A resource-based view of internal service branding

The services and relationship marketing literature provide a basis for the proposition that internal (employee) trust in the organization is crucial in the development of external (consumer) trust in the service brand. However, resource-based and organizational theories suggest that the implementation of management practices used and barriers faced in the establishment of internal trust depend on the availability of resources and complexity of organizational structures. This study contributes to extant knowledge by exploring these propositions in the context of large organizations and SMEs across service sectors. Interviews with managers and owners suggest that internal trust is critical in the development of successful service brands. However, an increase in available resources and structural complexity is associated with lower levels of personal trust, a more formalized approach to the implementation of management practices to control service performance, and more internal and external barriers to the establishment of internal trust.