scholarly journals Social well-being and transformative service research: evidence from China

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 735-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo Feng ◽  
Levent Altinay ◽  
Hossein Olya
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Necessary Conditions ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Supportive Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social

Purpose This empirical study aims to investigate the influence of socially supportive services provided by commercial senior living services on older customers’ social well-being. This study seeks to test the moderating role of social connectedness on the above associations. It explores necessary conditions and causal recipes from the combination of interactions and social connectedness to predict customers’ social well-being. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 190 older customers residing in commercial senior living services in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang in China. The proposed structural and configurational models were tested using structural equation modelling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Findings The results of the model testing illustrate that peers have no influence on the social well-being of older customers. However, positive interactions with employees and outsiders are supportive resources that increase older customers’ social well-being. Social connectedness moderates the relationship between interaction with peers and the social well-being of customers. fsQCA results revealed that complex combinations of interactions and social connectedness predict social well-being. Interactions with employees, peers and outsiders appeared as necessary conditions to achieve social well-being. Originality/value This study provides evidence for how commercial senior living services can serve as a space to exchange socially supportive resources with employees and outsiders, which enhance older customers’ social well-being.

scholarly journals Social enterprise and wellbeing in community life

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Farmer ◽  
Tracy De Cotta ◽  
Katharine McKinnon ◽  
Jo Barraket ◽  
Sarah-Anne Munoz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Community Life ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Mental Mapping

Purpose This paper aims to explore the well-being impacts of social enterprise, beyond a social enterprise per se, in everyday community life. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory case study was used. The study’s underpinning theory is from relational geography, including Spaces of Wellbeing Theory and therapeutic assemblage. These theories underpin data collection methods. Nine social enterprise participants were engaged in mental mapping and walking interviews. Four other informants with “boundary-spanning” roles involving knowledge of the social enterprise and the community were interviewed. Data were managed using NVivo, and analysed thematically. Findings Well-being realised from “being inside” a social enterprise organisation was further developed for participants, in the community, through positive interactions with people, material objects, stories and performances of well-being that occurred in everyday community life. Boundary spanning community members had roles in referring participants to social enterprise, mediating between participants and structures of community life and normalising social enterprise in the community. They also gained benefit from social enterprise involvement. Originality/value This paper uses relational geography and aligned methods to reveal the intricate connections between social enterprise and well-being realisation in community life. There is potential to pursue this research on a larger scale to provide needed evidence about how well-being is realised in social enterprises and then extends into communities.

scholarly journals Enabling transformative value creation through online weight loss services

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 797-808
Author(s):  
Heini Taiminen ◽  
Kimmo Taiminen ◽  
Juha Munnukka
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Behavioral Control ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Perceived Behavioral Control ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Actual Weight ◽  
Service Period

Purpose This study aims to understand how online weight loss services could help customers achieve a durable change. The particular focus is on exploring the roles of value co-creation and well-being outcomes in reinforcing the transformative value potential, which is argued to be realized as customers’ intentions to continue a healthier lifestyle after the service period has ended. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from the participants of an online weight loss service (n = 498), and a conceptual research model was tested using structural equation modelling. Findings The results imply that compliance with the guidelines and social support are two value co-creation activities that can influence the well-being outcomes of transformative services (i.e. perceived behavioral control and satisfaction with one’s achievements). These well-being outcomes help attain the transformative value potential of online weight loss services. However, the actual weight loss affected the transformative value potential only through customers’ satisfaction with their achievements as a subjective well-being outcome. Originality/value This study provides insight into the transformative value potential of services in the weight loss context. This study contributes to the transformative service research by focusing on the role of online services in reinforcing a durable change through the co-creation of value and improvements in customers’ well-being.

scholarly journals Testing complexity theory in service research

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-162
Author(s):  
Catherine Prentice
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Forecasting Accuracy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Case Outcome

Purpose This study aims to draw on the complexity theory and uses a non-an asymmetrical method – fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to test the core tenets of complexity theory, namely, asymmetry, equifinality and causal complexity and valence reversals or conjunction with a focus on testing the relationships between service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty. Case outcome forecasting accuracy rather than relationships are tested in asymmetric testing. Design/methodology/approach Both symmetrical (structural equation modelling or SEM) and non-symmetrical (fsQCA) methods were used to test the proposed relationships (symmetrical testing) and case outcome forecasting accuracy (asymmetric testing). The former was used as a comparison. The study setting was in Australian airports. The data were collected from departure passengers. Findings The results from SEM and fsQCA differ substantially. The former provides very simplistic findings of variable directional relationships; whereas the latter presents asymmetrical, equifinal and conjunctional relationships regarding service quality, customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. These findings support the core tenets of the complexity theory. Research limitations/implications The study findings conform to the complexity theory that indicates relationships between variables can be nonlinear and the same causes can produce different effects. The findings suggest the outcomes of interest often result from combined antecedent conditions rather than a single causal factor. The study confirms that asymmetrical thinking relies on Boolean algebra and set theory principles. Originality/value This study uses both symmetrical and asymmetrical methods to reveal the nuanced information about the relationship that has been tested primarily using symmetrical methods.

scholarly journals Retired men and Men’s Sheds in Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 972-989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amie Southcombe ◽  
Jillian Cavanagh ◽  
Timothy Bartram
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Style ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Value Congruence ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Charismatic Leadership ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of charismatic leadership style and value congruence on the social connectedness of retired men in Australian Men’s Sheds. This study also explores the impact of social connectedness on well-being outcomes, such as employment and training, improved family relationships and access to health and welfare services. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is a qualitative approach using focus groups (yarning circles) and semi-structured interviews with Shed leaders, men members and healthcare workers. Findings – The findings suggest that a charismatic leader enhances the value congruence between leaders and their members through empowering, envisioning and empathy, which also contributes to the social connectedness of members and enhances well-being of retired men. Originality/value – The study provides insights into the factors that contribute to successful leadership, participatory and leadership practices in the Groups/Sheds, and addresses a gap in the literature in the area of leadership and Men’s Sheds.

Ten lessons for qualitative transformative service researchers

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Nations Azzari ◽  
Stacey Menzel Baker
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Service Ecosystems ◽  
Creating Meaning ◽  
Research And Design

Purpose This paper offers key methodological insights for scholars new to qualitative transformative service research (TSR). Design/methodology/approach The paper offers ten lessons on conducting qualitative TSR that the authors have gleaned, across more than 30 years (combined) of qualitative inquiries and engagement with other scholars conducting and publishing what may be now termed TSR. Findings The key lessons of conducting qualitative TSR work include: displaying ethics in conducting and presenting qualitative TSR; preparing for and understanding the research context; considering design, mechanics and technical elements; being participant-centric; co-creating meaning with participants; seeking/using diverse types of data; analyzing data in an iterative fashion, including/respecting multiple perspectives; presenting evidence in innovative ways; and looking inward at every stage of the research process. Social implications The paper provides implications for addressing the vulnerability of both research participants and researchers with the aim of improving research methods that lead to improved service research and well-being outcomes. Originality/value Clearly, the complexity and importance of the social problems TSR scholars investigate – poverty, war, disaster recovery, inadequate healthcare – requires preparation for how to engage in transformative service research. Importantly, the paper fits with recent persistent calls within the broader literature of services marketing to: use service research and design to create “uplifting changes” within society and broaden the paradigmatic underpinnings of service research to include dynamic, process-oriented approaches, which capture the dynamic and relational aspects of service ecosystems.

Child helplines: how social support and controllability influence service quality and well-being

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 385-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willemijn van Dolen ◽  
Charles B. Weinberg
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Service Quality ◽  
Quality Perceptions ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The authors investigate how employee social support impacts children’s perceptions of service quality of a child helpline chat service and the chatters’ immediate well-being. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to examine how action-facilitating support, nurturant support and emotional reflections influence the children and to test whether this impact varies depending upon the controllability of the issues discussed. Design/methodology/approach The authors develop hypotheses about the influence of social support and controllability on children’s perceived service quality and well-being. Chat conversations are coded on the social support given by the employee and the controllability of the issue. Questionnaires are collected to measure children’s service quality and well-being. Using structural equation modeling, hypotheses are tested with a sample of 662 children and chat conversations of a child helpline. Findings The study reveals that for children chatting about controllable issues, nurturant support and negative emotional reflections negatively influence the immediate well-being of these children. Positive emotional reflections positively influence immediate well-being. For children chatting about uncontrollable issues, nurturant support and negative emotional responses positively influence the perceived service quality. Originality/value This study contributes to the services marketing literature by broadening the current understanding of the impact of social support on children’s service quality perceptions and well-being, and by showing how this impact is moderated by the level of controllability of the issue discussed.

Survival strategies of SMEs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: application of SEM and fsQCA

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Sabbir Rahman ◽  
Fadi AbdelMuniem AbdelFattah ◽  
Surajit Bag ◽  
Mohammad Osman Gani
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Necessary Conditions ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Sufficient Conditions ◽  
Survival Strategies ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Agility ◽  
The Impact

Purpose As a global pandemic, the COVID-19 crisis has profoundly affected the development of local firms, threatening the survival of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study aims to present an integrated framework by investigating the impact of strategic tools (i.e. firms’ capability of business agility, marketing operational efficiency, optimisation of innovation capability [OIC], managing employees’ satisfaction and rethinking customers’ experience) on the survival strategies of SMEs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The current study used data from managers of SMEs and conducted an asymmetrical analysis (i.e. structural equation modelling [SEM]) to investigate the factors influencing the survival strategies of SMEs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also applied an asymmetrical approach (i.e. fuzzy sets qualitative comparative analysis-fsQCA) to explore the causal recipes and analysis of the necessary conditions to identify the factors required to achieve the expected outcome. Findings Results from SEM support all hypotheses. Results from fsQCA with the same data set show that firms’ business agility and OIC are necessary conditions for SMEs’ survival strategies. The result from fsQCA also reveals multiple sufficient conditions to succeed SMEs’ survival strategies amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Practical implications Findings prescribe how SMEs adapt to this vulnerable business condition by applying the strategic tools and recipes suggested for survival. Originality/value This research applied an innovative analysis to reveal necessary and sufficient conditions that conventional methods such as SEM have limited power. This pioneering research in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic is considered novel in terms of the prescriptive strategic recipes offered to SMEs to adapt to and survive in the crisis caused by COVID-19.

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.

Customer delight during a crisis: understanding delight through the lens of transformative service research

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald C. Barnes ◽  
Jessica Mesmer-Magnus ◽  
Lisa L. Scribner ◽  
Alexandra Krallman ◽  
Rebecca M. Guidice
Keyword(s):  
Critical Incident ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Need Fulfillment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Delight ◽  
Service Experiences

PurposeThe unprecedented dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced firms to re-envision the customer experience and find new ways to ensure positive service encounters. This context has underscored the reality that drivers of customer delight in a “traditional” context are not the same in a crisis context. While research has tended to identify hedonic need fulfillment as key to customer well-being and, ultimately, to invoking customer delight, the majority of studies were conducted in inherently positive contexts, which may limit generalizability to more challenging contexts. Through the combined lens of transformative service research (TSR) and psychological theory on hedonic and eudaimonic human needs, we evaluate the extent to which need fulfillment is the root of customer well-being and that meeting well-being needs ultimately promotes delight. We argue that in crisis contexts, the salience of needs shifts from hedonic to eudaimonic and the extent to which service experiences fulfill eudaimonic needs determines the experience and meaning of delight.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing the critical incident technique, this research surveyed 240 respondents who were asked to explain in detail a time they experienced customer delight during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed their responses according to whether these incidents reflected the salience of hedonic versus eudaimonic need fulfillment.FindingsThe results support the notion that the salience of eudaimonic needs become more pronounced during times of crisis and that service providers are more likely to elicit perceptions of delight when they leverage meeting eudaimonic needs over the hedonic needs that are typically emphasized in traditional service encounters.Originality/valueWe discuss the implications of these findings for integrating the TSR and customer delight literatures to better understand how service experiences that meet salient needs produce customer well-being and delight. Ultimately, we find customer delight can benefit well-being across individual, collective and societal levels.

Residents’ perceptions of the impact of tourism in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 551-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nada Hammad ◽  
Syed Zamberi Ahmad ◽  
Avraam Papastathopoulos
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate residents’ perceptions of tourism’s impact on their support for tourism development in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires from Abu Dhabi residents (n = 407), who represented 30 nationalities residing in the emirate. Based on social exchange theory, structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. Findings Results suggest that Abu Dhabi residents perceive the impacts of tourism positively and are more sensitive to the environmental and economic influences of tourism than the social and cultural influences. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to Abu Dhabi residents; findings cannot be generalized to other emirates in the UAE, or other countries. Originality/value This study adds value to extant tourism literature by investigating residents’ perceptions of the influence of tourism in one of the richest cities worldwide, which aspires to be one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the Middle East.

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