The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 45 The Clute Institute
An Internal Marketing
Perspective Within A Recruitment
Service Environment In South Africa
C Burin, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
M Roberts-Lombard, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
HB Klopper, University of Johannesburg and Monash University, South Africa


ABSTRACT

The primary objective of the study is to determine the influence of internal marketing on the brand image of a
recruitment agency brand in South Africa. The perusal of the literature could not identify any direct studies on how
the elements of the internal marketing mix of product, price, promotion, distribution, people, processes and physical
evidence are ultimately linked to brand image within a recruitment agency environment in South Africa. This raises
the question as to whether or not internal marketing has a positive influence on the brand image of recruitment
agencies among their clients. Therefore the relationship between internal marketing and brand image needs to be
explored, as this relationship could provide a means of reducing employee turnover and enhancing the performance
and profitability of recruitment agencies. The population for the study was drawn from all registered recruitment
agencies listed under the Association of Personnel Services Organisations (APSO). The selected sample of
respondents was surveyed through an online self-administered survey distributed via a link in an email. A total of
1 123 questionnaires were completed. The data was analysed using multivariate regression statistics. The
application of an internal marketing approach enables recruitment agencies to minimise employee turnover, aiding
these agencies to gain strong brand images that result in higher levels of competitiveness and profitability.
Successful internal marketing should have a positive influence on employee attitudes and actions and therefore
enhance customer satisfaction. The integration of internal marketing into the organisation’s overall marketing
strategy is therefore critical.

Keywords: Internal Marketing; Brand Image; Recruitment Agency Group; Client


INTRODUCTION

ith rapid changes in the working environment and tough business competition, the key success
factor for businesses is no longer cash but human capital. The performance of service personnel
significantly affects customer satisfaction. In service marketing, the target includes not only the end
customers (external customers) but also the employees within the business (internal customers) (Shiu & Yu, 2010,
p. 793). This implies that the need for an internal market orientation is widely recognised. Therefore, if the
organisation wants to implement an internal marketing strategy, it has to ensure that management is committed to
employees being empowered (Kale & De, 2012, p. 33; Gounaris, 2008, p. 72). The empowerment of employees
through an internal marketing strategy can enhance the levels of service delivery within the realm of a customer-
conscious service culture (King & Grace, 2005, p. 355). High levels of service delivery result in more satisfied
clients and consequently in an improved brand image of the service organisation within the marketplace
(Lehmuskallio, 2008, p. 96).

For the reasons stated, recruitment agencies need to have a clear understanding of the role of internal marketing in
shaping brand identity and ultimately brand image. Recruitment agencies have various challenges. One of these is
high employee turnover, particularly among recruitment consultants who are the main client-facing employees
(Hasgall & Shoham, 2008, p. 52). High employee turnover may be due to employee empowerment problems, which
may stem from communication or training problems within recruitment agencies. Such challenges could lead to low
W

The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 46 The Clute Institute
staff motivation and job stress due to staff not knowing how to perform their jobs sufficiently. Low employee
motivation may result in lower levels of service delivery offered to the client by the employee, which in turn would
negatively affect a recruitment agency’s brand image (Bowers & Martin, 2007, p. 88).

In terms of focusing on service businesses, recruitment agencies are highly underresearched considering the various
obstacles they face. Essentially, recruitment agencies provide the service of matching candidates to their client’s
human resource needs and organisational culture (Thomas, 2009). The demand for recruitment agencies has evolved
beyond connecting the correct people with positions that fit their skills, to partnering with clients to provide the
correct talent mix for their business (Czakan, 2009). Bellou and Andronikidis (2008, p. 245) identify a service as
“any activity or benefit that one party can offer to another that is essentially intangible and does not result in the
ownership of anything. Its production may or may not be tied to a physical product”. Therefore it would be fair to
argue that an employee recruitment agency’s clients are continuously exposed to the agency’s services, which
include its service promises, and the employees who deliver – or in some cases do not deliver – on these promises
(Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler, 2006, p. 4).

According to the Association of Personnel Service Organisations (2012), there is a lack of research available
concerning recruitment agencies in general. This could be due to various reasons, including a lack of regulation that
pushes for the collation of statistics and information, a general lack of resources, and the common disinclination of
members within recruitment agencies to offer information to those attempting to carry out research. Due to increased
globalisation, South African organisations have competition both locally and globally, and therefore need to
empower themselves with a wealth of information in order to compete with First World nations (Mokopanele,
2010).

Against this background, formal research is currently of great importance for recruitment agencies as it still seems to
be unclear whether internal marketing changes do in fact influence the brand image of recruitment agencies. In order
to address the aspects highlighted, this article includes a literature review of internal marketing and brand image, as
related to a prominent recruitment agency in South Africa. The problem investigated in the study that informed this
article is specified, followed by a discussion on the research objectives, hypothesis and methodology employed.
Thereafter, the empirical results are discussed, followed by a discussion of the implications they might hold for
management.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Modern-day organisations are progressively finding that in order to remain competitive they require the most
talented employees available on the market, and therefore they are required to satisfy two kinds of consumer
markets: the internal customer and the external client (Ndubisi & Ndubisi, 2013, pp. 530-531). Therefore the need
for an internal market orientation has been recognised. Having an internal market orientation involves an
organisation’s management having a commitment towards its employees and the fulfilment of their needs (Gounaris,
2008, p. 72).

Following the perspective of ELSamen and Alshurideh (2012, pp. 84-85), internal marketing is a method of
attracting, developing, motivating and retaining qualified employees by providing job products that satisfy their
needs. Internal marketing therefore needs to be considered as a mechanism for fulfilling employee needs in order to
achieve higher levels of service delivery and competitiveness. This is due to the fact that originally internal
marketing emerged from services marketing, where its goal was to get frontline and contact employees to deliver
superior service when interacting with clients (Hsieh & Li, 2008, p. 26). The underlying principle of internal
marketing is that effective service delivery requires motivated and client-conscious employees (Deloitte
Development LLP, 2010a). Therefore, if a recruitment agency utilises marketing tactics such as the marketing mix
of product, price, promotion, distribution, people, processes and physical evidence within the organisation rather
than only outside the organisation, it could contribute towards fulfilling the needs of employees better, thereby
creating employees who are passionate and motivated to provide high levels of service to clients (Deloitte
Development LLP, 2010b). This is due to the fact that satisfied employees have been linked to satisfied clients as
they tend to be happier and have higher levels of loyalty towards the organisation, which contributes to their
delivering higher levels of service delivery (Craig & Silverstone, 2009, p. 5).

The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 47 The Clute Institute
It is important to have excellent service as brands in general have become the single most recognisable
representation of an organisation leading to the creation of wealth, whilst representing powerfully compressed
symbols of purpose, meaning and promise (Amos, 2005). Brands reflect signs of trust and distrust, as well as the
political, economic, social and environmental standing of companies (Vella, Gountas & Walker, 2009, pp. 408-409).
Conradie (2012, p. 227) agrees by suggesting that building strong brands has become one of the most vital
objectives of product and brand management as strong brands result in the growth of both short-term and long-term
income generation.

Brand management has moved beyond the notion of marketers creating an identity to communicate to customers on
behalf of the organisation. In the past, brand identity was generated and managed by the marketing department in
isolation. However, with modern brands all employees within an organisation contribute towards the brand identity
and ultimately the brand image as it is composed of a collection of experiences that a consumer has had with a brand
(Stopforth, 2010). Due to brand image comprising a collection of experiences, the responsibilities of an
organisation’s employees have begun to shift. All employees need to be identified as brand ambassadors or “part-
time” marketers of the organisation, as employees comprise the crossing point connecting a brand’s internal and
external markets and can influence a customer’s perceptions of the brand image of the organisation (Singh Toor,
2009, p. 56). It is thus important to attract, retain, motivate and engage brand-orientated employees as they are a
valuable asset and resource that can assist organisations in delivering a consistent, competitive brand identity to the
public (Tsai & Wu, 2012, p. 30; Luna-Arocas & Camps, 2008, p. 27).

In service industries, such as the employee recruitment industry, brand management is far more complex due to the
lack of tangibility synonymous with service brands. Therefore brand superiority can be built on the basis of
excellence in service which is based on a set of brand values that put the client and high levels of service delivery at
the centre of the organisation (Matanda & Ndubisi, 2013, p. 1033). Additionally, it should be noted that performing
a desired service better than competitors is an influential brand image building tool. The strongest perceptions of a
service brand stem from the actual service encounter in which the brand is delivered, and each of these interactions
has an effect on the image of the brand. The employees of an organisation are a core contributor to the image of the
corporate service brand (Conradie, 2012, p. 228). Thus service brands are dependent on employees as the brand is
delivered by employees (Sigala, 2008, p. 1). Varey and Lewis (2000, pp. 30-31) were already emphasising at the
start of the new millennium that in services marketing the external customer is part of the production and
consumption of the product. They state that “nano-relationships” in fact merge with the external market
relationships that an organisation or brand has with its customers, and that the elements of internal marketing focus
on those “nano-relationships” existing on an organisational level. These relationships are based on the interactions
between employees, between organisational hierarchy levels, and between functional divisions of specialists. It is
believed that if the relationship between an organisation and its employees is positive and if employees are satisfied
with their jobs, these employees will perform better, which in turn would result in more satisfied customers.
Conradie (2012, pp. 101-102) postulates that internal marketing can aid employees in better understanding what
their organisation’s product, service, mission and goals are all about, the quality of service that the employees are
expected to perform, and how internal marketing can contribute to attracting and maintaining talented employees.
Employees who are satisfied will have a more positive outlook, which is likely to improve their work performance
and interaction with external customers. Therefore an employee’s interaction with the customer is what will
determine the success or failure of an organisation or brand in the long term (Ali, 2012, p. 246).

Having a strong brand image in the recruitment industry is of pivotal importance as the industry has numerous
competitors. In addition, a strong brand image could aid players within the recruitment industry to attract the largest
clients and most profitable clients through providing the most satisfying service delivery and being able to attract the
most talented candidates through having a positive brand image.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

An important focus of internal marketing should be to improve the brand identity among the employees of an
organisation. Improved brand identity among employees should result in an improved brand image among clients
(Otubanjo & Melewar, 2007, p. 421). However, the researchers could not find any studies on how the elements of
the internal marketing mix of product, price, promotion, distribution, people, processes and physical evidence

The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 48 The Clute Institute
influence service levels of recruitment agencies, as ultimately linked to brand image. This raises the question as to
whether or not internal marketing has a positive influence on the brand image of recruitment agencies among their
clients. From the literature, it is evident that there is a lack of information on the relationship between the internal
marketing mix and the brand image dimensions of brand consistency, trust, satisfaction and commitment.
Furthermore, the influence of the elements of internal marketing on the dimensions of brand image within the
recruitment industry in South Africa has not been explored before. In this paper this relationship is explored as it
could provide a means of reducing employee turnover and enhancing the performance and profitability of
recruitment agencies.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the relationship between the seven elements of internal marketing and the four dimensions of brand
image concerning a selected recruitment brand in South Africa.

HYPOTHESIS

H1: There is a significant difference between the perceived influence of the respective elements of internal
marketing on the dimensions of brand image concerning a selected South African recruitment brand.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study was quantitative in nature and descriptive in design. A quantitative approach was followed in order to
produce clear data results that are easily generalised and statistically calculated (Hair, Bush & Ortinau, 2006,
p. 171). This study applied a descriptive research design since such a design usually accommodates large sample
sizes and makes use of survey and questionnaire techniques to gather the necessary data required by a specific study
(Solomon, Marshall & Stuart, 2006, p. 113).

Population and Sample

The target population for this study was drawn from all registered recruitment agencies listed under the Association
of Personnel Services Organisations (APSO). Public recruitment agencies registered with the Johannesburg
Securities Exchange (JSE) were considered, since they are the largest in size and income and are the most regulated
and most sustainable recruitment agencies within South Africa. Non-probability sampling in the form of judgement
sampling was used to select public recruitment agencies registered with the JSE. The sampling units for the sample
frame were all the current clients of the recruitment agency divisions and subsidiaries within the selected employee
recruitment group. A total of 1 123 questionnaires were completed.

Data Collection Method

An online self-administered survey was used to collect data from respondents. Online survey methods allow for no
interviewer bias and for data to be gained quickly from a large sample and at a relatively low cost (Churchill &
Brown, 2007, p. 114; Solomon et al., 2006, p. 116). Structured questions were used to elicit responses.

Measuring Instrument

The questionnaire was prepared in an electronic format and consisted of three sections. Section A was in the form of
fixed-alternative questions to obtain demographic descriptions of the respondents of the study. Sections B and C
were in the format of a five-point Likert scale. The statement’s response continuum ranged from 1 to 5, where 1 =
strongly agree to 5 = strongly disagree. Section B covered aspects pertaining to the seven elements of internal
marketing, whilst section C contained aspects pertaining to the four dimensions of brand image. Scale items were
developed from the literature, since suitable scale items for internal marketing and brand image could not be found

The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 49 The Clute Institute
from previous studies or the Marketing Scales Handbook. The questionnaire was pretested before it was fielded
among the target population of the study.

Data Analysis

The data on the questionnaires was coded, entered and edited for analysis using the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS version 18). The normality of the distribution of results of each scale item was determined in order
to determine whether parametric or non-parametric tests should be used to test the hypothesis formulated for the
study. The distribution of results can be considered normal if it exhibits a skewness of less than an absolute value of
2.00 and a kurtosis of the distribution of less than 7.00 (Field, 2009, p. 127). All scale items used had a skewness of
less than an absolute value of 2.00 and a kurtosis of the distribution of less than 7.00, confirming normality
following the guidelines of Field (2009, p. 127). Following this and based on the large sample size (n = 1123),
parametric tests were considered suitable for hypothesis testing. Multivariate regression analysis was further used to
determine the perceived relationship between the elements of internal marketing and the dimensions of brand image.

RESULTS

Construct Validity

The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) statistics ranged between being average (KMO = 0.603) and great (KMO =
0.888). The Bartlett test of sphericity had p-values all equal to 0, indicating that the values were significant (p <
0.05) for the factors created from the questionnaire. Most of the cumulative percentages ranged between 52% and
88% and were therefore considered to explain a sizeable amount of the variance.

Reliability

Cronbach alpha values for the sample in the study ranged between highly reliable (the values were between 0.8 and
0.95) concerning some constructs to fairly reliable (the values were between 0.6 and 0.7), following the guidelines
of Zikmund and Babin (2007, p. 322). Except for the construct internal processes, all constructs were found to be
reliable (no values were below 0.6), as indicated in Table 1.

Table 1. Results of the Cronbach alpha test
Construct Sub-construct Cronbach alpha (α)
Internal marketing
Internal product 0.927
Internal price 0.668
Internal distribution 0.728
Internal promotion 0.825
People 0.609
Physical evidence 0.816
Brand image
Consistency 0.944
Trust 0.888
Satisfaction 0.858
Commitment 0.786
Source: Authors’ own construct

Multivariate Regression Results

The multivariate F-test, which is based on a statistic called Wilks’s lambda, was employed in this study as it
indicates whether or not the independent variable explains significant variation among the dependent elements
within the study. Complementing the analysis, the partial eta-squared statistic was also employed as it plays a
similar role to R2, since it acts to define the strength of association or depicts the proportion of total variation
attributable to an element.

The relationship between the elements of internal marketing and brand image using multivariate regression are
illustrated in Table 2.

The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 50 The Clute Institute
Table 2. Multivariate regression
Independent elements Wilks’s lambda
Sig (p)
Wilks’s lambda
Partial η2
Internal product .680
Internal price .000 .076
Internal promotion .373
Internal distribution .000 .054
People .000 .045
Physical evidence .000 .096
Source: Authors’ own construct

For the data displayed in Table 2, only the internal marketing elements of internal price, distribution, people and
physical evidence were found to be statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) for influencing brand image.
Respondents perceived physical evidence (η 2 = .096) to have the largest influence on brand image. This was
followed by the internal price (η 2 = .076), then internal distribution (η2 = .054), and finally people (η 2 = .045).
However, since partial eta-squared is reported on in a similar way to R2, it can be noted that physical evidence
influences brand image by only 9.6%, the internal price influences brand image by only 7.6%, and internal
distribution influences brand image by only 5.4%. Based on the partial eta-squared values observed for the data in
Table 2, the following finding was considered.

Finding: Clients’ perceived brand image tends to be most influenced by internal marketing through physical
evidence, followed by price, distribution and lastly people

Due to the intangible nature of services, clients seek unspoken indications to determine their expectations and
assessment of service delivery. Most service organisations have no tangible products to display and to sell, but do
have employees who are frequently considered by the clients as being representatives of the brand. Papasolomou
and Vrontis (2006, p. 37), Lovelock and Wirtz (2008, p. 16) and Biedenbach and Marell (2010, p. 447) argue that
due to the intangible nature of services, clients will seek implicit cues to formulate their expectations and evaluation
of service delivery. Service uniforms and employee dress codes are a component of the implicit cues that clients
draw on as a means of determining an impression of the recruitment agency. An employee’s appearance can create
an indication of the organisation’s identity. When employees identify with their organisations, they tend to display
similar attributes to describe their own behaviour to those of the recruitment agency’s identity. Clients experience a
corporate brand’s identity through all points of contact throughout the organisation. Based on the multivariate results
shown in Table 2, the formulated hypothesis was accepted and the null hypothesis rejected. Considering the given
results, the relationship investigated in Figure 1 between internal marketing and brand image was confirmed. Table
2 accordingly suggested that internal marketing elements have an influence on the elements of price, distribution,
people and physical evidence.

MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS

Brand Consistency

This is critical in obtaining brand trust, satisfaction and ultimately commitment. The clients agreed that brand
consistency is highly influenced by the service levels offered by a recruitment agency. Recruitment agencies need to
ensure that they offer consistent services, as this assures clients that they are working with a high-quality employee
provider. The first level of internal marketing is that of maintaining consistency. Consistency can be achieved
through attracting, hiring and training the correct type of employees so as to be consistent with the organisation’s
values. Creating a matrix-structured organisation and a social environment that allows for effective internal
relationships between employees to be fostered enables employees to provide high levels of internal service delivery
to each other. Management can also achieve service consistency by providing effective scripted and technological
processes that aid employees in understanding their work and doing it more effectively. Effective processes lead to
better, more effective strategies and subsequently to better, more consistent performance of a recruitment agency.
Through empowering and rewarding employees for performing their jobs correctly, recruitment agencies are able to
have higher levels of consistent service delivery, as employees will be more productive and motivated to behave in
accordance with the organisation’s goals and values.

The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 51 The Clute Institute
Service Quality

The empathy of the service provided by recruitment agencies was considered highly important to all brand image
dimensions of brand consistency, brand trust, brand satisfaction and brand commitment. Recruitment agencies
therefore need to have employees who show a sincere concern for their clients. Clients further perceived empathy as
highly influential towards brand satisfaction, which is important in order to gain brand commitment, as this
ultimately leads to improved economic performance of the recruitment agency. Recruitment agencies should
therefore provide job products that supply security in life and health, a stable income, positive relationships with
other people, and the feeling that an employee’s work is adding value and has a purpose. Recruitment agencies
should also consider their employees’ professional development. If employees feel depersonalised, they develop
cynical attitudes about their clients. Furthermore, if employees feel a diminished sense of personal accomplishment,
they will view themselves negatively, based on their dissatisfaction with their professional development.
Recruitment agencies need to care about their employees in order for their employees to care about their clients.

Employees’ Responsiveness to Clients’ Needs

It is important for recruitment agencies to ensure that their employees are responsive to client needs, because if
clients do not trust a brand, they are unlikely to be loyal. Clients want to purchase services from an organisation they
can trust, which is based on how an organisation continuously delivers on clients’ expectations of the organisation’s
service promises. Employees can considerably influence a brand’s relationship with its clients through the way they
interact with clients. Shared values are the foundation of what the organisation is, and are required for an
organisation to achieve its strategic goals. A shared service culture provides employees with a form of identity,
creates a sense of group obligation, and develops an established community orientation whereby service standards
are adhered to. Recruitment agencies can ensure that their employees deliver services consistently by having a
client-conscious service culture based on the values of the brand, and by communicating the importance of
consistency to employees in order to ensure that they understand the brand identity of the organisation, and how
their role fits within that identity. Recruitment agencies should also communicate with their employees regularly to
ensure that employees understand that their personal success is linked to the success of the organisation and its
brand reputation, and should encourage employees to be motivated and committed towards an organisation’s goals
and brand values.

Client Satisfaction

Internal marketing aids in decreasing employee churn, increasing employee engagement and increasing external
service delivery quality, thereby satisfying the external client. Satisfying the external client better than competitors
will enable a recruitment agency to differentiate itself by having a superior offer in comparison with competitors.
Recruitment agencies need to ensure that there is continuous knowledge renewal among employees by providing an
environment that promotes teamwork and allows for information to be shared across the business. An internal
distribution of skills and services within the organisation is important; otherwise when there is a lack of internal
service delivery, frontline employees will be unprepared to deliver effective services. In order to create enthusiastic
employee behaviour, recruitment agency managers need to recognise the supremacy of training as a marketing
instrument. Middle managers should be used as trainers and motivators who build their employees’ capabilities and
confidence, ultimately leading the employees to being more assured of their role.

Employees’ Internalisation of Brand Identity

Employees are responsible for brand identity, which ultimately influences brand image. The more employees
internalise the brand identity and its values, the more consistently employees are likely to deliver the brand
effectively. Recruitment agencies need to reward employees on merit for their efforts. Employees desire to be
rewarded for service excellence and will therefore strive to be more efficient, reliable, professional and empathetic
to client needs. In addition, employees who feel adequately rewarded are more susceptible to remaining with the
organisation in the long term, contributing to higher levels of service delivery as they have a better understanding of
the clients and their role in delivering service to the client.

The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 52 The Clute Institute
CONCLUSION

This article has reported on research conducted on the influence of the elements of internal marketing on the
dimensions of brand image within the recruitment service environment in South Africa. These relationships were
explored as it is believed that they could provide a means of reducing employee turnover and enhancing the
performance and profitability of recruitment agencies. It is critical for internal marketing to be integrated into a
recruitment agency’s overall marketing strategy to ensure that such an agency hires and trains employees to deliver
on the values of the brand in order for the recruitment agencies to strengthen their brand image. A recruitment
agency’s strategic advantage frequently exists in its ability to streamline and connect the organisation’s capabilities
to design a set of seamless service procedures that are perceived as being better than those of its competitors.
Through aligning all processes and employees with the overall marketing objectives set out by a recruitment
agency’s management and the needs of its clients, such an agency can create a strategic advantage that is difficult to
duplicate, which is critical in the success of any sustainable business. Recruitment agencies can now begin to gain a
strong brand image among their clients through building a strong brand identity from within the organisation with
the aid of an internal marketing approach, specifically focusing on physical evidence, price, distribution and people.

LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

Only selected recruitment brands within a leading recruitment agency in South Africa were included within the
study. Therefore, the information provided does not represent the entire industry. Further research regarding this
topic could be extended to include additional recruitment agencies or service businesses or a comparative study of
the different recruitment brands in South Africa.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES

Candice Burin is an industry consultant and guest lecturer to the Department of Marketing Management at the
University of Johannesburg in South Africa. She holds a Master’s degree (Marketing Management) from the
University of Johannesburg.

Mornay Roberts-Lombard is a Full Professor and Deputy Head of the Department of Marketing Management at
the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. He holds a PhD degree (Marketing Management) from the North-
West University, has published numerous articles in scholarly journals and has delivered papers at local and
international conferences. His areas of expertise are relationship marketing, services marketing and customer
relationship management. Email: [email protected]

HB Klopper is an Associate Professor in the Department of Business at Monash University (South Africa). He is
also a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Marketing Management, University of Johannesburg, South
Africa. He is a committed member of the local and international research community as journal and book editor,
member of numerous editorial boards, and participant in scholarly/research networks, supervision and associations.
He is a frequent author of international journal articles and international conference contributions, and is active as an
invited speaker and book author. His research agenda consists of various research subjects, and he has published in
areas such as brand management, positioning, digital marketing and business sustainability.

REFERENCES

Ali, N. (2012). An exploratory study into the implementation of internal marketing in small insurance brokers in the United
Kingdom. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 17, 242-254.
Amos, S. (2005). Brand distinction through social leadership. Retrieved from
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/82/8277.html
Association of Personnel Service Organisations. (2012). About APSO. Retrieved October 3, 2012 from http://www.apso.co.za
Bellou, V., & Andronikidis, A. (2008). The impact of internal service quality on customer service behaviour: Evidence from the
banking sector. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 25(9), 944-946.
Biedenbach, G., & Marell, A. (2010). The impact of customer experience on brand equity in a business-to-business services
setting. Brand Management, 17(6), 446-458.

The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 53 The Clute Institute
Bowers, M. R., & Martin, C. L. (2007). Trading places redux: Employees as customers, customers as employees. Journal of
Services Marketing, 21(2), 88-92.
Churchill G. A., & Brown T. J. (2007). Basic marketing research. (6th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.
Conradie, E. S. (2012). The influence of internal marketing elements on the brand awareness of car rental customers in South
Africa. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg.
Craig, E., & Silverstone, Y. (2009). Tapping the power of collective engagement. Retrieved May 5, 2010 from
http://www.emeraldinsight.com
Czakan, T. (2009). Verbal communication with the Marketing Director of the Kelly Group. Gauteng, South Africa. (Notes in
possession of author).
Deloitte Development LLP. (2010a). The corporate lattice: Achieving high performance in the changing world of work. Deloitte
opinion piece. Available from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC. (Copy in possession of author).
Deloitte Development LLP. (2010b). Geeks, tweets and cash: A conversation with Riley Crane of MIT Media Lab. Interview by
Vikram Mahidar. Deloitte Review. Retrieved July 23, 2010 from
http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_US/us/Insights/Browse-by-Content-Type/deloitte-
review/5b96158f37ea9210VgnVCM100000ba42f00aRCRD.htm
ELSamen, A. A., & Alshurideh, M. (2012). The impact of internal marketing on internal service quality: A case study in a
Jordanian pharmaceutical company. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(19), 84-95.
Field, A. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS. (3rd ed.). London: Sage.
Gounaris, S. (2008). The notion of internal market orientation and employee satisfaction: Some preliminary evidence. Journal of
Services Marketing, 22(1), 69-72.
Hair, J., Bush, R., & Ortinau, D. (2006). Marketing research: Within a changing information environment. (3rd ed.). New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Hasgall, A., & Shoham, S. (2008). Knowledge processes: From managing people to managing processes. Journal of Knowledge
Management, 12(1), 52.
Hsieh, A. T., & Li, C. K. (2008). The moderating effect of brand image on public relations perception and customer loyalty.
Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 26(1), 26.
Kale, S. H., & De, S. (2012). A diagnosis of inherent problems in enhancing service quality through internal marketing and
organizational identification in Macau and Singapore casinos. UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, 17(1), 31-
42.
King, C., & Grace, D. (2005). Exploring the role of employees in the delivery of the brand: A case study approach. Qualitative
Market Research: An International Journal, 8(3), 277-295.
Lehmuskallio, S. (2008). Intranet editors as corporate gatekeepers and agenda seekers. Corporate Communications: An
International Journal, 13(1), 96.
Lovelock, C., & Wirtz, J. (2008). Services marketing: People, technology, strategy. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Prentice Hall.
Lucas, C., & Kline, T. (2008). Understanding the influence of organisational culture and group dynamics on organisational
change and learning. The Learning Organization, 15(3), 277-287.
Luna-Arocas, R., & Camps, J. (2008). A model of high performance work practices and turnover intentions. Personnel Review,
37(1), 27.
Matanda, M. J., & Ndubisi, N. O. (2013). Internal marketing, internal branding, and organisational outcomes: The moderating
role of perceived goal congruence. Journal of Marketing Management, 29(9/10), 1030-1055.
Mokopanele, T. (2010, 20 January). Estate agencies forced to adapt to tough times. Business Day, n.p.
Ndubisi, N. O., & Ndubisi, G. C. (2013). Sustainable internal marketing and internal customer motivation model: An African
small- and medium-sized enterprise perspective. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 48(4), 521-538.
Otubanjo, B. O., & Melewar, T. C. (2007). Understanding the meaning of corporate identity: A conceptual and semiological
approach. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 12(4), 421-422.
Papasolomou, I., & Vrontis, D. (2006). Building corporate branding through internal marketing: The case of the UK retail bank
industry. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 15(1), 41.
Shiu, Y., & Yu, T. (2010). Internal marketing, organisational culture, job satisfaction, and organisational performance in non-life
insurance. The Service Industries Journal, 30(6), 793-809.
Sigala, M. (2008). Service quality and customer relationship management: Interrelationships and implications. Managing Service
Quality, 18(5), 1.
Singh Toor, T. P. (2009). Creating competitive edge through improved customer relationship management. Business Strategy
Series, 10(1), 55-57.
Solomon, M. R., Marshall, G. W., & Stuart, E. W. (2006). Marketing: Real people, real choices. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Prentice Hall.
Stopforth, M. (2010). Verbal communication with the Chief Executive Officer of social networking company Cerebra. Gauteng,
South Africa (Notes in possession of author).
Thomas, D. (2009). Verbal communication with the Executive of Strategic Projects at Kelly. Gauteng, South Africa. (Notes in
possession of author).

The Journal of Applied Business Research – January/February 2016 Volume 32, Number 1
Copyright by author(s); CC-BY 54 The Clute Institute
Tsai, Y., & Wu, S. W. (2012). Internal marketing establishes a culture of learning organization. In Proceedings of the Northeast
Decision Sciences Institute Conference, Newport, Rhode Island.
Varey, R. J., & Lewis, B. R. (2000). Internal marketing: Directions for management. London: Routledge.
Vella, P. J., Gountas, J., & Walker, R. (2009). Employee perspectives of service quality in the supermarket sector. Journal of
Services Marketing, 23(6), 407-411.
Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J., & Gremler, D. D. (2006). Services marketing: Integrating customer focus across the firm. (4th
ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Zikmund, W. G., & Babin B. J. (2007). Exploring marketing research. (9th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.