Internal Market Programme Research Articles

Study of internal marketing practices through relationship marketing in the organic products industry

The relationship marketing process, when the focus is on the internal customer, requires the search for the best cost/benefit ratio and the investment in employees who are motivated and qualified to serve customers. “The study sought to investigate the applicability of internal marketing programs in agribusiness. Such programs are relationship marketing tools aimed at the internal public. 12 companies that produce organic products were investigated in the research. It can be concluded that the objectives of internal marketing programs are aimed at promoting well-being, seeking commitment and training and informing employees. This study represents the assumption of relationship marketing in 50% of the companies contacted, since the investigation at the points of sale allowed the verification of 24 companies.

A Flanking European Welfare State: The European Community's Social Dimension, from Brandt to Delors (1969–1993)

Between 1969 and 1993, a genuine ‘European welfare state’ was forged at the level of the European Economic Community (EEC), even though this expression was not used per se. After a definition of the welfare state as a three-pronged set of policies, the article develops first the flourishing period in the 1970s, when many ambitious ideas such as a common reduction of working hours, or the control of multinationals, emerged. In a second step, it explains the failure of this project due to the neoliberal backlash of the early 1980s and the division of the welfarist coalition. Ultimately, the whole project was rekindled as a flanking wing of the internal market programme when the latter was launched in 1985. Hence, when the internal market opened up in 1993, a very unique kind of European welfare existed at the international level. It was less redistributive than that of national welfare states and more geared towards the management of common norms.

Service beyond the status quo: the ripple effect of corporate social responsibility and internal marketing on employee's customer-oriented behavior

PurposeThis paper proposes a research model in which work engagement (WE) mediates the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and internal marketing (IM) simultaneously on customer-oriented boundary-spanning behavior (COBSB).Design/methodology/approachThe study deploys structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine data acquired from 355 frontline bank employees (FBE) of private banks.FindingsThe findings of this study demonstrate that both FBE's perceptions of CSR and IM are positively related to their WE, proposing that adding CSR practices to existing IM programs is likely to boost anticipated employee work attitudes such as WE, which consecutively increase positive employee job outcomes such as COBSB. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by conceptually and empirically gauging CSR and IM practices simultaneously in the banking sector.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by investigating the relationship between CSR and IM to COBSB via WE in frontline service roles in the retail banking sector.

The mediating role of the job competencies map in determining the relationship between internal marketing and creative behavior of employees: Applying to some five-star hotels

This study aims to determine the role of job competencies as a mediating variable in improving the relationship between internal marketing practices as an independent variable and the creative behavior of workers as a dependent variable of the study. The research was applied to a random sample of managers and supervisors in the following departments (human resources; training; public relations; front offices; food and beverages; sales). In five-star hotels and resorts in Cairo and Sharm el-Sheikh. A questionnaire form was used to collect the research data. Data were analyzed using the statistical program Smart (PLS3) version (V.3.2.7). The study reached some results, the most important of which is the positive impact of hotels' pursuit of the internal marketing strategy, as the success of applying internal marketing mechanisms in improving job competencies will have a great and strong influence on developing the creative behavior of hotel workers. The study recommends that hotel administrations should implement internal marketing programs that are concerned with identifying the job competencies required in the human resources and working to develop them continuously while motivating employees to present creative ideas and creative performance at work.

Internal Marketing and Internal Customer: A Review, Reconceptualization, and Extension

In the last several decades the internal marketing (IM) concept has emerged as a key notion in marketing and human resource management (HRM) debates on future development. IM refers to the fact that the concept of external marketing to apply inside of an organization. The use of the concept can be traced to wider HR processes, which have influenced on employee, organization, and customer. This conceptual paper reviews the literature within the adapting platform and focuses on qualitative, critical approaches to evaluation. The framework highlights the important influence of context (the issue of the IM program is addressing) and identifies multi-dimensions which may influence on employee. The analytical framework presented is useful for practitioners developing internal marketing processes, and for researchers interested in empirical studies which seek to evaluate IM practice.

ФОРМИРОВАНИЕ СТРАТЕГИИ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ПРИ ВЫХОДЕ НА МЕЖДУНАРОДНЫЙ РЫНОК

In the article, on the basis of the study of competitive paradigms of international marketing strategies, the algorithm of formation of the strategy of the organization when entering the international market, including the study of the global marketing environment, assessing the feasibility of entering the international market, the choice and study of the target market, the study of alternative strategies, the choice of business strategy, the development and implementation of international marketing programs. The developed algorithm is innovative in modern conditions, as it allows to take into account the individual and specific features of foreign markets of goods and services, and allows you to create a competitive strategy of the organization, aimed at improving the efficiency of the organization.

Effect of Internal Marketing on Employee Job Satisfaction in Commercial Banks in South East Nigeria

This work examined the effect of internal marketing on employee job satisfaction in selected commercial banks in South East Nigeria. Relevant conceptual, theoretical and empirical literatures were reviewed. Equity theory was employed as the theoretical framework. The study adopted survey research design. The population of the study constituted 13,990 customers of five selected commercial banks. The sample size for the study is 389. Employee training, internal communication, employee recognition and employee promotion were employed as the independent variable, while employee job satisfaction, was employed as the dependent variable. Data generated through questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. It was discovered that employee training has significant positive effect on employee job satisfaction, in commercial banks in South East Nigeria. The study also found that internal communication has a significant positive effect, on employee job satisfaction in commercial banks, in South East Nigeria. The study further found that employee recognition has a significant positive effect on employee job satisfaction, in commercial banks in South East Nigeria. Finally the study found that employee promotion has significant positive effect on employee satisfaction in commercial banks in South East Nigeria. The study concluded that internal marketing has significant positive effect on employee job satisfaction, in commercial banks in South East Nigeria. The study recommended that banks need to focus on internal marketing programs, to achieve and sustain a competitive position in the market through improved service quality.

Mission K-54: turning around the US$3bn Indian auto major – Ashok Leyland

Learning outcomes Learning outcomes are eliminating usual options for a turnaround, understanding how organizations can respond to adverse industry /market changes through cost and productivity management, managing strategic cost control turnaround deployed across a company, turning a huge threat into an opportunity and the role of leadership in driving strategic cost management and importance of internal communication and buy-in for a successful implementation. Case overview/synopsis Ashok Leyland Ltd. is the 2nd largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India, the 4th largest manufacturer of buses in the world and the 12th largest manufacturer of trucks globally. Vinod Dasari joined this company in 2005, and since 2011, he has been the MD and CEO of the company. This case is about restaging of this company that commenced in the year 2013 when the company was heading toward a loss for the very first time in its 65 plus years of history. Ashok Leyland was heaving under its own weight, saddled with overheads, grappling with intense competition from old and new players and struggling to become agile and meet the new challenges in the market. A potential loss of up to Rs 750 crores (US$123m) looked inevitable. The challenges were that major structural changes were required and the company needed not only a transformational change but also a surgery. The company had to come up with savings of Rs 750 crores (US$123m) annually to avoid making losses. The projection of 54,000 unit sales volumes be achieved. Internal communication and buying in by all employees. This case outlines the path chosen by Dasari to restage, turn around, overcome the challenges and deal with employee resistance. Complexity academic level This study is applicable for MBA programs in business strategy, strategic marketing, international marketing and BBA programs in business strategy, strategic marketing and international marketing. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

Diseño de un programa de e-mentoring a partir del análisis de competencias adquiridas por los estudiantes de práctica empresarial del programa de mercadeo

Esta investigación se centra en el papel que ejercer el e-mentoring como estrategia de apoyo académico y profesional en la práctica empresarial de los estudiantes de sexto semestre del programa de Mercadeo Nacional e Internacional de la Universidad de Manizales. El e-mentoring está orientado a crear relaciones de ayuda, busca proporcionar un entorno virtual seguro donde el mentee pueda compartir cualquier problema crítico que afecte su éxito profesional y personal. Su objetivo principal es garantizar que los participantes se sientan "conectados" y tengan la facilidad de crear comunidades utilizando elementos claves como la interacción (Rovai, 2002). En este sentido, su integración en el contexto universitario supone brindar y facilitar la transición a la vida laboral de estudiantes en prácticas empresariales. Bajo este planteamiento, este trabajo tiene como objetivo potenciar la empleabilidad de los estudiantes utilizando un programa de e-mentoring, acercándoles a la realidad del mundo laboral formalizando una relación de colaboración virtual con mentores profesionales que tienen experiencia en sus respectivos sectores. Para dar respuesta a este objetivo se ha llevado a cabo, a priori, un estudio descriptivo para reconocer las competencias transversales en la formación de los estudiantes del programa de Mercadeo Nacional e Internacional, y así, considerar un diseño didáctico, eficaz y oportuno de un programa de e-mentoring a implementar. Por tal motivo, y mediante el uso de cuestionarios se han reconocidos las competencias existentes, ofreciendo una serie de las posibilidades conceptuales que ayudarán a determinar los elementos de refuerzo competencial en el programa de mentoring. Tras los resultados alcanzados se diseñará un programa de mentoring bajo el modelo ADDIE con el fin de acelerar la adquisición y refuerzo de competencias de los estudiantes en práctica empresarial.

Relationship between Job Satisfaction, Professional Image and Nurses Marketing of the Nursing Profession

AbstractBackground: A global shortage of healthcare professionals calls for effective recruitment and retention strategies. One approach that has received increasing interest is the use of internal marketing to reduce occupational and organizational turnover among practicing nurses. The model links nurses' job satisfaction and organizational commitment to internal marketing programs based on principles of relationship mar-keting to build work environments that are more likely to lead to the engagement and retention of nursing staff. As is the case with the internal marketing of nursing, external marketing of nursing integrates marketing theory with related concepts from other areas in business. In the case of internal marketing, these concepts come from organizational psychology and include employee turnover, job satisfaction, and professional image.Aim: The current study assess the relationship between job satisfaction, professional image and marketing of the nursing profession.Subjects and Methods: A descriptive correlational design was utilized for this study to achieve the stated aim. The study was conducted at New Kaser El-Aini Teaching Hospital. A samples of 293 nurses were invited to participate in the questionnaire. For the purpose of this study, questionnaire for nurses was developed and utilized that consist of four parts: The first part was related to the nurse personal characteristics, the second part assess the nurses job satisfaction, the third part was related to nurses perception of professional image, the fourth part was about nurses participation in marketing activities.Results: The study showed that the study sample has low job satisfaction with mean percentage of about 59%. This may be due to work overload and inadequate salary. The study sample have moderate professional image with mean percent-age of 68%. This may be due to experience and about half of the sample holding academic degrees that make their profes-sional image quite good. The study sample have very low promotional activities with mean percentage of about 36%.Conclusion: The present study concluded that there was a relationship between study sample job satisfaction & pro-fessional image and promotional & marketing activities. As highly satisfied nurses with high professional image perception having high level of promotional and marking activities.Recommendations: Measure nurses job satisfaction in a regular base in order to find out areas of satisfaction to promote and areas of dissatisfaction to solve and improve. Also the study recommended developing strategies to improve nurses image throughout the nursing curriculum and implementing nursing profession marketing plan.

Impact of perceived HIS users' performance on job satisfaction: moderating effect of perceived HIS quality

The study examines the effect of perceived healthcare information system users' performance on their job satisfaction, and the moderating role of employees' perception of the healthcare information system's quality on the relationship. The results show that the perceived quality of the system coupled with their perceived performance using the system affects their job satisfaction. Moreover, in these facilities, health information systems add value to their services at the expense of the employees' workload and perceived performance, and thereby satisfaction. Therefore managers and administrators need to provide inclusion programs as well as training workshops and follow-up sessions. In addition, these healthcare facilities can build internal marketing programs to boost employees' perception of the system's quality and use.

Programas de Endomarketing na Indústria de Produtos Orgânicos: Estudo do Marketing de Relacionamento

O estudo buscou este trabalho buscou investigar a aplicabilidade da utilizao, no agronegcio da ferramenta do marketing de relacionamento nos Programas de endomarketing (voltados ao pblico interno, os colaboradores). Foram investigadas na pesquisa 12 empresas, tendo assim uma amostra por convenincia. Pode-se concluir que os objetivos dos Programas de Endomarketing esto direcionados para promover o bem-estar, buscar o comprometimento e a capacitao, e informar os colaboradores. Os maiores benefcios oferecidos pelos Programas de Endomarketing, apontados pelas empresas, so: Estimulam participao de todos os colaboradores da organizao; Melhoram as atitudes e comportamentos dos colaboradores com relao ao emprego; Criam e promovem idias nas organizaes voltadas ao bom atendimento ao cliente; Contribuem para a melhoria dos ndices de produtividade; Favorecem o recrutamento e seleo; e Incluem os planos de carreira como instrumentos de motivao. Este estudo representa a assuno do Marketing de Relacionamento em 50% das empresas contatadas, j que a investigao nos pontos de venda permitiu a verificao de 24 empresas.

Customer Responses to Switching Costs: A Meta-Analytic Investigation of the Moderating Influence of Culture

Relationship marketing effectiveness varies across different markets, but prior research has provided limited evidence on how cultural variations relate to the effects of relationship variables such as switching costs. The authors develop and test a theoretical framework that explains how culture moderates the relationship between perceived switching costs and key consequences. The findings of a meta-analysis, based on 451 effect sizes collected in 25 countries, show that similar components that refer to a match between the value essence of Hofstede's cultural dimensions and the motivators that steer particular consequences explain how individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity moderate the impact of switching costs on word of mouth of customers and loyalty types. Furthermore, the economic development of a country explains when switching costs either reduce or increase switching of customers. The findings of this study support international companies in making decisions about the generation of switching costs in particular markets and the formation of international relationship marketing and referral programs.

Effects of corporate social responsibility and internal marketing on organizational commitment and turnover intentions

This study examined the effects of four aspects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) (i.e., economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibility) and five aspects of internal marketing (IM) (i.e., welfare system, training, compensation, communication, and management support) on employees’ organizational commitment (OC) and turnover intentions (TI) in the casino industry. Based on survey data collected from 310 employees working for a casino company, the relationships were examined using confirmatory factor analysis, second-order factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The results indicate that both employees’ perceptions of CSR and IM are positively related to their OC and negatively to their TI, suggesting that adding CSR programs to existing IM programs is likely to improve desirable employee work attitudes such as OC, which in turn contributes to decreasing TI. This study makes a contribution to the literature by conceptually and empirically evaluating CSR and IM dimensions simultaneously in the casino environment.

Understanding the impact of internal marketing practices on both employees ' and managers ' organizational commitment in elderly care homes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to unfold the relationship between the antecedents of employee and manager commitment, using internal marketing (IM) practices, in elderly care homes. Design/methodology/approach – Based on survey data drawn from elderly care homes in Finland, the authors tested several literature driven hypotheses of how IM practices (internal value exchange, internal communication and training) relate with employee and manager commitment. Hence, the authors compare the organizational commitment of two groups. Additionally, the authors tested the moderating role of public residence on these relationships. Findings – The study revealed that there are differences in the antecedents to employee and manager commitment in terms of internal value exchange. This is an important extension to the literature of employee and management commitment in which the antecedents to management commitment, especially, are under-investigated, and where the relationship between the antecedents of the two types of commitment are not studied. Practical implications – While different emphases on IM programs for employees and managers must be implemented in order to re-create work environments that could lead to improved service provision, the authors suggest that facilitating open and honest communication and exchanging values in care homes is a crucial step for improving service quality and employee and manager retention. Originality/value – This study has high value to both the literature and practice as high-service quality can be provided when both employee’s and manager’s commitments are in place, and without understanding the differing antecedents and their relationships, it is hard to establish both types of commitment in an organization. The authors believe that this new insight is useful in improving the service quality and employee and manager retention of organizations.

Linking internal marketing with customer outcomes

Purpose– The purpose of this study is to explore how the adoption of an internal marketing (IM) programme in a retail banking setting enhances some positive employee behaviours that promote customer perceived service quality.Design/methodology/approach– A multilevel research design is adopted which draws evidence from branch managers, employees and customers in order to investigate whether branch manager’s adoption of an IM philosophy affects front-line employee responsiveness to the firm’s IM strategies and their levels of motivation, empowerment and organizational identification (OI), respectively.Findings– Results indicate that manager’s IM adoption can enhance employee adoption of IM and raises their levels of motivation, empowerment and OI. The moderating role of manager-employee dissimilarity is also discussed. Finally, findings confirm that employee motivation, empowerment and OI affect customer perceptions of service quality.Originality/value– This study provides an important shift by formally including IM into multilevel marketing research and establishes another link in the IM-organizational performance relationship, uncovering some behavioural routes through which the positive effects of IM can add to the achievement of firm’s external marketing objectives.

Doing business in Libya: Assessing the nature and effectiveness of international marketing programs in an evolving economy

The aim of this paper is to investigate, in one emerging Arab economy (Libya), the strategic and tactical choices of MNE (multinational enterprise) domestic appliance brands and, also, the attitudes of local consumers toward those choices. Various choice characteristics are investigated – including marketing mix standardization/adaptation – and, also, country-of-origin brand (COB). To establish extant organizational choices, local representatives of four established brands were interviewed and survey responses from 609 consumers were analyzed. No statistically discernible relationship between standardization/adaptation choices and consumer attitude toward marketing programs was found, but the study identified one especially successful brand that appeared to owe its achievements to an especially holistic approach to marketing that demonstrated ‘fit’ with the market concerned. Coincidentally, findings also address the conventional country-of-origin wisdom, and this is investigated/speculated upon accordingly. This is one of few marketing studies concerning Libya, and it adds to the limited literature on an increasingly relevant region.

How does Marketing Strategy Influence Firm Performance? Implementation of Marketing Strategy for Firm Success

Marketing strategy has been a focus of organizations and a tool for attaining overall firm performance. Our study contributes to the existing study of marketing strategy by supporting a relationship between marketing strategy factors and overall firm performance. Deduction from existing literature enabled a construction of a conceptual model that explains overall firm performance. Promotion, pricing, distribution, and product standardization and adaptation have an impact on sales, customer and financial performance of firms. The study suggests that the impact is mediated by marketing strategy implementation success. At the same time the impact of moderating factors of product homogeneity, stage of product life cycle and competitive intensity are present. The most influential studies on standardization argue that world markets have been harmonized and the customers from distant parts of the world increasingly demand and prefer similar products through low- cost positioning, low prices and high-quality offerings (Jain 1989; Ohmae 1985). In the perspective of standardization, for the firm pursuing a global marketing strategy, marketing processes and programs have been standardized across different national boarders in regard to the product offering, promotional mix, pricing strategy and distribution structures. However, as for studies that favours the concept of adaptation in pursuing the global marketing strategy toward advancing firm performance calls for the differentiated approach of marketing strategy. The fundamental tenet of global marketing strategy for the model developed in this study is that the international marketing process and program of the company should be either standardized or adapted to markets depending on the customer requirements. There are two concepts to which marketing strategy components such as product offering, pricing, promotional mix and channels of distribution should be based on to achieve firm performance. The two concepts are standardization and adaptation to which the global marketing strategy is streamlined toward the scope of performance regarding sales, financial and customer. The foundation of the research model of this current study is based on the theory that marketing strategy plays a critical role on firm's performance in the global market that is vastly supported by the study of Zou and Cavusgil (1996). Next, the research model is purposively developed to explore whether marketing strategy should be based on standardization or adaptation to attain firm performance across national boundaries.

A Study on the Performance Indicators of SME's International Marketing Program

A Study on the Performance Indicators of SME's International Marketing Program

Linking IMO with employees' fit with their environment and reciprocal behaviours towards the firm

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to integrate the fit theory and the equity theory in order to stress the importance of retail supervisor's IMO adoption for enhancing contact employees' fit with their environment and for shaping positive employee extra-role behaviours towards their firm and their supervisor.Design/methodology/approach– A hierarchical research design is employed with evidence from 89 from retail store supervisors through personal interviews and 417 contact employees.Findings– This study contributes by suggesting IMO as a mechanism which can raise employees' fit with their organization and their supervisor. Another finding of this study lies on the role of IMO for positive employee-outcomes such as higher patronage and motivation to report service complaints.Research limitations/implications– Additional research is necessary to identify whether different individual characteristics and background influence employees' fit with their organization or their supervisor. The results presented in this study clearly suggest an important first step in understanding the importance of IMO adoption for employees' better fit with their environment.Practical implications– Considering that supervisor's level of IMO accounts for a significant portion of contact employees' IMO adoption, it is imperative that top management must first sell the organization itself especially to middle level managers before implementing an internal marketing program across the whole firm. As IMO increases employees' fit with their environment, this paper departs from the view that managers can mainly achieve “fit” into their organization and avoid misfit only by carefully attracting and selecting individuals. moreover, managers should take into account that IMO increases employees' willingness to report service complaints to their supervisor.Originality/value– This study is intended to be a key step in bringing internal marketing and fit research together while also formally including IMO into multilevel marketing research and providing an important shift for extant research by discussing how interpersonal interactions between different organizational groups shape IMO adoption. From a theoretical view, the paper extends fit theory by establishing IMO implementation as a key strategy for recovering or increasing employees' fit with their environment.