Implementing effective customer participation for hedonic and utilitarian services

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Blinda ◽  
Oliver Schnittka ◽  
Henrik Sattler ◽  
Jan-Frederik Gräve

Purpose A distinct view of customer participation in services classifies the characteristics of the participation process as experience- versus outcome-oriented, each of which affects customer participation success uniquely for different types of services (utilitarian vs hedonic). This study aims to investigate if service managers should differentiate and focus on distinct characteristics according to the service types. Design/methodology/approach Two consumer experiments serve to assess the potential moderating effect of service type on consumer preferences for experience- versus outcome-oriented forms of customer participation. Findings The two empirical studies affirm the proposed moderating effect of service type on the effect of experience- and outcome-oriented customer participation characteristics. Experience-oriented characteristics work better for hedonic than for utilitarian services, and one study confirms a stronger positive effect of outcome-oriented characteristics for utilitarian services. Research implications Further research should replicate the experimental findings with a field study. Furthermore, continued research could analyze the mediators of the interaction of co-production characteristics with the service type in greater detail. Practical implications Managers can design the characteristics of the customer participation processes according to the nature of the service (hedonic vs utilitarian) and, thus, maximize customers’ willingness to pay. Originality/value This study offers a new perspective on customers’ reactions to customer participation in services: depending on the service type or situation in which a service is being consumed, different customer participation characteristics lead to (financial) success.

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Hameed Aldulaimi

Purpose – This paper debates the Islamic perspective on the work ethics employed in an organization. It aims to discuss the issues of assumptions involving the Islamic Work Ethic (IWE). Therefore, this paper addresses the gap in the management literature and suggests a group of dimensions from fundamentals of Islam. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the foundations of IWE and investigates various empirical studies conducted in several countries. Then, briefly presents a short historical and conceptual review of the work ethic construct, suggests a general conceptual definition of work ethic, and offers multidimensional model including a series of constructs which can enable researchers to evaluate and measure work ethic in Islamic societies. Findings – The study reveals that there is an evidence of ethics formulation depending on Islamic literature which constructs Islamic values for work. This paper proposes new perspective about the right ethics of work in Islam. Further, multidimensional model including 18 dimensions has been developed to evaluate work ethic in Islamic societies. Research limitations/implications – This field needs to reconsider the constructs of IWEs where it is far from reflecting Islamic theory. This paper presents new dimensions which can be utilized to enrich this area. Originality/value – This is one of the few attempts to suggest the appropriate constructs of IWE in the management literature. It provides 18 elements responsible and have the promise to strengthen individual transparency and morally which eventually enhance economic progress in Islamic world.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Christ-Brendemühl ◽  
Mario Schaarschmidt

PurposeAn increasing number of retailers is trying to stimulate customers by embedding augmented reality (AR) features such as video try-on into the online shopping experience. As such AR-based online services require customers to actively participate in the service provision, this paper aims at investigating fairness perceptions and customer responses associated with AR-enabled customer participation.Design/methodology/approachThe conceptual framework of this study is based on equity theory. To compare customer responses after an in-store service encounter as opposed to AR-enabled customer participation involving video try-on, this study contains a between-subject online experiment. The effective sample comprises N = 215 participants.FindingsThe data analysis demonstrates that AR-enabled customer participation leads to significantly lower levels of distributive, procedural and price fairness as well as lower engagement intentions than in-store service encounters. Simultaneously, participants in the video try-on scenario report higher negative word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions than in the in-store scenario.Research limitations/implicationsThe extra mile customers go when using AR-based online services is reflected in less favorable fairness evaluations.Practical implicationsService managers should design AR applications in a manner that requires minimum customer participation.Originality/valueThis study contributes to service research by linking AR-enabled customer participation to evaluations of distributive, procedural and price fairness and their outcomes. This is vital to fully exploit the potential of AR in services.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 498-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beibei Dong

Purpose – This paper aims to conceptually and empirically differentiate between two types of customer participation (CP): CP as “producers” (CPP), when customers primarily contribute physical labor to produce a service (e.g. assembling a frame), and CP as “designers” (CPD), when customers primarily share information to design a service (e.g. designing a frame). The study examines whether CPD and CPP influence customers’ perceptions of value creation and choice of participation differently. Furthermore, it investigates the moderating effect of customer expectation on the effect of CPD/CPP on customers’ participation responses. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses two scenario-based experiments. Study 1 examines the main effect of CPP and CPD on perceived value of participation and participation choice, and Study 2 investigates the moderator of customer expectation. Findings – Study 1 indicates that CPD creates greater value and is a more preferred participation choice than CPP. Study 2 further suggests that the differential advantage of CPD over CPP becomes weakened with a CPP expectation and amplified with a CPD expectation. Research limitations/implications – This research helps reconcile current mixed empirical findings in the literature and opens up a new stream to enrich the theoretical understanding of CP. Its use of consumer psychology theories also adds a consumer psychological perspective to CP research. Practical implications – This research demonstrates that not all CPs are equal, offers guidelines to design and manage CP and suggests managing customer expectations so as to enhance the appeal of CPP in light of its productivity implications. Originality/value – This study represents a pioneering work to empirically differentiate two types of CP and offers a new perspective for understanding the complexity of CP.


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shampy Kamboj ◽  
Bijoylaxmi Sarmah

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to construct and validate customer social participation (CSP) scale in the context of brand communities on social media. Design/methodology/approach In this study, various tests for reliability and validity have been performed to confirm scale structure. Data were collected using survey method from the student and non-student sample. Findings The results confirm a multi-dimensional scale with nine items for measuring customer participation in social media brand communities. Research limitations/implications The results of this study present several implications for online brand communities managers and are likely to support future research in the context of social media brand communities. Originality/value This paper is the first to develop a multi-dimensional scale of customer participation in social media brand communities. This is a new addition to existing literature, as the majority of empirical studies in this field are from participation other than CSP, and contexts different from social media brand communities.


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 404-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helio Aisenberg Ferenhof ◽  
Andre Henrique Da Cunha ◽  
Andrei Bonamigo ◽  
Fernando Antônio Forcellini

PurposeThis paper aims to resolve the inhibitors of lean service using knowledge management (KM) concepts through the use of Toyota Kata. To achieve this, the authors updated the research on lean supportive practices and inhibitors of lean technical practices presented by Hadid and Afshin Mansouri (2014) through a systematic literature review (SLR). The SLR focused on empirical studies/cases from the past 15 years and confirmed the inhibitors of lean technical practices. As a result, Toyota Kata is proposed as a KM solution to the inhibitors of lean service implementation in service companies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out an SLR to identify inhibitors of lean service in real case applications and analyzed the resulting bibliographic portfolio using KM as a lens, along with three theories: universal theory, socio-technical systems theory and contingency theory, which assist in highlighting and clarifying the potential impact of using Toyota Kata as a solution to the inhibitors of lean technical practices.FindingsWhen the authors analyzed the inhibitors of lean technical practices, they discovered that there is a strong relationship between the inhibitors and the individual (staff) personal characteristics regarding commitment, involvement, communication and preparation. These inhibitors and characteristics should work as a system, and Toyota Kata improves people’s skills and process performance by connecting people, processes and technology. Also, the authors noted that the Toyota Kata concept used can provide benefits in the implementation of lean service for companies, such as the internalization of continuous improvement, this becoming part of the company culture. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that Toyota Kata provides an effective way to achieve KM.Research limitations/implicationsThis study may not have enabled a complete coverage of all existing peer-reviewed articles in the field of practices and inhibitors presented by Hadid and Afshin Mansouri (2014). However, it seems reasonable to assume that in this review, a large proportion of the studies available was included.Practical implicationsThis paper opens a new perspective on the use of Toyota Kata by managers as a solution to implement KM, spinning the spiral of knowledge.Originality/valueThis is the first study that seeks empirical evidence of inhibitors of lean technical practices and proposes Toyota Kata as a KM Solution for these issues. As a result, this study advances the facility to overcome these inhibitors, opening a new perspective for management to lead in achieving operational excellence.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1215-1224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weidong Yu

Purpose Previous commonly used author co-citation analysis (ACA) methods have limited the ability to deal with accidental co-citation in constructing a raw co-citation matrix. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a new method, called author tri-citation analysis (ATA), to better map knowledge domains and depict scientific intellectual structures. Design/methodology/approach Different from the previous method of using ACA that captures author co-citation relationships, the ATA method seeks tri-citation relationships among authors. Compared with ACA, ATA can ignore some accidental co-citation relationships between authors and can improve the accuracy of mapping knowledge domains. Findings Although ATA does not mine more sub-fields than ACA does, the results of the empirical studies show that ATA, the newly proposed method, performs better in knowledge domain maps based on publications in the field of computer science. Research limitations/implications The definition of ATA in this article is simple and still insufficiently informative. Many other pieces of information can be involved; for example, all authors’ information, authors’ sequence in the author list, reference published time and similar. These can be enhanced in future studies. Practical implications This research will enrich the methods of mapping knowledge domains due to its new perspective. Social implications Knowledge domain mapping is important to understand a discipline, and this research provides more potential methods for this, which benefits the performance of the maps. Originality/value ATA can provide a methodological awareness for mapping knowledge domains. This value lies in not only a tri-citation perspective, but also author bibliographic tripling and author tri-operation perspectives (“tri-” perspectives).


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Menzel ◽  
Timm Teubner

Purpose This paper aims to present a conceptual framework for the emerging field of green energy platform economics. Design/methodology/approach The authors develop a conceptual framework based on a careful review of the existing literature, and research into the current provider landscape and insights from academic and industry experts. The authors also examine the implications for the energy sector’s value chain and derive a research agenda based on those areas where research still needs to be pursued. Findings The framework combines the spatial characteristics of platform models (residential/mobile) with the different types of platform business model (B2C/C2C/C2Grid). Using this framework, the authors illustrate how green energy platforms can fundamentally disrupt the conventional electricity value chain by enabling prosumers to market their assets, creating new arenas for trading and collaboration, and by increasing transparency and competition in the sector. The authors also identify areas where more research is required, particularly empirical studies into energy forms other than electricity and analyses of currently underrepresented aspects such as user interfaces and social interactions. Social implications Green energy platforms have the potential to contribute meaningfully to the energy sector’s decarbonization, digitalization and decentralization, and hence to the deceleration of climate change. Originality/value This paper is among the first to provide a holistic perspective on platformization in the energy sector. It also offers a new perspective on platform economics in general that is based on the unique characteristics of energy as an economic good (intangibility, homogeneity, credence good).


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 847-867
Author(s):  
Deepak S. Kumar ◽  
Keyoor Purani ◽  
Shyam A. Viswanathan

Purpose This paper aims to introduce the concept of biomorphism (i.e. indirect experience of nature) in servicescape designs and validates its impact on consumer responses. Using the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, this study explores the relationship between biomorphic servicescape designs and the servicescape preference. Further, it explains how biomorphic designs can help users to get better connected with the servicescapes by introducing the mediating role of attention restoration and place identity (emotional and cognitive), as explained by attention restoration theory. Design/methodology/approach Two empirical studies were carried out to test the hypothesised relationships: an exploratory pre-experimental design with one-shot treatment using 200 images as stimuli and 3,680 responses; and a 3 × 2 factorial design with three-dimensional images with about 654 responses for three service contexts chosen a priori: fashion retail, restaurant and hospital lobby. Findings This study conceptualises the role of biomorphism – elements that mimic natural forms – in servicescape designs and establishes that, akin to natural elements, the indirect experience of nature in servicescapes also has a positive influence on attention restoration, perceived place identity and servicescape preference of the consumers. This implies that the effects similar to that of a biophilic servicescape can be achieved through servicescape elements that mimic natural forms. Originality/value Extending the idea of biophilia, this research adopts the concept of biomorphism from architecture and environmental psychology domains and introduces biomorphic servicescape designs, which could be more practical at times compared to biophilic servicescapes. It establishes the influences of biomorphic servicescape designs on consumer preferences. Grounded in the S-O-R model, it further explains this relationship through mediating effects of attention restoration and place identity. Being new to marketing and management domains, this research may trigger a series of research studies on biomorphic service environment designs, with desirable implications for services marketing and services operations functions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 457-476
Author(s):  
Makhmoor Bashir ◽  
M. Muzamil Naqshbandi ◽  
Rayees Farooq

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyze the literature on business model innovation by identifying its triggers, enablers, barriers, dimensions, outcomes and highlight avenues for future research. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review of papers on business model innovation was conducted based on the recommendations of Tranfield et al. (2003) from 2000–2019. A total of 70 conceptual and empirical studies on business model innovation research spanning from 2000 to 2019 were analyzed based on different classification schemes. Findings The systematic review approach of this paper offers a new perspective in understanding business model innovation, bridges the gap in the extant literature by providing consolidation regarding the triggers, enablers, barriers, dimensions and outcomes of business model innovation and indicating avenues for future research. Research limitations/implications A review of literature on business model innovation carried out in this paper is expected to open up new horizons for future researchers to develop and empirically test frameworks related to business model innovation. The five themes identified to shed light on important aspects of business model innovation. These themes are expected to not only strengthen the theoretical foundations of business model innovation but also help practitioners develop and implement business model innovations in their organizations. In particular, the themes related to the enablers, barriers, triggers and outcomes of business model innovation can provide useful insights for practitioners. Originality/value This study is the first of its kind that has provided consolidation regarding the triggers, enablers, barriers, dimensions and outcomes of business model innovation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1736-1748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinchun Wang ◽  
Xiaoyu Yu

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate whether two different participation strategies (i.e. deep participation and broad participation) in a supplier’s product development process will result in different levels of customer-perceived value. In addition, this paper examines the moderating effects of customer risk-aversion and technology turbulence on the relationship between customer participation depth/breadth and customer-perceived value. Design/methodology/approach A theory-based model is developed and tested using data collected from 196 business-to-business firms. A multiple-regression approach was used to test the hypotheses. Findings Drawing on the transaction cost theory, the results reveal that while deep participation is likely to result in increased customer-perceived value, broad participation may hurt the relationship performance by reducing customer-perceived value. Moreover, the findings suggest that these effects are contingent on at least two contextual factors: how risk-averse the customer is and how turbulent the technological environment is. Originality/value This study is among the first to disaggregate the customer participation process into two different strategies, namely, deep participation and broad participation. It also extends the current literature by providing more insights about the dynamics involved in the customer participation process.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document