Customer prioritization, product complexity and business ties: implications for job stress and customer service performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Volkan Yeniaras ◽  
Ilker Kaya
Keyword(s):  
Job Stress ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Product Complexity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose Drawing on the theoretical lens of the job demands-resources model, this study builds upon and tests a conceptual model that links customer prioritization, product complexity, business ties, job stress and customer service performance. Conceptualizing customer prioritization and product complexity as job demands and business ties as personal job resources, this research explicates the mediating process by which customer prioritization and product complexity affect customer service performance through job stress and its boundary conditions. The purpose of this paper is to offer a theoretical framework in which business ties moderates the mediated relations of customer prioritization and product complexity to customer service performance. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling and a moderated mediation analysis were used on a unique multi-level, multi-respondent data set of 248 participants from 124 small and medium-sized enterprises in Turkey. Findings This study finds that both customer prioritization and product complexity increase job stress. In addition, this paper finds that business ties have a bitter-sweet nature as a personal resource and reverse the relation of customer prioritization to job stress while strengthening the negative direct relation of product complexity to job stress. Finally, this study finds that the indirect relation of customer prioritization to customer service performance through job stress is contingent on business ties. Specifically, this paper finds that high levels of business ties negate the indirect relation of customer prioritization to customer service performance while low levels of business ties exacerbate the negative effects of customer prioritization to customer service performance, channeled through job stress. Practical implications The findings demonstrate the critical role that personal networks play in reducing job stress and enhancing customer service performance for small and medium-sized enterprises that adopt customer-centric strategies such as customer prioritization. Nevertheless, the results suggest that the managers need to cognizant of the undesirable consequences of business ties may have on job stress when boundary-spanners handle a wide range of products/services that are technically complex. Accordingly, this study recommends small and medium-size enterprise managers and owners should be cautious in resource allocation to establish informal, personal ties with suppliers, competitors, customers and other market collaborators. Originality/value This paper offers a deeper perspective of the relations of customer prioritization and product complexity to job stress and customer service performance. This study also specifies business ties as a personal coping resource, which decreases the undesirable consequences when used in small and medium enterprises that adopt customer-centric strategies.

Power outage and proactive service performance: the role of patient incivility and job stress

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raheel Yasin ◽  
Ghulam Jan
Keyword(s):  
Job Stress ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Power Outage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeDrawing from transactional stress and conservation of resource theories, this study untangles the relationship between power outage, patient incivility, job stress and proactive service performance. Further, this study also explores the mediating role of patient incivility and job stress.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire-based survey was used, and data were collected from 275 healthcare professionals working in various public hospitals in Pakistan through convenience sampling. Structural equation modeling (SEM) via Smart PLS was used for data analysis.FindingsResults revealed that power outage has significant positive impact on patient incivility and patient incivility has significant direct effect on job stress. Job stress has significant negative relationship with proactive service performance. Findings also confirmed that patient incivility mediates the relationship between power outage and job stress, and job stress mediates the relationship between patient incivility and proactive service performance.Practical implicationsThis study helps the health administrators to think about the service standards of the public hospitals. Implications of this study are not limited to health sector. This study is useful for other service sectors where performance of employee affected by power outage. In addition to this, the current research helps to conduct research in other developing and underdeveloped countries which also face the problem of power outage.Originality/valueThis study marks the first step toward establishing power outage as an organizational behavior construct by demonstrating that power outage impacts significantly on proactive service performance. This study also explored the relationship between job stress and proactive service performance which was also not explored before.

Supply chain integration: value creation through managing inter-organizational learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 211-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quan Zhu ◽  
Harold Krikke ◽  
Marjolein C.J. Caniëls
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Focal Firm

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how inter-organizational learning (including supply chain learning and imitation prevention) mediates the relationships between supply chain integration (SCI) and two dimensions of focal firm performance (i.e. customer service performance and innovation performance). Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional approach was adopted with primary data collected through a survey in China. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with partial least-squares estimations. Findings The findings verify that inter-organizational learning mediates the relationship between SCI and focal firm performance. The results of sub-group model analysis illustrate that both powerful and weak focal firms benefit from inter-organizational learning, but in different ways. Research limitations/implications The responses were all from young executives who had four years’ work experience on average. Top-level executives may provide more comprehensive and accurate input for similar future research. Practical implications The results suggest that successfully integrating the supply chain to create customer value requires both supply chain learning and imitation prevention. Originality/value This paper responds to calls for an inter-disciplinary research between supply chain management and inter-organizational learning by taking into account supply chain learning and imitation prevention as links between SCI and both customer service performance for current success and innovation performance for future prosperity.

Customer service in supply chain management: a case study

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 786-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatiha Naoui
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a case study to assess the customer service within supply chain management (SCM). In particular, the paper emphasizes an interest in an integrated approach to considering customer service performance in an efficient way. Indeed, information systems as technical support play an essential role in the SCM of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The reasons for pursuing such research can be explained by the fact that the customers are the first concern of any firm that seeks to be competitive. Indeed, the author seeks to answer the following question: Which are the main explaining factors of the customers’ service performance within Alpha SCM? Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research methodology is used based on 11 semi-structured interviews with professionals and direct observation as part of a telecommunications network SME in France. Findings – This empirical case study is to delineate the concept dimensions. These dimensions allow the drawing up of a framework of actions to improve SME customer service performance evaluations in the SCM. Research limitations/implications – The paper is a single case study, not generalizable, but might be useful in general way. Another issue that the author can reflect on is the key performance indicators (KPIs). The KPIs selected are rather subjective and not generic relating to supply chain as “process”. The answers correspond to the managers’ perception and the international dimension is not taken into account in this work. Practical implications – The results contribute to the existing body of knowledge regarding services for improving the relationship with the customers; improve operational reporting; improve invoice control and indicator follow-ups with the project manager; and improve cost management. Social implications – The human factor is an important and current issue and is discussed in context of the case study. Originality/value – The paper adds to the understanding by showing that the human motivation and intellectual capital management are critical success factors in the Alpha SCM case study. It offers a new perspective that customers are among the major actors in the telecommunications market, along with the corporate customers and administration involved in implementation or service quality follow-up and telecommunications use. The group offers a wide range of skills to help the customers to make the most of technology.

Servant leadership and proactive customer service performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 1330-1347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yijiao Ye ◽  
Yijing Lyu ◽  
Yanzhen He
Keyword(s):  
Servant Leadership ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Customer Orientation ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Harmonious Passion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Passion For Work

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of servant leadership on hospitality employees’ proactive customer service performance (PCSP) by focusing on the sequential mediating roles of harmonious passion and customer orientation and the moderating role of others’ approval of contingent self-esteem. Design/methodology/approach This study uses structural equation modeling with the four-wave data collected from eight Chinese hotels. Findings This study finds that servant leadership can promote hospitality employees’ PCSP by sequentially boosting their harmonious passion for work and customer orientation. Moreover, others’ approval of contingent self-esteem strengthens servant leadership’s effect on harmonious passion for work. Originality/value First, this study extends the servant leadership research by extending its outcome to hospitality employees’ PCSP. Second, this study enriches the understanding of the mediating mechanism between servant leadership and PCSP. Third, this study advances the research on servant leadership by identifying the moderating effect of employees’ others’ approval of contingent self-esteem between servant leadership and harmonious passion.

scholarly journals Relational governance, organizational unlearning and learning: implications for performance

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Volkan Yeniaras ◽  
Anthony Di Benedetto ◽  
Ilker Kaya ◽  
Mumin Dayan
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Dynamic Capability ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Mediating Mechanisms ◽  
Dynamic Skills ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose Drawing on the literature on dynamic skills, this study builds upon and empirically tests a conceptual model that connects business and political ties, organizational unlearning, organizational learning and firm performance. Specifically, this study suggests that business ties enable and political ties inhibit organizational unlearning (i.e. regenerative dynamic capability), which may, in turn, affect exploratory (i.e. renewing dynamic capability) and exploitative (i.e. incremental dynamic capability) innovation behaviors of the firm. Thus, the purpose of this study is to offer a theoretical framework in which organizational unlearning and learning act as mediating mechanisms between business and political ties and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling and mediation analyzes were used on a sample of 302 small and medium-size enterprises in Turkey. Findings This study found that business ties enable organizational unlearning while political ties impede it. This study further demonstrates that business ties positively and political ties negatively relate to organizational learning through organizational unlearning. In addition, this study shows that political ties are mostly negatively and indirectly related to firm performance through organizational learning while business ties positively and indirectly relate to firm performance. Practical implications The findings demonstrate the critical role that personal networks play in organizational learning and firm performance. This study provides evidence to the need to recognize and evaluate the potential and undesirable impacts of political ties on cultivating innovation skills and firm performance. In addition, this study recommends managers to embrace the significance of organizational unlearning in strategic renewal, particularly as it applies to building renewing and incremental dynamic skills for enhanced firm performance. Originality/value This study offers a deeper perspective of the dissected relations of social ties in emerging economies to firm performance by considering organizational unlearning and learning behaviors as mediating mechanisms.

Engaging leadership in the job demands-resources model

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 446-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilmar B. Schaufeli
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Organizational Outcomes ◽  
Job Resources ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to integrate leadership into the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. Based on self-determination theory, it was argued that engaging leaders who inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers would reduce employee’s levels of burnout and increase their levels of work engagement. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was conducted among a representative sample of the Dutch workforce (n=1,213) and the research model was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings – It appeared that leadership only had an indirect effect on burnout and engagement – via job demands and job resources – but not a direct effect. Moreover, leadership also had a direct relationship with organizational outcomes such as employability, performance, and commitment. Research limitations/implications – The study used a cross-sectional design and all variables were based on self-reports. Hence, results should be replicated in a longitudinal study and using more objective measures (e.g. for work performance). Practical implications – Since engaged leaders, who inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers, provide a work context in which employees thrive, organizations are well advised to promote engaging leadership. Social implications – Leadership seems to be a crucial factor which has an indirect impact – via job demands and job resources – on employee well-being. Originality/value – The study demonstrates that engaging leadership can be integrated into the JD-R framework.

The role of organizational culture in the knowledge management process

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Ling-hsing Chang ◽  
Tung-Ching Lin
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Resources ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Individual

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to focus on the enhancement of knowledge management (KM) performance and the relationship between organizational culture and KM process intention of individuals because of the diversity of organizational cultures (which include results-oriented, tightly controlled, job-oriented, closed system and professional-oriented cultures). Knowledge is a primary resource in organizations. If firms are able to effectively manage their knowledge resources, then a wide range of benefits can be reaped such as improved corporate efficiency, effectiveness, innovation and customer service. Design/methodology/approach – The survey methodology, which has the ability to enhance generalization of results (Dooley, 2001), was used to collect the data utilized in the testing of the research hypotheses. Findings – Results- and job-oriented cultures have positive effects on employee intention in the KM process (creation, storage, transfer and application), whereas a tightly controlled culture has negative effects. Research limitations/implications – However, it would have been better to use a longitudinal study to collect useful long-term data to understand how the KM process would be influenced when organizational culture dimensions are changed through/by management. This is the first limitation of this study. According to Mason and Pauleen (2003), KM culture is a powerful predictor of individual knowledge-sharing behavior, which is not included in this study. Thus, this is the second limitation of this paper. Moreover, national culture could be an important issue in the KM process (Jacks et al., 2012), which is the third limitation of this paper for not comprising it. Practical implications – In researchers’ point of view, results- and job-oriented cultures have positive effects, whereas a tightly controlled culture has a negative effect on the KM process intention of the individual. These findings provide evidences that challenge the perspective of Kayworth and Leidner (2003) on this issue. As for practitioners, management has a direction to modify their organizational culture to improve the performance of KM process. Social implications – Both behavioral and value perspectives of the organizational cultural dimensions (results-oriented, tightly control, job-oriented, sociability, solidarity, need for achievement and democracy) should be examined to ascertain their effects firstly on KM culture and then on the KM process intention of the individual. It is hoped that the current study will spawn future investigations that lead to the development of an integrated model which includes organizational culture, KM culture and the KM process intention of the individual. Originality/value – The results-oriented, loosely controlled and job-oriented cultures will improve the effectiveness of the KM process and will also increase employees’ satisfaction and willingness to stay with the organization.

Salesperson grit: reducing unethical behavior and job stress

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles H. Schwepker ◽  
Megan C. Good
Keyword(s):  
Job Stress ◽  
Unethical Behavior ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Screening Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unethical Behaviors ◽  
Neutralization Techniques ◽  
Business To Business

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between grit, unethical behavior and job stress among business-to-business salespeople. Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis includes 240 business-to-business salespeople. Structural equation modeling is used to test the study’s hypotheses. Findings Results suggest grit is directly related to less frequent unethical behavior and customer-directed deviance. Neutralization techniques positively moderate the relationship between salesperson grit and both unethical behavior and customer-directed deviance. Grit is indirectly related to job stress through the positive relationship between unethical behavior and job stress. Research limitations/implications Given research on grit in sales is relatively new several opportunities to pursue additional research in this area are presented. Practical implications Sales leaders may benefit from administering the salesperson grit scale as part of the screening process and developing grit among salespeople through training and coaching. Sales leaders should emphasize the negative impact of adopting neutralization techniques (excuses) in condoning unethical behaviors. The indirect effect of grit in reducing job stress through ethical behaviors underscores potential ways to mitigate costly and detrimental sales outcome losses. Originality/value This study develops a novel framework to explore the relationships between grit and unethical behaviors as moderated by neutralization techniques (excuses); examines an additional component of grit not previously considered in some studies of salespeople; and investigates whether these relationships increase a previously unexplored outcome – job stress.

Does transformational leadership always matter in frontline service roles?

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 733-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keo Mony Sok ◽  
Phyra Sok ◽  
Lan Snell ◽  
Pingping Qiu
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
High Level ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Frontline Service

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of frontline service employees (FSEs) motivation (enjoyment of work and driven to work) and ability (customer service ability) in the relationship between TFL and employee service performance. Design/methodology/approach This is a survey-based study which involves 534 FSEs and 135 supervisors in a hair salon setting. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings Results show that TFL is significantly related to employee service performance; this relationship is enhanced with the presence of driven to work; yet, it is neutralized with the presence of enjoyment of work. Further, the three-way interaction of TFL, enjoyment of work and customer service ability as well as TFL driven to work, and customer service ability are negatively associated with employee service performance. Practical implications The results advance service managers’ understanding of the importance of FSEs motivation and ability if they are to fully reap the benefits from their FSEs. The role of leader is not always effective in all situations. FSEs with high level of enjoyment of work and customer service ability would least rely on the guidance and support from the supervisors. Originality/value This research is one of the first to examine the role of subordinate’s characteristics (motivation – enjoyment of work and driven to work and ability – customer service ability) as the key moderators in the relationship between TFL and employee service performance.

Gain without pay causes lazybones’ loss

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 634-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Wu ◽  
Jingli Liu ◽  
Xiaopu Shang
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Social Loafing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Extant Literature ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Informal Relationship ◽  
Processing Theory ◽  
Member Exchange

Purpose Building on social informational processing theory, the purpose of this paper is to develop and test a theoretical model of moderated mediation in which social loafing tendency serves as an intervening mechanism that explains associations among two dimensions of leader–member relationships (formal and informal relationships, namely, leader–member exchange and leader–member guanxi) and customer service performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors designed a field study to test the hypotheses presented in this paper. A survey of 304 supervisor–employee pairs and matched customers generally provide support for this model. Findings The authors found that social loafing tendency played a mediating role between leader–member relationships and customer service performance. Co-worker service-oriented OCB moderated the positive relationship between leader–member guanxi and loafing tendency. Research limitations/implications More samples should be collected from both private and state-owned company. Both the informal and formal leader–member relationships should be unanimously included in examining how the leader–member relationships influence focal employee’s attitude and behavior, particularly in societies where the informal relationship plays noticeable role. Practical implications Managers should properly deal with formal and informal relationship with subordinates. Originality/value The influence of leader–member guanxi on employees and organization is controversial in extant literature. In some sense, this finding contributes to extant literature by further clarifying the influence of guanxi on the focal employee’s performance.

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