Internal Branding and Employee Brand Consistent Behaviours: The Role of Enablement-Oriented Communication

Journal title MERCATI & COMPETITIVITÀ
Author/s Alessandra Mazzei, Silvia Ravazzani
Publishing Year 2017 Issue 2017/1
Language English Pages 19 P. 121-139 File size 103 KB
DOI 10.3280/MC2017-001007
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Employee behaviours conveying brand values, named brand consistent behaviours, affect the overall brand evaluation. Internal branding literature highlights a knowledge gap in terms of communication practices intended to sustain such behaviours. This study contributes to the development of a non-normative and constitutive approach to internal branding by proposing an enablement-oriented communication approach. The conceptual background presents a holistic model of the inside-out process of brand building. This model adopts a theoretical approach to internal branding as a non-normative practice that facilitates constitutive processes. In particular, the paper places emphasis on the role and kinds of communication practices as a central part of the non-normative and constitutive internal branding process. The paper also discusses an empirical study based on interviews with 32 Italian and American communication managers and 2 focus groups with Italian communication managers. Findings show that, in order to enhance employee brand consistent behaviours, the most effective communication practices are those characterised as enablement-oriented. Such a communication creates the organizational conditions adequate to sustain employee discretionary and extra-role brand consistent behaviours.

Keywords: Internal branding; employee behaviours; brand consistent behaviours; employee enablement; constitutive approach; internal communication.

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Alessandra Mazzei, Silvia Ravazzani, Internal Branding and Employee Brand Consistent Behaviours: The Role of Enablement-Oriented Communication in "MERCATI & COMPETITIVITÀ" 1/2017, pp 121-139, DOI: 10.3280/MC2017-001007