A mechanism for employees’ brand citizenship behavior (BCB) and negative word-of-mouth (NWOM): the divergent moderating effects of horizontal collectivism

Purpose: This study aims to identify different antecedents and reveal divergent moderating effects of horizontal collectivism, thereby unlocking the asymmetric mechanisms for employees’ brand citizenship behavior (BCB) and negative word-of-mouth (NWOM). Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a survey data set and analyzes it with structural equation modeling along with common latent factor analysis designed to control for common method variance. Findings: BCB is associated with pride at work but not perceived organizational support (POS), so POS drives BCB not directly but indirectly through the emotion of pride at work. In contrast, employees’ NWOM is associated with both POS and frustration, and POS drives NWOM directly and indirectly through the emotion of frustration. Horizontal collectivism has divergent moderating effects that strengthen the relationships of BCB with POS and pride at work and weaken the relationship between employees’ NWOM and frustration. Originality/value: This study makes two major theoretical contributions to internal branding. First, as a response to the need for an investigation into drivers of employees’ brand-oriented behaviors, it will identify different psychological antecedents and mechanisms for BCB and employees’ NWOM. Second, capturing the potential of horizontal collectivism on employees’ brand-oriented behaviors, this study will reveal the potential divergent moderating effects of horizontal collectivism on BCB and employees’ NWOM. These two contributions will lead to a better understanding of the different mechanisms for employees’ BCB and NWOM.