Hospital service quality and patient loyalty: the mediation effect of empathy

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1176-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yucheng Zhang ◽  
Long Zhang ◽  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Miles M. Yang ◽  
Shanshan Zhang ◽  
...  

PurposeDrawing on social identification theory, this research aims to explore an important mechanism – patients’ perceived empathy from a hospital, which is defined as caring, individualized attention provided by the hospital – that explains how service quality influences patients’ loyalty to the hospital.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a structural equation modelling framework to estimate the mediation relationship between service quality and patient loyalty using two studies based on hospital employees and patients.FindingsIn Study 1, hospital staff survey data showed that service quality enhanced patients’ perceived empathy from the hospital. In Study 2, the authors confirmed and extended the findings of Study 1 by using patient survey data that suggested that patients’ empathy mediated the relationship between service quality and patients’ loyalty to the hospital.Originality/valueThe results of the two studies suggested that service quality increased patients’ empathy, which in turn improved patients’ loyalty to a hospital. The results extend the customer loyalty literature by exploring the critical antecedents and mechanisms of customer loyalty in the healthcare context. The studies interpret healthcare phenomena from the service aspect of fulfilling patients’ unique needs and providing a good hospital service experience. Moreover, the authors offer an insightful approach to explaining the service quality–patient loyalty linkage in the healthcare industry. Important theoretical and managerial contributions and suggestions for future research are discussed.

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sehrish Huma ◽  
Waqar Ahmed ◽  
Minhaj Ikram ◽  
Muhammad Ibrahim Khawaja

Purpose Logistics service quality and customer loyalty have recently become the topic of discussion in both developing and under-developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to understand the logistics service quality factors contributing to customer loyalty in a developing country context. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 250 respondents who were direct or indirect clients of logistics firms, through online questionnaire distribution. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling was used to examine the hypothesized relationships. Findings The findings of this research revealed that operational logistics service quality (OLSQ) and relational logistics service quality have a significant impact on customer loyalty. Moreover, for enhancing customer loyalty, relationship quality is the key factor. Practical implications Research reveals that even in a developing country like Pakistan, it is important for carriers to establish high-level relational and OLSQ to satisfy shipper. It will correspondingly add worth to the discussion in the literature and it shall also provide the basis for future research studies. Originality/value The novelty of this paper is logistics service quality and its effect on customer loyalty from the perspective of a developing country, specifically due to geographical importance in the context of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Esti Nur Wakhidah ◽  
Budhi Haryanto

<p>The purpose of this study is to examine the role of satisfaction and trust in mediating the relationship between service quality and brand image, and customer's intention to be loyal. The data is collected using survey and conducted by distributing questionnaire through a website. Website is selected as a media to distribute th research instrument because today marketplace shows a shift from offline to online platform. This study selected 200 people who have the intention to loyal with Jalur Nugraha Ekakurir (JNE) service as samples. Structural Equation Model (SEM) is statistical method chosen to elaborate the relationship among the variables. The result of this research indicates that service quality and brand image have positive and significant effect on satisfaction and trust. In addition, this research also find the mediation effect of satisfaction and trust in shaping customer loyalty. This study also discusses the implications from theoretical, practical, and future research, point of view.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Keywords: Service Quality, Brand Image, Customer Satisfaction, Customer Trust, Customer Loyalty</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dwi Suhartanto ◽  
Christopher Gan ◽  
Ira Siti Sarah ◽  
Setiawan Setiawan

Purpose This paper aims to integrate and examine three loyalty routes (i.e. service quality, emotional attachment and religiosity) in developing customer loyalty towards Islamic banking. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 412 Islamic bank customers from Indonesia. Variance-based structural equation modelling was applied to evaluate the association between service quality, emotional attachment, religiosity and customer loyalty. Findings This study reveals that customer loyalty is more driven by emotional attachment and religiosity rather than by perceived service quality. Although not directly affecting customer loyalty, service quality strengthens customer satisfaction towards Islamic banks. Practical implications This study provides an opportunity for Islamic bank managers to increase their customer loyalty through the development of emotional attachment and religiosity. To improve customer loyalty, this study suggests that Islamic banks have to provide prompt, accurate and non-personal service. It is also important for Islamic bank managers to keep the bank operation compliant with the Sharia law. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to assess the three loyalty routes simultaneously in influencing customer loyalty.


Author(s):  
Mirza Mohammad Didarul Alam

Today, retailers have been struggling to retain their existing customers in the face of severe competition in their business operations. By expanding the service quality, retailers will be able to stand out among the other businesses and create the opportunity to strengthen customer loyalty, particularly within the younger generation. The aim of this study is to propose and empirically investigate the mechanism of increasing customer loyalty of Generation Y (Gen Y) toward superstores by means of enhancing service quality practices. Based on a structured questionnaire, data was collected from 252 Gen Y consumers who have visited four leading superstores in Bangladesh. The data was analyzed through SEMPLS3.0 to test the validity of the measures, and used to examine the hypothesized relationships by employing structural equation modeling. The findings show that the Retail Service Quality Scale (RSQS) is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing service quality in the retail sector of Bangladesh. The structural model indicates that the customer loyalty of Gen Y toward superstores is positively influenced by retail service quality dimensions such as policy, reliability, personal interaction, physical aspect, and problem solving, in the order of influencing strength. This paper provides the research implications and avenue for future research.    


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 957-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moses Mpiima Kibirango ◽  
John C. Munene ◽  
Waswa J. Balunywa ◽  
Jovent K. Obbo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine, explain, predict and guide the processes, mechanisms and outcomes of intrapreneurial behaviour to provide evidence that novelty ecosystems mediate the relationships between generative influence, positive deviance and intrapreneurial behaviour. It also enlightens the capacity of replicating the intrapreneurial best practices. Design/methodology/approach The study uses an integrated approach of entrepreneurship and complexity theories. Its subjects were full-time designated university employees in the Republic of Kenya. A total number of 244 employees were selected using snowball sampling technique from ten public and private universities in the Kenya. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Findings The structural equation modelling path analysis and the bootstrapping results confirmed full mediation of novelty ecosystems in the relationship between generative influence and intrapreneurial behaviour. The findings, further, verified that novelty ecosystems partially mediate the relationship between positive deviance and intrapreneurial behaviour. Research limitations/implications Subjective appraisals were used, despite the fact that studied variables are ultimately based on what employees perceive. Future research should generate and include more objective measures. Practical implications Intrapreneurial behaviour can only be explained and predicted through novelty ecosystems. University leaders need to fully understand and facilitate novelty ecosystems. Social implications A deeper understanding of the power of generative influence, positive deviance and novelty ecosystems will not be fully realized until researchers devote as much energy and attention to facilitation as has been devoted to conflict. Originality/value This study extends existing intrapreneurial research into complexity approach.


2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Peterson ◽  
Gary Gregory ◽  
James M. Munch

PurposeTo evaluate the cross‐regional equivalence of repair service quality for mission‐critical equipment.Design/methodology/approachUsing the five dimensions of SERVPERF as a framework, clinical laboratory directors across Europe and the USA were surveyed about repair service for mission‐critical equipment. Assessment of construct equivalence across the two regions was then performed using item bias analysis. Following this, assessment of model equivalence across the two regions was conducted using both the Chow test of model equivalence and regression in structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsResults suggest that service quality in this B2B domain is perceived to be remarkably the same in both the USA and Europe.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could focus on repair services for other types of mission‐critical equipment, and another region of the world, such as Asia. Both of these steps would boost the generalizability of the study's findings.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of the study's results suggest not only the applicability of the SERVPERF framework across these two regions, but also standardization possibilities in repair service for mission‐critical equipment because of the homogeneity evident in these markets regarding service quality.Originality/valueThis study should be valuable reading for those interested in issues related to service quality, as well as international services. The paper provides new insight into the relative importance of service quality dimensions, as the “responsiveness” dimension was found to be more than twice as important as any other dimension – even the “reliability” dimension.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Carlos Pinho

Purpose This paper draw insights from social capital theory and examines the synergistic effect of several constructs on export performance within the context of exporter–intermediary relationships. Specifically, it assumes that social capital and the set of resources embedded therein strongly influence the extent to which both commitment and cooperation occur, and how these, in turn, impact on export performance. Design/methodology/approach Following a quantitative methodological approach, a survey is applied to a sample of small and medium-sized enterprise exporters, to empirically test the proposed conceptual model. Partial least squares structural equation modeling is used to test the empirical model. Findings The findings reveal that there is a positive and direct impact of social capital on export performance. Results also confirm that the presence of high social capital between exporters and intermediaries affects both high commitment and high cooperation. The study also confirms the mediation effect of cooperation in the relationship between social capital and export performance. Practical implications One possible shortfall of this research relates to the fact that this analysis only incorporates the view of one actor, the view of exporter firms. This limitation could open a rewarding direction for future research, which would be to analyze the view of both sides in a dyadic relationship. Originality/value This paper presents the original approach of looking at the relational antecedents of export performance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solimun Solimun ◽  
Adji Achmad Rinaldo Fernandes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediation effect of customer satisfaction in the relationship between service quality, service orientation, and marketing mix strategy to customer loyalty, in a study in Telkomsel-Indonesia. The product used in this research will take the telecommunication service product categories with a number of products available in the market. In this research, the telecommunication service products of Telkomsel with various features as the research objects were studied. Design/methodology/approach The population of this research is Telkomsel customers who use the products of Halo, As and Simpati, domiciled in Malang, 2016. Since it was impossible to get the exact number of customers, the population in this study is infinite. The study had a sample size of 200 respondents. This research uses the structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis techniques along with AMOS methods. Findings The quality of service, service orientation, and strategy marketing mix applied by the company are not all variables can directly affect customer loyalty, but must first going through satisfaction. Which means that companies must first need to understand what the customer needs through variable service quality, service orientation, and marketing mix strategy so that the customers feel loyal when the level of satisfaction is resolved. The service quality provided by the telecommunications industry needs to be improved in order to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty of telecommunications services, especially for Telkomsel in Malang. Originality/value Originality for this paper shows: mediation effect (using the Sobel test) customer satisfaction on the effect of service quality, service orientation and marketing mix strategy to customer loyalty; location of the study (no previous research for this relationship): telecommunication services in Malang, Indonesia.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest Emeka Izogo

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the results of an empirical study that tested two competing models of relationship quality for superiority and further examined the effect of relationship quality antecedents as well as relationship quality constructs on customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative cross-sectional data generated from 332 informants who are experienced users of banking services formed the final database. The construct validity and reliability of the data set was confirmed. The two competing models were tested with partial least squares structural equation modelling technique. Findings – Although the two competing models support all the hypothesised relationships as expected, the disaggregated model of relationship quality was found to be a better predictor of customer loyalty than the composite model of the construct. The two models also show that relationship quality does transmit the effect of customer orientation, expertise and information sharing to customer loyalty. But each of these determinants contributed differentially to relationship quality in both models just as trust and satisfaction contributed differentially to customer loyalty in the disaggregated model. Research limitations/implications – This paper questions the predictive ability of all previous models that tested relationship quality as a composite construct. The concern is that outputs from those studies may not have reflected the accurate explanation of the construct on companies’ bottom line. Future research integrating the construct into behavioural models should, therefore, examine the construct from a disaggregated viewpoint. Practical implications – Retail managers especially those within the banking sector are better placed to enhance customer loyalty when relationship quality implementation is initiated from the lens of both trust and satisfaction as separate and interdependent constructs, rather than a composite measure. Such approach widens the latitude to identify areas where attention to improvement is needed most. Originality/value – The uniqueness of this paper is the measurement of relationship quality both as a disaggregated and composite construct in one study. As far as could be established, in exception of Rafiq et al. (2013) whose model was rather too simplistic, no study of this sort is found within the relationship marketing literature in general and the financial services sector in particular. Based on the two competing models tested, the disaggregated model of relationship quality ahead of the composite/global measure emerged as a superior approach to testing the construct.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 644-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avan Jassawalla ◽  
Hemant Sashittal

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to extant conflict management theory by presenting evidence from a two-stage study of conflict initiated by pre-graduation Millennials in entry-level work environments. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents an inductively derived conceptual model, hypotheses and measurement scales grounded in Millennials’ voices. Then, based on survey data, the scales are tested for structural coherence, and hypotheses are validated using structural equation modeling methodology. Findings Most Millennials initiate conflict with older coworkers and supervisors in the workplace because of the hurt they feel over the unfairness they experience. While confronting their superiors, they take an aggressive stand (“you are wrong, you should change”) and learn that the organization is duplicitous and that they should initiate conflict with superiors in the future to protect against unfairness in a duplicitous organization. Research limitations/implications The findings and implications reflect the perspectives of Millennials who initiated conflict with superiors or more experienced coworkers in entry level workplaces. Reports of multiple perspectives and from other contexts are left to future research. Practical implications Millennials may well enter the workforce with attitudes and behaviors older coworkers and supervisors find aberrant. However, the interactions between Millennials, older generations and the socio-technical environment of entry-level workplaces lie at the root of the conflict Millennials initiate. Older generations may have implicitly produced – albeit to varying extents – opaque environments in which entry-level Millennials feel manipulated. Originality/value The study reports a relatively rare two-stage study that begins with exploration and discovery using qualitative data, and concludes with hypotheses tests based on survey data. A new context is explored; i.e. Millennials initiating conflict in vertical dyads. New concerns about the veracity of the entry-level work environment are raised.


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