Acta Technica Corviniensis

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ACTA TECHNICA CORVINIENSIS – BULLETIN of ENGINEERINGCustomer orientation and a marketorientationA participative approach to managementA strategic approach to human resourcesmanagementThe coordination of all management activityto achieve customer or market orientationor customer focused management.DEFINITION OF INTERNAL MARKETINGInternal marketing is an ambiguous concept(Flipo, 2000). The term internal marketing isused widely as a means of highlightingcommitment to improving the effectiveness ofthe services offered by an organizations’resources (Gilmore, 2000). Internal marketing isnot a departmental function rather anorganizational activity as the entire resourceswithin the organization must be coordinated(Hogg and Carter, 2000).The definitions reviewed within the literaturehighlight the ability possessed by internalmarketing to improve service quality through anorganizational effort. The definitionsencountered within the literature can becategorized according to three perspectives, theinternal customer, the development of acustomer orientation and the theory of internalmarketing as an implementation mechanism.For the purpose of this paper the group willfocus on the customer orientation perspective asit is relevant in the context of high contactservice employees.CUSTOMER ORIENTATIONInternal marketing has been defined as theapproach employed by the organization toadvocate the philosophies of customer andservice orientation throughout the organizationthrough the motivation of employees (Varey,1994). In this context the organization attemptsto install a set of values related to achieving asuperior service climate within the employeesbelief systems (Varey, 1994).Barnes (1998) approaches internal marketing ina similar manner by defining it as actions takenby the organization to ensure that customersreceive the highest standard of service due tothe employees’ commitment to service quality.The organisation cultivates employeecommitment by encouraging the use ofcustomer focused quality techniques(Ballantyne, 1991).In the context of customer orientation internalmarketing considers the attraction, retentionand motivation of service-minded employees.The motivation of employees is not enough initself, as the customer orientation, must becommunicated into the external marketplacethrough employee action (Rafiq and Ahmed,2000). George (1990) illustrated that relationalexchanges between employees within anorganization should be considered a prerequisitefor successful exchanges with external markets.The satisfaction of the internal customer is ofcritical importance as; satisfaction will ultimatelyeffect the satisfaction of the external market(Ballantyne, 1997). Internal marketing is atechnique implemented by the organization inan attempt to ensure the provision of excellentservice.THE MODELS OF INTERNAL MARKETINGGronroos (****) believes Internal marketing isconcerned with ensuring employees areconsistently conscious of delivering servicequality. The model highlights how internalmarketing should be supported by managementwith information exchange, recruitment andtraining and employee decision making (Rafiqand Ahmed, 2002). Employees realize theimportance of their position within theorganization and develop into satisfiedindividuals. The model stresses the importanceof interactive marketing in conjunction withinternal marketing. Interactive marketing is aproposed with how customer contact employeestake care of customers during serviceencounters (Bitner and Evans, 1993). Byimproving the service encounter throughinternal marketing customer satisfaction andemployee motivation can be increased.However, Gronroos (****) does not encapsulateall the elements of internal marketing (Rafiq andAhmed 2000). The elements of internalmarketing identified by Rafiq and Ahmed (2000)include:Employee motivation and satisfactionCustomer orientation and customersatisfaction262008/ACTA TECHNICA CORVINIENSIS/Tome I
ACTA TECHNICA CORVINIENSIS – BULLETIN of ENGINEERINGInterventional co-ordination and integrationMarketing like approach to the aboveImplementation of specific corporate andfunctional strategiesRafiq and Ahmed developed a comprehensivemodel of internal marketing based on theseelements. According to the model the use of amarketing like approach is fundamental ininternal marketing, as it incites the employee tobecome customer orientated throughmotivation and coordination of functionaldepartments (Rafiq and Ahmed, 2002). Jobsatisfaction is incorporated due to the belief thatif the internal customer is satisfied in the serviceposition this satisfaction will be transferred tothe external customer (Rafiq and Ahmed 2000).Empowerment is integrated into the model tohighlight the importance of allowing theemployee flexibility in terms of decision-makingduring the service encounter (Rafiq and Ahmed,2000).This model focuses on the area of service qualityso it is largely applicable in the service industry.THE OBJECTIVES OF INTERNAL MARKETINGInternal marketing aims to improve customerconsciousness by changing the beliefs of thefront line employees (Ahmed, Rafiq and Saad,2003). Helman and Payne (1992) believe theobjectives of marketing depend on the reason itis being implemented. Internal marketing maybe concerned with improving employeeroutines through internal motivation. Internalmarketing may be concerned with ensuring theentire organization understands eachdepartment’s function within the organization.The internal marketing function may be aimedat marketing the organizations product orservices to customers.Internal marketing aims to improve the overallbusiness process within an organization toensure that resources to progress theorganizations aspiration are made available tothe internal customer (Joesph, 1996).MOTIVATING SERVICE EMPLOYEESWhy Motivate EmployeesAs previously discussed, the service encounterand internal marketing include the use ofmotivation, as a perquisite for their success inthe marketing of services. Management need tobe aware of motivations exact connotation tocomprehend its use to their business. Motivationcan be defined as “the development of a desirewithin an employee to perform a task to his/hergreatest ability based on that individual’s owninitiative” (Rudolf and Kleiner, 1989, p. 1). Byanalyzing the definition, one can ascertain,motivation to be the level at which an employeewill perform a specified activity for thecompany, an imperative function for success.Motivation can also mean employees “…striveto reach peak performance every day, … enjoythe continual challenge of improving results,genuinely care about their peers and theircompany, and will maintain positive results”(Evenson, 2003, p.21), or as “the willingness toexert high levels of effort toward organizationalgoals, conditioned by the person’s ability tosatisfy some individual need” (Robbins, 1993 ascited in Lu, 1999, p. 63).The definitions of motivation, lead anorganization to believe their employees willperform their specified tasks better than thenorm and will genuinely wish to do so, while thisis important for the business, motivation canalso have other benefits. Carlsen (2003) believesa motivated workforce is essential, as thecomplete participation of employees willinevitably drive the profitability of theorganization. Another paramount concern formanagement is, motivating their employeesrelates directly to the perceived increase inperformance the employees with deliver frommanagements’ participation in the exercising ofmotivation techniques, therefore, there is adirect result between the levels of motivationand management’s participation. (Tyagi, 1982).Certain academics have linked motivation asbeing a key determinant of job performance andhow a poorly motivated force will be costly interms of excessive staff turnover, higherexpenses, negative morale and increased use ofmanagements’ time (Jobber, 1994). Therefore,management need to know what exactlymotivates their staff so resources are notmisallocated and dissatisfaction develops amongemployees (Jobber, 1994). While motivation is akey determinant of performance, managementmust not neglect how motivation is the alsoconcerned with the educating of employees.Darmon (1974) believe motivation is theeducating of employees to channel their effortstowards organizational activities and thus2008/ACTA TECHNICA CORVINIENSIS/Tome I 27
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