A contending logics perspective on employer branding in a technology service company in Korea

Kim, Minha (2015) A contending logics perspective on employer branding in a technology service company in Korea. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore how employer branding in an organization in Korea is understood and constructed by its employees. Three focal research questions are raised: (1) ‘how do employees understand employer branding in the context of an organization in Korea?’(2) ‘which actors are the most influential in the employees’ perceptions of employer branding? and why?’ and (3) ‘how does the organization mediate societal logics and employees’ perceptions as a sensegiver?’

Drawing on a social constructionist approach though semi-structured interviews with employees and managers of a Korean organization, ‘growth obsession’ and ‘immanent individualism’ are identified as contradictory dimensions in employees’ perceptions of employer branding. The coexistence of these contradictory dimensions is understood in terms of contending logics of growth and individualism at the societal level. Employees’ growth obsession shows how deeply employees’ perceptions of employer branding are embedded in the dominant logic of growth. Immanent individualism reflects the coexistence of the growth logic and the alternative logic of individualism, and suggests employees’ agentive capacity in making sense of their organization’s employer branding.

This thesis also points out that the organization’s role as a sensegiver is limited, in contrast to the assumption, dominant in the existing literature, of employer branding as an employer-driven strategy.

The main theoretical contributions of the thesis lie in extending employer branding literature by illuminating it from the perspective of contending logics. This approach shows how employees’ perceptions of employer branding are tightly coupled with societal logics, and suggests considering the possibility of employees’ agency in enacting or rejecting the implications of these logics. Despite limitations in terms of generalizability, a rich and deep-rooted understanding of employer branding, situated in the context of the organization in Korea, is expected to provide a springboard for a more contextualized approach to employer branding both in the academic area and in practice.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Ready
• Keywords: Employer branding, contending logics, Korea.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School
• Supervisor's Name: Pate, Dr. Judy and Martin, Prof. Graeme
• Date of Award: 2015
• Depositing User: Mrs Minha Kim
• Unique ID: glathesis:2015-6148
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 18 Mar 2015 16:15
• Last Modified: 02 May 2018 14:35
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/6148