"The people make the brand": Reducing social skills gaps through person-brand fit and human resource management practices

Hurrell, S. A. and Scholarios, D. (2014) "The people make the brand": Reducing social skills gaps through person-brand fit and human resource management practices. Journal of Service Research, 17(1), pp. 54-67. (doi: 10.1177/1094670513484508)

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Abstract

Fit between an organization's brand and its employees, sometimes referred to as employee brand identification, has been highlighted as an important element in delivering service quality. This article examines the people management practices directed both at potential and current employees which enhance this “person-brand fit” and proposes that effective management of this can help reduce the persistent problem of social skills gaps in service organizations. A study of managers and customer-facing employees in two hotel case studies—one reporting significant social skills gaps and the other reporting few gaps—showed that the hotel reporting fewer gaps had achieved greater employee identification with the brand. This hotel conducted recruitment and selection around person-brand fit, while the other hotel did not. The hotel reporting fewer social skills gaps also allowed greater employee agency in brand socialization, training, and in the enactment of the brand on the job. The article discusses the relevance of these findings for theory on how human resource management practices may be linked to service brands in order to reduce social skills gaps.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Hurrell, Dr Scott and Scholarios, Prof Dora
Authors: Hurrell, S. A., and Scholarios, D.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
Journal Name:Journal of Service Research
Publisher:SAGE Publications
ISSN:1094-6705
ISSN (Online):1552-7379
Published Online:29 May 2013
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2014 SAGE Publications
First Published:First published in Journal of Service Research 17(1):54-67
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher

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