Moderating Role of Internal Marketing on Brand Equity in a Service Organization
Keywords:
Services organizations, internal marketing, Brand equity, Structural equation modelingAbstract
The internal marketing elements for services basically consist of seven elements (product, price, place, promotion, people, processes and physical evidence). The present study includes another element, performance, so as to determine the influence of these eight elements on the brand equity as perceived by customers of car rental companies. Although car rental companies may have a strong brand position, the brand’s successful equity depends on the role the employees play in delivering the service (Wilson, Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler, 2012:249). This research aimed to provide guidance to car rental companies to improve their respective brand equity, enabling them to expand customer bases whilst retaining existing customers through improvement of internal marketing programmes.
References
Aaker, D.A., Kumar, V., Day, G.S. & Leone, R.P. (2011). Marketing Research. 10th ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Angelis, J., De Lima, E.P. & Siraliova, J. (2010). Servitised experiences: business and management implications. Current Issues of Business, 5:6-23. Retrieved August 9, 2010, from EBSCOHost: Business Source Premier http://search.global.epnet.com
Churchill, Jr., G.A., Brown, T.J. & Suter, T.A. (2010). Basic Marketing Research. 7th ed. Ohio: South-Western.
Grove, S.J., Fisk, R.P. & John, J. (2000). Handbook of Services Marketing and Management: Service as Theater, Guidelines and Implications. London: Sage.
Hertz. (2011). About Hertz. Retrieved February 22, 2011, from Hertz http://www.hertz.co.za
Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J. & Anderson, R.E. (2010). Multivariate Data Analysis: A Global Perspective. 7th ed. New York: Pearson.
Kotler, P. & Keller, K.L. (2009). Marketing Management. 13th edition. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. Lee, S.Y. (2007). Structural Equation Modeling: A Bayesian Approach. England: Lovelock, C. & Wirtz, J. (2008). Services Marketing: People, Technology, Strategy. 6th ed. United States of America: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Roberts-Lombard, M. & du Plessis, L. (2011). Influence of CRM on customer loyalty - an application to the life insurance industry. Journal of Global Business and Technology, 7.1, spring 2011:23- 34.
Song, Y., Hur, W. & Kim, M. (2012). Brand trust and affect in the luxury brand–customer relationship. Social Behaviour and Personality, 40(2):331-338. Retrieved January 7, 2013, from EBSCOHost: Academic Search Premier http://search.global.epnet.com
Vagias, W. M. (2006). Likert – type scale response anchors. Clemson: International Institute for Tourism and Research Development, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Clemson University.
Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J. & Gremler, D.D. (2006). Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus across the Organisation. 4th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Zikmund, W.G. & Babin, B.J. (2010). Essentials of Marketing Research. 4th ed. Australia: South-Western.