Consumer suggestion sharing: helpful, pragmatic and conditional

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Burnham ◽  
Garret Ridinger ◽  
Anne Carpenter ◽  
Laee Choi
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Ecological Validity ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relationship Strength ◽  
Multiple Paths ◽  
Potential Benefits

Purpose Consumers who share their suggestions with firms contribute valuable knowledge and both exhibit and reinforce positive customer engagement. Yet, the motivational antecedents of direct-to-firm customer suggestion sharing remain understudied. This study aims to investigate how potential self, other customer and firm benefits motivate consumer suggestion sharing. Design/methodology/approach A critical incident pretest explores the domain and establishes ecological validity. Two scenario-based experimental studies test the proposed relationships in distinct service contexts. Findings Results support a prosocial (helpful) view of suggestion sharing – potential benefits to other customers motivate suggestion sharing. Potential benefits for the firm play two roles, namely, they indirectly motivate suggestion sharing by increasing consumers’ perceived outcome expectancy, illustrating a pragmatic mechanism, and they directly motivate suggestion sharing when service quality is high, illustrating a conditional, reciprocity-driven mechanism. When service quality is low, consumers are less likely to share firm-benefitting suggestions and more likely to share non-beneficial suggestions, highlighting a potential low service quality “trap” in which firms can become stuck. Research limitations/implications Future research is needed to study the antecedents of attitude toward suggestion sharing and the effect of relationship strength on suggestion sharing. Practical implications Managerially, multiple paths are identified by which firms can motivate suggestion sharing. The low-service quality “trap” indicates that low-service quality firms should not rely on, and should perhaps even ignore, customer suggestions as a tool for improving their offerings. Originality/value By experimentally investigating the motivational antecedents of direct-to-firm consumer suggestion sharing, this paper fills a gap in extant research and provides a foundation upon which future suggestion sharing research can build.

The impact of backstage cues on service evaluation

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Fen Liu ◽  
Yingzi Xu ◽  
I-Ling Ling
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reduction Effect ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Service Experiences

Purpose This research aims to investigate how backstage visibility affects intangibility and perceived risk at the pre-purchase stage and how service credence moderates the effect of backstage visibility on intangibility and perceived risk. It also focuses on the effect of backstage visibility on perceived service quality and value at the post-purchase stage and the moderating role of the service contact level. Design/methodology/approach This research tests the causal relationships between backstage visibility and customers’ service evaluations through two experimental studies. Findings Study 1 shows that customers who are exposed to backstage cues perceive less pre-purchase risk in the service than those who are not exposed. Pictures plus text information are more effective than text illustrations alone for risk reduction. This risk reduction effect is stronger for high-credence than for low-credence services and is partially mediated by the perceived intangibility of the service. Study 2 reveals that customers with access to backstage cues perceive higher service quality and higher overall value from service experiences. The value increase is more significant for high-contact than for low-contact services. Research limitations/implications Future research could apply different methods to different data sources to provide further insight about backstage visibility. Originality/value The findings of this research suggest that allowing customers to view some backstage activities before purchase helps tangibilize the service, achieve more effective communication with customers and create more positive service experiences.

Healthcare supply chain management: literature review and some issues

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavana Mathur ◽  
Sumit Gupta ◽  
Makhan Lal Meena ◽  
G.S. Dangayach
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Potential Benefits

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the causal linkages among supply chain practices, effectiveness of supply chain performance (SCP) and organizational performance (OP) in Indian healthcare industries.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is helpful in developing a framework for linking a healthcare supply chain practice to its OP, and thus identifies how such a linkage can be connected to the effectiveness of SCP. Such effort also enables the authors to derive a set of recommended supply chain practices for SC performance.FindingsFrom the literature review, this paper finds that, in the context of Indian healthcare industries, efficient SC performance may play a critical role for overall OP improvement, as there is a close interrelationship between supply chain management (SCM) practices and SCP that may have a more significant effect on OP improvement.Research limitations/implicationsThe principle limitation of the paper is that it is performed only in a particular industry and with a questionnaire survey which could be extended in future for other industries also. Another limitation of the paper is that it is focused only on the SCP of medical device and equipment supply chain which is a small portion of the whole healthcare supply chain, and therefore requires further research covering various other domains of healthcare supply chain. Another limitation of the study is that the sample survey has been taken from only one respondent per company at one point of time which may create biasness in the results. Thus, future research should collect data through multiple members from the organization.Practical implicationsThis study contributes to know the effect of SCM practices on healthcare SCP and provides a practical and useful tool to evaluate the extent of effectiveness of SCP and finally their impact on the healthcare OP. Finally, this study provides conceptual and descriptive literature regarding SCM practices that leads to improvement in healthcare performance.Social implicationsThis study adds to the knowledge on healthcare SCM performance by exploring the relationship between supply chain practices, healthcare SCP and healthcare OP and by developing and testing a research framework thus help in improving patient satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study attempts to show how the potential benefits of supply chain practices can no longer be ignored in healthcare supply chain.

Persons with disability perception of facilities management service quality: hospital buildings in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuratiqah Aisyah Awang ◽  
Shirley Jin Lin Chua ◽  
Azlan Shah Ali ◽  
Cheong Peng Au-Yong ◽  
Amaramalar Selvi Naicker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Strategy Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Management Service ◽  
Management Activity ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Aspect ◽  
The Right

PurposeThis study aims to discover the perception of persons with disabilities (PWDs) towards facilities management (FM) service quality at hospital buildings in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was conducted with 99 respondents in selected hospitals in Selangor, Malaysia.FindingsThis study aims to discover the perception of PWDs towards FM service quality, and it has found a gap for improvement. The area that requires the highest attention includes the importance of (1) assurance on accessibility despite maintenance activity being conducted (2) criticality of facilities maintenance itself, (3) assurance on comfort and safety, (4) reliable medium to ask for assistance or giving feedback, (5) signage that is clearly seen and easily understood and (6) staff responsiveness.Research limitations/implicationsThis instrument is validated by PWDs under the physical disability category only, specifically in the hospital context. Future research is recommended to identify the FM service quality aspect for different categories of disability (sensory, mental or intellectual impairment).Practical implicationsThe findings provide evidence for FM to consider PWDs' perceptions in FM strategy development. Even FM provides a healthcare support system. FM service quality partly reflects healthcare service quality.Social implicationsAccommodating the need of PWDs through the improvement of FM service quality aspect will partly fulfil the right of PWDs for equality of access to healthcare.Originality/valueThis SERVQUAL tools can be improvised and used to measure the perception of PWDs on FM service quality systematically and holistically. Understanding the service quality aspect is important for a facility manager to precisely measure and prioritise what is truly important to the building users with special needs and try to accommodate this need in the management activity.

scholarly journals Attribution of success and failure in intercultural service encounters: the moderating role of personal cultural orientations

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 643-658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackie L.M. Tam ◽  
Piyush Sharma ◽  
Namwoon Kim
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Delivery Outcome ◽  
Cultural Orientations ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose This paper aims to examine the role that personal cultural orientations play in customer attributions in intercultural service encounters. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model was developed depicting the relationships between service delivery outcome, personal cultural orientations and customer attributions. Data were collected from 640 Chinese and Western customers using scenario-based experiments in a restaurant context to assess the hypothesized relationships in the model. Findings The findings show that compared to service delivery success, customers tend to hold service employee and firm responsible for service delivery failure rather than themselves and cultural differences. Moreover, personal cultural orientations partially moderated the influence of the service delivery outcome on customer attributions. Research limitations/implications Future research could adopt different methodologies such as critical incident techniques and surveys to replicate the study. Practical implications Service firms are recommended to design programs to influence customer attributions such as “customer education programs” and “customer appreciation programs” to achieve high customer satisfaction. Originality/value This study examines the differences in customer attributions between successful vs unsuccessful service delivery. It also sheds light on the potential moderating role of personal cultural orientations on the relationship between service delivery outcome and customer attributions.

Airport service quality dimension and measurement: a systematic literature review and future research agenda

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Agus Usman ◽  
Yudi Azis ◽  
Budi Harsanto ◽  
Anton Mulyono Azis
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Quality Measurement ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Publish Or Perish ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Passenger Satisfaction

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to outline the evolution of research on airport service quality and measurement index of passenger satisfaction to explore opportunities for future research direction.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted involving a total final sample 27 articles published during 2000–2020, the source of the database used in this study is Emerald, ScienceDirect, Harzing's Publish or Perish with API Key based on set of inclusion/exclusion criteria for analysis and synthesis to meet the purpose of the paper.FindingsDimensions of measuring airport service quality are currently based on a process approach. There are eight dimensions of ASQ measurement practiced by the industry, which is different from the five dimensions of service quality measurement generally. There is still a theoretical and empirical gap, so one of the challenges in applying the ASQ measurement dimensions is bridging research with applications in the airport industry. Other findings, research on airport service quality measurement is currently focused on passenger satisfaction. The integration of expectation-disconfirmation theory and service profit chain models can be used in service quality, passenger satisfaction and profitability.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper seeks to contribute to and analyze limited articles on service quality at airports and identify further research areas.Originality/valueThis paper tries to explain the development of research on the dimensions of measuring service quality at airports. The author identifies a gap in airport service quality measurement dimensions used by researchers and the industry. The author believes that this study can provide a comprehensive thought on using airport service quality measurement dimensions for future research.

Customer reciprocity in greening: the role of service quality

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debarati Basu ◽  
Kamalika Chakraborty ◽  
Shabana Mitra ◽  
Nishant Kumar Verma
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Price Competition ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Maximum Growth ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Business To Consumer ◽  
Operational Processes

Purpose Firms are increasingly making customers key stakeholders in their greening processes, requiring them to voluntarily use their resources to benefit the firm. In this context, this paper develops a new construct – tangible customer citizenship behaviour (CCB), i.e. voluntary participation of customer in operational processes of the company beyond normal requirements of exchange. This requires more involvement than the already documented intangible CCB. The purpose of the paper is to then explore whether service quality (SQ) (online and offline) influences such voluntary customer reciprocity in greening. Design/methodology/approach This study used a virtual survey among 400 customers of e-commerce firms that have adopted greening practices requiring customer engagement and regressions were used to test the hypotheses. Findings The authors find that both online and offline SQ positively impact intangible CCB but have no impact on customer greening reciprocity (tangible CCB). Additionally, the authors find that offline SQ positively impacts customer greening awareness. However, in spite of the presence of greening awareness and display of intangible CCB, SQ does not have any impact on greening reciprocity. Originality/value This study introduces to literature a more tangible form of voluntary behaviour on the part of the customer, i.e. tangible CCB or reciprocity. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is also one of the first to study the customer as an important stakeholder and participant in a business-to-consumer firm’s operating processes, particularly in greening which has no direct impact on the firm’s core offering. The focus on greening in the Indian context is also novel given the greening costs and requirements and the price competition are very different in emerging market contexts where e-commerce firms are experiencing the maximum growth.

The role of customer engagement facets on the formation of attitude, loyalty and price perception

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 890-903 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxi Bergel ◽  
Phillip Frank ◽  
Christian Brock
Keyword(s):  
Purchase Behavior ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Price Perception ◽  
Forest Park ◽  
Affective Attitude ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Price Perceptions ◽  
Referral Behavior

Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of customer satisfaction on four facets of customer engagement: customer influencer behavior, knowledge behavior, referral behavior and purchase behavior. Furthermore, its (in)direct influence on affective attitude, price perception and loyalty is investigated. Design/methodology/approach Two studies were conducted. First, an experimental scenario design was set up to investigate the hypothesized relations between customer engagement; customers’ affective attitude and their loyalty; and their price perceptions. Second, a survey at a national forest park center helped to secure external validity. Findings The results indicate that engaged customers develop a more positive affective attitude, which leads to increased future loyalty and positive price perceptions. In addition, the results suggest that assessing cognitive approaches exclusively is not sufficient for understanding customers’ price perceptions. Research limitations/implications Future research should investigate antecedents of customer engagement behaviors (CEBs) other than satisfaction, and extend this research by taking into account further mediators that might be cognitive rather than affective. Practical implications The results are of superior importance for services or tourism destinations. Fostering CEB can help in improving a destinations’ performance. Originality/value This research expands the current state of literature by investigating several dimensions of CEB at one time, as well as by examining customers’ affective attitude toward the organization as a potential mediator, extending previous research approaches.

Cultivating creative workplaces through mindfulness

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Keithline Byrne ◽  
Tojo Thatchenkery
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Laboratory Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how mindfulness training impacts creativity with individuals in a workgroup and propose a methodology for future research. Design/methodology/approach The methodology developed drew on existing laboratory-based research and applied those designs in a real-world application. The sample participants were from a mid-sized real estate firm that included ten realtors and support staff, six in the treatment group and four in the comparison group. The study took place over 16 weeks where pre-test and post-test mindfulness and creativity assessments were administered. A five-week mindfulness training was conducted with the treatment group and following the post-tests with the comparison group. Findings Results indicated that the mindfulness training positively impacted creativity in the moment and over time. There was evidence that the mindfulness training positively impacted an individual’s level of attention and awareness in daily activities which is likely to influence creative outcomes in organizational settings. Research limitations/implications This study shows that it is possible to design experimental studies in work settings and contribute to the empirical research about mindfulness despite the widely held perception about scarcity of time and lack of access to do such research. The findings also build on existing literature and address some of the gaps in current research. The most notable limitation relates to the small sample size. Practical implications The finding affirms that even a short but consistent practice of mindfulness in organizations can lead to a measurable increase in creativity. Originality/value This empirical study adds value to existing literature by expanding laboratory-based methodology to a practical application. One of the unique aspects of this research relates to the sample population. This research was conducted with an intact workgroup and translates the insights gained from laboratory research to a potential benefit for an organization by applying a version of this methodology to enhance its workgroup creativity.

The disruptive and transformative potential of new technologies for accounting, accountants and accountability

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 677-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio Marrone ◽  
James Hazelton
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accounting Research ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Important Field ◽  
Key Topics ◽  
Environmental Causes

Purpose This paper aims to explore the extent to which technology and disruption has been considered within the accounting literature, to introduce the five papers which compose this special issue and to provide an agenda for future research on technology and disruption. Design/methodology/approach To explore previous works on the disruptive potential of technology in accounting, the study compares topics in accounting research articles that contain variations of the term “disrupt” with those articles containing variations of the term “technology”. Based on the method first proposed in Marrone and Hammerle (2016), an entity linker application was used to extract key topics from the top 50 accounting journals, and these topics were then compared to determine the extent of thematic intersection. Findings A key finding is that accounting academic articles featuring “disruption” are rarely linked with “technology”. The concept of “disruption” has been largely synonymous with crisis, and the crises endured to date have had predominantly social or environmental causes (e.g. the GFC and natural disasters). The literature on technology has coalesced around three broad themes – creation, deployment and protection – which have not been identified as crises triggers so far. This finding underscores the importance of the papers comprising this special issue, which explore enhanced data visualisation, blockchain and social media, as well as considering how such technologies might be managed and their potential for either emancipation or enslavement. Research limitations/implications In relation to the review of prior literature, the primary limitation is that a quantitative approach was taken. Whilst this allows for a greater sample size and replication, a qualitative thematic review may reveal additional findings. The primary implication of this research and this special issue collectively is that there is much more to be done in exploring both the potential benefits and limitations of new technologies for accounting. Originality/value In relation to the review of prior literature, no previous studies have undertaken a quantitative analysis of the intersection of technology disruption in accounting research. In relation to this special issue, these papers collectively provide a multi-faceted view of how technology can and will transform the practice and potential of accounting in the years ahead. Finally, the provision of a thematic framework and research agenda will assist future researchers in exploring this dynamic and important field.

Predictors of users’ preferences for online health services

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-225
Author(s):  
Shahidul Islam ◽  
Md Rakibul Hoque ◽  
Md Abdullah Al Jamil
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Rational Choice Theory ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Service Quality

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explain predictors that discriminate users’ preferences for online health services, focusing on a downtown area in a developing country. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on rational choice theory (RCT), the authors test a model that links the frequency of online health service usage to access-activators and access-inhibitors. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and the discriminant analysis model were used to analyze data from a sample of 215 internet users. Findings Results confirm the significance of responsiveness, user’s attitude, accessibility and perceived ease of use, indicating their discriminating role in the usage of online health services. Research limitations/implications The study demonstrates the relevance of RCT in measuring perceived online health service quality in an emerging context. Future research should consider the influence of electronic health (eHealth) literacy, norms and trustworthiness to increase the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications The findings of this study can help enhance the eHealth service quality by encouraging service providers to improve the interactivity and ease of use of their platforms, thus delivering value to both consumers and firms and improving the well-being of the society at large. Originality/value Few existing studies draw attention to access-activators and access-inhibitors to predict users’ preferences for online health services. This study shows the applicability of RCT in preparing the instrumental dimensions of online health service quality.

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