EMPLOYEE TURNOVER INTENTION AND ORGANIZATIONAL PROFITABILITY: MEDIATING ROLE OF CORPORATE IMAGE

Abstract

Manufacturing companies in Nigeria do not give sufficient attention to shining their corporate image and using it as a tool for enhancing operations. Yet there has been a dearth of empirical studies on the role of corporate image making on the profitability of manufacturing firms.  This has necessitated this empirical research. The study sought to survey how corporate image affects customer patronage, how quality of product influences revenue earning and how corporate image affects the effectiveness of a firm. The study adopted the mixed method approach where quantitative and qualitative methods were used (triangulation technique). For the quantitative research, copies of structured questionnaire were administered to 500 employees of the two selected manufacturing firms used for the study (Nigerian Breweries Plc., Lagos and Nigerian Bottling Company Plc., Lagos). Only 380 copies of the questionnaire were returned properly completed for analysis. For the qualitative research, 30 participants from other stakeholder groups were interviewed. The results of the regression and thematic analyses showed that corporate image making has significant effect on customer patronage, quality of product offered has influence on revenue earning and corporate image has significant effect on organizational effectiveness. In line with the results of the study, the paper recommended that manufacturing firms operating in Nigeria should pay serious attention to those activities that shine their corporate image in public in order to enhance organizational profitability.