An empirical investigation of antecedent and consequences of internal brand equity: evidence from the airline industry

This study investigates whether and how management commitment to internal branding would stimulate prosocial service behaviors. Through its conceptual model, this study posits internal brand equity as the intervening mechanism which links management commitment to internal branding to role-prescribed customer service, extra-role customer service and cooperation. Data were gathered from a sample of flight attendants in Iran. According to the results stem from structural equation modeling, management commitment to internal branding positively affects internal brand equity. In turn, internal brand equity positively associates with role-prescribed customer service, extra-role customer service and cooperation. Results further revealed that, internal brand equity acts as full mediator in the relationship between management commitment to internal branding and extra-role customer service as well as partial mediator in the relationships between management commitment to internal branding and role-prescribed customer service and cooperation. In light of social influence theory, this study contributes to internal branding literature through its empirical evidence and managerial implications.