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Internal communication and prosocial service behaviors of front-line employees: Investigating mediating mechanisms

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  • Malhotra, Neeru
  • Ackfeldt, Anna-Lena

Abstract

This paper contributes to the prosocial service behavior (PSB) literature by developing and testing a conceptual framework to investigate the mediating mechanisms underlying the relationships between internal communication and PSBs. Data collected from front-line employees (FLEs) in a UK based service organization was used to test our conceptual framework. Our findings demonstrate that FLE perceptions of internal communication practices influence their role stress and organizational commitment, which, in turn, influence their PSBs. The results highlight the significance of studying role stress and organizational commitment as mediators in the relationship between internal communication and PSBs. The limitations of the study are then sketched, and suggestions for future research are also provided.

Suggested Citation

  • Malhotra, Neeru & Ackfeldt, Anna-Lena, 2016. "Internal communication and prosocial service behaviors of front-line employees: Investigating mediating mechanisms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(10), pages 4132-4139.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:69:y:2016:i:10:p:4132-4139
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.03.038
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    2. Gloor, Peter & Fronzetti Colladon, Andrea & Giacomelli, Gianni & Saran, Tejasvita & Grippa, Francesca, 2017. "The impact of virtual mirroring on customer satisfaction," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 67-76.
    3. Gabriel A. Kilson & Patrícia Tavares, 2024. "Internal Communication Quality in a Telecommuting Context: A Phenomenological Exploration of Telecommuters’ Communication Experiences," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-26, May.
    4. Weng Marc Lim & Nishtha Malik & Sahil Gupta & Himanshu Rai, 2024. "Harnessing brand authenticity to promote prosocial service behavior," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(4), pages 449-468, July.
    5. Mathieu Lajante & David Remisch, 2023. "Frontline Employees’ Empathy in Service Recovery: a Systematic Literature Review and Agenda for the Future," Customer Needs and Solutions, Springer;Institute for Sustainable Innovation and Growth (iSIG), vol. 10(1), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Vatankhah, Sanaz & Darvishi, Maryam, 2018. "An empirical investigation of antecedent and consequences of internal brand equity: Evidence from the airline industry," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 49-58.
    7. Santos-Vijande, María Leticia & López-Sánchez, Jose Ángel & Pascual-Fernández, Primitiva & Rudd, John M., 2021. "Service innovation management in a modern economy: Insights on the interplay between firms’ innovative culture and project-level success factors," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).

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