A Study on the Effect of Internal Marketing on Internal Customer Satisfaction and Internal Service Quality : The Moderating Role of Self-Esteem

Abstract

The purpose of this study is not only to examine relationships among internal marketing (IM), internal customer satisfaction, and internal service quality, but also the moderating effect of self-esteem between IM and internal customer satisfaction in the hospital sectors in Korea. The results of paper show that the positive effect of three dimensions (internal communication, training & education and reward system) of IM on internal customer satisfaction are supported. In addition, the effect of internal customer satisfaction on internal service quality is significant. However, only the moderating role of self-esteem between internal communication and internal customer satisfaction is supported. Accordingly, this paper has contributed to the IM literatures and managerial implications in several aspects as follows: Firstly, this paper proposed that internal customers are much more satisfied by activating internal communication, be given enough opportunity of job training & education and be offered the appropriate incentives related to performance and reward. Secondly, the high group of self-esteem through interaction with internal communication is more satisfied with than low group of self-esteem. Lastly, the more satisfied internal customers lead to improvement of internal service quality. Therefore, manager in hospital sectors should keep in mind this result that providing individual attention to each internal customer and understanding their specific need on job satisfaction are the first important step to reach the organization’s goal. However, as to the limitation of this paper, it is necessary to develop further some different combinations of IM. In other words, it is worthwhile to test the different mix of IM for further research.