Internal branding as a learning process: How employees adapt their behaviour after a brand change in service organisations

In service marketing, the behaviour of personnel is a crucial element in the brand building process. When a brand changes, employees have to adapt their behaviour in order to deliver the new promises of the brand to the customer. This paper examines the learning process that leads to that new behaviour. Drawing on a competence based definition of internal branding, we find the three traditional elements of the internal branding process, (i.e. the cognitive, affective and conative elements), although in a reversed order. Facilitating and prohibiting factors are identified. Suggestions for further research and managerial implications are discussed.status: publishe