Studying the impact of internal marketing on achieving competitive advantage: the role of employee happiness and perceived service quality

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyse the impact of internal marketing on achieving competitive advantage with respect to employee happiness and perceived service quality as the mediator variables. Statistical population includes the employees of Isfahan Melli Bank in Iran. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed to 220 employees, out of which 174 questionnaires were returned and analysed using structural equation modelling method. The findings showed that internal marketing has a positive significant effect on competitive advantage, service quality, and employee happiness. Employee happiness has a positive significant effect on service quality; and service quality has a positive significant effect on competitive advantage. Also, the results indicated that employee happiness has no significant direct effect on competitive advantage.