Impact of employer branding on organization’s performance

An increasing number of organizations embark on employer branding although this practice is not theoretically supported. Our study explores the employer brand by employing branding that examines the interrelation between the elements and the branding process’ outcomes. Our study is based on the employer branding model having two major components: the employer brand (with interrelated internal and external images) and the efficiency outcomes originating from the application of the employer branding process. Our study combines quantitative and qualitative research methods. The data were obtained from the companies operating in the western province of Sri Lanka. Our findings reveal that organizations with an advanced employer branding strategy have greater productivity than those organizations who lack or have partially developed strategy. Our study compares organizations with different levels of implementation of the employer branding strategy. Special attention is paid to organizational communication and the incorporation of values into the external and internal employer brand.     

Processes of non-identification: Business school brands and academic faculty

This paper examines the internal implications of branding within higher education, a specific context which is dominated by the co-existence of strong professional logics and identity structures. We focus on how and whether academic faculty identify with the branding practices undertaken by their respective institution. The paper proposes a communicative perspective on brand identification to understand how academic faculty relate to and make sense of the brand. The findings, from responses of 65 faculty members at five business schools, indicate widespread indifference and non-identification with brand messages. Specifically, we identify four types of disconnects between faculty members and branding practices of their respective schools, namely ambiguity, emptiness, misalignment, and irrelevance. The evidence of these disconnects, we argue, suggests that the faculty members refrain from relating the brand to their own identities. Although individuals relate to discourses around the brand, these are often not internalized and do not thereby impact on their individual identity. Rather than navigating between identity tensions, they eschew identification altogether. We contribute to research on how branding works inside contemporary organizations – including higher education - through questioning the role of identity in branding processes seen as the management of meaning.     

An exploration of branding approaches in UK universities

• This exploratory paper considers the current state of UK HE branding, in particular, conceptualisations and approaches. It is driven by calls in the literature for clearer understanding and application of branding in Higher Education (HE).Objectives of the research, drawn from literature, were to explore conceptualisations of branding in the UK HE sector, as well as current challenges to branding concepts/ practice in UK HE. The methodology was based upon depth interviews with fifteen opinion leaders and opinion formers, specifically Heads of Marketing or External Relations in UK HE. Findings suggest that branding is a key issue for UK universities, but an overall conceptual model for brands in the HE sector remains challenging, although parallels with corporate branding are drawn. However, simplistic adoption of corporate branding does not offer a clear solution, and the requirement for a conceptual framework particular to the sector is evident. In exploring conceptual frameworks, experiential branding and internal branding are discussed as possible approaches that may offer a route for differentiation that universities seek. Whilst developing a clear conceptual model is the key challenge identified, limited and variable understanding of the branding concept and limited genuine differentiation around which to build a brand were also notable challenges. Overall, significant branding opportunities and challenges in a changing sector are discussed. Conclusions argue that corporate branding, experiential branding and internal branding literature all have a degree of applicability, but clearly further empirical work is needed to advance this important field.

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Branding from the inside out at Yahoo!: HR's role as brand builder

Every day, thousands of companies spend millions of dollars to build external brand identity and customer loyalty. Branding implies more than just selling a product or service; the best companies create a strong emotional connection between the message and the product. The brand attaches meaning, the lifestyle, the transformation, the potential, the joy, and the fulfillment to the product. Today, competing for employees is as difficult as competing for customers; building employee loyalty is as important as building customer loyalty; and treating employees right is the key to treating shareholders right. Here we discuss what Yahoo! has done to build its strong branding image. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

虚拟品牌社区消费者参与动机研究:中国消费者视角

从中国消费者视角提出消费者参与虚拟品牌社区的动机主要包括有效信息搜索、优惠待遇获取、线下互动寻求、购后经验分享、信息质量维护等,并实证探究了这些动机对消费者虚拟品牌社区参与行为的影响。结果显示,有效信息搜索、购后经验分享和信息质量维护对消费者的参与行为有显著影响,优惠待遇获取对消费者部分参与行为具有影响,线下互动寻求动机未获统计学意义上的支持。这些结果对企业实施虚拟品牌社区战略具有启示意义。     

Linking employer branding orientation and firm performance: Testing a dual mediation route of recruitment efficiency and positive affective climate

Faced with competitive labor markets, firms increasingly use employer branding to build a qualified workforce and engage their employees. However, our understanding of the impact of employer branding orientation on firm performance and the theoretical firm-level mechanisms underlying this potential impact is very limited. To address this gap, we integrate brand marketing theory with human resource management (HRM) research to develop a model explicating how employer branding orientation is linked to firm performance through a dual route by enhancing both recruitment efficiency (i.e., external route: applicants) and positive affective climate (i.e., internal route: incumbent employees). The results of a multisource study (i.e., top management, human resource managers, employees) with 93 firms show employer branding orientation is positively related to firm performance through positive affective climate but not recruitment efficiency. Using a brand equity approach to HRM, our results advance the literature by demonstrating the generalizability of employer branding effects independent of concrete brand attributes and explaining the firm-level mediating mechanisms linking it to firm performance.     

An investigation into the values dimensions of branding: implications for the charity sector

• Branding is being adopted by charities and written about in academic and practitioner charity literature with increasing frequency. There is also growing concern, however, about the over-commercialistion of the sector and the misappropriation of techniques developed specifically for the commercial environment. Literature supporting the claim that charities are values-based organisations is reviewed and the proposition is made that it is in fact the non-negotiability of charity values that differentiate them from commercial organisations. Given the significance of values in the charity sector, the paper argues that a clearer understanding of how values are conceptualised in branding is necessary in order to establish whether branding is an appropriate and effective tool in the charity context. To achieve this, the paper reviews relevant branding literature focusing in particular upon the delineation of the values dimensions identified in for-profit branding models. To aid further understanding of these values dimensions in the non-profit context and their applicability (or otherwise) to it, the metaphors of brand as ‘mirror’, ‘lamp’ and ‘lens’ are introduced.
• It is argued that in the corporate sector the brand concept has been utilised to ‘mirror’ those values that underpin the needs and desires of consumers. In contrast to the passive mirror, when operationalised as ‘lamp’, it is claimed that the brand aims to influence both the values of the organisation and the values of its target audience. It is postulated that neither of these approaches is appropriate for values-led organisations and that it is only as a metaphorical ‘lens’, projecting the values of the organisation itself that branding offers an applicable and effective model in the charity context.

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lucky names: Superstitious beliefs in Chinese corporate branding strategy for bank marketing

Of all the Chinese supernatural beliefs, name-giving, whether applied to a person or a product, is extremely important, and is often considered to be closely related to fate. To this respect, this study examined the relationship between branding practices and supernatural beliefs in Chinese corporate branding strategy for bank marketing. Analytical results demonstrated that in over 50% of cases, these brand names involved a lucky number of total strokes. Finally, we suggest that the lucky-stroke-number naming strategy can be used as a tool in Chinese brand naming. Especially marketers can achieve more effective corporate branding in the Chinese business world.     

Evaluations of branding alliances between non‐profit and commercial brand partners: the transfer of affect

• There is growing interest in the trend towards co‐branding alliances between non‐profit and commercial entities,which are undertaken by these organisations to transfer associations and affect between each brand partner. Certainly, it makes sense that commercial entities want to gain more from their brands and that non‐profits want secured funding, however, in the same way that the joining of two brands can be beneficial, it can also bring with it major risks when the brand alliance is not well received and evaluations of the alliance are not favourable.
• This research supports the notion that both commercial entities and non‐profit organisations can benefit from a branding alliance, however, an understanding of how these brand alliances are evaluated is important. This research investigates evaluations of brand alliances and the resulting spillover effects for original brand partners that result from brand alliances.
• This research provides empirical support relating to reactions to brand alliances between a non‐profit organisation and a commercial business in terms of how original brand attitudes, familiarity of original brands and perceived brand fit impact on evaluations. While collaboration is important and has potential benefits for each partner—they rest on partner selection and fit between alliance partners. Managerial implications and future research directions are also provided.

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Charity brands: A qualitative study of current practice

A number of fundraising managers and directors of UK charities were interviewed with the objective of understanding to what extent branding was used in the sector, what development possibilities exist for commercial techniques in charities, and what the constraints may be on such practices. It was found that many charities already use day-to-day brand techniques, (without describing them as ‘branding’), but brand development work was scarce. Charities have a number of objectives competing with fundraising when considering their brand content. They must also satisfy the need to respect issues about how the cause itself is communicated, and possible needs to re-educate the donor community or the public. One commercial practice in particular could be developed further in charity branding: this is the idea of using the personality of the charity itself as something with which donors could associate positively.     

Brand orientation in the charity sector: a framework for discussion and research

Some charity organisations are turning to charity brand status, not only in terms of a name and logo but more importantly in terms of communicating value and meaning to their stakeholders. Brand orientation is described in this paper as the extent to which charity organisations regard themselves as brands, an indication of how much (or how little) organisations accept the theory and practice of branding. Through literature‐based and field‐based research, this paper examines the nature of brand orientation in the charity sector. A conceptual framework of brand orientation is proposed with antecedent factors which may augment or diminish levels of brand orientation and consequences which may follow its adoption. A number of research propositions are put forward which constitute both a framework for discussion and a research agenda for the charity sector. Copyright © 2001 Henry Stewart Publications     

公司名称对新品牌引入的影响

多品牌公司在决定引入新品牌时,往往要考虑是否联合使用公司名称(corporate endorsement)。在现实当中,一些公司在新品牌的广告和包装上,显著标明公司名称,而一些公司则选择完全相反的做法。那么,究竟这些不同的做法都是出于哪些考虑呢?本文考察了新品牌引入是否使用公司名称的三项主要条件,以及由此带来的营销启示。     

Co‐creating nonprofit brand equity

• The concept of brand equity (BE) has been the subject of much recent discussion in the field of nonprofit branding and also has been the concept of brand co‐creation in the field of branding. This study combines these aspects and examines the BE co‐creation of a nonprofit entity, the Finnish Defence Forces military driving school. Empirical data were collected from industrial logistics service providers and military recruits. A theoretical BE model was further developed using structural equation modeling in an exploratory manner to reveal whether the BE model of the military driving school is similar from both viewpoints. Similar workable models were found, indicating strong BE co‐creation and thereby contributing to the field. To support the future co‐creation of BE of the military driving school, it is important to ensure that the recruits take positive experiences from the school and industrial logistics service providers carefully consider how they relay their experiences about the school to other truck drivers. The attitudes of recruits towards the military driving school are likely eventually to conform to those of civilian truck drivers. Finding workable models required omitting some BE dimensions and measures of earlier models. Moreover, using data from one country alone may be a limitation of the study. Therefore, nonprofit BE measures should be further developed and tested with data from further afield.

Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Region brand legitimacy: towards a participatory approach involving residents of a place

Places have started to adapt commercial branding tactics. But how do stakeholders perceive such practices? Drawing on survey data from French residents, we analyse the advertising legitimacy of a place brand and its influence on the effectiveness of marketing communications in the context of region branding. The results confirm that advertising legitimacy mediates the relationship between exposure to an advertisement and its efficiency. The place brand is more legitimate when advertisements target firms, residents or tourists than when they promote local products through co-branding. We highlight a new expression of democratic legitimacy: a process adapted to hybrid (public–private) organizations.     

品牌关系及其驱动因素剖析

随着产品同质化程度的加强,顾客消费更倾向于个性品牌获取价值,企业则是借助品牌与顾客保持长期、稳定的关系来赢利。品牌关系便成为这一时期的重要研究课题;因此,揭示品牌关系的内涵,并从中分析品牌关系的驱动因素,是这一研究领域的首要任务。     

From original equipment manufacturing to branding: entrepreneurship,strategic leadership,and Taiwan’s firm transformation

This paper investigates firm transformation from original equipment manufacturing (OEM) to original brand manufacturing (OBM) based on variant experiences of Taiwan’s top global brands. Taking the competitive advantage of practicing OEM for multinational corporations (MNCs), latecomer firms can generate capital and accumulate capabilities by engaging with the global production network. Rarely does every firm transform into a global enterprise. We propose that only entrepreneurs with strategic leadership competence, which serves to manage a delicate balance between stability and change in a firm, are capable to facilitate firm transformation from OEM to a global enterprise practicing OBM. We provide an analytical framework that combines the research fields of entrepreneurship, strategic management, and leadership to analyze firm growth and firm transformation of Taiwanese firms. In light of possible branding dilemma when straddling dual-track businesses, successful transforming firms can alleviate this problem either by separating their OBM units from their OEM units or by creating a symbiotic relationship with their MNC customers. How Taiwanese firms first took advantage of initiating OEM to create capital and capabilities and later transformed into OBM provide useful experiences for other latecomer firms.     

Effectiveness of cause‐related marketing for differential positioning of market entrant in developing market: An exploratory study in Indian context

Cause‐related marketing is being increasingly used for forging strong relation between the brand and the customer. It is primarily being used by the well‐established brands to further strengthen their position in the market as it leads to a positive image of the brand, and customers are more receptive towards such brands because they tend to provide them with tangible as well as intangible benefits. This study tends to identify the effectiveness of cause‐related marketing as a marketing tool for newly launched products in developing market of India, which has so far remained a less explored area. A sample of 150 consumers was taken, and case studies were undertaken for validating these findings. The findings suggest that cause‐related marketing campaigns, even at early stages of brand development, can lead to customer trial and differential positioning thus providing these new entrants with an opportunity to interact with the customers. The proposed framework can provide useful insights to brand managers to design cause‐related marketing campaigns for newly launched brands. The results and findings have been deduced from real‐time market research, and it can help in furthering research in the field of cause‐related marketing in India and other developing economies with similar market conditions.     

桂林旅游目的地品牌延伸的探讨及策略研究

品牌延伸是旅游目的地可持续发展的关键因素,甚至是各个旅游目的地间相互竞争的最高境界。桂林旅游目的地品牌的深度挖掘、旅游品牌的创新依然还停留在一个较低的层面上。桂林旅游目的地应通过实施旅游品牌的产品创新、旅游品牌的促销创新和旅游品牌联合等策略,提高桂林旅游目的地的品牌建设,促进桂林旅游目的地的和谐发展。     

品牌联合下品牌关系质量对购后行为的影响

随着市场竞争日趋激烈,品牌联合已成为企业的一个无形资产与企业间竞争的更高级形式。品牌联合对于品牌关系质量以及顾客购后行为有着很大的影响,文中借鉴已有的成熟的量表设计符合本研究的调查问卷,利用结构方程得到三者正相关的关系,最后从消费者的角度对联合品牌企业如何提高其顾客的积极购后行为提出对策建议。     

Effects of brand-related and market signals on franchisees’ entrepreneurial decisions: a multi-country panel data analysis

This paper analyses the influence of market and brand-related signals on franchisees’ decisions when choosing a franchise brand with which to open an outlet for the first time. Panel data methodology was used to analyse a sample of 1277 chains operating in Spain, Mexico and Peru between 2004 and 2013. The results show that market signals prevail over brand-related signals. Within brand-related signals, franchisees first seek information relating to the brand’s sector and then seek information relating to the brand’s value. Franchisors should match the content of the signals they send to the market to the true characteristics of the franchise. Franchisors should also endeavour to ensure the country where they operate has general and franchise-specific legislation that fosters business activity by both franchisor and franchisee. The use of institutional quality as a signal in a multi-country study represents a significant contribution to the literature on franchising.