Digital enablement and its role in internal branding: A case study of HUANYI travel agency

Digitalization has generated new challenges and opportunities for brand communication and relationship marketing. As more and more B2B brands are utilizing digital technology for brand communication with multiple stakeholders, it is worth further investigation how digitalization can empower employees to reach better branding-supportive outcomes at various stages of the internal branding process. Through a case study, we propose a process model framework in which digital technologies promote employees to become Institutional Adaptor, Brand Performer, and Brand Champions. Specifically, our case findings reveal that depending on the degree to which digitalization can be viewed as an add-on service or an ingrained element in the value chains aligned with strategic goals, digital technologies can be associated with different enablement mechanisms relating to operational optimality, better sensing and responding capability, and ultimately ambidexterity. As existing literature largely examines the technological dimension of digital enablement technologies, this study emphases the importance of technology-strategy alignment in B2B internal branding context.