Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
In Practice
Mark Chong
Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University,
Singapore
ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION
Most studies on corporate branding and image There has been considerable focus on how
have focused on the influence of external com- external communication – advertising, pub-
munication such as advertising and public rela- lic relations, etc – helps corporations build
tions. Less attention has been paid to the a corporate image to differentiate themselves
strategic role that internal communication and from competitors in an increasingly crowd-
training can play. This study examines the ed marketplace. This corporate image is im-
internal communication and training functions portant as it is a basis on which stakeholders
at Singapore Airlines – one of the world’s best choose to establish contact or business trans-
international airlines – and how it is used actions with the organization and whether
strategically to enable cabin crew and ground or not to attach good or ill will towards it
staff to live its corporate values and consist- (Schuler, 2004). On the other hand, the role
ently deliver on its brand promise of being of internal communication and training in
‘a great way to fly’. It shows that internal building corporate brands has received less
communication and training should be treated attention in the academic literature.
as the ‘first frontier’ in the battle for the Internal communication merits close
customer: when it is founded on strong corpo- attention as employees may be the most im-
rate values, internal communication and portant audience for a company’s organiza-
training can help transform key employees tional communication and corporate
such as cabin crew into ‘walking embodiments’ branding efforts (Christensen and Askegaard,
of the core values, and key touch points 2001). Indeed, employees are considered one
into opportunities for fulfilling the brand of the most trusted information sources
promise. about an organization (Dortok, 2006). This
Corporate Reputation Review (2007) 10, 201–212. is so because they embody the corporate
doi:10.1057/palgrave.crr.1550051 brand and interactions between them and
external stakeholders communicate the Corporate Reputation Review,
KEYWORDS: core values; corporate branding; brand’s values as much as (if not more than) Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 201–212
© 2007 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd,
internal communication; training traditional marketing communications 1363-3589 $30.00
www.palgrave-journals.com/crr 201
The Role of Internal Communication and Training in Infusing Corporate Values and Delivering Brand Promise
(de Chernatony, 2002). Perhaps nowhere is values can guide how an organization and
this more important than in service industries its employees deal with the uncertainty that
where employees are routinely the contact is inherent in uncontrollable or difficult
point between a company’s internal and events and thus predict most observable, ‘ar-
external environments and where the interac- tifactual’ behavior2 (Schein, 1992). The syn-
tions or ‘moments of truth’ (Gummeson, 1999) ergy between corporate values, employees’
can deliver the brand promise and create a effective enactment of these values and cus-
powerful image and experience among cus- tomers’ appreciation of them is critical to
tomers through appropriate behavior – or the success of a corporate brand. In fact, it
not (Hardaker and Fill, 2005). Thus, service is precisely the interactions between the
companies need to instill shared under- value-providing behavior of a company’s
standings of their brand values in the hearts employees and the value-seeking behavior
and minds of employees to enhance brand- of customers that sustain ongoing commu-
supporting behaviors (Vallaster and de nication between internal and external
Chernatony, 2005). Employees who are aligned shareholders (de Chernatony and Dall’Olmo
with the company’s values can help their Riley, 1999; de Chernatony, 2002). When
organization attain a sustainable competitive employees understand and are aligned with
advantage by giving external stakeholders the core values, they have a better apprecia-
experiences of these values. Thus, ‘employees tion of their roles and higher commitment
represent significant brand value and an or- to delivering the brand promise, resulting in
ganization’s leadership has a responsibility to higher brand performance. For example,
marshal this opportunity’ (Hardaker and Fill, shared values have been shown to explain
2005: 375). Ackerman (2000) argues that employees’ customer-directed service behav-
employees need to know the identity of iors that go beyond their formal job descrip-
their corporation so they can play a critical tions or role requirements (Bettencourt and
role in making it ‘known’ to stakeholders. Brown, 1997; Maxham and Netemeyer, 2003).
Nonetheless, it is not good enough that Conversely, it would be considerably more
employees understand the company’s brand difficult for employees to enact a company’s
values and have the right skills if the goal is core values if there is a misalignment be-
to be ‘brand ambassadors’: they also have to tween the corporation’s and employees’ values
believe in and internalize the brand values (Heskett, 1987; Kotter and Heskett, 1992; de
through the enactment of appropriate behav- Chernatony, 2002).
iors (Vallaster and de Chernatony, 2005). Nonetheless, values that are not internal-
Effective corporate branding requires all ized (ie espoused values) may mean that
company employees to adopt and behave employees will say one thing in a given
according to a company’s set of core values situation and actually do something quite
(Collins and Porras, 2002; Harris and de different altogether. Thus, ‘a company may
Chernatony, 2001). Thus, strong corporate say that it values people and has high qual-
brands are associated with employees who ity standards for its products, but its record
are closely aligned with the core corporate in that regard may contradict what it says’
values (Ackerman, 2000). Values1 are espe- (Schein, 1992: 21). As employees inadvert-
cially important as they are at the core ently communicate corporate values through
of the corporate brand, are critical to how their behavior (Kennedy, 1977; Post and
service brands differentiate themselves, and Griffin, 1997; Saxton, 1998), organizations
can inspire behavioral changes, motivation need to help employees internalize the or-
and commitment (Durgee et al., 1996; Jones, ganization’s core values in their attitudes and
1999; Schultz et al., 2000). For example, behavior through communication, training
202 Corporate Reputation Review Vol. 10, 3, 201–212 © 2007 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. 1363-3589 $30.00
Chong
and the allocation of rewards and punish- simply insufficient for a company to write
ment (Ashforth and Mael, 1989; Schein, down its vision and values and hope that
1992; Stuart, 1999; de Chernatony, 1999; employees will ‘live’ them. Instead, the com-
Andriopoulos and Gotsi, 2001). pany must engage its employees in a dialogue
As companies ‘increasingly compete based about what the vision and values mean to
on their ability to express who they are and them if it hopes to have the vision and val-
what they stand for’ (Schultz et al., 2000: 80), ues internalized by employees (Bennis, 1997).
service brands need to depend on internal This is borne out in a recent Gallup survey
communication to empower employees to which showed that employee disengagement
deliver on the brand promise – regardless of is related to lack of communication with
consumers’ point of contact (Camp, 1996; management (Liang, 2006).
Cleaver, 1999; Hardaker and Fill, 2005). If Perhaps never have employees played a
employees understand the company’s goals more critical role in organizational success
and their own role in achieving them, they than in an emerging ‘experience economy’.
are more likely to want and be able to In such an economy, the consumer is a ‘guest’
support these goals in their interactions who is looking for a highly personal and
with external stakeholders (Zyman, 2002). memorable contact with the brand. Thus,
Companies that attach higher importance creating indelible impressions – the ‘take-
to internal communication (such as setting aways’ of the experience – on customers
up a separate internal communication with positive cues is of paramount impor-
department) are known to have higher tance (Pine and Gilmore, 1998). British Air-
levels of employee engagement (Thomson ways, for example, goes beyond the function
and Hecker, 2000) and better reputations (ie the travel itself) and competes on the basis
(Dortok, 2006). of providing a distinctive en route experi-
Nonetheless, internal communication must ence that transforms air travel into an ‘oasis’
be a two-way affair, as ‘successful corporate for the hectic traveler (Prokesch, 1995).
brands are characterized by participative Companies such as Disney and Southwest
approaches whereby senior management Airlines are also a paradigm of good
provide guidance about their core values, but employee communication. Each employee (called
find mechanisms to engage staff in discus- a ‘cast member’) at Disney’s theme parks
sions about their values to encourage a receives training on how to deliver on the
mediated, consensus view’ (de Chernatony, company’s four promises – safety, courtesy,
2002: 119). This is similar to the two-way efficiency and entertainment – to its valued
symmetrical model of public relations which customers (called ‘guests’) (Zyman, 2002).
is characterized by a dialogue rather than a Brand values play a critical role in this
monologue, in that the organization is as ‘experience economy’ because they drive
likely to be influenced by the receiver’s com- employee behavior, and ‘values enacted by
munication as vice versa.This model involves employees notably determine the success of
the use of ‘bargaining, negotiating, and strat- the service encounter in the eyes of the con-
egies of conflict resolution to bring about sumer’ (de Chernatony and Drury, 2004: 75).
symbiotic changes in the ideas, attitudes, and On their part, consumers are generally
behaviors of both organization and its pub- attracted to service brands that are perceived
lics’ (Grunig et al., 1995: 169). Grunig and as having values congruent to their own and
Grunig (1992) argued that this model is the this gravitation occurs primarily through the
most ethical approach to public relations and value-enacting behavior of customer-facing
ethical public relations is the most effective employees (Wilson, 2001; Davies and Chun,
model for meeting organizational goals. It is 2002; de Chernatony and Drury, 2004).
© 2007 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. 1363-3589 $30.00 Vol. 10, 3, 201–212 Corporate Reputation Review 203
The Role of Internal Communication and Training in Infusing Corporate Values and Delivering Brand Promise
The potential variability and highly per- ‘firsts’ in the airline industry, including of-
sonal nature of service brand offerings makes fering ‘the largest drink menu in the skies,
it critical for organizations to align staff the largest complement of cabin crew, and
behavior with core brand values (LePla and the most comfortable seats’ (Batey, 2002: 136).
Parker, 1999). Internal communication and Nonetheless, SIA and other international
training perform this alignment by fostering airlines are facing a number of significant
the internalization of brand values by em- challenges that threaten their profitability
ployees, which bolsters their commitment to and survival (The new millennium has
enact brand-supporting behaviors (Thomson already witnessed the bankruptcy of several
et al., 1999). In turn, these brand-supporting airlines such as SwissAir and Northwest
behaviors – when performed consistently Airlines.) These include the entry of low-cost
over a period of time – ensure that customers carriers (such as JetStar Asia and Tiger Air-
(or guests) have the most personal and mem- ways in Asia), the escalating cost of fuel and
orable experience of the brand’s promise. global terrorism.
SIAs’ service, operations and brand have
SINGAPORE AIRLINES been the subject of widespread admiration.
Launched in 1972, Singapore Airlines (SIA) There has been, however, no systematic
is a globally renowned brand and one of the investigation on how the company’s internal
most profitable airlines in the world. Its communication and training practices help
world-class service, innovative offerings and it to consistently deliver on its brand prom-
modern fleet have won the company numer- ise and maintain its premium positioning in
ous international accolades over the years. the cutthroat aviation business.3 This paper
In 2005, for example, SIA was voted ‘best is possibly the first attempt to answer this
airlines company’ by Conde Nest Traveler and question.
‘world’s best international airline’ for the
tenth consecutive year by Travel + Leisure METHOD
magazine. In 2006, SIA was ranked one of This study was conducted from May to July
the world’s most admired 20 companies by 2006 and involved face-to-face interviews
Fortune magazine. It was the only airline to with senior managers of SIA’s People Net-
make the grade and one of only two Asian works and Cabin Crew Training depart-
companies in the list (the other was Toyota) ments. In addition, the researcher observed
(Demos, 2006). the proceedings of a course (called ‘The
SIA’s core promise focuses on the in-flight Magic of SOAR’) conducted by the Cabin
experience – the personal service and serv- Crew Training department for cabin crew
ice-related comforts – which is embodied trainees. These interviews and observations
by the airline’s now famous sarong kebaya- were supplemented with analysis of corpo-
clad stewardesses.Thanks to a highly success- rate presentations, SIA’s website and corpo-
ful branding campaign, the SIA stewardess rate publications as well as conversations
has become an international icon known with cabin crew trainees at the SIA Training
affectionately as ‘the Singapore Girl’. The School in July 2006. The grounded theory
‘Singapore Girl’ is the essence of SIA’s unique method (Glaser and Straus, 1967) was used
style of service. She ‘mirrors her Asian herit- in analyzing the interviews, observations and
age – natural femininity, natural grace and communication materials. The researcher’s
warmth, and a natural, gentle way with peo- analysis was validated by the vice-president
ple’ (Batey, 2002: 120). To ensure that cus- of the People Networks department and the
tomers get the best in-flight experience, SIA senior manager of the Cabin Crew Training
has also pioneered a number of services department.
204 Corporate Reputation Review Vol. 10, 3, 201–212 © 2007 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. 1363-3589 $30.00
Chong
© 2007 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. 1363-3589 $30.00 Vol. 10, 3, 201–212 Corporate Reputation Review 205
The Role of Internal Communication and Training in Infusing Corporate Values and Delivering Brand Promise
focus on generating cabin crew insights on new employees the SIA core values video,
topics such as organizational climate. the trainers use actual cases to explain what
According to Mitchell (2002: 102), ‘There’s it means to adopt the core values at the
no substitute for personal contact from the workplace, thus showing how these values
organization’s highest levels’. It is significant can help employees to convey and live the
that union members are involved in all meet- brand promise. Core values are also reiter-
ings and training sessions – their involvement ated during ongoing training programs such
helps to break down walls between unions as the New Managers’ Program for newly
and management and inculcate a sense of promoted managers and team-building
ownership. At SIA it seems, there is no such courses. The company’s senior managers (in-
thing as ‘over communication’. cluding the Chairman and CEO) also harp
Last, SIA administers the organizational on the importance of living the core values
climate survey to the approximately 11,000 when they speak at major events such as the
employees working in its Singapore head- Long Service Awards ceremony and other
quarters. The first voluntary organizational company functions. According to Cheney
climate survey conducted in August/ (1983), senior executives play a crucial role
September 2005 yielded a response rate of in influencing and persuading employees to
57 per cent. Survey results are communi- identify with the corporation and develop a
cated through several of its communication distinctive corporate identity.The core values
channels. Significantly, the results are fac- are also printed on the second page of each
tored into the performance assessment of the issue of Outlook magazine and each employ-
company’s heads of departments. SIA aims ee is given a pocket-sized copy of the core
to conduct the survey every two years to values statements.
benchmark progress in key performance By incorporating these core values into
areas, including communication. The com- employees’ key touch points, SIA aims – over
munication emphasis is important as ‘making time – to infuse them into employees to the
communication an integral part of any per- extent that they ‘live’ these values. And
formance review will guarantee that this when they do, ‘customers are much more
value permeates all levels of an organization likely to experience the company in a way
(Argenti and Forman, 2002: 144). that’s consistent with what you’ve promised’
(Mitchell, 2002: 100).
Infusing Corporate Values SIA has an evaluation system in place to
SIA’s relentless communication of its core ensure that core values are aligned with be-
values reflects their strategic status in the havior. In fact, demonstration of behavioral
company’s internal communication and alignment with the company’s core values is
training programs. Accordingly, the compa- one of the performance indicators in the
ny’s six core values are communicated to all employee’s annual performance appraisal.
employees at four different ‘touch points’ in When there are shortfalls, the supervisor (in
their tenure: when they first join the com- consultation with the employee) will recom-
pany, when they attend training programs, mend remedial activities or provide addi-
when they attend corporate events and tional supervision. The performance of crew
through corporate communication channels members is measured using an on-board
such as Outlook. assessment (OBA) which is carried out by a
When non-cabin crew employees first more senior crew member on the same
join SIA, they undergo an induction pro- flight. Significantly, the OBA incorporates
gram that includes a segment on the com- performance indicators that reflect the com-
pany’s core values. In addition to showing pany’s core values, such as service orientation
206 Corporate Reputation Review Vol. 10, 3, 201–212 © 2007 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. 1363-3589 $30.00
Chong
and product knowledge (pursuit of excel- to be.4 In short, cabin crew members are
lence), safety and security (safety), and work groomed to be ‘walking’ embodiments and
relationship and people management (team- manifestations of these core values. For ex-
work). (Heracleous et al., 2006). The OBA ample, one of the core corporate values is
is reinforced by a strong sense of collective ‘customer first’. Thus, cabin crew members
destiny which developed historically from are expected to put on a smile and take care
SIA’s early days when its employees knew of their passengers even when they are under
that the Singapore state – its majority own- duress. The ‘pursuit of excellence’ is another
er – would not subsidize the airline to keep core value which is manifested in the impec-
it financially viable. The company’s evalua- cable poise and service of the cabin crew.
tion and reward system sustains this feeling To attune cabin crew to the cultural char-
by encouraging peer pressure to perform acteristics and sensitivities (eg taboos) of
(Heracleous et al., 2006). their multinational market, SIA gets experi-
enced international crew members to impart
Cabin Crew: The Crucial ‘Touch Point’ in training programs their knowledge of
SIA’s cabin crew are undoubtedly the criti- the verbal and behavioral subtleties exhibited
cal touch point between the organization by their own cultures. In addition, SIA offers
and its passengers.Thus, cabin crew members free language-and-culture classes aimed at
attend the airline industry’s longest basic enhancing crew’s understanding of their
training program – four months – to ensure passengers.
that they embody SIA’s corporate values and Training does not stop after the four-
realize the promise of being ‘A Great Way month immersion program – it goes on for
to Fly’. This training focuses not only on the entire term of employment. These pro-
functional skills but also ‘soft’ skills such as grams continually reinforce the alignment of
intercultural communication, personal poise personal with corporate values through the
and negotiation skills involved in dealing communication and sharing of core value-
with demanding passengers (Davis, 1996). affirming experiences. After all, ‘identifica-
Nonetheless, new cabin crew members are tion is not a one-time, all or nothing
invited to join the company only after un- process whereby individuals come to match
dergoing a rigorous three-stage interview their values with their organization. It is an
process that weeds out candidates whose ongoing process that requires adequate man-
personal values are divergent from the com- agement attention’ (Andriopoulos and Gotsi,
pany’s. Indeed, employees who ‘share an or- 2001: 153).
ganization’s values are more likely to feel like SOAR – ‘Service Over and Above the
an integral part of the system, taking owner- Rest’ – is a good example of the above
ship in and responsibility for the firm and philosophy. Launched in 2003, the training
its performance’ (Maxham and Netemeyer, program aims to realize SIA’s mission of pro-
2003: 58). Once they join SIA, the training viding in-flight service that far exceeds the
serves to enhance alignment between the competition. SOAR inculcates a unique set
cabin crew’s personal value system and SIA’s of values that are aligned with the core
corporate values. values but which are articulated in a form
From the start, trainees are expected to that resonates best with cabin crew. For
start manifesting these values – such as greet- example, the SOAR value of ‘A passenger’s
ing and making eye contact with everyone smile makes it all worthwhile’ is linked
they come into contact with – so that they to the core value of ‘Customer First’. So,
gradually but surely become an integral part despite the existence of core values, compa-
of the ‘Singapore Girl’ that they are aspiring nies sometimes find it necessary to have
© 2007 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. 1363-3589 $30.00 Vol. 10, 3, 201–212 Corporate Reputation Review 207
The Role of Internal Communication and Training in Infusing Corporate Values and Delivering Brand Promise
customized messages or distinctive employee staff, ground staff to ‘act’ as engineers, engi-
value propositions for different employee neers to ‘act’ as cabin crew and cabin crew
sub-segments (Martin and Hetrick, 2006). A to ‘act’ as pilots. This exercise develops
typical SOAR session is based on the sharing empathy and patience by putting individuals
of scenarios and situations actually encoun- in the shoes of their colleagues. As frontline
tered by other cabin crew in the past. This employees (eg ticketing officers and station
sharing intensifies the learning and bonding managers) also play a significant role in man-
between participants as they come to a com- ifesting the company’s core values, they
mon understanding of the SOAR values and undergo an equivalent training program
their enactment in a wide variety of circum- known as ‘Transforming Customer Service’
stances. The training derives much of its (TCS). By ensuring that both crew and non-
credibility and immediacy from the fact that crew employees share similar understandings
it is often conducted by senior cabin crew of the core values, SIA makes consistent
members who have often personally expe- brand-supporting behavior possible across
rienced those situations. different customer ‘touch points’ (see
The degree of attention to communica- Mohammed and Ringseis, 2001;Vallaster and
tion in SOAR is nothing short of impressive. de Chernatony, 2005). Indeed, non-crew
A one-day session that this researcher at- members’ understanding of SIA’s core values
tended featured modules on interpersonal is borne out by the company’s 2005
and intercultural communication skills. In Organizational Climate Survey, wherein 83
the interpersonal communication module, per cent of non-crew employees indicated
for example, the topic of body language that they had a clear understanding of the
alone covered facial expression, eye move- company’s objectives and goals. These non-
ment, posture, gestures, personal space, crew employees also recognize the effective-
breathing and appearance. The sub-topic of ness of internal communication and training
posture was a mini-lesson in and of itself: programs: in post-course evaluations, more
trainees learnt (among other things) to than 75 per cent of non-crew employees
always position themselves perpendicularly rated values-related and team-building train-
and bend forward when speaking with a ing programs as being ‘above average’. Non-
guest – these ‘postures’ communicate the crew participants also felt that they had a
avoidance of confrontation and the eagerness better understanding of the company and its
to serve, respectively. SIA cabin crew trainees culture after attending these courses.5 So, in
this researcher spoke to described their four- summary, SIA’s core values form the bedrock
month training stint as ‘grueling’ but report- of its internal communication and training
ed positive transformations in their attitudes programs, which work in mutually reinforc-
toward people and service. ing ways to internalize these values in cabin
Nonetheless, cabin crew can only manifest crew and other employees to empower them
their core and SOAR values to the extent to deliver on SIA’s brand promise of ‘A great
that their internal stakeholders would allow way to fly’.
them to – misunderstanding, miscommuni- Soenon and Moingeon’s (2002) multi-
cation or a lack of cooperation from ground faceted model of corporate identity offers a
and engineering staff can potentially derail holistic way of showing how internal com-
their best efforts. SIA’s Fus3ion course aims munication and training contribute to the
precisely to enhance cooperation among alignment of different aspects of SIA’s iden-
pilots, cabin crew, ground and engineering tity. These five facets are: the professed identity,
staff. For example, Fus3ion features a role- the projected identity, the experienced identity, the
play program that gets pilots to ‘act’ as ground manifested identity and the attributed identity.
208 Corporate Reputation Review Vol. 10, 3, 201–212 © 2007 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. 1363-3589 $30.00
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Chong
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