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Employer brand positioning to attract and retain talent and build brand coherence : an exploratory study in top global employer brands
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614097437097984 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Wolfswinkel, Michelle |
| author2 | Terblanche-Smit, Marlize |
| author_browse | Terblanche-Smit, Marlize Wolfswinkel, Michelle |
| author_facet | Terblanche-Smit, Marlize Wolfswinkel, Michelle |
| author_sort | Wolfswinkel, Michelle |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description |
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132314 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:37.536Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132314 Employer brand positioning to attract and retain talent and build brand coherence : an exploratory study in top global employer brands Wolfswinkel, Michelle Terblanche-Smit, Marlize Enslin, Carla Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. University of Stellenbosch Business School. Brand name products -- Management Branding (Marketing) -- Management Professional employees -- Recruiting UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Wolfswinkel, M. 2025. Employer Brand Positioning to Attract and Retain Talent and Build Brand Coherence: An Exploratory Study in Top Global Employer Brands. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/de46295b-cc85-454d-898e-19000fed8aaf ENGLISH SUMMARY: The employer brand plays a significant role in attracting and retaining the talent required to achieve organisational success and bring the overall corporate brand to life, as well as the building of brand coherence through strategic alignment with the corporate brand and consistent branding across brand stakeholders. With global talent shortages reaching an all-time high, gaining a competitive advantage through the positioning of the employer brand and the leveraging of the employee value proposition (EVP) is now at the top of the leadership agenda. The practical organisational problem that lies at the heart of this study is the lack of employer brand positioning insights and guidelines for cross-functional organisational leadership invested in the creation and management of the employer brand, and the significant repercussions of ineffective employer brand positioning: losing the war for talent and degrading the brand coherence and strength of the overall corporate brand. This qualitative exploratory study commenced with a critical review of the employer brand through a brand lens, highlighting the dual function and nature of the employer brand, which straddles the theoretical and functional domains of human resources or talent management and brand or marketing management. Building upon this vantage point of the employer brand as a brand construct, a further integrative literature review synthesised brand positioning theory and practice, applying literature review insights to the employer brand domain to arrive at a proposed employer brand positioning conceptual framework. Primary research in phase two looked to the employer brand website content of a sample of 30 top global employer brands across seven continents to extract expert insights and leading practices. Qualitative content analysis and reflexive thematic analysis revealed findings as four themes with ten related sub-themes, shedding light on the strategic brand context, activities and tailoring of employer brand positioning. The employer brand positioning conceptual framework was enriched with findings from primary research and the inclusion of implementation guidelines. The scholarly contribution of the study lies in the addressing of gaps in theory and knowledge pertaining to the employer brand as a brand construct, with a peer-reviewed publication of insights derived from a critical review of the employer brand through a brand lens. Theory and knowledge gaps are further addressed through the application of brand positioning theory and practice to employer brand positioning, the contribution of an employer brand positioning definition, and the drawing together of concepts like the EVP, differentiation, brand alignment and targeting into a comprehensive conceptual framework with guidelines. With the pragmatist paradigm honing the focus on practically applicable solutions to pressing organisational problems, the main contribution of the research is to the practical-knowledge gap, within what literature posits to be the critically under-researched part of the employer branding value chain: organisational or employer knowledge and practice. The study delivers an employer brand positioning conceptual framework that bridges the divide between the various cross-functional leaders involved in the employer brand, and provides knowledge and practical implementation insights that can be put into practice by a wide range of organisational leaders, regardless of their knowledge and skills in employer brand positioning. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Doctoral 2025-06-03T10:24:40Z 2025-06-03T10:24:40Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132314 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xix, 334 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Brand name products -- Management Branding (Marketing) -- Management Professional employees -- Recruiting UCTD Wolfswinkel, Michelle Employer brand positioning to attract and retain talent and build brand coherence : an exploratory study in top global employer brands |
| title | Employer brand positioning to attract and retain talent and build brand coherence : an exploratory study in top global employer brands |
| title_full | Employer brand positioning to attract and retain talent and build brand coherence : an exploratory study in top global employer brands |
| title_fullStr | Employer brand positioning to attract and retain talent and build brand coherence : an exploratory study in top global employer brands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Employer brand positioning to attract and retain talent and build brand coherence : an exploratory study in top global employer brands |
| title_short | Employer brand positioning to attract and retain talent and build brand coherence : an exploratory study in top global employer brands |
| title_sort | employer brand positioning to attract and retain talent and build brand coherence an exploratory study in top global employer brands |
| topic | Brand name products -- Management Branding (Marketing) -- Management Professional employees -- Recruiting UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132314 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wolfswinkelmichelle employerbrandpositioningtoattractandretaintalentandbuildbrandcoherenceanexploratorystudyintopglobalemployerbrands |