Abstract:

The article highlights the phenomenology of the brand identity of a scientific and pedagogical employee of a higher education institution as a factor in increasing its competitiveness in the socioeconomic conditions of today, since it is the ability of the brand bearer to significantly differ from other teachers in the eyes of the target audience (analogous to the «unique selling proposition» in economics) that becomes an undeniable competitive advantage. It is proven that the brand of a scientific and pedagogical employee of a higher education institution is perceived by the target audience as a holistic image endowed with a number of defining features – uniqueness, authenticity, individuality, stability over time, the ability to present the dominant qualities of its bearer, etc.

Three conceptual approaches to understanding the concept of «brand individuality» are analyzed, the essence of which is revealed by adding a corresponding «appendix» to it – individuality-integrity, individuality-dissimilarity and individuality-uniqueness, where the first two aspects appeal to its exclusivity in comparison with other brands, and the last one – to the originality of the brand. It is emphasized that the system of characteristic features of the brand of a university teacher should be rationally unique, preventing the loss of individuality or authenticity in order to achieve maximum relevance to the generalized requests of the target audience regarding the «ideal» specialist.

The expediency of the appearance of elements of imitation or stereotypes in the branding of a scientific and pedagogical employee of a higher education institution only at the early stages of the professional formation of a specialist or in the exceptional need to overcome personal crises is argued. Prospects for further research are outlined, which are seen in substantiating the algorithm for positioning the brand of a scientific and pedagogical employee of a higher education institution by the type of target audience, designed to prevent the target audience from complicating brand identification due to the «blurring» of its identity.

Keywords: higher education institution, brand of a scientific and pedagogical worker, individuality, identity, authenticity, uniqueness.

References:

1. Baluk, N, R., Buk, L. M., Vovchanska, O. M., Skybinskiy, S. V. (2018). Komunikatsii u stvorenni personalnoho brenda [Communications in creating a personal brand]. Lviv.

2. Busel, V. T. (2005). Velykyi tlumachnyi slovnyk suchasnoi ukrainskoi movy [Large explanatory dictionary of the modern Ukrainian language]. Kyiv.

3. Radkevych, L. A. (2018). Rozvytok digital branda: problemy ta perspektyvy [Digital brand development: problems and prospects]. Uzhhorod.

4. Semylit, M. V. (2019). Sotsialno-psykholohichni zasady proektuvannia zhyttievoho shliakhu osobystosti [Socio-psychological principles of designing an individual’s life path : doctoral dissertation]. Kyiv.

5. Fedorenko, O. & Kapitan, Ye. (2012). Selfbrendinh yak zasib pozytsionuvannia telezhurnalista [Self-branding as a means of positioning a television journalist]. Lviv.

6. Yunyk, I. D. (2020). Unikalnist pedahohichnoho brendu v sotsioekonomichnykh umovakh suchasnosti [The uniqueness of the pedagogical brand in modern socio-economic conditions]. Odessa.

7. Yatsentiuk, S. V. (2020). Vplyv atrybutiv brendu na formuvannia yoho tsilovoho imidzhu v novykh rynkovykh i tekhnolohichnykh umovakh [The influence of brand attributes on the formation of its target image in new market and technological conditions]. Dnipro.

8. Aaker, D. A. (1996). Stvorennya sylʹnykh brendiv. [Building Strong Brands]. New York.

9. Ada, N., Korolchuk, M., & Yunyk, I. (2023). Rolʹ praktyk brendynhu robotodavtsiv v upravlinni zaluchennyam ta utrymannyam spivrobitnykiv. [The role of employer branding practices on management of employee attraction and retention]. 

10. Chernatony, L. (2010). Vid bachennya brendu do otsinky brendu: stratehichnyy protses zrostannya ta zmitsnennya brendiv. [From brand vision to brand evaluation: the strategic process of growing and strengthening brands]. Amsterdam. 

11. Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identychnistʹ: molodʹ ta kryza. [Identity Youth and Crisis]. New York, London.

12. Jung, C. G. (1992). Dva ese z analitychnoyi psykholohiyi. [Two Essays on Analytical Psychology]. London.

13. Kapferer, J. (2008). Nove stratehichne upravlinnya brendom. [The New Strategic Brand Management]. London.

14. Royce, J. (1995). Filosofiya loyalʹnosti. [The philosophy of loyalty]. Nashville.