Internal marketing and employee satisfaction : a missing link in Japanese service management

Abstract

The concepts and techniques of internal marketing and employee satisfaction are becoming very popular in western companies, supported by accomplishments in service management based on of the Service-Profit Chain and organizational behavior. However, it is still uncommon for Japanese service companies to introduce these concepts, being strongly influenced by Japanese culture and tradition. This thesis first explains internal marketing and employee satisfaction through existing literature and actual examples of U.S. banks. It then examines current Japanese service companies and the reasons for their practice, considering cultural influence. Furthermore, recognizing the importance of companies in adopting these concepts in the near future, I indicate how this can be achieved using examples in Japan.