Role of internal marketing in Australian higher education sector: age, gender and job level as moderators

ABSTRACT

While internal marketing is used by the higher education sector to improve academics’ commitment toward their university employer, the impact on senior academics compared to junior academics may differ. Considering ‘intelligence generation, dissemination and responses’ as part of internal marketing, this study explores its impact on affective commitment using social exchange theory and also used gender, age and job level as moderators with surveys on senior and junior Australian university academics. Findings from structural equation modelling with multi-group analysis suggest that university’s vision and communication are highly motivating for senior academics but not for juniors. Junior academics place greater emphasis on training and the rewards system. Moderation analysis reveals the rewards system is considered more by older senior academics, whereas older junior academics are more interested in training. University human resources and administrators can develop effective strategies to increase commitment, positive word of mouth and brand image.