The mediating role of brand knowledge on employees? brand citizenship behaviour: Does organizational tenure matter?

Abstract

Brand knowledge is a critical factor for employee ‘living the brand’. However, literature of employee brand knowledge remains underexplored. Drawing from information processing theory and the motivation and job design perspective, this study investigates the role of brand knowledge and employee organizational tenure in the development of an internal brand and specifically its impact on employee brand citizenship behaviour. We collect data from a sample of 257 employees in branded service providers in hospitality sector in Vietnam. The results indicate the influence of brand leadership and internal branding on employee brand citizenship behaviour through brand knowledge of service employees. These findings contribute to our understanding of the relationship-mediated theory of internal marketing, and further explain the role of leaders as knowledge facilitators when building a brand ethos among employees. Further, the service tenure of the employees was found to moderate the relationships between the antecedents and brand knowledge, demonstrating that the impact of these internal brand building activities dissipates over time; highlighting the challenge organizations face in sustaining brand citizenship behaviour among employees.