A simplified approach to understanding customer support and help during self-service encounters

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 609-634
Author(s):  
Estelle van Tonder ◽  
Stephen G. Saunders ◽  
Leon T. de Beer
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Support ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Service

PurposeIn the absence of direct employee involvement, customers sharing knowledge and know-how with other customers during self-service encounters is key for promoting service quality. This study assessed the extent to which customer support and help during self-service encounters could simply be explained by multiple motivations of the social exchange theory.Design/methodology/approachA survey approach was followed. The model was tested among 258 electronic banking customers in South Africa and later cross-validated among 253 electronic banking customers in Australia. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis with country as the grouping variable, latent variable modelling and indirect tests were performed to assess interrelationships among diverse factors that may contribute to customer support and help during self-service encounters, as accounted for by motivations of the social exchange theory.FindingsAdequate model fit was obtained for the combined structural model, which was based on the invariant model. Value contribution and competence affirmation, pleasure derived from helping, reciprocity and reputation enhancement are relevant motivations of the social exchange theory that may impact customer support and help through knowledge sharing.Research implicationsThe study provides a simplified and more cohesive explanation of customers' motivations for engaging in customer support and helping behaviours during self-service encounters.Practical implicationsService providers seeking guidance on knowledge sharing among customers, which may lead to greater service quality, should benefit from this research.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to greater understanding of social exchanges by customers who provide support and help to other customers during self-service encounters, and that ultimately may affect service quality.

The influencing outcomes of job engagement: an interpretation from the social exchange theory

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 873-889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Yin
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Organizational Citizenship ◽  
Organizational Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Job Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social

Purpose Job engagement is a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of an individual, the perfect link between individual characteristics, job factors and job performance and the important path of an organization creating competitive advantages. Based on the viewpoint of the social exchange theory, the study assumes that employees will generate different influencing outcomes, which are, in order, task performance, organizational citizenship behavior, job burnout and counter-productive work behavior (CWB), according to the degree to which they psychologically expect that job engagement could receive organizational rewards, and discusses the relationships between job engagement and task performance, organizational citizenship behavior and other variables. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from the employees working as the salesmen from 48 computer and computer parts sales companies. The questionnaires of the study were the paired questionnaires. In total, 150 supervisor questionnaires and 633 employee questionnaires have been distributed. Under every sales head, there were some employees. In total, 501 valid paired questionnaires were collected. AMOS 23.0 was employed to process the data in the structural equation modeling and the causal relationships among all the factors were explored. Findings The results revealed that employee job engagement had positive influence on task performance and organizational citizenship behavior and had negative influence on job burnout and counter-productive work behavior; among all the moderating variables, organizational justice just significantly and negatively moderates job engagement and CWB. Originality/value Job engagement is an actively and fully absorbing state of an individual in the work, the perfect link among individual characteristics, job factors and job engagement and the important path of an organization creating competitive advantages. Most of the past studies have explored the positive effects of job engagement. This study tries to explore the positive and negative effects of employee’s job engagement based on the social exchange theory.

Structural equation modeling of residents' attitudes and tourism development: a SET based - study of the Kashmir region in India

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aasif Ali Bhat ◽  
Kakali Majumdar
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation Modeling ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Tourism Development ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social

PurposeThe present study tries to develop a model that assesses the factors that determine support for tourism development by residents of the Kashmir region.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data have been collected (n = 650) from the residents of the top five tourist destinations through a pre-tested questionnaire by a multistage convenient sampling method. A model has been drafted and tested through the technique of structural equation modeling by applying the social exchange theory as a theoretical framework.FindingsThe results revealed that residents who perceived more benefits were more expected to support tourism development, and residents who perceive more costs were less expected to support tourism development, thus supporting the social exchange theory.Originality/valueThe results of this study are extremely useful for the local government and tourism institutions in the future planning of tourism development and also fill the vast gap in the tourism literature with a theoretical base.

Am I treated better than my co-worker? A moderated mediation analysis of psychological contract fulfillment, organizational identification, and voice

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 1133-1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghulam Ali Arain ◽  
Sehrish Bukhari ◽  
Imran Hameed ◽  
Delphine M. Lacaze ◽  
Zahara Bukhari
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Organizational Identification ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Psychological Contract Fulfillment ◽  
Group Value Model ◽  
Value Model

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the direct and conditional indirect effects of employees’ perception of psychological contract fulfillment on their positive voice, i.e., promotive voice and prohibitive voice, through the integrated framework of the social exchange theory and the group value model. Design/methodology/approach Using a two-source data collection from the employee and supervisor, cross-sectional data were collected from 234 participants working in one of the leading non-profit organizations in Pakistan. After initial data screening, a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test for the factorial validity of the employed measures with AMOS. The hypothesized relationships were tested in regression analysis with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Findings The results of this study supported the integration of the social exchange theory with the group value model in explaining the direct and indirect positive effects of employees’ perception of psychological contract fulfillment on their promotive and prohibitive voices through the mediation of organizational identification (OID). Furthermore, it was also recorded that the indirect effect was conditional on the employees’ perception of the relative psychological contract fulfillment which significantly moderated the direct relationship between psychological contract fulfillment and OID. However, no such effect was recorded for the moderating effect of power distance orientation between OID and the both voices. Originality/value In addressing the recently published research calls, this study broadens the horizon of existing research on psychological contract and employee positive voice by investigating the mediating and the moderating factors that influence this relationship.

Exploring the Influence of Rewards on Attitudes Towards Knowledge Sharing

2011 ◽  
pp. 220-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gee Woo (Gilbert) Bock ◽  
Young-Gul Kim
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Reasoned Action ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
The Social ◽  
Motivating Factor ◽  
And Behavior

This study theoretically examines and empirically tests factors expected to affect an individual’s knowledge sharing attitudes, intention and behavior in an organizational context. The research model is constructed based on the economic exchange theory, the social exchange theory, the self-efficacy theory and the theory of reasoned action. Results from the field survey of 467 employees of four large and government-invested organizations show that ‘anticipated reciprocal relationships’ and ‘perceived personal contribution to the organization’ are the major determinants of the individual’s attitudes towards knowledge sharing. ‘Anticipated extrinsic rewards,’ believed by many as the most important motivating factor for knowledge sharing, are not significantly related to the attitudes towards knowledge sharing. As expected, positive attitudes towards knowledge sharing are found to lead to a positive intention to share knowledge and, finally, to actual knowledge sharing behaviors.

scholarly journals KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN AN ORGANIZATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE INDIVIDUAL

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-76
Author(s):  
Dana Mesner Andolšek ◽  
Stanislav Andolšek
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Individual Action ◽  
Work Situation ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Individual Perspective

Authors introduce a theoretical model of knowledge sharing in an organization through individual perspective. The social exchange theory offers a clarification of fundamental assumptions regarding individual action and is therefore appropriate for explaining why and when an individual is ready to share her/his knowledge in an organization. The article aims to reveal what shapes employees’ decisions to share knowledge in a work situation and what is needed in an organization to facilitate individuals to share and not to hoard their knowledge. These assumptions have never been included in the literature of knowledge management up until now. 

Does flexible work arrangements decrease or increase turnover intention? A comparison between the social exchange theory and border theory

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mung Khie Tsen ◽  
Manli Gu ◽  
Chee Meng Tan ◽  
See Kwong Goh
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Turnover Intention ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Family Conflicts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Border Theory ◽  
The Social ◽  
Theoretical Reasoning ◽  
Work Family

PurposeMore companies embrace flexible work arrangements (FWA) as one of their employee retention strategies, yet its effectiveness is not consistent. Generally, past researchers use the social exchange theory to explain how FWA lowers turnover intention, while the rest adopts the border theory to justify why FWA can be ineffective. Here, the authors compare the competing theories for the first time to differentiate the theoretical reasoning of three forms of FWA (flex time, flex leave and homeworking). Two mediators (organisational commitment and work−family conflicts) are chosen to represent the mechanism of each theory.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ the latest wave of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) Work Orientation Module from 2015. Based on nationally representative data from 35 nations and 17,604 participants, the authors employed simple mediation and parallel double-mediation models via bootstrapping procedures to investigate the theoretical reasoning behind each FWA.FindingsThe results indicate that organisational commitment and work−family conflicts as significant mediators in all models, supporting both theories. The authors first tested each mediator in separated models. In models concerning the social exchange theory, all FWA lead to increased organisational commitment before lowering turnover intention, implying the beneficial outcomes of FWA. However, findings also support the border theory's perspective where flex time and homeworking increase turnover intention through heightened work−family conflicts. The parallel double-mediation further suggests that all three FWA forms have their unique theoretical framework, impacting turnover intention differently.Originality/valueBoth the social exchange theory and border theory are well-developed theories but grounded on different theoretical reasoning. This is the first paper that compares both theoretical perspectives in the context of FWA. It offers a new perspective in explaining the inconclusive effectiveness of FWA and provides future researchers a more integrated interpretation and prediction of FWA's impact on turnover intention.

Why is the Nepalese labor force so strong in a global context of decline? Shedding light on the unexplored characteristics of Nepalese labor relations

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-29
Author(s):  
Bojindra Prasad Tulachan
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Labor Relations ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Inductive Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to shed light on the unexplored characteristics of labor relations in Nepal against the backdrop of social exchange theory as it relates to labor relations.Design/methodology/approachThe paper considers the psychological contract of promises and expectations from the social exchange theory on the ground in Nepal. To do so, the paper adopts an inductive method of investigation and reviews dispersed and unstructured archival data.FindingsIn terms of the psychological contract of promises and expectations, Nepalese workers and trade unions appear to have constituted a pressure group since they aligned themselves with Nepal's political parties. Consequently, the legal labor framework and behaviors of trade unions have produced highly politicized labor relations; very high and dense union memberships; vocal unions; a labor-supportive legal framework; union-influenced government and union-driven enterprise-level collective bargaining and collective dispute settlement.Originality/valueThe paper claims that although the system framework has flimsy prospects elsewhere in the world, it is strong in Nepal as a result of the recent Labor Act of 2017. For this very reason, the paper argues that Nepal's trade unions are in their sturdiest position ever and, therefore, that the country has evaded the crisis experienced in advanced and emerging economies in other parts of world. In theoretical terms, the article contributes from the social exchange theoretical perspective to the literature on the psychological contract of promises and expectations. It also has a bearing on emerging discourses and debates about the revitalization or reshaping of traditional industrial relations.

Host-guest interactions between first-generation immigrants and their visiting relatives: social exchange, relations of care and travel

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 406-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Charles Capistrano ◽  
Adam Weaver
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Host Families

Purpose This paper aims to examine the social interactions between Filipino immigrant-hosts residing in New Zealand and their visiting relatives (VRs) or guests from the Philippines using social exchange theory to understand their experiences. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative, multi-sited study used in-depth interviews to examine social interactions between Filipino immigrant-host families in New Zealand and their respective visiting relatives from the Philippines. Findings Hosting VRs reflects aspects of social exchange theory, and the interdependence and familial obligations related to VR travel demonstrate mutual relations of care. Maintaining relations of care within the family is an ongoing process involving intergenerational relationships that bind together immigrant-host families and their VRs. Research limitations/implications The conceptualization of the social interactions between immigrants-hosts and VRs is not generalizable owing to the small sample size and lack of representativeness. However, despite a small sample, this qualitative inquiry uncovered a series of personal meanings and understandings attached to the maintenance of familial bonds. Practical implications As immigrant-receiving countries become more culturally diverse through migration, research about other cultures will assist tourism planners in understanding the values and actions of a more varied array of residents. A better understanding of travel experiences and interactions between immigrants and their guests may provide marketers with insights into host-guest dynamics within a VR context, thus potentially enabling tourism marketers to create better marketing campaigns. Social implications Future studies may be undertaken from non-Western and Western perspectives that examine the social interactions between hosts and guests in the context of VR travel. Very little research has been conducted that addresses the meanings and understandings attached to these interactions from the perspectives of both hosting and visiting groups. This research highlights the importance of families in tourism, a contrast with the relative blindness of tourism scholarship toward relations of domesticity and sociality. Originality/value What separates the social interactions between family members in the context of visiting friends and relatives travel from the traditional host-guest paradigm is that it does not involve strangers. This study uses social exchange theory to examine social interactions between hosts and guests who are familiar with each other.

scholarly journals Fairness and behavioral intentions in discrete B2B transactions: a study of small business firms

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Cassia ◽  
Sven A. Haugland ◽  
Francesca Magno
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Discrete Time ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Procedural Fairness ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Economic Outcomes ◽  
Social Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Distributive Fairness ◽  
The Social

Purpose While studies about business-to-business (B2B) relationships have mainly addressed buyer–supplier long-term exchanges, focusing on social outcomes such as trust, commitment and cooperation, there is little research that explores the social outcomes which stem from short-term B2B transactions. The purpose of this paper is to explain buyers’ intention to renew a contract after discrete and time-delimited transactions by suggesting a model that complements social exchange theory with theories of fairness. In detail, this study aims to determine how evaluations of economic and social outcomes are complemented by both procedural fairness and distributive fairness. Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses are tested in the social couponing industry with a survey of a sample of 199 firms purchasing advertising services from daily deal websites. Data are analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM). Findings The findings reveal direct effects of procedural fairness on social outcomes (satisfaction) and distributive fairness on the intention to renew a contract, negative moderating effect of procedural fairness on the relationship between economic outcomes (campaign effectiveness) and social outcomes (satisfaction). Research limitations/implications In discrete, time-delimited transactions, high levels of procedural fairness may partially compensate for low levels of economic outcomes and prevent a reduction in social outcomes. Hence, when economic outcomes are influenced largely by external, uncontrollable conditions, the buyer seems to appreciate the supplier’s efforts to behave fairly. Practical implications Social outcomes matter even in discrete transactions and considerations of fairness should be integrated in the management of discrete transactions. Sharing economic outcomes fairly is not sufficient to secure the buyer’s intention to renew the contract. Originality/value This study proposes and tests a model that complements social exchange theory with theories of fairness and explains contract renewal in discrete, time-delimited transactions, encompassing both economic outcomes and social outcomes.

Influence of knowledge sharing, innovation passion and absorptive capacity on innovation behaviour in China

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pinghao Ye ◽  
Liqiong Liu ◽  
Joseph Tan
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper aims to address the question of what can significantly impact employees' IB and how employees' IB may be effectively stimulated by investigating key factors such as employees' knowledge sharing, innovation passion, absorptive capacity and risk-taking behaviour on workplace innovation. The moderating role of risk-taking behaviour on the link between absorptive capacity and innovation behaviour is also investigated.Design/methodology/approachBased on the principles of social exchange theory, the study design explores the complex relationship among knowledge sharing, innovation passion, absorptive capacity and risk-taking vis-à-vis employees' innovation behaviour within a unified analysis framework. Methodologically, employees in the information technology industry in China were surveyed via a questionnaire instrument, with a total of 318 valid questionnaires being collected online. Following a reliability and validity test of the questionnaire, the Smart PLS was used to verify the research model.FindingsStatistically significant results reported were as follows: (1) employees' innovation behaviour is positively impacted by knowledge sharing, innovation passion and absorptive capacity; (2) employees' innovation behaviour is negatively impacted by risk-taking behaviour; (3) knowledge sharing is positively impacted by innovation passion; (4) absorptive capacity is positively impacted by innovation passion; and (5) risk-taking behaviour regulates the relationship between absorptive capacity and innovation behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsOwing to limited research resources, 318 front-line employees were surveyed via an online questionnaire vis-à-vis the sampling method only, specifically taking knowledge sharing, innovation passion, absorptive capacity and risk-taking behaviour as antecedent variables with implications on how employees' innovation behaviour may be stimulated.Originality/valueThe mechanism of augmenting employees' innovation behaviour is chiefly explained from the perspective of innovation passion and risk-taking behaviour, which are conducive towards promoting employees' willingness to improve knowledge sharing and innovation behaviour. The social exchange theory is used as a basis to form an integrated model for the research, contributing to a cumulative theoretical perspective for future work on the impact of innovation passion and risk-taking behaviour on innovation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document