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Uncovering the Hidden Employer Brand – an interpretative case study of a consultancy firm

Ferrer López, Clara LU and Bolks, Melissa Susanne Esmeralda LU (2016) BUSN49 20161
Department of Business Administration
Abstract
University: Lund University School of Economics and Management
Course: BUSN49 - Degree Project Master Level in Managing People, Knowledge & Change, Spring Semester 2016
Authors: Melissa Bolks & Clara Ferrer López
Supervisor: Charlotta Levay
Thesis purpose: The purpose is to understand how the employer brand is perceived using a multi-dimensional approach and how these perceptions affect employee loyalty.
Methodology: The thesis uses an interpretative, abductive and qualitative research method. The empirical data is based on a case study of Expertise and involves nine semi-structured interviews and a document analysis of social media, Global Annual Report 2015 and website.
Findings: The perceptions of the employees and ex-employees... (More)
University: Lund University School of Economics and Management
Course: BUSN49 - Degree Project Master Level in Managing People, Knowledge & Change, Spring Semester 2016
Authors: Melissa Bolks & Clara Ferrer López
Supervisor: Charlotta Levay
Thesis purpose: The purpose is to understand how the employer brand is perceived using a multi-dimensional approach and how these perceptions affect employee loyalty.
Methodology: The thesis uses an interpretative, abductive and qualitative research method. The empirical data is based on a case study of Expertise and involves nine semi-structured interviews and a document analysis of social media, Global Annual Report 2015 and website.
Findings: The perceptions of the employees and ex-employees about the employer brand of Expertise matches with the explicit employer brand. This explicit employer brand is constructed around five central metaphors: Expertise as a family, Expertise as a teacher, Expertise as a trampoline, Expertise as a gate and Expertise as a provider of purpose. Despite that the employees and ex-employees buy into this explicit employer brand, we found a hidden employer brand characterized by the following tensions: freedom vs. control, collaboration vs. competition, company identification vs. alternative sources of identification and good work-life balance vs. workload. Furthermore, the employer brand at Expertise is not used to retain talent but to achieve a highly motivated workforce and lasting loyalty to the employer brand even when the employee has left the company physically. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Ferrer López, Clara LU and Bolks, Melissa Susanne Esmeralda LU
supervisor
organization
course
BUSN49 20161
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
Employer brand Tensions Loyalty Retention Identity Management Consulting
language
English
id
8878736
date added to LUP
2016-06-27 15:04:19
date last changed
2016-06-27 15:04:19
@misc{8878736,
  abstract     = {{University: Lund University School of Economics and Management
Course: BUSN49 - Degree Project Master Level in Managing People, Knowledge & Change, Spring Semester 2016
Authors: Melissa Bolks & Clara Ferrer López
Supervisor: Charlotta Levay
Thesis purpose: The purpose is to understand how the employer brand is perceived using a multi-dimensional approach and how these perceptions affect employee loyalty.
Methodology: The thesis uses an interpretative, abductive and qualitative research method. The empirical data is based on a case study of Expertise and involves nine semi-structured interviews and a document analysis of social media, Global Annual Report 2015 and website.
Findings: The perceptions of the employees and ex-employees about the employer brand of Expertise matches with the explicit employer brand. This explicit employer brand is constructed around five central metaphors: Expertise as a family, Expertise as a teacher, Expertise as a trampoline, Expertise as a gate and Expertise as a provider of purpose. Despite that the employees and ex-employees buy into this explicit employer brand, we found a hidden employer brand characterized by the following tensions: freedom vs. control, collaboration vs. competition, company identification vs. alternative sources of identification and good work-life balance vs. workload. Furthermore, the employer brand at Expertise is not used to retain talent but to achieve a highly motivated workforce and lasting loyalty to the employer brand even when the employee has left the company physically.}},
  author       = {{Ferrer López, Clara and Bolks, Melissa Susanne Esmeralda}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Uncovering the Hidden Employer Brand – an interpretative case study of a consultancy firm}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}