Employer branding

About: Employer branding is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1555 publications have been published within this topic receiving 54897 citations.

To use LinkedIn within the organisation and outside: between individual and collective strategies

Abstract: People who work for human resources (HR) use LinkedIn within the organisation (internally) both for recruiting and for employer branding. Outside the organisation (externally) everybody can use LinkedIn to find a job or for personal branding. One survey and ten interviews show that HR pursue two strategies. The first one is individual: the purpose is to assert one's “professional personal identity”. The second one is collective: the purpose is to be efficient. Thus, the collective strategy can inhibit the expression of elements that refer to identity, thus ruining individual strategy to the detriment of individual strategy. The possibility to match these two strategic aspects mainly depends on the activity which is practised. Conciliating these two aspects is more possible when the activity relies on action rather than on showing information on the profile. Another technique for conciliating these two aspects is possible: the user can openly give information in the name of the company; and at the same time, “as a submarine” he can develop his social network secretly and also communicate with other people.

Using Online Platforms for Competence Tests: A Component of the Demographic Policy of Germany

Abstract: Lifelong learning represents a key response to the demographic challenge in Germany. In terms of professional success, not only hard skills but also soft skills hold importance. Indeed, the OECD competence tests PISA and PIAAC have come to the fore, although acquired skills are still relevant. Given the increasing skills shortages and the reduced half-life of qualifications, training continues to gain importance, including in the context of employer branding and companies’ corporate social responsibility activities. However, there is no linking of skills acquired through training with the automatic acquisition of qualifications. In this respect, online portals involving competency tests for young and old in connection with major credit points could play an important role.

Dimensional analysis of employer branding perceptions of current employees

Abstract: Employer branding is an interesting topic among entrepreneurs and researchers, as it is considered a new instrument for helping companies gain strategic advantage over their competitors. Therefore, determining the main components of positive employer branding perception in order to adequately manage it has become a real challenge. This study aims to investigate employer branding components of current employees. The data for the study has been gathered through a survey of 200 white-collar employees of a well-known information technology (IT) firm in Turkey. The results show that employer branding perceptions of current employees mostly develop around symbolic attributions of the firm rather than typical human resources practices such as wages or job safety. This result supports related research, but it is unexpected given the high unemployment rate in Turkey.

Brand extensions in the platform countries of Asia – Effects of fit, order of market entry and involvement

Abstract: More and more Western companies understand that Asian markets offer great opportunities to export goods and services. In addition many investment approaches made to Asian markets take place by entering such markets via so-called platform countries (for example Hong Kong and Singapore), as they serve as a bridge to the Asian market and offer an interesting learning base, with consumers cultural behavior being essentially Asian but with strong Westernized influences. As brand extension research has proved to be of major importance for international companies, we examine the effects of fit, order of market entry and involvement on brand extension evaluations in these platform countries. Although some of our knowledge from Western research can be generalized in an Asian context, the psychological triggers are rather different, as collectivistic societies foster the need for status and admiration instead of personal satisfaction. Our study contributes to the literature by taking the concept of self-construal as a theoretical basis for these differences. Results show that in low involvement situations an ordered market entry is required to make multiple brand extensions possible. Against this background, implications for brand extensions in platform countries are drawn and compared with previous studies conducted in Western markets.

The Employer Brand as a Symbolic Resource - Generation Y "consumption" of the Employer Brand

Abstract: The postmodern western society has influenced the labour market, which is now said to become increasingly similar to the contemporary consumer market. Furthermore, a new generation, Generation Y, has emerged on the labour market and contributes to this development. The changing labour market has forced companies to find new ways to develop a strong employer brand in order to attract, motivate and retain competent employees. The strategy to accomplish this has during the last decades resulted in an entire research field, referred to as employer branding. Previous research on employer branding has to a large extent focused on the possible gains of the employer. This master thesis wishes to instead highlight the position and viewpoint of the employees and the possible advantages gained from the employer brand. By attempting to look upon employees as strategic ‘consumers’ of the employer brand, the authors wish to reach a deeper understanding of the outcomes of employer branding. In order to accomplish this, a qualitative case study at Siemens Sweden has been conducted, using semi-structured interviews. The results of the collected empirical data provided interesting but ambiguous answers. While identifying with the employer brand, the employees did not demonstrate ‘consumption’ of the employer brand as a symbolic resource in their identity creation. The reasons for why employees tended to identify with the employer brand while still being unwilling or unable to use it as a symbolic resource when creating their social identity were as follows: 1) the fact that work task and profession preceded the employer brand, 2) insufficient public familiarity with the employer brand and the impact of a construed external image, 3) the ‘value’ incorporated in economic compensation, 4) the employees lack of choice.