employer branding
ROL:
Concepts of Employer Branding
Employer branding is a relatively new field in research and management. Scientific literature on the topic is still scarce whereas quite a few management handbookshave evolved in recent years (cf. Backhaus & Tikoo, 2004; Edwards, 2010; Sutherlandet al., 2002). Employer branding and its related concepts, such as employer attractiveness, are characterized by a lack of structure and some confusion with regard to definitions and termini (Sponheuer, 2009). One reason is the plurality of research fields involved, including the different perspectives from which the topic is being approached. The research streams of organizational identity, corporate reputation, organizational image, corporate culture, corporate branding and corporate communications provide a lot of related concepts and definitions which are relevant to employer branding (Balmer & Greyser, 2003, 2006). Especially corporate reputation and organizational image have to be considered when approaching the topics of employer branding and employer attractiveness. These concepts will therefore be discussed in more detail in Sections and . To complete the discussion of the core concepts of employer branding, functions and objectives will be outlined in Sections and respectively. Before turning to each concept in detail, the development and definitional background of employer branding as well as the integration into the organizational architecture should be outlined at this point.
The authors Ambler and Barrow (1996) claim having been the first to unite the disciplines of HR-management and brand management in order to create a conceptual framework which they call the ‘employer brand’.3 They describe it as “[…] the package of functional, economic and psychological benefits provided by employment, and identified with the employing company” (Ambler & Barrow, 1996, p.187). Barrow also claims having written the first book on employer branding, in which he and his coauthor
Concepts of Employer Branding
Employer branding is a relatively new field in research and management. Scientific literature on the topic is still scarce whereas quite a few management handbookshave evolved in recent years (cf. Backhaus & Tikoo, 2004; Edwards, 2010; Sutherlandet al., 2002). Employer branding and its related concepts, such as employer attractiveness, are characterized by a lack of structure and some confusion with regard to definitions and termini (Sponheuer, 2009). One reason is the plurality of research fields involved, including the different perspectives from which the topic is being approached. The research streams of organizational identity, corporate reputation, organizational image, corporate culture, corporate branding and corporate communications provide a lot of related concepts and definitions which are relevant to employer branding (Balmer & Greyser, 2003, 2006). Especially corporate reputation and organizational image have to be considered when approaching the topics of employer branding and employer attractiveness. These concepts will therefore be discussed in more detail in Sections and . To complete the discussion of the core concepts of employer branding, functions and objectives will be outlined in Sections and respectively. Before turning to each concept in detail, the development and definitional background of employer branding as well as the integration into the organizational architecture should be outlined at this point.
The authors Ambler and Barrow (1996) claim having been the first to unite the disciplines of HR-management and brand management in order to create a conceptual framework which they call the ‘employer brand’.3 They describe it as “[…] the package of functional, economic and psychological benefits provided by employment, and identified with the employing company” (Ambler & Barrow, 1996, p.187). Barrow also claims having written the first book on employer branding, in which he and his coauthor