The time factor in re‐branding organizations: its effects on staff knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in UK charities

Purpose – As staff are vital to successful re‐branding, particularly in the charity sector where restricted budgets limit reliance on external marketing, it is important to understand the impact of re‐branding on staff. This study aims to examine the effect of time on staff knowledge, attitudes and behaviour and, in addition, the interaction of time with seniority, tenure and level of support for re‐branding. Design/methodology/approach – The paper first explores the literature from both the for‐profit and non‐profit sectors. A quantitative study was undertaken in nine leading, UK charities that had re‐branded two, three and four years ago; n =345. The data were analysed using one‐way and two‐way ANOVAs. Findings – A negative relationship was found between time since re‐branding and the three constructs of knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. But this consistency was not mirrored by a consistency in the impact of interaction effects. Practical implications – Re‐branding is not a one‐off event. To sustain its benefits, organizations need to re‐visit its outcomes on a regular basis to ensure staff retain new knowledge, remain positively motivated and maintain their recently adapted behaviours over time. Originality/value – Thought to be the first empirical paper to explore the effects of re‐branding over time. Furthermore, the findings contradict those from the extant literature that claim that organizational change requires a “settling in” period. By contrast these findings suggest that the positive effects of re‐branding are best felt in the immediate wake of re‐branding and thereafter fade over time.