Internal marketing in the last decade: a systematic review

Abstract

This research examines internal marketing (IM) over the last decade (2012-2021) using systematic quantitative assessment techniques (SQAT). The review identified 82 IM articles from 39 countries. A significant number of the articles were published in 2015, with a large concentration in Asia. Taiwan had the highest number of published IM articles among the contributing countries. The majority of the articles reviewed were empirical research, while the minority were conceptual articles. Four methods of data collection (i.e. survey, Secondary data, interview, and observation) were identified, with a survey as the most utilized method. The review identified three different IM themes (i.e. IM magnitude, consequences of IM, and IM mechanism) with IM magnitude as the most investigated theme. This review recommends that more IM articles are encouraging in South America and other nations of other countries that currently have no representation. More conceptual research is encouraged in balancing the wide gap between empirical and conceptual articles. Researchers are encouraged to use more qualitative methods of data collection to gain more understanding of the concept. The researchers are also advised to adopt the mixed method of data collection on the consequences of IM and IM mechanisms themes.