Dilemmas in Re-branding a University—“Maybe People Just Don’t Like Change”: Linking Meaningfulness and Mutuality into the Reconciliation

Päivikki Kuoppakangas, Kati Suomi (), Paul Clark, Chris Chapleo and Jari Stenvall
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Päivikki Kuoppakangas: Tampere University
Kati Suomi: University of Turku
Paul Clark: Thompson Rivers University
Chris Chapleo: Bournemouth University
Jari Stenvall: Tampere University

Corporate Reputation Review, 2020, vol. 23, issue 2, No 3, 92-105

Abstract: Abstract This study examines the implementation of a re-branding campaign in a public Canadian university. Data collection comprised 19 qualitative semi-structured interviews with key internal university stakeholders (Dean and Mid-level Administrators). The data revealed three core dilemma pairs: (1) new brand vs. previous brand; (2) voice at the organisational level vs. voice at the departmental level; and (3) voluntary down-up voicing vs. up-down voicing. Results suggest that successfully implementing the new brand should not exclusively rely upon internal marketing communication; instead, internal branding through handling ambiguities and addressing emerging dilemmas by enhancing engagement, building mutuality and unlocking the meaning in the re-branding can help improve success. This study reveals that implementing a re-branding campaign in higher education involves embracing the world of dilemmas by involving and empowering employees in dilemma reconciliation. The reconciliation of detected brand-related dilemmas with and by employees can be achieved by involving employees in the process of re-branding from the beginning. Indeed, this paper suggests the preparedness to detect and address dilemmas is central to successful re-branding. Our results indicate that traditional change management approaches produce unreconciled dilemmas that hinder the implementation of the new brand. We conclude that efforts to build employee engagement in re-branding do not build employee supportiveness towards the new brand unless core dilemmas are reconciled.

Keywords: Re-branding; Internal branding; Dilemma theory; Higher education; Public sector (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1057/s41299-019-00080-2

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