoproduzione, con la fornitura di contenuti informativi, di software per stampanti 3D, di materie prime, di semilavorati.