How do merged banks create their intended corporate image? Evidence from Sudan

This study seeks to explore the direct and indirect relationships perceived by bank employees among leaders' trustworthy behaviors, communication, corporate identity management, and the creation of the intended corporate image (ICI) at merged banks. A questionnaire survey was used to test the developed model. Proportionate stratified sampling was used to collect data from 394 respondents. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for empirically investigating the hypotheses. The study revealed that leaders’ trustworthy behaviors had significant positive relationships with corporate identity management and ICI. In addition, merged banks’ communications moderated the relationship between trustworthiness and organizational identity. Further, organizational identity was a partial mediator between trustworthiness and intended corporate image. Merged banks are advised to practice a trustworthiness strategy and behave appropriately to not only perform efficiently but also explain to their primary stakeholders that the prevalence of trust is harmonious with its corporate identity, does not adversely affect the stakeholders' future interests, and increasingly contributes to forming the intended image of the bank. This study contributes to a better understanding of the importance of leadership's trustworthy behaviors and of communicating these behaviors to manage the corporate identity and create an ICI in the Sudanese context.