scholarly journals The influence of outsourcing activities on the perception of service quality. An empirical study based on online reviews by hotel customers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomás F. Espino-Rodríguez ◽  
Manuel Rodríguez-Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Performance Measure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Customer Reviews ◽  
Online Reputation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of the outsourcing of hotel departments on service quality measured through online customer reviews. Design/methodology/approach Three models were developed, considering three important online tourism reputation websites, to establish the relationship between the outsourcing of hotel activities and service quality. Findings The results show that in the three databases, hotel outsourcing has a negative influence on online reputation. A higher level of outsourcing reduces service quality, the percentage of recommendations and the value perceived by customers who carry out online reviews of these hotels. In addition, different models were established for each type of department. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper presents the first empirical study to analyse the relationship between the impact of process outsourcing and customers’ online reviews. It is also the first empirical research to consider the relationship between outsourcing and ratings by hotel end-customers as a performance measure.

Evaluating service quality in automobile maintenance and repair industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikunj Kumar Jain ◽  
Alok Kumar Singh ◽  
Kapil Kaushik
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Service Satisfaction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Maintenance And Repair ◽  
Service Fairness ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse service quality in the automobile maintenance and repair industry. A conceptual structural model is developed to investigate the impact of service quality, perceived service fairness and convenience on customer service satisfaction. The impact of service satisfaction and brand trust on word of mouth (WOM) is also explored, and the study assesses the mediating effect of customer service satisfaction on the relationship between service quality and WOM. Design/methodology/approach Data from a questionnaire-based survey of 259 users of automobile maintenance and repair centres were analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling. Findings The findings indicate that service quality dimensions (reliability, responsiveness and empathy), perceived service fairness and convenience are positively associated with customer service satisfaction, and that service satisfaction and trust positively influence WOM. The findings support the mediating effect of service satisfaction on the relationship between reliability and responsiveness and WOM. Research limitations/implications The study’s main limitation is the cross-sectional design, which limits the generalisability of the findings. Practical implications To ensure customer satisfaction and generate trust and WOM, automobile maintenance and repair service centres should improve reliability, responsiveness and empathy, as well as perceived service fairness and convenience. Originality/value The study demonstrates that the reliability and responsiveness dimensions of service quality are the most significant predictors of customer service satisfaction in the automobile maintenance and repair industry.

The role of internationalization in entrepreneurial orientation-performance link: empirical study of SMEs in a developing nation perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaynab Dadzie ◽  
Ahmed Agyapong ◽  
Abdulai Suglo
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Developing Nation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to examine the mediating role of internationalization in the relationship between the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and performance, empirical study of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in a developing nation. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a sample of 158 exporting SMEs based in the sub-Saharan developing economy, Ghana. The use of hierarchical regression (ordinary least square analysis) was used by the researcher to assess the suggested model of the study. Findings Largely supporting the conjectural predictions, the study indicates that EO positively and significantly influences performance; internationalization fully mediates the relationship between innovativeness and performance of export firms; internationalization fully mediates the relationship between risk-taking and performance of export firms; and finally, internationalization partially mediates the relationship between competitive aggressiveness and performance of export firms. Managers are, therefore, encouraged to strategically develop both their EO and internationalization, as the study has confirmed that EO has both a direct and indirect relationship with performance. Originality/value This study integrated a resource-based view of the firm and international entrepreneurship theory as a theoretical foundation. Theoretically, internationalization’s mediating role reveals the relevance of this construct in the linkage between entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance. Furthermore, the study extends the entrepreneurial orientation concept to the international business literature by estimating and testing models of the mediating link between entrepreneurial orientation and performance. Moreover, the study seeks to broaden the knowledge of entrepreneurial orientation and its relationship with performance in small and medium businesses. The study further extends the limited studies on performance, driven by entrepreneurial orientation and internationalization in a developing nation (Ghanaian) context. This paper besides seeks to highlight the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on performance when channeled through internationalization. The study also reveals the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation to be important antecedents of internationalization, in attempts at unearthing the critical predictors of firm performance, especially those of international characteristics.

The neighborhood effect of online reviews

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-283
Author(s):  
Dong Liang ◽  
Xia Wang
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Neighborhood Effect ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Online reviews have been indicated to play an important role in consumers’ decision-making process, as supported by numerous studies. However, none of them has considered the neighborhood effect of online reviews. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of neighbor store’s reviews on central store’s, along with the moderating effects of store density and product similarity. Design/methodology/approach Using data from dianping.com, this study conducts economic analysis accounting for endogeneity. Findings The results show that the neighbor store’s reviews exert a negative impact on that of central stores. Nevertheless, the relationship is moderated by store density and product similarity, such that the negative effect is stronger if there are a lot of stores around the central store, or if the neighbor store and central store provide similar products. Originality/value This study is the first to investigate the neighborhood effect of online reviews.

Examining the impact of market orientation on service quality in shipping companies: the role of risk propensity

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelos Pantouvakis ◽  
Maria Karakasnaki
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Market Orientation ◽  
Risk Propensity ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between market orientation and service quality in the context of shipping companies. Moreover, this study aims to explore the moderating role of risk propensity in the above-mentioned relationship. Design/methodology/approach A research study was carried out on a sample of 255 shipping companies located in Greece. Data were obtained through a structured questionnaire from the managing directors or other senior executives. Data were analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, while the hypothesized relationships were determined through regression analyzes. Findings The analysis of the empirical data shows that intelligence generation and responsiveness have a positive and significant impact on the service quality of shipping companies. Also, the findings showed that this relationship is influenced by the degree of risk propensity, revealing, thus its moderating role on the market orientation – service quality link. Originality/value The current study contributes to the literature by examining for the first time the moderating role of risk propensity in the relationship between market orientation and service quality. Additionally, this is the first study that attempts to investigate the way the dimensions of market orientation predict service quality in the context of shipping companies.

What drives the impact of women directors on firm performance? Evidence from intellectual capital efficiency of US listed firms

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faisal Shahzad ◽  
Mushahid Hussain Baig ◽  
Ijaz Ur Rehman ◽  
Fawad Latif ◽  
Bruno S. Sergi
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Performance Measure ◽  
Women Directors ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Capital Efficiency ◽  
Board Gender Diversity ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study whether the presence of women directors on the corporate board influences financial performance (FP). To examine the underlying causal mechanism, the authors modeled firm-level intellectual capital efficiency (ICE) in the relationshipbetween board gender diversity (BGD) and FP. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 5,879 US firms, a structural model of BGD, IC and FP is conceptualized by accounting for the endogeneity issues and alternative measures of the key variables in the empirical framework. In the model, the percentage of women directors is taken as BGD measures and value-added intellectual coefficient as an IC performance measure, considering governance and corporate performance measures. Findings The authors find a significant impact of BGD on FP. In particular, the results suggest: BGD is linked to IC; the influence of board gender diversity on the FP is indirect; and ICE fully mediates the relationship between BGD and FP. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, no study has empirically investigated whether the firm-level IC performance explains the influence of BGD on FP. Drawing on the resource-based view and organizational learning theory of the firm, the authors empirically modeled the relationship between BGD and FP through a mediation mechanism of firm-level ICE to fill the void in the literature.

scholarly journals Foreign business ownership and domestic entrepreneurial exports

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 873-895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piers Thompson ◽  
Wenyu Zang
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Foreign Firms ◽  
Firm Characteristics ◽  
Local Economies ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Ownership ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – There has been considerable debate about the impact that Foreign Direct Investment has upon home grown enterprise (Pathak et al., 2015). The purpose of this paper is to examine how foreign business ownership at the local level affects the decision of individual UK entrepreneurs to export their production. Design/methodology/approach – The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data and ONS foreign firm employment data are used within this study. In order to control for entrepreneurial and firm characteristics, a multivariate approach is adopted with logit, ordered logit and multinominal logit regressions utilised. Findings – It is found that the influence of foreign firms, as captured by their share of local employment, has a negative influence on domestic entrepreneurs’ probability of exporting, but has no significant effect on the intensity of these export activities. Research limitations/implications – The results suggest that local economies may not only become highly reliant on foreign employers, but also on local demand for domestic production. This means actions might be required to reduce this over-reliance to ensure the development of resilient local economies. Originality/value – Unlike many other studies the relationship between the SME exports and foreign influence is considered at a local level. With the current UK government seeking to increase UK firms’ exports substantially, understanding this relationship is of key importance to policy makers.

Impact of service quality, corporate image and customer satisfaction towards customers’ perceived value in the banking sector in Pakistan

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 442-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hashim Zameer ◽  
Anam Tara ◽  
Uzma Kausar ◽  
Aisha Mohsin
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Corporate Image ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Customer Perceived Value ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of services quality, customer satisfaction and corporate image on customer perceived value in the banking sector of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach – A model is developed to show the relationship between dependent and independent variables taken from the existing literature. The data are collected from 200 respondents taken from the five major cities of Pakistan using structured questionnaire. Correlation and regression are applied to estimate the relationship between variables and find out the extent to which the independent variables have impact on the dependent variable. Findings – Results show that there is a positive relation between the service quality, customer satisfaction and corporate image. It is also analyzed by the results that service quality and customer satisfaction have high impact on the customer perceived value where corporate image also effect the customer perceived value. Originality/value – This paper identified the impact of service quality, customer satisfaction and corporate image on the customer perceived value that helps the services sector especially banks how they can improve the customer perceived value through improving their service quality, customer satisfaction and corporate image.

Will destination image drive the intention to revisit and recommend? Empirical evidence from golf tourism

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tat-Huei Cham ◽  
Jun-Hwa Cheah ◽  
Hiram Ting ◽  
Mumtaz Ali Memon
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Behavioural Intention ◽  
Destination Image ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Service Quality ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeDespite being a popular topic in sports tourism research, limited studies have focused on golf tourism in relation to destination image. The present study aimed to examine the impact of country-related factors on the destination image among golf tourists as well as the interrelationships between perceived service quality, perceived value, satisfaction and behavioural intention in this context in the Malaysian context. Excitement was also examined as a moderator of the relationship between satisfaction and behavioural intention.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from 360 golf tourists using a self-administered questionnaire at the two largest airports (KLIA and KLIA2) in Malaysia. Data analysis was performed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique.FindingsThe findings present the significance of country-related factors (i.e. accessibility, safety and security and golf course setting) in determining the image of Malaysia as a golf tourism destination. Destination image, in turn, is found to influence golf tourists' perceived service quality, perceived value and satisfaction; with both perceived service quality and perceived value acting as mediators between destination image and satisfaction. Moreover, the moderation assessment confirms that the level of excitement about golfing in Malaysia strengthens the relationship between their satisfaction and behavioural intention.Originality/valueThis study is one of the few that focuses on the consequential importance of destination image within the golf tourism setting. It highlights the mediating role of perceived service quality and perceived value as well as the moderating role of excitement in understanding the effect of destination image on satisfaction and behavioural intention of golf tourists.

Customer responses towards disabled frontline employees

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Scott Rosenbaum ◽  
Rojan Baniya ◽  
Tali Seger-Guttmann
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Word Clouds ◽  
Disabled Employees ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of disabled service providers on customers’ evaluations of service quality and behavioural intentions. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a qualitative analysis of online reviews from samples collected in a “dining-in-the-dark” restaurant, which employs blind waiters, and from a restaurant that employs deaf servers. The authors also put forth three quantitative analyses that use survey methodology. Findings Based on word clouds generated by online data, the findings show that customers treat the hiring of disabled service providers as the most prominent clue in their perceptions of organizational service quality. The quantitative results further illustrate that customers who hold more favourable attitudes towards disabled employees are more likely than other customers to spread positive word-of-mouth (WOM). Another analysis reveals that attitudes towards disabled employees are a separate construct from human compassion. Research limitations/implications Customers’ attitudes towards disabled frontline service employees represent a service quality driver. The authors offer researchers an exploratory scale on consumer attitudes towards the hiring of disabled employees to further refine and develop for future validation. Practical implications Retail organizations may be able to obtain a competitive advantage by employing frontline disabled people through customer WOM communications. These communications are linked to positive organizational outcomes. Originality/value Retail and service researchers know considerably little about customers’ perceptions of interacting with disabled employees. This paper represents original research that encourages retail and service organization to employ disabled frontline employees.

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