Understanding negative emotions in services through teleological actions

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Padin ◽  
Göran Svensson

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize and describe how service providers’ and service receivers’ teleological actions relate to negative emotions after critical incidents in service encounters have occurred. Design/methodology/approach Three categories of teleological actions are used: transformative – ad hoc and present-based actions, formative – pre-determined and past-based actions and rationalist – goal-directed and future-based actions. Findings The empirical findings indicate that airline ground staff should interact differently with air passengers based on the negative emotions involved and the teleological actions undertaken after critical incidents in service encounters have occurred. Research limitations/implications The current research improves the interactive and sequential understanding of how to manage negative emotions through teleological actions in service encounters between a service provider and a service receiver after critical incidents have occurred, as well as providing numerous opportunities for further research in services. Practical implications It is an important and relevant insight that it is necessary to understand both the initial and derived causes of negative emotions and the subsequent effects and outcomes occurring in service encounters after critical incidents have arisen. Originality/value This current study provides theoretical and managerial contributions to manage negative emotions after critical incidents have occurred in service encounters.

Author(s):  
Göran Svensson ◽  
Carmen Padin

Purpose The study aims to describe the interactive gaps between service receiver learning curves and service provider adaptive curves, as well as the cause-effect-outcome in processes and interfaces of service encounters, through the perspective of teleological actions. Design/methodology/approach This paper includes a qualitative study based on non-probability sampling of informants (air passengers). Findings The empirical findings indicate interactive gaps in teleological service encounters and a cause-effect-outcome sequence in the associated processes and interfaces. Research limitations/implications The study provides knowledge on how to manage the interactive interface between a service provider and a service receiver and a foundation for enhancing complaint handling in service encounters after critical incidents have occurred. Practical implications Service providers need to balance their teleological actions in relation to the service receivers’ teleological actions when critical incidents occur. Originality/value The paper takes into account service receiver teleological learning curves in relation to service provider teleological adaptive curves in an interactive transformative service encounter (TSE)-model that provides multiple opportunities for further research.


Author(s):  
Carmen Padin ◽  
Göran Svensson ◽  
Carmen Otero-Neira ◽  
Nils Høgevold

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to describe the teleological actions needed to assess and manage critical incidents that cause negative emotions in service encounters. Teleological actions are movements into the future that are believed to be move either towards a predictable/known or unpredictable/unknown state or condition. The authors distinguish between, define and apply three categories: transformative – ad hoc and present-based actions; formative – pre-determined and past-based actions; and rationalist – goal-directed and future-based actions. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study, based upon a two-phase approach applying convenience and judgemental sampling, was used. Focussing on one teleological theory, a process of abductive matching was applied throughout the study. Abductive matching refers to recurring themes, patterns and categories that are uncovered through the iterative processes of analysis. The teleological framework structured and guided the data collection and empirical observations. Findings – Seen through the perspective of teleological actions, the study enhances our understanding of the manner in which critical incidents generate negative emotions in service encounters. Through the same perspective, the investigation also reveals that the outcome of a negative service encounter depends upon the interactive interface between service provider and service receiver. Research limitations/implications – The teleological actions between service providers and service receivers in negative service encounters appear to be mediators between cause-and-effect on the one hand (critical incident and negative emotions) and a perceptual gap on the other (outcome of negative service encounter). The teleological perspective also provides numerous opportunities for further research in this area. Practical implications – Managers should strive to understand the teleological actions potentially undertaken by service receivers, so that they can deal with the teleological actions of their front-line staff accordingly. The interactive interface between a service provider and a service receiver is crucial in assessing and managing critical incidents. Originality/value – Based on teleological actions, the investigation provides both a valuable and complementary contribution on assessing and managing critical incidents and the negative emotions that are often triggered in the service-encounter interface between a service provider and a service receiver. Providers also need to educate their staff on what can occur and on how to react appropriately.


Author(s):  
Carmen Padin ◽  
Goran Svensson

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a framework and illustration to assess and manage the perceived content and experiences in hospitality processes through the lens of teleological actions. Teleological actions are movements into the future that are believed to move either towards a predictable/known or unpredictable/unknown state or condition: transformative – ad hoc and present-based actions; formative – pre-determined and past-based actions; and rationalist – goal-directed and future-based actions. Design/methodology/approach – A framework of teleological actions and its underlying logic illustrates how critical hospitality processes may be assessed and managed in both research and practice. Findings – The lens of teleological actions offers a non-traditional and unusual, potentially unique, perspective on hospitality processes. It reveals additional insights to assess and manage critical incidents in hospitality processes between service providers and service receivers. Research limitations/implications – Assessing and managing hospitality processes through the lens of teleological actions makes both a contribution to and provides opportunities for further research in the field of hospitality management. Practical implications – It opens up the possibility of examining different hospitality processes based upon the lens of teleological actions. It provides interesting and valuable insights in relation to contemporary approaches to assess and manage critical incidents in the literature of hospitality processes. Originality/value – It sheds a different and additional light upon current theory and practice in hospitality management. It explicitly addresses the meaning of time and how to relate to the content and experiences of previous, current and forthcoming hospitality processes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 22-30
Author(s):  
Aaron Gazley ◽  
Hamish Simmonds

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of outsourcing and offshoring on brand loyalty in a service recovery context. In addition, the effect that consumer ethnocentrism has on these relationships is examined. Design/methodology/approach An experiment was designed using a series of service recovery scenarios that manipulated whether the recovery effort was conducted by an in-house/outsourced or local/offshored party. Findings The study shows that while outsourcing service recovery within the home country has no effect on loyalty, outsourcing to an offshore location does. In addition, the effect of offshoring of loyalty is greater for consumers who hold ethnocentric tendencies. Practical implications This research suggests the need to consider the delivery channel of service recovery to recover a service failure and retain customer loyalty. The results show that outsourcing within a local country may be effective, but the risks associated with offshoring are much greater. Originality/value Despite previous attempts to understand outsourcing and offshoring in a range of service scenarios, their role in service recovery is not well understood. Similarly, the impact that ethnocentrism might have on this process is overlooked. This paper therefore responds to calls within business theory, practice and consults for further study in this under-researched area.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hera Antoniades ◽  
Clive M.J. Warren

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to undertake an analysis of the visual portrayal of women published in a professional journal within the built environment and to establish whether or not there is gender stereotyping through these published images. Design/methodology/approach A prominent property professional industry journal was selected for the research analysis. This journal was selected because of the national coverage within Australia and high prominence within the property industry. The analysis focused on a total of 166 pictures in the 2015 issues. The coding identified the publication year, issue number and page number of each photograph analysed and total number of pictures on each page. After this information was tabulated, each photograph was analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings The research identified that given the opportunity to be photographed ad hoc, women tend to take the dominant stance and yet when the pictures were posed, the women showed a tendency to adopt a submissive stance. Male images were 13.39 per cent in the dominance category indicating a higher score in comparison to females at 3.45 per cent. Practical implications Whilst it is generally accepted that there are more males in the built environment, the reality leans towards the notion that with less woman on property boards and management roles, it will be difficult to portray women in positions of authority and to balance the gender portrayal. In summary, the marginalisation of women is evident, and marketing media can be highly influential and unintentionally promote gender inequity with image portrayal. Originality/value This research provides a valuable insight on how women are portrayed in the property profession. The property industry and the professional bodies can provide an influential role to promote gender equality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 575-587
Author(s):  
Tevfik Demirciftci ◽  
ChihChien Chen ◽  
Mehmet Erdem

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of revenue management (RM) studies that focus on information technology (IT) and consumer behavior published between 2008 and 2018. Design/methodology/approach In total, 112 articles published in 17 journals were identified and analyzed. Findings This study shows the importance of IT and RM and focuses on the consumer perspective. It also emphasizes that technology is not the enemy of humans: it complements and adds value to their existing jobs. Research limitations/implications Book chapters and conference proceedings related to IT and RM were not included in this study. Besides, only journal papers published in English were included in the study. The categorizing of subjects can be seen as subjective. Practical implications This study helps researchers discover articles from 2008 to 2018 and helps hospitality executives interested in RM technologies from the demand side to use these findings in their business environment. Originality/value Based on the interaction between service providers (hotels) and users (consumers) on IT and RM platforms, the paper identified eight key components that have been relevant over the past decade.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiina-Kaisa Kuuru ◽  
Elina Närvänen

Purpose This paper aims to study the embodied nature of service employees’ work in human touch contexts. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts the practice theory as its interpretive approach, using focus group interviews with service employees from different industries. Findings The study identifies four practice bundles related to the embodied dimension of service employees’ work: orienting, attuning, connecting and wrapping up. The findings illustrate how employees’ knowledge, skills and capabilities are used via the body. Practical implications The study provides guidance for managers to use an embodied perspective in the management of service employees. Originality/value This study contributes to the discussion on embodiment in service encounters by highlighting the embodied nature of service employees’ work.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabian Maximilian Johannes Teichmann

Purpose This purpose of this paper is to illustrate how terrorists finance their activities through cryptocurrencies. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative content analysis of 30 semi-standardized expert interviews with both illegal financial service providers and prevention experts developed understanding of the concrete techniques of financing terrorism through cryptocurrencies. Findings Terrorists could use Bitcoin to receive donations from their supporters. Research limitations/implications As the findings are based on semi-standardized interviews, they are limited to the perspectives of the 30 interviewees. Practical implications The identification of gaps in current prevention mechanisms is intended to provide legislators and intelligence agencies with insights into the operations of terrorism financers. Originality/value While the existing literature focuses simply on identifying areas that could play a role in financing terrorism, this paper describes concrete methods, taking both prevention and criminal perspectives into account.


2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-53
Author(s):  
Dušan Vujošević ◽  
Ivana Kovačević ◽  
Milena Vujošević-Janičić

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the usability of the dimensional view of data in the context of its presumed learnability. Design/methodology/approach In total, 303 participants were asked to solve 12 analytical problems in an experiment using the dimensional view of data for half of the problems and an operational view of data for the other half. Inferential statistics and structural equation modeling were performed with participants’ objective results and affective reactions. Findings Showing that the order of exposure to the two views of data impacts the overall usability of ad hoc querying, the study provided evidence for the learnability potential of the dimensional view of data. Furthermore, the study showed that affective reactions to the different views of data follow objective usability parameters in a way that can be explained using models from affective computing research. Practical implications The paper proposes a list of guidelines for use of the dimensional view of data in business analytics. Originality/value This study is the first to confirm the learnability of the dimensional view of data and the first to take a deeper look at affective reactions to an ad hoc business analytics solution. Also, it is one of few studies that examined the usability of different views of data directly on these views, rather than using paper representations of data models.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Povey

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the key components and approaches which contribute to good autism services. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews some of the literature around quality of life in autism services and describes the approach taken by The National Autistic Society. Findings – There is minimal research to enable service providers to shape their services according to what is most important for people with autism. The SPELL framework used by The National Autistic Society provides an approach which can be adapted to individual needs. Good autism services need to be based on a sound and practical understanding of autism. Practical implications – People on the autism spectrum should be involved in determining what outcomes are most important to them, and services should then be based around those needs. Services therefore need to be individualised and person centred, underpinned by an in-depth knowledge and understanding of autism. Originality/value – This review highlights the importance of people being involved in determining what is important to them and how services which support them should be shaped and delivered.


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