The role of endomarketing in human capital management: a study applied to the Minho Urban Quadrilateral

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to understand the importance of endomarketing in organizations and whether internal strategies are essential in the management of human capital. Especially, it is intended to understand what kind of policies is adopted in the organizations the authors are dealing with, and also the perception that employees have about them.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology adopted combines a quantitative and qualitative approach, based on documents analysis, and the survey and semi-structured interviews with questions alluding to endomarketing. The study was carried out in the (Portuguese) cities belonging to the Minho Quadrilateral, being Braga, Barcelos, Guimarães and Vila Nova de Famalicão, in which a total of five organizations are held.FindingsThe results seem to show that endomarketing has an essential role in human capital management, in particular, to obtain both individual and organizational results, where there is a mutual relationship. Of the 158 respondents that make up the sample, it was concluded that 78.5% considered the intrinsic factors related to well-being and happiness as important as the extrinsic factors related to monetary rewards.Research limitations/implicationsThe manuscript presents insights for internal marketing and human resource management (i.e. motivation and human capital). Based on the rapid and profound technological changes of the early 21st century, the concept of endomarketing emerged stimulated by globalization and by the greater concern to adopt strategies that were able to differentiate organizations in the markets.Originality/valueThis is an interdisciplinary theme, with contributions to both internal marketing and human resource management, bearing in mind to enhancing the value and well-being of organizational human capital. This study aims to contribute to the development of scientific knowledge in this area that is so relevant for growth and differentiation.