Skip to main content
Log in

Important factors to consider when using internal branding as a management strategy: A healthcare case study

  • Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Brand Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This research investigates the use of internal branding as both a managerial and communication strategy within an organisational revitalisation process of a major Australian Healthcare provider based in Queensland. At the core of the research is the recognition that the involvement of employees is of critical importance in developing a competitive advantage via an increased performance in terms of customer and market recognition, this approach includes such activities as relationship management. The researchers were provided access to the corporate initiative behind the intervention via interviews with the senior manager responsible for the process and qualitative responses to an organisational-wide employees survey that included questions on organisational values associated with the internal branding process. Rich qualitative data of this type fits ideally into a case study methodology and was analysed via lexical and content analysis. The research is relevant as it addresses issues of internal branding, communication and management during an actual implementation of a corporate strategy within one of the world's most important industry sectors, healthcare.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Davis, A. L. (2003) ‘Lessons in de-branding’, Marketing Health Services, Vol. 23, No. 2, p. 48.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacStravic, S. (2004) ‘Internal champions’, Marketing Health Services, Vol. 24, No. 4, p. 26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aurand, T. W., Gorchels, L. and Bishop, T. R. (2005) ‘Human resource management's role in internal branding: An opportunity for cross-functional brand message synergy’, The Journal of Product and Brand Management, Vol. 14, No. 2/3, p. 163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, A. (2004) Getting staff to live the brand: Work in process, Marketing Week, 2004 September 2, p. 30.

  • Bobula, J. (2005) ‘Internal branding becoming a hot topic for b-to-b’, B to B, Vol. 90, No. 11, p. 6.

    Google Scholar 

  • George, W. R. (1990) ‘Internal marketing and organizational behavior: A partnership on developing customer-conscious employees at every level’, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 63–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varey, R. J. (1995) ‘Internal marketing: A review and some interdisciplinary research’, International Journal of Service Management, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 40–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varey, R. J. and Lewis, B. R. (1999) ‘A broadened conception of internal marketing’, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 33, No. 9/10, pp. 926–944.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rafiq, M. and Ahmed, P. K. (2000) ‘Advances in the internal marketing concept: Definition, synthesis and extension’, Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 14, No. 6, pp. 449–462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bansal, H. S., Mendelson, M. B. and Sharma, B. (2001) ‘The impact of internal marketing activities on external marketing outcomes’, Journal of Quality Management, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 61–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sasser, W. E. and Arbeit, S. P. (1976) ‘Selling jobs in the service sector’, Business Horizons, June, pp. 61–65.

  • Piercy, N. and Morgan, N. (1991) ‘Internal marketing—The missing half of the marketing programme’, Long Range Planning, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 82–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piercy, N. F. (1995) ‘Customer satisfaction and the internal market: Marketing our customers to our employees’, Journal of Marketing Practices and Applied Marketing Science, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 22–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piercy, N. F. and Morgan, N. A. (1990) ‘Internal marketing: Making marketing happen’, Mark Intell Plann, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 4–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lings, I. N. (2004) ‘Internal market orientation: Construct and consequences’, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 57, No. 4, pp. 405–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lings, I. N. (1999) ‘Managing service quality with internal marketing schematics’, Long Range Planning, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 452–463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glassman, M. and McAfee, B. (1992) ‘Integrating the personnel and marketing functions: The challenge of the 1990s’, Business Horizons, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 52–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, B. and Payne, A. (1991) ‘Internal marketing: A new perspective for HRM’, European Management Journal, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 261–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Argyris, C. (1985) Strategy, Change and Defensive Routines. Ballenger Publishing, Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Argyris, C. (1993) Knowledge for Action: A Guide to Overcoming Barriers to Organizational Change. Jossey Bass, San Francisco, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ballantyne, D. (2000) ‘Internal relationship marketing: A strategy for knowledge renewal’, The International Journal of Bank Marketing, Vol. 8, No. 6, pp. 274–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mumby-Croft, R. and Williams, J. (2002) ‘The concept of workplace marketing: A management development model for corporate and enterprise sectors’, Strategic Change, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 205–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, K. L. (2003) Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Machtiger, B. (2004) ‘Beware pitfalls that kill branding efforts’, Marketing News, Vol. 38, No. 4, p. 21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrell, G. D. and Fors, M. F. (1992) ‘Internal marketing of a service’, Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 299–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitt, L. F. and Foreman, S. K. (1999) ‘Internal marketing role in organizations: A transaction cost perspective’, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 25–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frenkel, S. and Orlitzky, M. (2005) ‘Organizational trustworthiness and workplace labor productivity: Testing a new theory’, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 34–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mudie, P. (2003) ‘Internal customer: By design or by default’, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 37, No. 9, pp. 1261–1276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robb, E. A., Determan, A. C., Lampat, L. R. and Scherbring, M. J., et al. (2003) ‘Self-scheduling: Satisfaction guaranteed?’ Nursing Management, Vol. 34, No. 7, p. 16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, P., Gombeski, W. R. J. and Doremus, H. (1991) ‘Effective internal marketing: The challenge of the 1990s’, Journal of Health Care Marketing, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 58–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Revans, R. W. (1982a) The Origins and Growth of Action learning. Chartwell-Bratt Lty, Lund, Bromley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Revans, R. W. (1982b) ‘What is action learning’, Journal of Management Development, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 64–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deming, W. E. (1993) The New Economics. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for Advanced Engineering Study, Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewin, K. (1951) Field Theory in Social Science. Harper and Row, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin, R. (2003) Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Sage, Thousand Oaks.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patton, M. (1990) Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. Sage Publications, Newbury Park, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A. E. (2004) Leximancer Manual, In. 2.0 ed.

  • Berthon, P., Ewing, M. and Hah, L. L. (2005) ‘Captivating company: Dimensions of attractiveness in employer branding’, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 24, No. 2, p. 151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Urde, M. (1999) ‘Brand orientation: A mindset for building brands into strategic resources’, Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. 15, No. 1–3, pp. 117–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ballantyne, D. (2003) ‘A relationship-mediated theory of internal marketing’, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 37, No. 9, pp. 1242–1260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rod Gapp.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gapp, R., Merrilees, B. Important factors to consider when using internal branding as a management strategy: A healthcare case study. J Brand Manag 14, 162–176 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.bm.2550058

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.bm.2550058

Keywords

Navigation