Employee-generated content: the role of perceived brand citizenship behavior and expertise on consumer behaviors
Journal of Product & Brand Management
ISSN: 1061-0421
Article publication date: 8 April 2021
Issue publication date: 3 August 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Situated between the literature on internal branding and user-generated content, this study aims to demonstrate the effect of employee-generated content (EGC) on consumers’ purchase intentions and positive word of mouth (WOM).
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual model was empirically tested using structural equation modeling based on a sample of 442 participants.
Findings
The findings support a sequential mediation model in which employee-created social media content impacts perceptions of brand citizenship behavior (BCB) and perceptions of expertise, which in turn increases purchase intention and WOM.
Practical implications
Based on the findings, this research suggests that employee ambassador programs can work to attract employees with an interest in brand-related social media content creation. Facilitating EGC through support, empowerment and reinforcement rather than traditional control mechanisms is recommended.
Originality/value
This research introduces the concept of EGC and employee content creators while extending the literature on perceived BCB by empirically demonstrating its relationship with perceived expertise and positive consumer behavior outcomes.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper forms part of a special section “Internal Branding: in Search of a New Paradigm”, guest edited by Holger J. Schmidt, Nicholas J. Ind and Oriol Iglesias.
The authors would like to thank Zayed University for funding this research.
Citation
Saleem, F.Z. and Hawkins, M.A. (2021), "Employee-generated content: the role of perceived brand citizenship behavior and expertise on consumer behaviors", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 819-833. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-05-2020-2908
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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