Employer Brand Emarld Impact Factor

Personnel Review
Employer brand, person-organisation fit and employer of choice: Investigating the

moderating effect of social media
Karnica Tanwar, Amresh Kumar,
Article information:
To cite this document:
Karnica Tanwar, Amresh Kumar, (2019) "Employer brand, person-organisation fit and employer
of choice: Investigating the moderating effect of social media", Personnel Review, https://
doi.org/10.1108/PR-10-2017-0299
Permanent link to this document:
https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-10-2017-0299
Downloaded by Tulane University At 11:19 18 March 2019 (PT)
Downloaded on: 18 March 2019, At: 11:19 (PT)

References: this document contains references to 104 other documents.
To copy this document: permissions@emeraldinsight.com
The fulltext of this document has been downloaded 14 times since 2019*
Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by emerald-
srm:402646 []
For Authors
If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald
for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission
guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information.
About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.com
Emerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company
manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as
well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and
services.
Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for
digital archive preservation.
*Related content and download information correct at time of download.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0048-3486.htm
Moderating
Employer brand, effect of
person-organisation fit and social media
employer of choice
Investigating the moderating effect
of social media Received 9 October 2017
Revised 24 June 2018
Karnica Tanwar Accepted 23 August 2018
Amity College of Commerce and Finance,

Amity University, Noida, India, and
Amresh Kumar
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Pune,

Symbiosis International University, Pune, India
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between employer brand dimensions and
employer of choice (EOC). The paper also analyses the role of person-organisation fit in transferring employer
brand dimensions to EOC status, and the moderating role of social media in the relationship between
person-organisation fit and EOC.
Design/methodology/approach – Factor analysis has been conducted to validate the “employer
attractiveness” scale for identifying the dimensions of employer brand. Structural equation modelling has
been used to conduct mediation and moderation analysis. The results are based on the perceptions of college
students regarding employer brand dimensions and EOC status.
Findings – The paper provides empirical insights on how the person-organisation fit helps in transferring
employer brand dimensions to EOC status. The results indicate that the person-organisation fit acts as a full
mediator, indicating that for becoming a EOC, the dimensions of employer brand must be linked to the
person-organisation fit. Also, the moderation analysis results highlight the importance of social media towards
obtaining EOC status.
Originality/value – The authors believe that the study is the first of its kind to investigate drivers of
EOC, and to identify the role of the person-organisation fit as a mediating variable and social media as a
moderating variable.
Keywords Social media, Employer branding, Person-organization fit, Mediation analysis,
Moderation analysis, Employer of choice
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Over the last few years, organisations across the world have witnessed some radical
evolutionary leaps led by intense global competition and technology (Francis and
Bessant, 2005). War for talent has become a strategic business challenge as organisations
struggle to attract and retain qualified human capital (Price and Turnbull, 2007).
Thus, companies are looking for better qualified human resource (HR) capital. In order to
survive in this competitive environment, organisations are in search of HR that can be
used for gaining a sustainable competitive advantage in the environment. One
strategy that is more likely to become a winner in this war for talent is employer of
choice (EOC) (Hult, 2011; Baker, 2014). Some of the established benefits of being a EOC
include employee and customer satisfaction, and employee attraction and employee
engagement rates (Baker, 2014; Rampl, 2014). The concept of EOC implies that employees Personnel Review
consciously choose to work for a EOC instead of other organisations (Herman and Gioia, © Emerald Publishing Limited
0048-3486
2000a). In fact, EOC is not only an organisation that employees aspire to work for but also DOI 10.1108/PR-10-2017-0299
PR one that they would recommend as a first-choice brand to a friend looking for a job
(Hult, 2011).
Companies have long recognised the importance of a brand as an important asset to
attract talented workers. A lot of attention has been devoted to the brand as a tool for
attracting and retaining customers. When this concept is applied to HR management to
attract potential employees, it is called employer branding (Backhaus and Tikoo, 2004).
Employer branding is a strategy where by employers can distinguish themselves from their
counterparts by offering a package of psychological, economic and functional benefits to the
employees (Ambler and Barrow, 1996). Previous research has argued that employer brand
helps in positioning the firm in the minds of potential employees as a EOC (Branham, 2001;
Rampl, 2014). Lievens (2007) avers that becoming a EOC starts with the development of the
value proposition and the promotion of specific promises internally and externally. These
two key notions of value propositions and promises are promoted by the employer brand
(Backhaus and Tikoo, 2004).
Here, the authors would like to differentiate between “Employer of Choice” and
traditional recruitment outcomes such as “job pursuit intentions”, “acceptance intentions” or

“job–organization attraction” (Chapman et al., 2005). “Job pursuit intention” is reflected in
the applicant’s desire to apply for a job in an organisation by submitting an application.
This signifies the applicant’s eagerness to stay in the applicant pool, excluding his
commitment to a job choice. “Job organisation attraction”, on the other hand, measures
the attractiveness of an organisation for potential employees, in general, for example, how
attractive the job is for an employee. “Acceptance intentions” measure the likelihood
of an applicant accepting a job offer if it were forthcoming or the likelihood of an applicant
accepting a job offer from the company. In contrast, EOC is a kind of organisation that
employees would aspire to work for and would, therefore, accord preference to over other
organisations in their selection of jobs. Past studies have particularly talked about the
relationship between employer brand and traditional recruitment outcomes such as job
pursuit intentions (Devina et al., 2016). However, there are very few studies concerning
employer branding and EOC. Thus, it becomes important to identify whether employer
brand also helps in the creation of a EOC.
The first goal of the present study is thus to understand the linkage between employer
brand and EOC. As regards the value proposition of employer brand, Edwards (2009)
indicates that individuals prefer those organisations as EOCs which match their own
interests and values, or organisations wherein they can fit in. This match is explained
through the person-organisation fit. The person-organisation fit refers to the match between
an individual’s values and the value of the organisation (Kristof-Brown et al., 2005). It refers
to the compatibility between employees and the organisation, as it is a fit between the
beliefs, cultures and values of employees, on one hand, and of the organisation, on the other
hand (Lauver and Kristof-Brown, 2001).
The person-organisation fit has been linked to employer brand in past research
conducted by Bhatnagar and Srivastava (2008). However, their study was qualitative
in nature. The case study approach was used to determine the importance of the
person-organisation fit in increasing visibility among prospective employees. The study
probed the need for conducting quantitative research in this area, and identifying the
relationship with the person-organisation fit in the context of employer brand. Thus, the
second goal of the study is to examine the role of the person-organisation fit in transferring
the employer brand dimensions to the EOC.
Becoming a EOC means that the company has carefully created an environment wherein
applicants are eager to work for it because they perceive it as a great place to work.
Therefore, an important question to be addressed here is what it takes for an organisation to
be chosen as a EOC. In order to remain competitive, organisations need to brand themselves
as EOCs, that is, as a great place to work. Despite the advantages associated with being a Moderating
EOC, past research has majorly ignored the determinants necessary for the creation of a effect of
EOC (Lenaghan and Eisner, 2006). However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, only one social media
study has addressed the linkage between employer brand determinants and EOC (Rampl,
2014). The results of this study indicated that two out of four determinants of the employer
brand, namely, work culture and work content, were found to be effective drivers of EOC.
The study also addressed the role of employer brand emotions in transferring employer
brand determinants to the EOC. The present study extends the work further by
investigating the role of the person-organisation fit as a mediating variable in transferring
employer brand dimensions to the EOC.
According to researcher’s views, the person-organisation fit has been examined as an
influence on recruitment outcomes such as the intention to pursue (a job in the organisation)
(Cable and Judge, 1996; Carless, 2005), but not with the EOC. This is what makes the study
unique. The present study examines the impact of the person-organisation fit on the EOC,
an area that has been neglected in the past.
Professionals belonging to the top-tier talent always have the choice to decide where
they would like to work. Having a strong employer brand helps in attracting these
professionals to the organisation, and social media, which has become a buzzword today,
is a great tool for brand promotion (Kissel and Büttgen, 2015), as it helps showcase the
employer brand before prospective candidates. It has not only influenced the thinking of
people but has also facilitated the use of new methods of promoting brands (Zhu et al.,
2014). As per the survey conducted by EB International in 2015, social media is the most
popular channel for communicating details about the employer brand. A few studies in the
past have studied the role of social media in promoting the employer brand (Madera, 2012;
Sivertzen et al., 2013), but there is dearth of studies focusing on the utilisation of social
media in the context of employer branding and EOC (Madera, 2012). When an employer
brand is positively communicated, it enables potential employees to decide whether there
is a fit between their personal values and organisational values. Also, as pointed out by
Schein and Diamante (1988), individuals are attracted to organisations based upon the
congruency between their own personality and that of the organisation. This congruency
can be achieved with the help of social media, which can communicate organisational
values to employees. Thus, the present study will help fill the research gap by testing the
role of social media as a moderator that may impact the strength of the relationship
between the person-organisation fit and EOC as compared to the employee having an
independent relation with the EOC.
The purpose of the present study is, therefore, to close all the above-mentioned research
gaps by addressing the following research objectives:
(1) explore the relationship between employer brand dimensions and the EOC for
prospective employees;
(2) analyse the role of the role of the person-organisation fit as a mediating variable in
transferring employer brand dimensions to the EOC; and
(3) assess the relevance of social media as a moderating variable between the
person-organisation fit and the EOC.
In order to achieve the objectives of the present study, the employer attractiveness scale
(EmpAt) developed by Berthon et al. (2005) has been modified and validated, as this is the
most implemented scale in the context of the employer brand. In the past, this scale has been
employed by various authors to measure the effectiveness of the employer brand (Roy, 2008;
Arachchige and Robertson, 2011). However, as stated by Berthon et al. (2005), because of
cross-cultural differences, the EmpAt scale cannot be extended cross-nationally without
PR further psychometric testing. Therefore, in the present study, exploratory factor analysis
(EFA) has been employed to modify the EmpAt scale for achieving the objectives of the
present study.
Conceptual background
Employer brand
The employer brand signifies an HR strategy used by organisations to attract and retain
employees (Backhaus and Tikoo, 2004). Ambler and Barrow (1996) define the employer
brand as “the package of functional, economical, and psychological benefits provided by
employment and identified with the employing company”. As suggested by Berthon et al.
(2005) and Collins and Stevens (2002), the concept of the employer brand is divided into two
parts. First, the employer brand is measured by understanding the general attitude towards
the company prevalent among its stakeholders and the public. Second, job attributes
perceived to be attractive among employees also help in measuring the employer brand.
Three out of five dimensions developed by Berthon et al. (2005) were considered for
developing an instrument for measurement of the employer brand. These three dimensions
are social value, economic value and development value. Further, three new dimensions,
namely, corporate social responsibility (CSR), work-life balance and diversity were added, as
they were identified as being important by the literature review (Corporate Executive Board,
1999; Hillebrandt and Ivens, 2013; Tanwar and Prasad, 2017; Schlager et al., 2011).
The next section discusses the various dimensions of the employer brand as identified
through the literature review.
Social value. This pertains to the working environment provided by the organisation.
Economic value assesses how far an organisation is willing to go to offer attractive salaries
to its employees. Development value includes items related to the training and development
needs of employees and their career-enhancing experiences (Berthon et al., 2005). Work-life
balance refers to the equilibrium individuals are able to achieve between their personal and
professional lives, and the policies offered by organisations to enable their employees to
maintain a healthy work-life balance. CSR measures the effect corporations have on the
society, which, in turn, allows them to engage new employees and customers. Through CSR,
the company is able to create a positive image in the minds of its current and potential
employees. At last, diversity refers to a mixed workforce that brings a wide range of
abilities, experiences, knowledge and strengths to an organisation; it also includes the level
of diversity in terms of the tasks being performed within the organisation.
After conduction of EFA, the above-mentioned six dimensions of employer brand were
reduced down to four dimensions, namely, work culture, salary and incentives, ethics and
CSR and diversity. Work culture represents the beliefs, thoughts, ideologies and attitudes
of the organisation. As highlighted by Barrow and Mosley (2005), employer brand of an
organisation can be strengthened by highlighting the salient aspect of its immediate
culture. Ethics and CSR helps an organisation to create a positive image in the market as
well as among its potential and existing employees. It is a means of enhancing brand
image of an organisation (Schiebel and Pöchtrager, 2003; Kim and Park, 2011). Salary and
incentives denotes attractive salary structure and reward strategy. As suggested by
Barrow and Mosley (2005), effective communication of reward strategies helps to reinforce
employer brand.
Employer brand and employer of choice

A EOC can be described as an organisation which inspires a potential employee to join it and
also stay on (Cable and Turban, 2003). Thus, a company achieves a EOC status when potential
employees want to work for it and accord first preference to it over other companies.
As suggested by Lievens (2007), the process of designation of a company as a EOC starts with Moderating
the development of the value proposition. This process is completed when the specific effect of
promises made to the employees are marketed internally and eventually fulfilled. social media
Brands play a critical role in the job choice decisions made by applicants (Chapman et al.,
2005). Researchers have argued that in order to become a EOC, an organisation must
possess various appealing attributes that are able to attract prospective employees (Herman
and Gioia, 2000b). It is argued that the employer brand helps an organisation showcase itself
in the labour market as a EOC (Srivastava and Bhatnagar, 2010). According to
The Conference Board (2001), one of the advantages emanating from the employer brand is
the achievement of a reputation as being a EOC. Further, as highlighted by Branham (2001),
one of the roles of the employer brand is to position the firm as a EOC in the minds of
potential employees. Employer brand thus plays a pivotal role in assisting an applicant in
choosing the right company. It also influences the job application intentions (Berthon et al.,
2005; Turban and Greening, 1997). A survey conducted by Guillot-Soulez and Soulez (2013)
found that Gen X and Y workers consider employer brand as a critical factor in the
job choice. Backhaus and Tikoo (2004) postulated that through external marketing of
the employer brand, a company can claim, “We are a company of choice”. This also
promotes the general assumption that distinctive brands attract quality talent. Keller (1993)
argued that awareness about the brand also affects the choice of the brand. Recruitment is,
therefore, not only about attracting suitable and competent employees but also about selling
the organisation as a EOC. It thus follows that the employer brand of a company plays a key
role in determining whether the company is a EOC or not for its potential employees.
Development of the research hypotheses

Employer brand and person-organisation fit. The person-organisation fit can be understood
as a fit between an employee’s beliefs, values and culture, on the one hand, and the
employer’s image, on the other hand (Lauver and Kristof-Brown, 2001). The perspective of
the person-organisation fit has been commonly used in conjunction with research on the
employer brand to explain the level of congruence between employers and employees
(Christiaans, 2013). Past research on the person-organisation fit indicates that potential
employees compare the prevalent brand of an organisation with their values, needs and
ideas, and a match between the two fosters greater attraction towards the organisation for
the individual (Schneider, 1987). Backhaus and Tikoo (2004) argued that prospective
employees compare the image of the employer brand and match it with their own values
and personalities. A successful employer brand is able to attract employees whose
attributes best fit the company (Srivastava and Bhatnagar, 2010). Also, research suggests
that the employer brand functions as a strategy which communicates the company’s
values to its stakeholders, which, in turn, allows the employees to ensure that they fit in
with the company’s culture (Parmar, 2014). Foster et al. (2010) also argued that the
employer brand is able to attract employees whose values and culture fit those of the
organisation. Thus, the employer brand helps employees to decide whether they fit into an
organisation with respect to their values and personal skills or not. It helps increase their
person-organisation fit, and they perceive that their values and abilities match those of the
organisation’s values and demands.
Thus, the following hypothesis is formulated:
H1. Dimensions of employer brand are positively contributing towards
person-organisation fit.
In the next section, the relationships between the dimensions of employer brand and
person-organisation fit have been hypothesised separately.
PR Work culture and person-organisation fit. The work culture dimension signifies a
friendly relationship among co-workers, flexi-hours and job security. Research suggests
that individuals are more likely to work for an organisation offering an environment
which fits their personal characteristics (Harinck et al., 2000; Boon et al., 2011). A study
conducted by Firfiray and Mayo (2017) found that job seekers develop a high level of
person-organisation fit perceptions for an organisation which offers flexi-work hours and
good work-life balance policies. A study by Kerry Schofield (2013) shows that it is also
important to ensure a “fit” between co-workers and supervisors. Job seekers form a
connection with an organisation wherein their personality matches those of other
employees working there (Kristof-Brown et al., 2005).
H1a. Work culture is positively related to the person-organisation fit.
Ethics and corporate social responsibility and person-organisation fit. Ethics and CSR helps
the company position itself in the labour market favourably. The existing literature
suggests that an ethical and socially responsible company can enhance the attractiveness of
the organisation for employees and the person-organisation fit by establishing a more
congenial atmosphere in the organisation, making it convenient for the employees to
interact with the HR department and senior functionaries of the organisation (Valentine
et al., 2002; Kim and Park, 2011; Kim et al., 2013). A study conducted by Ambrose et al. (2008)
suggested that a fit between the company and its CSR initiatives helps in the creation of a
person-organisation fit among potential employees. Also, an ethical work environment and
development of the ethical context enhance the person-organisation fit because employees
prefer to join a company that nurtures certain moral values, especially values that match
those they follow in their personal lives (Valentine et al., 2002).
H1b. Ethics and CSR is positively related to the person-organisation fit.
Diversity and person-organisation fit. Previous research has found that diversity is related
to the person-organisation fit and the applicant’s intention to seek and pursue employment
in the concerned organisation (Lovelace and Rosen, 1996; Verquer et al., 2003). Makraiova
et al. (2014) found that cultural diversity in the workplace is very important for creating a
fit between the employees and the organisation. Applicants who are high achievers with a
high degree of abilities most likely prefer to work with organisations that offer diversity in
terms of both the tasks and challenging roles (Trank et al., 2002). Thus, the following
hypothesis is formulated:
H1c. Diversity is positively related to the person-organisation fit.
Salary and incentives and person-organisation fit. Salary is an important job attribute.
Previous research argues that an organisation which offers a good pay and benefits can
create a person-organisation fit (Cable and Judge, 1994; Noe et al., 2003). Research also
suggests that employees relate themselves well with those organisations that offer good
salary and incentive packages. Employees fit in well with an organisation which focuses on
their salary needs (Cable and DeRue, 2002). This is because if their needs are fulfilled
through monetary or non-monetary incentives, they perceive that the organisation actually
values its employees, a perception that also acts as a morale booster.
H1d. Salary and incentives is positively related to the person-organisation fit.
The person-organisation fit as a mediating variable. The next relevant question is whether
the person-organisation fit helps in transferring employer brand dimensions towards the
formation of a EOC. One research study in the past (to the best of author’s knowledge) has Moderating
examined the relationship between the employer brand determinants and first-choice effect of
brand/EOC (Rampl, 2014). This study identified the effect of emotions associated with the social media
employer brand as a mediating variable between the employer brand determinants and
EOC. Emotions are relevant in decision making pertaining to the employer brand at a
psychological level (Rampl et al., 2016) as they are linked with a particular employer brand.
Brand emotions include emotional responses like likes, dislikes, love, hate, fear, sadness and
anger directed towards a brand (Rampl et al., 2016). Rampl (2014) argues that other
mediating variables too can influence the prediction of EOC. The present study argues that
the person-organisation fit, which is a fit between employee values and the organisation,
and also one of the outcomes of the employer brand, is an antecedent of EOC.
Brand emotions basically emanate from the consumer branding literature whereas the
person-organisation fit has its roots in psychology. Thus, it is worthwhile to check whether
the person-organisation fit acts as a mediator between the employer brand and EOC.
Building on the previous study, this study argues that the person-organisation fit can act as
a mediating variable between the employer brand dimensions and EOC status, or that the
person-organisation fit is also an antecedent of the EOC. Thus, the present study is a step
forward as it argues that employer brand factors, which are relevant for an organisation to
become a EOC, must result in the creation of a person-organisation fit that, in turn, would
lead to the formation of EOC status. Thus, the present study argues that the person-
organisation fit needs to act as a full mediator of the dimensions of an employer brand.
Hence, the following hypothesis is formulated:
H2. The person-organisation fit functions as a mediator between employer brand
dimensions and EOC.
Social media as a moderating variable. Social media is a powerful tool for attracting potential
employees (Cappelli, 2001). Firms use social media to advertise the benefits they provide to
employees, such as career development programs, foreign trips and competitive salary
packages, among other things. Social media is a collection of digital platforms that facilitate
information-sharing and collaborations with people across the world (Elefant, 2011). Social
networking sites (SNS) are part of social media, which allow users to generate content and
communicate and develop relationships with various public stakeholders as well as with
other users (Boyd and Ellison, 2008). SNS include networking sites such as LinkedIn,
Facebook, YouTube and Instagram (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010). SNS have gained a lot of
popularity in recent times (Greenwood, 2012). These sites also help companies to advertise
vacancies and job descriptions. This is a more rapid and cost-effective method as it enables
organisations to reach a wider set of audiences (Hull, 2011). It also enables employers to
communicate their organisation structure and culture to the target audience. In addition,
these sites are very popular among the Gen Y respondents. Thus, companies can use social
media to attract people of younger age groups (Richardson and Thomas, 2012). Employers
also search for current jobs posted on LinkedIn and Twitter as well as other SNS, and also
seek concomitant information from the existing employees of the organisation (Kwok, 2011).
In the present study, the term “social media” refers to the sharing of information by the
organisation through various SNS, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn.
Backhaus and Tikoo (2004) argue that firms must provide relevant information to
prospective employees so that the latter can identify their level of fit with the organisation.
The present study argues that social media may have an impact on the relationship
between the person-organisation fit and EOC rather than having an independent relation
with the EOC. Social media can also be used to identify and attract applicants with a better
person-organisation fit (Cober et al., 2004). Companies can use the career pages, social media
PR accounts and blogs to regularly disseminate their values and culture among subscribers.
The availability of more information leads to a better person-organisation fit among
employees (Dineen et al., 2002). A good person-organisation fit, in turn, signifies congruence
between the work-related values held by the candidate and the culture of an organisation.
For example, a potential employee can gather information about the organisation from
social media, but may not consider it to be his EOC or first-choice brand because he/she
thinks that there is incongruency between the values and knowledge held by him and those
of the organisation.
This leads to the development of following hypothesis:
H3. Potential employees’ perception of employers’ use of social media positively moderates
the relationship between the person-organisation fit and whether the organisation is a
EOC or not.
A conceptual framework has been developed on the basis of the above-mentioned hypothesis.
Refer to Figure 1 for an examination of the hypothesised conceptual framework.
Research methodology
Sample
In the present study, sophomores (second-year students enrolled in the MBA programme) at
the top three B-schools of the National Capital Region of India were selected as respondents.
All the participants in the study were seeking full-time jobs. The reason as to why B-school
students were selected for the study was that they are highly sought after by various
organisations during campus placements. Further, students are considered as primary
target groups for organisations interested in attracting skilled employees (Berthon et al.,
2005). The students selected as respondents were asked to share their opinions about the top
10 attractive employers based on a survey conducted by “The Randstad Employer Brand
Research 2017”. These top 10 attractive employers include Amazon, Google, Hewlett
Packard, IBM, ITC Group, Mercedes Benz, Microsoft, Philips India, Sony and Tata
Consultancy Services. The students were asked to choose the organisation they were most
familiar with and answer questions while keeping that organisation in mind. The
questionnaires were distributed among 453 students, out of which 386 willingly filled up
the questionnaire. Among the respondents, 87 per cent were in the 20–25 year age group and
13 per cent were in the 25–30 year age group.
Major dimensions Use of Social

of Employer brand Media
Work Culture
Salary and
Incentives Person-
Employer of
Organisation
Choice (EOC)
Fit (POF)
Diversity
Figure 1.
Proposed research Ethics and CSR
model
Instrument development Moderating
The survey took into consideration the following set of variables. effect of
Employer brand. The scale developed by Berthon et al. (2005) was adapted in order to social media
develop a measurement instrument for the employer brand. Three out of five dimensions
of the “EmpAt” scale delineated in Berthon et al. (2005) were used. The three dimensions
selected included social value, economic value and development value. The reason for
selecting these dimensions was that all of them have a strong theoretical foundation,
courtesy of the following three dimensions proposed by Ambler and Barrow (1996): the
functional, psychological and economic dimensions. Thus, these items were adapted to
ensure a strong foundation for the study. Moreover, social vale and development value
were found to be the most important dimensions with a high standardised weight, as per
Berthon et al. (2005). Further research in the area of employer brand has identified
diversity, ethics and CSR and work-life balance as important dimensions of the employer
brand (Hillebrandt and Ivens, 2013; Schlager et al., 2011, Zhu et al., 2014). Diversity, which
was identified as an important dimension of employer branding by Schlager et al. (2011),
reflects variety in terms of both work activities and a diverse workforce. Ethics and CSR,
on the other hand, has become powerful tools for enhancing the brand image of a company
(Kim and Park, 2011). Recent studies have also highlighted CSR as an important
dimension of employer branding (Hillebrandt and Ivens, 2013; Tanwar and Prasad, 2016;
Barrow and Mosley, 2005). The concept of work-life balance refers to the equilibrium
between an individual’s personal and professional life. Various studies (Corporate
Executive Board, 1999; Hillebrandt and Ivens, 2013; Tanwar and Prasad, 2017) have
identified work-life balance as an important dimension of employer branding. Strategies
focusing on the work-life balance also help organisations to enhance or strengthen their
employer brand. This, in turn, fosters increased employee attraction and retention
(Barrow and Mosley, 2005).
Therefore, items related to the three dimensions of diversity, ethics and CSR and
work-life balance were also added in the present study. Thereafter, EFA was conducted to
identify and validate the instrument in the Indian context.
Person-organisation fit. The Person-organisation fit scale was adapted from Kristof
(1996) and Cable and Judge (1996), with three items, “My skills and abilities match the skills
and abilities this organisation looks for in an employee”.
Employer of choice (EOC). The EOC was determined with regard to the items developed
by Highhouse et al. (2003) for measuring the “intention to pursue [employment in the
concerned firm]”. The “intention to pursue” items imply the behavioural intentions of the
respondents towards the company that they consider the first-choice as an employer.
The instrument implies further action on the part of the potential employee towards the
organisation. It also assesses whether the potential employee would recommend the
organisation to a friend looking for a job. All these traits are indicators that the company
concerned has achieved the status of a EOC (Lan et al., 2005).
Thus, in the present study, the instrument developed by Highhouse et al. (2003) has been
used to determine the EOC as it assesses the extent to which the organisation is regarded by
potential applicants as their “first-choice” as an employer.
For example, “This organisation is one of my first choices as an employer”.
Social media. Social media was measured using three statements developed by Collins
and Stevens (2002). This scale was originally used in general marketing. Hence, it was
modified to suit the objectives of the present study. For example, “The organisation profile
in social media caught my attention”.
All the measures were assessed by using a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1
(Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree). The questionnaire was administered to the
PR respondents in the English language. Prior to being administered in the field, the
questionnaire was pre-tested with a pilot sample of 45 students, and thereafter no changes
were deemed necessary in the original questionnaire.
Data analysis
Descriptive analysis of the means and standard deviations of constructs is shown in Table I.
Among the constructs, diversity value has the highest mean (M ¼ 4.18, SD ¼ 0.723),
followed by work culture (M ¼ 3.96, SD ¼ 0.678), social media (M ¼ 3.94, SD ¼ 0.711), salary
and incentives (M ¼ 3.93, SD ¼ 0.780), ethics and CSR (M ¼ 3.90, SD ¼ 0.735), EOC
(M ¼ 3.88, SD ¼ 0.660) and POF (M ¼ 3.86, SD ¼ 0.706). All the items have been measured
using a continuum of 1 to 5 scales. The reliability of the data has been evaluated through
coefficient α. The Cronbach’s α for all the constructs of the study range from 0.742 to 0.842.
A Cronbach’s α value of 0.70 and above is generally accepted to demonstrate a high level of
homogeneity with the scale (Nunnally, 1978). Hence, the measures of this study are
considered reliable and consistent. The reliability test results are shown in Table I.
Exploratory factor analysis

The factor-item composition considered as part of our study was further verified by
undertaking EFA. Principal component analysis (PCA)-based factor extraction coupled with
varimax rotation, was used to determine the major dimensions of the employer brand, which
was included in the proposed model. All the variables achieved factor loadings above the
floor criteria of 0.50 (Guadagnoli and Velicer, 1988) (Table II). Four major dimensions of
employer brand emerged from EFA. They have been named as per the items belonging to
their group. These four dimensions are “Work Culture”, “Ethics and CSR”, “Diversity”
and “Salary and Incentives”. Further, all factors achieved a cumulative variance explanation
of 68 per cent, much above the minimum recommended explanation based on the
variable-factor ratio (Costello and Osborne, 2005).
Confirmatory factor analysis

Having identified four clear factors through the PCA, the next step was to confirm the
proposed research model. Structural equation modelling was used to perform a
confirmatory factor analysis on the proposed model. As can be seen, the model consists
of a first-order seven-factor structure. Specifically, it comprises seven latent variables,
namely, work culture, ethics and CSR, diversity, salary and incentives, social media, POF
(person-organisation fit) and EOC (Figure 2).
The α value of all the six constructs was higher than 0.7. The average variance explained
(AVE) statistics of all the individual constructs were found to be greater than 0.5. Further, in
the case of all the seven individual constructs, the construct reliability (CR) statistics are
significantly greater than their respective AVE statistics (Table III). Thus, the individual
constructs satisfied all the pre-requisites of convergent validity (Hair et al., 2006).
Factors No. of items Mean SD α value
Work culture 6 3.96 0.678 0.874

Ethics and CSR 5 3.90 0.735 0.828
Diversity 4 4.18 0.723 0.836
Table I. Salary and incentives 4 3.93 0.780 0.821
Descriptive and Social media 4 3.94 0.711 0.864
reliability results POF 4 3.86 0.706 0.866
of the construct EOC 3 3.88 0.660 0.866
Factor Cronbach’s
Moderating
Factor Items loadings α effect of
social media
Work culture This organisation offers good internal training opportunities 0.663 0.874
There exists a friendly relationship among individual co-workers 0.692
This organisation provides opportunity to work from home 0.578
This organisation provides recognition/appreciation from 0.850
management
This organisation offers job security 0.847
This organisation provides flexible working hours 0.747
Ethics and This organisation has fair attitude towards employees 0.863 0.828
CSR Employees are expected to follow all rules and regulations 0.856
This organisation is humanitarian gives back to the society 0.640
This organisation gives adequate contribution towards charities 0.574
Diversity This organisation offers a good variety of work activities 0.771 0.836
Employees from different cultures are welcomed in this organisation 0.831
The organisation offers challenging tasks 0.585
This organisation provides opportunities to choose from diversity 0.795

of tasks
Salary and This organisation offers above average compensation and perks 0.423 0.866
incentives This organisation offers additional benefits are offered to motivate 0.824
employees
This organisation offers an attractive overall compensation package 0.794
This organisation provides good health benefits 0.839
Person- My skills and abilities match the skills and abilities this 0.613 0.866
organisation organisation looks for in an employee
fit (POF) I think I will find like-minded colleagues in this organisation 0.760
I feel that this organisation suits my style of working 0.874
My personality is well suited to the image of this organisation 0.880
Employer of This organisation is one of my first choices as an employer 0.558 0.842
choice (EOC) This organisation is the most attractive employer for me 0.814
I really want a job with this particular organisation 0.734
Social media I have seen advertising for jobs at this organisation in social media 0.881 0.864
The organisations profile in social media gave me detailed 0.859 Table II.
information about their job opportunities Results of
This organisations profile in social media caught my attention 0.729 factor analysis
In addition, the maximum shared variance (MSV ) and average shared variance (ASV )
figures for each of the seven individual constructs have been determined. The entire
construct was found to be valid in terms of discriminant validity as both the MSV and ASV
figures of the individual constructs have been found to be lower than their respective AVE
estimates (Table III). The validity statistics for the individual constructs were determined
using Microsoft Excel-based Validity Concerns Toolkit developed by Professor Gakingston.
The revised measurement model indicates that the results fall within the recommended
tolerance levels. The absolute fit indices of GFI (0.932) and the RMSEA (0.042) indicate a
good fit. The incremental fit indices of AGFI (0.861), TLI (0.963) and CFI (0.967) also indicate
a good fit.
Structural model
The structural model (path analysis) shown in Figure 3, proposed the causal relationships
among four exogenous (work culture, ethics and CSR, diversity and salary and incentives)
and two endogenous (person-organisation fit and EOC) constructs, out of which the
person-organisation fit also acting as a mediating variable. A structural equation model was
estimated using a maximum-likelihood estimation procedure.
PR
Figure 2.
Revised measurement
model
Average Maximum Average

variance shared shared
Reliability estimate variance variance Convergent Discriminant
Construct (CR) (AVE) (MSV ) (ASV ) validity validity
Work culture 0.874 0.542 0.516 0.369 Yes Yes

Ethics and CSR 0.828 0.554 0.254 0.195 Yes Yes
Diversity 0.836 0.565 0.516 0.288 Yes Yes
Table III. Salary and incentives 0.821 0.548 0.421 0.290 Yes Yes
Reliability and Social media 0.864 0.618 0.442 0.301 Yes Yes
validity for individual POF 0.866 0.623 0.442 0.277 Yes Yes
constructs EOC 0.866 0.623 0.442 0.277 Yes Yes
Figure 3 provides the standardized path coefficients ( β) for each significant path
of the conceptual model. All the indices illustrated a satisfactory model fit ( χ² ¼ 403.97,
df ¼ 196, p o 0.001, GFI ¼ 0.993, AGFI ¼ 0.965, CFI ¼ 0.999, RMSEA ¼ 0.040,
PCLOSE ¼ 0.514) with the exception of TLI (0.90). The χ2 ratio ( χ2/df ) was 2.06,
which was acceptable.
The results (as depicted in Table IV ) indicate that the pathways from work_culture to
the person-organisation fit ( β ¼ 0.329, CR ¼ 7.854, p-value ¼ ***), ethics and CSR to the
person-organisation fit ( β ¼ 0.215, CR ¼ 4.906, p-value ¼ ***), salary and incentives to the
person-organisation fit ( β ¼ 0.150, CR ¼ 4.222, p-value ¼ ***) and the person-organisation
fit to EOC ( β ¼ 1.390, CR ¼ 231.621, p-value ¼ ***) are significant and positively related, Moderating
whereas diversity to the person-organisation fit ( β ¼ −0.055, CR ¼ −1.300, p-value ¼ 0.194) effect of
is not significant. social media
Mediation effect of POF on the relationship between the employer brand dimensions and EOC
Additionally, the study followed procedures suggested by Baron and Kenny (1986) for
testing whether the person-organisation fit functions as a mediator between the employer
brand dimensions and EOC. The results show that the effect of employer brand dimensions
on EOC is mediated by POF (Figure 4).
As presented in Table V, the former significant relationships (direct effect) between work
culture, ethics and CSR, diversity, salary and incentives and EOC significantly decreased
and became insignificant work_culture: from β without_POF ¼ 0.634 (t-value ¼ 14.147,
p-value ¼ ***) to β with_POF ¼ 0.000 (t-value ¼ −0.055, p-value ¼ 0.956); ethics and CSR:
from β without_POF ¼ 0.631 (t-value ¼ 9.369, p-value ¼ ***) to β with_POF ¼ 0.014
Work_culture
0.43 0.46
0.62 Ethics_csr e1
0.23 e2
0.49 0.99
0.56 1.00
0.35 POF EOC
–0.07
0.33 Diversity Figure 3.
0.22
Path analysis of
0.52 the proposed
structural model
Sal_incen
Path Estimate SE CR p-value
POF ← Work_culture 0.329 0.045 7.854 0.000 Table IV.

POF ← Sal_incen 0.150 0.037 4.222 0.000 Summary of direct
POF ← Diversity −0.055 0.039 −1.300 0.194 relationship based on
POF ← Ethics_csr 0.215 0.053 4.906 0.000 the results of SEM in
EOC ← POF 1.390 0.138 9.936 0.000 the conceptual model
Work_culture
0.43
0.46 0.00
Ethics_csr e1
0.62 0.01 e2
0.23
0.49 0.99
0.99
POF EOC
0.56 0.35
–0.07 0.00
0.33
Diversity 0.22 0.00 Figure 4.
0.52
Mediation analysis
for proposed path
coefficients
Sal_incen
PR (t-value ¼ 2.273, p-value ¼ 0.023); diversity: from β without_POF ¼ 0.435 (t-value ¼ 7.708,
p-value ¼ ***) to β with_POF ¼ 0.004 (t-value ¼ 0.707, p-value ¼ 0.479); salary and incentives:
from β without_POF ¼ 0.488 (t-value ¼ 10.372, p-value ¼ ***) to β with_POF ¼ −0.003
(t-value ¼ −0.138, p-value ¼ 0.891); when POF was integrated as a mediator.
Moderating effect of use of social media on the relationship between person-organisation fit
and EOC
The significant interaction indicated that the relationship between person-organisation fit
and EOC was conditional upon the use of social media by the students. The interaction was
probed following the procedures recommended by Aikin and West (1991). The values of the
moderator (support) were chosen 1 SD above and 1 SD below the mean to form simple
regression equations and the interaction plotted (see Figure 5).
Further, in order to calculate the interaction effect of social media and
person-organisation fit on EOC, the Z-scores of the respective variables were calculated.
Adding the interaction terms (Z-score (Social_media) × Z-score (POF)) allows the model to
take account of the differences between the effects of POF on EOC in both the presence and
the absence of the moderating variable, that is, social media.
If the R2 increases with the addition of the interaction variable (Z-score (Social_media) ×
Z-score (POF)) and that change is significant, we say that there is a positive interaction
effect in the model. Table VI shows that the R2 increase from 0.745 to 0.785 with the addition
Path proposed (Direct effect) Without POF (Indirect effect) With POF Result
Work_culture → POF → EOC β ¼ 0.634, t-value ¼ 14.147, β ¼ 0.000, t-value ¼ −0.055, Full mediation
p-value ¼ 0.000 p-value ¼ 0.956
Table V. Ethics_csr → POF → EOC β ¼ 0.631, t-value ¼ 9.369, β ¼ 0.014, t-value ¼ 2.273, Partial mediation
Summary of direct p-value ¼ 0.000 p-value ¼ 0.023
and indirect Diversity → POF → EOC β ¼ 0.435, t-value ¼ 7.708, β ¼ 0.004, t-value ¼ 0.707, Full mediation
relationship based on p-value ¼ 0.000 p-value ¼ 0.479
the results of SEM in Sal_incen → POF → EOC β ¼ 0.488, t-value ¼ 10.372, β ¼ −0.003, t-value ¼ −0.138, Full mediation
the conceptual model p-value ¼ 0.000 p-value ¼ 0.891
3.35 Social_media
+1 SD
Mean
3.27 –1 SD
3.19
EOC
3.11
3.03
2.95
Figure 5.
Pattern of the 2.87
interaction effects (cf.
0.8 1.4 2.0 2.5 3.1 3.6 4.2
Aiken et al., 1991)
POF
of the interaction variable (Z-score (Social_media) × Z-score (POF)) and the consequent Moderating
increase in the model’s fit is statistically significant. Thus, at higher level of social media, effect of
person-organisation fit has a stronger and positive effect on EOC. social media
Discussion
The aim of this study was three-fold: first, to explore the dimensions of employer brand
by modifying EmpAt scale in the Indian context; second, to identify the role of the
person-organisation fit as a mediating variable in transferring employer brand dimensions
towards the creation of a EOC status; and third, to shed light on the role of social media as a
moderating variable, that is, to check whether the contribution of the person-organisation fit
is dependent on the contribution of social media in building a EOC status.
In order to achieve the first objective, EFA was conducted to identify and validate the
dimensions of EmpAt scale. The results modified five dimensions of EmpAt. The four new
dimensions identified after conduction of the EFA are positive work culture, diversity,
ethics and CSR and salary and incentives. The results are different from those derived in
previous studies such as Arachchige and Robertson (2011) and Roy (2008). One of the
reasons for this alteration in results could be cultural and sectoral differences. Another
reason could be the inclusion of new items in the scale. The findings add to the relevance of
social and ethical factors of work as being important in attracting and creating a positive
person-organisation fit among potential employees.
A positive work culture encompasses items related to work-life balance, organisational
culture and foreign exposure. Ethics and CSR comprises items related to ethical and social
policies of the company. The diversity dimension includes items related to diversity in tasks
and cultural/social background of employees. The salary and incentives dimension pertains
to items signifying high salaries and attractive incentives for employees.
PCA with varimax rotation was employed in the original Berthon et al.’s (2005) study.
The results of this procedure reported five factors (social value, development value,
application value, interest value and economic value), accounting for a cumulative
74 per cent of the variation in the data. Our results, on the other hand, explored four major
factors, including “Positive Work Culture”, “Ethics and CSR”, “Diversity” and “Salary and
Incentives”, using PCA with varimax rotation. All the factors achieved a cumulative
variance explanation of 68 per cent, much above the minimum recommended explanation
based on variable-factor ratio (Costello and Osborne, 2005).
There is difference between the results of the EFA applied in present study and the
original Berthon et al.’s (2005) scale. Cultural differences can explain this discrepancy.
Berthon et al. (2005) explored five factors in their study: interest value, social value,
economic value, development value and applications value. The present study identified
four dimensions of employer brand: positive work culture, ethics and CSR, diversity and
salary and incentives. The study by Berthon et al. (2005) was carried out in Australian
University with a sample of final-year students. The present study also used the sample of
final-year MBA students but of India, a developing nation. Both the newly explored
dimensions were found to be crucial in determining the employer brand of a company.
Change statistics
Model R R2 Adjusted R2 SE of the estimate R2 change F change df1 df2 Sig. F change Table VI.
a SPSS output:
1 0.897 0.745 0.995 0.07355358 0.885 1,663.704 2 152 0.000 regression with
2 0.847b 0.785 0.995 0.07326141 0.068 132.302 1 153 0.000 interaction of
Notes: aPredictors: (Constant), Z-score (Social_media), Z-score(POF); bpredictors: (Constant), Z-score goodness of fit
(Social_media), Z-score(POF), Interaction (Z-score (Social_media) × Z-score (POF)) statistics
PR As stated by Berthon et al. (2005), cultural differences may have important implications for
international brand building (p.169). The present study explored ethics and CSR and
diversity as two new dimensions of employer branding in Indian context. The results of the
present study highlight the importance of companies valuing diversity and CSR as a means
of attracting potential employees. The reason for this is that India is one of the most diverse
lands found in the world. The characteristics of diversity dimensions vary from country to
country. The cultural and political contexts of India are also different from those of western
countries. This diversity is seen in the indicators of caste, religion, language, age and
physical disability in the country. India is home to about 3000 castes, 6 religions and
approximately 122 major languages. Women constitute 50 per cent of the population
(Bhasin, 2006). In view of such a varied population in the country, the people would
obviously be keen to work for an organisation that values diversity and also having a
diverse workforce, welcoming people with different human qualities or who belong to
various cultural groups. This also helps in the creation of a strong employer brand. In the
study by Berthon et al. (2005), social value was found to be the most important dimension
having the highest AVE. The concept of social value assesses the extent to which an
individual is attracted to an employer who provides a conducive working environment,
characterised by fun-filled, happy and collegial relationships and a team atmosphere
(Berthon et al., 2005). This can be attributed to the fact that Australians have flat
organisation structures with less formal forms of communication (Clayton et al., 2008).
Organisations in Australia thus prefer a friendly and team approach in dealing with
employees in contrast to India, which largely has hierarchical organisations. Thus, it can be
said that dimensions of employer brand explored in the present study are different from that
of conducted by Berthon et al. (2005) due to above mentioned cultural differences.
The new factors explored in this study, including positive work culture, diversity, ethics
and CSR and salary and incentives, can also be attributed to the prevalence of a western
work environment. To take diversity first: western countries attach a lot of significance to
the promotion of diversity in the workplace. In fact, statistics suggest that 37 per cent of the
western countries strongly believe in promoting diversity as compared with a
corresponding figure of only 30 per cent in Asia (Deane, 2013). According to a survey by
Glassdoor, 213 of the job-seekers in Australia indicated that diversity was an important
criterion considered by them when applying to different companies. Also, the phenomenon
of mass immigration has added another dimension to diversity in western countries. This
diversity among prospective employees also opens up talent pools for employers. A survey
conducted by Chloe Taylor (2015) found that 85 per cent of the employees accord priority to
increasing diversity in the workforce during job selection.
Ethics and CSR, which is identified as a new dimension, is also applicable for western
countries. Over the past couple of years, there has been a shift in the perceptions of
employees towards their company. Employees demand that their employers should
incorporate ethics in the organisations’ work culture, as indicated by business research
conducted by “Global Tolerance”, which suggests that approximately half of workforce in
the UK (42 per cent) would like to work for an organisation that positively impacts society.
The corresponding figure for the respondents who are millennials is 53 per cent (Mathew,
2015). CSR too helps in creating a positive message about the organisation, which, in turn,
helps in attracting talent vis-à-vis increasing employer brand value.
Second, the study identified the effect of employer brand dimensions on the
person-organisation fit. The results show that positive work culture, CSR and salary and
incentives are the three dimensions valued by potential employees, which further help in the
creation of person-organisation fit. It thus follows that employees search for a company
where they find congruence between their work-related values and the culture fostered by
the organisation (Silverthorne, 2004; Kim et al., 2005). Such work values can be in the form of
better policies pertaining to work-life balance, growth opportunities, teamwork among Moderating
employees and salary structures. Perceptions about the manner in which the company effect of
performs CSR also affects the employees’ decisions and behaviour. This indicates that social media
applicants are more attracted towards a company whose CSR aligns with their own values
and ethics. On the other hand, diversity was not found to have a positive relation with the
person-organisation fit. This shows that there might be a tendency among employees to
prefer organisations that hire people who look like themselves (Shore et al., 2009).
The results also show that the person-organisation fit acts as a strong mediator between
the employer brand dimensions and EOC. It thus shows that the concept of employer brand
should be enhanced by including the person-organisation fit as an antecedent of the EOC.
Thus, a positive work culture, CSR and salary and incentives will affect the EOC only if
employees feel a fit/match between their values and those of the organisation. Organisations
must work towards increasing the person-organisation fit in order to be selected as EOC.
Organisations must identify various ways to integrate the person-organisation fit as a
central variable in the model of EOC with a positive work culture, CSR and salary and
incentives dimensions as the central employer brand dimensions. Without the right job fit,
an employee will never identify the employing company as his EOC. The role of social media
has been suggested by Davison et al. (2011). Thus, the organisation can promote the
attributes of the employer brand that are sought by potential employees. In previous studies
(Cable and Turban, 2003; Madera, 2012), social media was found to be an important tool for
promoting corporate reputation. The present study is an extension to the previous research
in the sense that it has also found social media to be an important predictor of EOC. The
results show that the use of social media helps in strengthening the already existing
relationship between the person-organisation fit and EOC.
The fourth objective of the study was to explore the role of social media as a moderator in
the relationship between the person-organisation fit and EOC. The findings of the study
suggest that the contribution of the person-organisation fit is dependent on the contribution
of social media in building a EOC. Support was found for H3, which states that there is an
interaction effect of social media on the EOC. This signifies that social media must exist and
must be used to create a EOC status. This, in turn, means that the EOC status of a company
is developed if the usage of social media is increased, implying that the interaction of social
media is significant in the relationship between the person-organisation fit and EOC.
Implications
The significance of this research lies in the contribution it makes towards theory and for
practising managers discussed hereafter.
Theoretical contribution
The study provides empirical support to the importance of studying the employer brand,
EOC and the related constructs, namely, the person-organisation fit and social media. It is
the first time that all these constructs have been integrated in a single study. The study
offers several theoretical contributions. First, the EmpAt scale has been validated in a
developing nation India. Two new dimensions: diversity and ethics and CSR have been
identified. Second, in prior studies (Rampl, 2014) the impact of employer’s brand dimensions
and EOC was mediated by employer brand emotions and as stated earlier, till date,
the extant literature has not addressed the issue of the relationship between the
person-organisation fit and EOC. Third, using final-year students as research subjects,
the study has highlighted the importance of students’ perceptions about the top
10 attractive employers of India. The study supported past research findings that employer
brand is an important antecedent variable of the person-organisation fit (Bhatnagar and
Srivastava, 2008). Fourth, in spite of the growing attention being accorded to the employer
PR brand in Indian companies, there is very little research on the topic. There is huge
competition among various industries. In order to maintain and improve their brand image
and reputation among prospective employees, they have to find new ways of attracting
employees. Fifth, this study also found that the use of social media is helping the
organisation to market the necessary knowledge required by the target audience. The
present research adds to the existing database of research on social media and recruitment
by recognising social media as an important tool for promotion of the EOC status.
Practical implications
The results have important practical implications. They suggest that three out of four
dimensions of employer brand: positive work culture, CSR and salary and incentives were
found to be crucial predictors of the person-organisation fit. This underscores the
importance of three dimensions of the employer brand for potential employees when they
gauge employers. The results show that it is important to have an enabling work culture
which provides flexible-working hours and an atmosphere wherein employees would
be happy learn and grow amidst supportive colleagues. The findings also highlight the
importance of offering competitive salaries and benefit packages including health insurance
and other incentives. The organisation must also engage in various CSR initiatives.
Research suggests that people’s expectations from socially responsible firms have increased
over past 20 years. People appear to fit in better with an organisation that has an ethical
orientation (Coldwell et al., 2008). Diversity in the workplace is the only dimension which
does not affect the person-organisation fit. The company management, therefore, needs to
understand the importance of having a diverse workforce while also managing this
workforce and being able to fulfil the needs of all employees so as to avoid conflicts and
tensions (Angeline, 2011). A diverse workforce needs to be managed properly. For this
purpose, the organisation can measure the profile of a defined work group, and
communicate the concepts of its organisational culture to the target audience using social
media. This approach can also be adopted for hiring people from diverse work groups who
would fit in with the organisational culture (Ernst Kossek et al., 2010).
Although many organisations in India have adopted diversity models to enable
employees from diverse backgrounds to collaborate and work together, a lot more still needs
to be done in this direction (Hewlett et al., 2013).
Third, the findings show that the person-organisation fit fully mediates the relationship
between the employer brand dimensions and EOC. This implies that the employer brand
dimensions, while being necessary for improved outcomes, do not necessarily lead to the
creation of a EOC unless the potential employees develop a strong person-organisation fit.
This result has practical implications for the implementation of the person-organisation fit.
Therefore, managers and employees should work towards enhancing the potential
applicants’ person-organisation fit. Organisations can use the person-organisation fit as a
method of having employees in a dynamic work environment wherein the attrition rate
among employees is always high (Hoffman and Woehr, 2006).
It can be also interpreted from the results that job-seekers tend to collect and evaluate
information about the organisation before finally approving of it and making it their first
preference. Thus, organisations should work towards communicating valid and accurate
information to the potential employees so that employees can feel that their values and
culture are in congruence with the organisation (Cable and Judge, 1996). Now that the
findings suggest that employer brand and the person-organisation fit help in the creation
of a EOC status, the next important question to be considered is how an organisation can
communicate its organisational values and culture among job-seekers. This is where
social media steps in. The findings of the study suggest that social media moderates the
relationship between the person-organisation fit and the EOC. The organisation can
leverage this knowledge by searching for applicants whose values and culture match Moderating
those fostered by it. This can be achieved by using social media to promote the effect of
organisation as a EOC. social media
Despite the attention according to social media, there is inadequate research highlighting
its use (Davison et al., 2011; Walker et al., 2011). Companies can use social media sites,
namely, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and other blog sites to promote their brand.
Interesting news and organisational insights can be shared with prospective employees.
Moreover, companies can also perform analyses through various search engine tools to
check whether their social media strategies are having the desired effect in terms of
promoting a positive employer brand. Research conducted by EB International revealed
that 76 per cent of the companies use social media to promote their employer brand.
Thus, social media is changing the face of recruitment by making it easier to
communicate company’s policies and culture, while creating a person-organisation fit that
improves the chances of an organisation in becoming a EOC. Potential employees who have
well-thought out career strategies keep looking for organisations with the right culture and
social fit for them before actually reaching out to the organisation for employment. Social
media can act as a tool for the organisation to communicate the desired information to the
applicants, which, in turn, can make it a EOC (Madera, 2012).
Limitations and future research directions

This study has some limitations and offers potential areas for future research. First, in the
present study, final-year students were chosen as respondents. As suggested by Berthon
et al. (2005), the use of students as subjects in research threatens the external validity and
generalisability of findings. Although the present research builds upon the existing research
(Berthon et al., 2005; Lievens, 2007), it would be more useful to include existing employees as
the target audience. Future research can identify the factors that help an organisation to
maintain the status of being a EOC even after the person has joined the organisation. This
would help in designing various practices for promoting the retention of employees.
Second, the result of the EFA led to the modification of EmpAt scale, and identification of
two new factors: ethics and CSR and diversity. This result may vary across cultures and
industries. Thus, future research can estimate the multi-dimensional nature by adding more
indicators to the proposed employer brand model.
Third, the study considered the person-organisation fit as the mediating variable. It would
be worthwhile to examine the effect of other mediating variables such as anticipatory
psychological contract, social identity, salary expectations and corporate reputation. Another
area that may be pursued is identification of link between the person-organisation fit and the
EOC for employees with limited work experience. This might help in investigating whether
the EOC decision changes during the later career stages of employees. This would help in
strengthening policy-making at various organisational levels.
Fourth, in the present study, social media has been included as an intervening variable
between the person-organisation fit and EOC. In future studies, it might be worthwhile to
make an attempt to replicate the analyses to better understand the mechanism of the
employer brand, and the influence of the person-organisation fit over the EOC, while
simultaneously extending the range of mediators and moderators.
At last, the cross-sectional design limits the ability to draw causal inferences. One of the
most important assumptions of the single-mediator model is temporal precedence, which
states that a cause must precede an effect in time. Thus, to make a strong argument for a
variable being a mediator, the measurement of the antecedent, mediator and consequent
outcome must reflect that the antecedent needs time to alter the mediator variable, which, in
turn, needs time to alter the consequent outcome. Therefore, in most cases, longitudinal data
measured at a minimum of three points in time are needed to adequately assess mediator
PR variables. Due to a variety of factors, including time and resource constraints, however,
longitudinal data are rarely used to test for mediation, which was the reason why we chose a
cross-sectional design.
Conclusion
Discussion in the extant literature has been extensive about employer brand and its benefits
(Backhaus and Tikoo, 2004; Berthon et al., 2005; Edwards, 2009; Davies, 2008). However,
limited consideration was given to the practical application of the employer brand towards the
creation of EOC status. The present study addressed this research gap by exploring
the relationship between employer brand dimensions and EOC having person-organisation fit
as a mediating variable and social media as a moderating variable between
person-organisation fit and EOC. The study concludes that three dimensions of employer
brand are positively associated with person-organisation fit. Also, person-organisation fit act
as a mediator between employer brand dimensions and EOC. Results also show interaction
effect of social media on EOC. The study shed specific light on what it takes an already
branded organisation to achieve the status of EOC. The summary observation is that
organisation hoping to obtain EOC status will profit from increased attention given to social
media which can help in communication of valid and accurate information to employees so
that they can feel that their values and culture match with those fostered by the organisation.
References
Aiken, L.S., West, S.G. and Reno, R.R. (1991), Multiple Regression: Testing and Interpreting Interactions,
Sage, New York, NY.
Ambler, T. and Barrow, S. (1996), “The employer brand”, Journal of Brand Management, Vol. 4 No. 3,
pp. 185-206.
Ambrose, M.L., Arnaud, A. and Schminke, M. (2008), “Individual moral development and ethical
climate: the influence of person–organization fit on job attitudes”, Journal of Business Ethics,
Vol. 77 No. 3, pp. 323-333.
Angeline, T. (2011), “Managing generational diversity at the workplace: expectations and perceptions
of different generations of employees”, African Journal of Business Management, Vol. 5 No. 2,
pp. 249-255.
Arachchige, B.J. and Robertson, A. (2011), “Business student perceptions of a preferred employer:
a study identifying determinants of employer branding”, IUP Journal of Brand Management,
Vol. 8 No. 3, pp. 25-46.
Backhaus, K. and Tikoo, S. (2004), “Conceptualizing and researching employer branding”,
Career Development International, Vol. 9 No. 5, pp. 501-517.
Baker, T. (2014), Attracting and Retaining Talent: Becoming an Employer of Choice, Palgrave Macmillan.
Baron, R.M. and Kenny, D.A. (1986), “The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social
psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations”, Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 51 No. 6, pp. 1173-1182.
Barrow, S. and Mosley, R. (2005), The Employer Brand, John Wiley & Sons, pp. 132-145.
Berthon, P., Ewing, M. and Hah, L.L. (2005), “Captivating company: dimensions of attractiveness in
employer branding”, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 151-172.
Bhasin, M.K. (2006), “Genetics of castes and tribes of India: Indian population milieu”, International
Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 6 No. 3, pp. 233-274.
Bhatnagar, J. and Srivastava, P. (2008), “Strategy for staffing: employer branding & person
organization fit”, Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. 44 No. 1, pp. 35-48.
Boon, C., Den Hartog, D.N., Boselie, P. and Paauwe, J. (2011), “The relationship between perceptions of HR
practices and employee outcomes: examining the role of person–organisation and person–job fit”,
The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 22 No. 1, pp. 138-162.
Boyd, D.M. and Ellison, N.B. (2008), “Social network sites: definition, history, and scholarship”, Journal Moderating
of Computer-Mediated Communication, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 210-230. effect of
Branham, L. (2001), Keeping the People Who Keep You in Business: 24 Ways to Hang on to Your Most social media
Valuable Talent, American Management Association, New York, NY.
Cable, D.M. and DeRue, D.S. (2002), “The convergent and discriminant validity of subjective fit
perceptions”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 87 No. 5, pp. 876-884.
Cable, D.M. and Judge, T.A. (1994), “Pay preferences and job search decisions: a person‐organization fit
perspective”, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 47 No. 2, pp. 317-348.
Cable, D.M. and Judge, T.A. (1996), “Person–organization fit, job choice decisions, and organizational
entry”, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Vol. 67 No. 3, pp. 294-311.
Cable, D.M. and Turban, D.B. (2003), “The value of organizational reputation in the recruitment
context: a brand‐equity perspective”, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 33 No. 11,
pp. 2244-2266.
Cappelli, P. (2001), “Making the most of on-line recruiting”, Harvard Business Review, March, pp. 139-146.
Carless, S.A. (2005), “Person–job fit versus person–organization fit as predictors of organizational
attraction and job acceptance intentions: a longitudinal study”, Journal of Occupational and
Organizational Psychology, Vol. 78 No. 3, pp. 411-429.
Chapman, D.S., Uggerslev, K.L., Carroll, S.A., Piasentin, K.A. and Jones, D.A. (2005), “Applicant
attraction to organizations and job choice: a meta-analytic review of the correlates of recruiting
outcomes”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 90 No. 5, pp. 928-944.
Christiaans, L. (2013), “Theoretical background and literature review”, International Employer Brand
Management, Springer Fachmedien, Wiesbaden, pp. 11-49.
Clayton, B., Fisher, T., Harris, R., Bateman, A. and Brown, M. (2008), “Structures and cultures: a review
of the literature”, Support Document, Vol. 2, 55pp.
Cober, R.T., Brown, D.J., Keeping, L.M. and Levy, P.E. (2004), “Recruitment on the net: how do
organizational web site characteristics influence applicant attraction?”, Journal of Management,
Vol. 30 No. 5, pp. 623-646.
Coldwell, D.A., Billsberry, J., Van Meurs, N. and Marsh, P.J. (2008), “The effects of person–organization
ethical fit on employee attraction and retention: towards a testable explanatory model”, Journal
of Business Ethics, Vol. 78 No. 4, pp. 611-622.
Collins, C.J. and Stevens, C.K. (2002), “The relationship between early recruitment-related activities and
the application decisions of new labor-market entrants: a brand equity approach to recruitment”,
Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 87 No. 6, pp. 1121-1133.
Corporate Executive Board (1999), The Employment Brand: Building Competitive Advantage in the
Labor Market, Corporate Executive Board, Washington, DC.
Costello, A.B. and Osborne, J.W. (2005), “Best practices in exploratory factor analysis: four
recommendations for getting the most from your analysis”, Practical Assessment, Research and
Evaluation, Vol. 10 No. 7, pp. 1-9.
Davies, G. (2008), “Employer branding and its influence on managers”, European Journal of Marketing,
Vol. 42 Nos 5/6, pp. 667-681.
Davison, H.K., Maraist, C. and Bing, M.N. (2011), “Friend or foe? The promise and pitfalls of using
social networking sites for HR decisions”, Journal of Business and Psychology, Vol. 26 No. 2,
pp. 153-159.
Deane, B.R. (2013), Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion, Vol. 33, John Wiley & Sons, San
Francisco, CA.
Devina, M., Astrini, M.R. and Syaebani, M.I. (2016), “Employer branding strategies effects on job
pursuit intention of business school undergraduates: case study of oil companies in Indonesia”,
Journal of Entrepreneurship, Business and Economics, Vol. 4 No. 2, pp. 1-39.
Dineen, B.R., Ash, S.R. and Noe, R.A. (2002), “A web of applicant attraction: person-organization fit in
the context of web-based recruitment”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 87 No. 4, pp. 723-734.
PR Edwards, M.R. (2009), “An integrative review of employer branding and OB theory”, Personnel Review,
Vol. 39 No. 1, pp. 5-23.
Elefant, C. (2011), “The ‘power’ of social media: legal issues and best practices for utilities engaging
social media”, Energy Law Journal, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 1-56.
Ernst Kossek, E., Lewis, S. and Hammer, L.B. (2010), “Work-life initiatives and organizational change:
overcoming mixed messages to move from the margin to the mainstream”, Human Relations,
Vol. 63 No. 1, pp. 3-19.
Firfiray, S. and Mayo, M. (2017), “The lure of work‐life benefits: perceived person‐organization fit as a
mechanism explaining job seeker attraction to organizations”, Human Resource Management,
Vol. 56 No. 4, pp. 629-649.
Foster, C., Punjaisri, K. and Cheng, R. (2010), “Exploring the relationship between corporate,
internal and employer branding”, Journal of Product and Brand Management, Vol. 19 No. 6,
pp. 401-409.
Francis, D. and Bessant, J. (2005), “Targeting innovation and implications for capability development”,
Technovation, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 171-183.
Greenwood, G. (2012), “Examining the presence of social media on university web sites”, Journal of
College Admission, Vol. 216, pp. 24-28.
Guadagnoli, E. and Velicer, W.F. (1988), “Relation to sample size to the stability of component
patterns”, Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 103 No. 2, pp. 265-275.
Guillot-Soulez, C. and Soulez, S. (2013), “Generation Y preferences for employer brand benefits”, 13th
EURAM Annual Conference, p. 33.
Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J., Anderson, R.E. and Tatham, R.L. (2006), Multivariate Data Analysis,
Vol. 6, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Harinck, F., De Dreu, C.K. and Van Vianen, A.E. (2000), “The impact of conflict issues on fixed-pie
perceptions, problem solving, and integrative outcomes in negotiation”, Organizational Behavior
and Human Decision Processes, Vol. 81 No. 2, pp. 329-358.
Herman, R.E. and Gioia, J.L. (2000a), Workforce Stability: Your Competitive Edge: How to Attract,
Optimize, and Hold your Best Employees, Oakhill Press, Leicester.
Herman, R.E. and Gioia, J.L. (2000b), How to Become an Employer of Choice, Oak Hill Publishing Company,
Leicester.
Hewlett, S.A., Marshall, M. and Sherbin, L. (2013), “How diversity can drive innovation”, avalaible at:
https://hbr.org/2013/12/how-diversity-can-drive-innovation (accessed April 2017).
Highhouse, S., Lievens, F. and Sinar, E.F. (2003), “Measuring attraction to organizations”, Educational
and Psychological Measurement, Vol. 63 No. 6, pp. 986-1001.
Hillebrandt, I. and Ivens, B.S. (2013), “Scale development in employer branding”, Impulse für die
Markenpraxis und Markenforschung, Springer Fachmedien, Wiesbaden, pp. 65-86.
Hoffman, B.J. and Woehr, D.J. (2006), “A quantitative review of the relationship between
person–organization fit and behavioral outcomes”, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Vol. 68
No. 3, pp. 389-399.
Hull, J. (2011), “50% reduction on recruitment costs: how social media became my best friend”, HR
Magazine Online, 27 April, pp. 509-536, available at: www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/features/10
19381/-reduction-recruitment-costs-social-media-friend (accessed 25 May 2018).
Hult, G.T.M. (2011), “Toward a theory of the boundary-spanning marketing organization and insights
from 31 organization theories”, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 39 No. 4,
pp. 509-536.
Kaplan, A.M. and Haenlein, M. (2010), “Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of
social media”, Business Horizons, Vol. 53 No. 1, pp. 59-68.
Keller, K.L. (1993), “Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity”,
The Journal of Marketing, Vol. 57 No. 1, pp. 1-22.
Kim, C.H., Amaeshi, K., Harris, S. and Suh, C.J. (2013), “CSR and the national institutional context: the Moderating
case of South Korea”, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 66 No. 12, pp. 2581-2591. effect of
Kim, S.Y. and Park, H. (2011), “Corporate social responsibility as an organizational attractiveness social media
for prospective public relations practitioners”, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 103 No. 4,
pp. 639-653.
Kim, T.Y., Cable, D.M. and Kim, S.P. (2005), “Socialization tactics, employee proactivity, and
person-organization fit”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 90 No. 2, pp. 232.
Kissel, P. and Büttgen, M. (2015), “Using social media to communicate employer brand identity: the
impact on corporate image and employer attractiveness”, Journal of Brand Management, Vol. 22
No. 9, pp. 755-777.
Kristof, A.L. (1996), “Person‐organization fit: an integrative review of its conceptualizations,
measurement, and implications”, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 49 No. 1, pp. 1-49.
Kristof-Brown, A.L., Zimmerman, R.D. and Johnson, E.C. (2005), “Consequences of individual’s
fit at work: a meta-analysis of person-job, person–organization, person–group, and
person–supervisor fit”, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 58 No. 2, pp. 281-342.
Kwok, L. (2011), “Seeking jobs on social media: are you ready?”, Hosteur, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp. 13-19.
Lan, G.Z., Riley, L. and Cayer, N.J. (2005), “How can local government become an employer of choice for
technical professionals? Lessons and experiences from the city of Phoenix”, Review of Public
Personnel Administration, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 225-242.
Lauver, K.J. and Kristof-Brown, A. (2001), “Distinguishing between employees’ perceptions of
person–job and person–organization fit”, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Vol. 59 No. 3,
pp. 454-470.
Lenaghan, J.A. and Eisner, A.B. (2006), “Employers of choice and competitive advantage: the proof of
the pudding is in the eating”, Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications and Conflict,
Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 99-110.
Lievens, F. (2007), “Employer branding in the Belgian army: the importance of instrumental and
symbolic beliefs for potential applicants, actual applicants, and military employees”, Human
Resource Management, Vol. 46 No. 1, pp. 51-69.
Lovelace, K. and Rosen, B. (1996), “Differences in achieving person-organization fit among diverse
groups of managers”, Journal of Management, Vol. 22 No. 5, pp. 703-722.
Madera, J.M. (2012), “Using social networking websites as a selection tool: the role of selection process
fairness and job pursuit intentions”, International Journal of Hospitality Management, Vol. 31
No. 4, pp. 1276-1282.
Makraiova, J., Pokorna, E. and Woolliscroft, P. (2014), “Person-organisation fit in the context of cultural
learning”, Procedia Engineering, Vol. 69, pp. 712-719.
Mathew, J. (2015), “Millennials want to work for employers committed to values and ethics”,
available at: www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/may/05/millennials-employment-
employers-values-ethics-jobs (accessed August, 2017).
Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B. and Wright, P.M. (2003), Gaining a Competitive Advantage,
McGraw-Hill, Irwin, CA.
Nunnally, J. (1978), Psychometric Theory, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
Parmar, A. (2014), “The role of HR department in employer branding at public and
private sector”, Journal of Human Resources Management and Labor Studies, Vol. 2 No. 2,
pp. 201-225.
Price, C. and Turnbull, D. (2007), “The organizational challenges of global trends: a McKinsey global
survey”, McKinsey Quarterly, 1–20 December.
Rampl, L.V. (2014), “How to become an employer of choice: transforming employer brand associations
into employer first-choice brands?”, Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. 30 Nos 13/14,
pp. 1486-1504.
PR Rampl, L.V., Opitz, C., Welpe, I.M. and Kenning, P. (2016), “The role of emotions for successful employer
branding: insights from functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fMRI) and experimental
research”, working paper, Vol. 27 No. 2, pp. 361-374.
Richardson, S. and Thomas, N.J. (2012), “Utilising Generation Y: United States hospitality and tourism
student’s perceptions of careers in the industry”, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
Management, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 102-114.
Roy, S.K. (2008), “Identifying the dimensions of attractiveness of an employer brand in the Indian
context”, South Asian Journal of Management, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 110-130.
Schein, V.E. and Diamante, T. (1988), “Organizational attraction and the person-environment fit”,
Psychological Reports, Vol. 62 No. 1, pp. 167-173.
Schiebel, W. and Pöchtrager, S. (2003), “Corporate ethics as a factor for success – the measurement
instrument of the University of Agricultural Sciences (BOKU), Vienna”, Supply Chain
Management: An International Journal, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 116-121.
Schlager, T., Bodderas, M., Maas, P. and Luc Cachelin, J. (2011), “The influence of the employer brand
on employee attitudes relevant for service branding: an empirical investigation”, Journal of

Services Marketing, Vol. 25 No. 7, pp. 497-508.
Schneider, B. (1987), “E ¼ f (P, B): the road to a radical approach to person-environment fit”, Journal of
Vocational Behavior, Vol. 31 No. 3, pp. 353-361.
Schofield, K. (2013), “Cultural fit in the workplace: how personality affects hiring and teamwork”,
available at: www.ere.net/cultural-fit-in-the-workplace-how-personality-affects-hiring-and-
teamwork/ (assessed 17 May 2018).
Shore, L.M., Chung-Herrera, B.G., Dean, M.A., Ehrhart, K.H., Jung, D.I., Randel, A.E. and Singh, G.
(2009), “Diversity in organizations: where are we now and where are we going?”, Human
Resource Management Review, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 117-133.
Silverthorne, C. (2004), “The impact of organizational culture and person-organization fit on
organizational commitment and job satisfaction in Taiwan”, Leadership & Organization
Development Journal, Vol. 25 No. 7, pp. 592-599.
Sivertzen, A.M., Nilsen, E.R. and Olafsen, A.H. (2013), “Employer branding: employer
attractiveness and the use of social media”, Journal of Product and Brand Management,
Vol. 22 No. 7, pp. 473-483.
Srivastava, P. and Bhatnagar, J. (2010), “Employer brand for talent acquisition: an exploration towards
its measurement”, Vision, Vol. 14 Nos 1/2, pp. 25-34.
Tanwar, K. and Prasad, A. (2016), “The effect of employer brand dimensions on job satisfaction: gender
as a moderator”, Management Decision, Vol. 54 No. 4, pp. 854-886.
Tanwar, K. and Prasad, A. (2017), “Employer brand scale development and validation: a second-order
factor approach”, Personnel Review, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 389-409.
Taylor, C. (2015), “Are your diversity policies empty promises?”, available at: www.hcamag.com/hr-
news/are-your-diversity-policies-empty-promises-200173.aspx (accessed 12 May 2018).
The Conference Board (2001), “Engaging employees through your brand”, The Conference Board,
New York, NY.
Trank, C.Q., Rynes, S.L. and Bretz, R.D. (2002), “Attracting applicants in the war for talent: differences
in work preferences among high achievers”, Journal of Business and Psychology, Vol. 16 No. 3,
pp. 331-345.
Turban, D.B. and Greening, D.W. (1997), “Corporate social performance and organizational
attractiveness to prospective employees”, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 40 No. 3,
pp. 658-672.
Valentine, S., Godkin, L. and Lucero, M. (2002), “Ethical context, organizational commitment, and
person-organization fit”, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 41 No. 4, pp. 349-360.
Verquer, M.L., Beehr, T.A. and Wagner, S.H. (2003), “A meta-analysis of relations between Moderating
person–organization fit and work attitudes”, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Vol. 63 No. 3, effect of
pp. 473-489.
Walker, H.J., Feild, H.S., Giles, W.F., Bernerth, J.B. and Short, J.C. (2011), “So what do you think of the
social media
organization? A contextual priming explanation for recruitment web site characteristics as
antecedents of job seekers’ organizational image perceptions”, Organizational Behavior and
Human Decision Processes, Vol. 114 No. 2, pp. 165-178.
Zhu, F., Wang, Z., Yu, Q., Hu, T., Wen, Y. and Liu, Y. (2014), “Reconsidering the dimensionality and
measurement of employer brand in the Chinese context”, Social Behavior and Personality: An
International Journal, Vol. 42 No. 6, pp. 933-948.
Further reading
Cable, D.M. and Judge, T.A. (1997), “Interviewers’ perceptions of person–organization fit and
organizational selection decisions”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 82 No. 4, pp. 546-561.
Cober, R.T., Brown, D.J., Levy, P.E., Cober, A.B. and Keeping, L.M. (2003), “Organizational web sites:
web site content and style as determinants of organizational attraction”, International Journal of
Selection and Assessment, Vol. 11 Nos 2/3, pp. 158-169.
Davison, H.K., Maraist, C.C., Bing, M.N., Papinchock, J., Southwell, M. and Tamanini, K.B. (2009),
“The accidental resume: legal and practical issues of e-screening”, panel discussion conducted at
the 2009 Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, New Orleans, LA.
Edwards, J.R., Cable, D.M., Williamson, I.O., Lambert, L.S. and Shipp, A.J. (2006), “The phenomenology
of fit: linking the person and environment to the subjective experience of person-environment
fit”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 91 No. 4, pp. 802-827.
Index, K.G.W. (2012), “Acquisition and retention in the war for talent”, Kellyservice, 15 February.
Judge, T.A. and Cable, D.M. (1997), “Applicant personality, organizational culture, and organization
attraction”, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 50 No. 2, pp. 359-394.
Kim, H.R., Lee, M., Lee, H.T. and Kim, N.M. (2010), “Corporate social responsibility and employee–company
identification”, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 95 No. 4, pp. 557-569.
Corresponding author
Karnica Tanwar can be contacted at: karnica.t3@gmail.com
For instructions on how to order reprints of this article, please visit our website:
www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/licensing/reprints.htm
Or contact us for further details: permissions@emeraldinsight.com

Employer Brand Emarld Impact Factor

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Employer Brand Emarld Impact Factor

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Personnel Review

Employer brand, person-organisation fit and employer of choice: Investigating the

Downloaded on: 18 March 2019, At: 11:19 (PT)

*Related content and download information correct at time of download.

Amity College of Commerce and Finance,

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Pune,

traditional recruitment outcomes such as “job pursuit intentions”, “acceptance intentions” or

Employer brand and employer of choice

Development of the research hypotheses

Major dimensions Use of Social

Exploratory factor analysis

Confirmatory factor analysis

Factors No. of items Mean SD α value

Work culture 6 3.96 0.678 0.874

This organisation provides opportunities to choose from diversity 0.795

Average Maximum Average

Work culture 0.874 0.542 0.516 0.369 Yes Yes

Path Estimate SE CR p-value

POF ← Work_culture 0.329 0.045 7.854 0.000 Table IV.

Limitations and future research directions

on employee attitudes relevant for service branding: an empirical investigation”, Journal of

You might also like