Leadership styles, internal employer branding and organizational identification: insights from Vietnam

Purpose Grounded in social identity theory (SIT), this study investigates the mediating role of internal employer branding (IEB) in shaping the relationships between transformational leadership (TL) and organizational identification (OI) as well as autocratic leadership (AL) and OI at a Vietnamese public university. Design/methodology/approach Data from a survey of 252 faculty and staff members at one of Vietnam’s most prestigious public universities were used to test the proposed model using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings TL boosts both IEB and OI, while AL undermines these outcomes. Notably, IEB serves as a crucial mediator, amplifying the positive effects of TL on OI and mitigating the negative impacts of AL on OI, reinforcing its strategic importance in shaping cohesive institutional identities. Originality/value This study uniquely examines the mediating role of IEB in linking TL and AL to OI in the Vietnamese context. Using SIT, this research bridges critical gaps by uncovering how TL and AL distinctively influence IB and shape OI, offering fresh insights into leadership and organizational behavior in higher education.