Exploring the Impact of Construed External Image on Brand Citizenship Behavior of Service Employees

Given the importance of brands in the service context, service companies in particular should be aware of the antecedents of employees’ brand citizenship behavior (BCB). Although a considerable number of antecedents of BCB have been identified, the impact of construed external image on BCB has been neglected so far. The present study addresses this research gap by investigating the impact of construed external image on BCB of service employees. Furthermore, the mediating role of pride in brand membership and respect through brand membership are examined. Using data from a Swiss service company, the results provide empirical support for the impact of construed external image on BCB. In addition, the results show that construed external image not only influences BCB directly, but also indirectly via pride in brand membership. Construed external image also affects respect through brand membership, however, the data did not reveal a significant influence of respect through brand membership on BCB. The results provide implications for research and practice.