Integrating internal customer orientation,internal service quality,and customer orientation in the banking sector: an empirical study

The purpose of this paper is to examine the interrelationships between internal customer orientation (ICO), internal service quality (ISQ), and customer orientation (CO) to develop and test a conceptual model of the antecedents of CO in the banking sector. The conceptual framework consists of the following constructs: ICO, interdepartmental conflict, interdepartmental connectedness, ISQ, job satisfaction, empowerment, and CO. Moreover, 10 hypotheses were developed and tested using a sample of 202 banks. Reliability analysis and confirmatory factor analysis have been used to test the validity of the constructs, while the structural equation modelling has been used in hypotheses testing. The strength of the relationship between the constructs indicates that features of the suggested CO model including interdepartmental connectedness, interdepartmental conflict, job satisfaction, and empowerment are crucial to achieving business performance and CO. The results which emerged from our hypothesised model were found to support that ICO leads to ISQ and in turn CO. In particular, all variables show strong support for our hypothesised model, however, interdepartmental conflict was found to be a negative indicator. Findings suggest that the CO model can be deployed as a means of enhancing organisational behaviour to improve business performance.     

Innovations in service business. An introduction to the special issue from the Global Entrepreneurship and Services Conference, Taiwan, 2011

Services tend to be intangible and not visible (Cherubini 2001), which make them very different from production-oriented industries. Hence, we need different approaches to solving problems in services. This special issue invites five papers from the 2011 Global Entrepreneurship and Services Conference held in Taichung, Taiwan, from August 29 to 31, 2011. These papers cover various industries including finance, manufacturing, and Internet. Meanwhile, these papers cover many CSFs for services including brand equity for financial services, customer satisfaction on an auction website, the effects of social networking, the servitization for manufacturers via R&D, and the comparisons of the internal service quality for three Chinese subcultures including Taiwan, China, and Singapore. All these papers contribute to innovations in service business from different perspectives.     

Entrepreneurial Values and the Ethnic Enterprise: An Examination of Six Subcultures

A vital question receiving only limited attention in the extant research concerns the implications of culturally based values for the successful creation and growth of entrepreneurial ventures. This study explores core values held by entrepreneurs in growth-oriented firms belonging to six subcultures based in the state of Hawaii. Thirty first-generation entrepreneurs each were interviewed from the populations of Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, and native Hawaiian firms. Evidence is provided of commonalities and differences in the value profiles of the different types of entrepreneurs. While some of the salient values are clearly traceable to the entrepreneur's native culture, it appears that entrepreneurs share certain core values regardless of cultural origin. Evidence is also provided of linkages between values and specific operational practices within the ventures studied. Implications are drawn for ongoing theory development and managerial practice.     

物流服务质量理论研究进展(1989-2020)--基于系统文献回顾法的研究述评

近年来,国内外物流产业发展迅速,有关物流服务质量的研究日益增多,但缺乏全面而系统地描述物流服务质量的比较普适的模型,物流服务质量应由哪些维度构成、研究中应如何在众多物流服务质量评价模型和评价方法中进行取舍成为困扰物流学术界的难题。为着力解决这些问题,弥补理论研究缺口,通过在国内外主要文献数据库中检索1989—2020年间关于物流服务质量的学术论文,并根据研究问题筛选确定67篇中文论文和73篇英文论文进行文献分析。借助系统文献回顾方法进行分析发现,最基础的物流服务质量评价维度主要包括时间性、可靠性、移情性、流程和误差;现有研究使用的物流服务质量评价模型及评价方法主要是SERVQUAL模型、LSQ模型、Kano模型和统计分析方法;对于物流服务质量的研究,国内外在研究内容、研究方法、研究主体等方面存在较大差异,国内研究尽管发展迅速,但与国际水平相比差距依然明显。鉴于此,为进一步提升未来物流服务质量理论研究水平,应注重从物流企业角度开展研究并提供令顾客满意的方案以改进服务质量,加强对冷链物流、众包物流、铁路物流等“小众”行业物流服务的研究以拓展物流服务质量的研究领域,注重结合不同情境对SERVQUAL模型、LSQ模型等基础物流服务质量模型加以改进,重视物流服务质量研究方法创新,通过对混合模型及多种实证方法的运用,提升研究结果的科学性和客观性。     

Triadic relationship between customers,service providers and government in a highly regulated industry

This study investigates the triadic interplay among the government, service providers and customers in a highly regulated environment in a centrally planned economy influenced by communist political ideology. In order to answer the research question, we conducted two studies: Study 1 is a qualitative study aiming at exploring various aspects of the triadic interplay among customers, service providers and the regulatory framework, and Study 2 employed a quantitative approach to validate some findings in Study 1. It was found that the relationships between the three main entities in the market were not balanced. Service providers were more passive in their relationship with regulators. In addition, communications between customers and regulators were limited and not well-established. Customers had not been sufficiently engaged and thus, had little voice in the formulation of regulations. Furthermore, the perception of a firm's service quality and innovativeness was different among customers with different levels of perceived regulatory control and regulatory knowledge. As regulatory control and knowledge increased, customers were more likely to perceive a higher level of service quality and innovativeness. The research extends the domain of relationship marketing by incorporating the influence of the government or regulatory framework in the relationship between customers and service providers. The findings of this study can provide practical insights for policymakers and help service providers to effectively manage the relationships with their customers and regulatory bodies.     

Retail in my pocket– replicating and extending the construct of service quality into the mobile commerce context

Nowadays, retailers are interested in how customer preferences regarding service quality are changing due to the adoption of different devices for shopping purposes in both the desktop and mobile contexts. To answer this question, this paper first replicates, in the mobile commerce (m-commerce) context, the results from Blut et al. (2015), who conducted a meta-analytic review of electronic service quality. Replication results question the robustness and generalizability of the conceptualization in the mobile service quality context. Thereby, practitioners and academics are encouraged to adapt a customer-centric approach in organizing marketing practices. The replication extends the conceptualization of electronic service quality by considering a unique dimension named ubiquity of services, defined as the retailer's ability to provide offers based on location and time. To reveal psychological mechanisms explaining the results of the replication study, a follow-up study draws on these contextual factors. In this context, this study uses a quasi-experimental approach by utilizing propensity score matching to account for self-selection effects to examine differences between desktop and mobile device users. As a result, this research contributes to the literature by identifying contextual boundary conditions regarding the shopping trip intentions and risk perceptions of mobile device users and desktop device users. Based on the results, major implications for retailers and further research are given.     

Explore how Chinese consumers evaluate retail service quality and satisfaction

The present study explores how Chinese consumers evaluate retail service quality and satisfaction. A questionnaire including items from SERVQUAL and RSQS was developed and administrated to a random sample of 556 Chinese consumers based on a literature review of retail service quality. The results of confirmatory factor analyses showed that neither SERVQUAL nor RSQS was able to fit the collected data appropriately. Employing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, a four-factor higher-order retail service quality model, ReServQual, in which interaction and trustworthiness, store environment, understanding the consumers, and policy were key dimensions, was identified. The current study contributes to the literature on service business research by reexamining and extending the existing service quality models in the Chinese context. Global and regional retailers should realize that consumers’ perceptions are country specific.     

The interrelationships among service quality,customer satisfaction,and customer loyalty: Examination of the fast-food industry

The purpose of this study was to use customers’ perspectives to develop a conceptual model for improving service quality and enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. The 197 samples were selected from customers of leading fast food franchise enterprises in Taiwan. The research results indicate that service quality positively influences customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Service quality positively influences customer loyalty through customer satisfaction. The research findings indicate that managers need to ensure they have efficient service quality to enhance customer satisfaction and customer loyalty levels.     

Supermarket self-checkout service quality,customer satisfaction,and loyalty: Empirical evidence from an emerging market

Supermarket shoppers around the world are increasingly encountering and using self-service technologies (SSTs) during their shopping process. The SSTs are mainly offered to reduce retailer costs and enhance customer's experience. Among the many different SSTs available, self-checkout systems (SCS) have become an extremely popular choice of supermarkets around the world. Although some of the main motivations of the supermarkets for offering SCSs are cost cutting, speed, and convenience, supermarkets are also assuming that these services would enhance customer experience, satisfaction, and ultimately loyalty. However, empirical evidence is needed to better understand customer expectations of SCS service quality and how technology based service quality impacts retail patronage. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to examine the service quality of supermarket/grocery store SCSs and its impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty in an emerging market, namely Turkey. Using the SSTQUAL scale (Lin and Hsieh, 2011), data (n=275) for the study is collected from shoppers who had just completed going through the self-checkout counter in a large supermarket chain. The results of this study show that SCS service quality positively influences loyalty through the customer satisfaction path. Managerial and research implications of the findings are discussed.     

Decision-making patterns among international vacationers: A cross-cultural perspective

While there is a tendency to define world subcultures in terms of geographic or sociocultural criteria, the present research suggests that life styles may have become more homogeneous across geographic boundaries and could provide alternative ways of defining world subcultures. The study addresses the research question using international travel behavior. The results suggest that life style segmentation could be used to supplement geocultural criteria for defining world subcultures and formulating marketing strategy.     

The impact of high-performance work systems in the health-care industry: employee reactions,service quality,customer satisfaction,and customer loyalty

The purpose of this study is to empirically test the effects of high-performance work systems (HPWS) on employee attitude, service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty in health-care organisations. The proposed research model was tested using structural equation modelling for hypotheses, based on data collected from 196 pairs of employee–customer respondents in four selected hospitals with more than 500 beds. The results indicate that hospitals can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty through efficient operations, employee engagement, and service quality. One of the key findings of our study is that HPWS in health-care organisations influence employee reaction and service quality.     

中国文化与组织行为：本土管理研究的路径探讨

本土管理理论的开发离不开对中国独特文化的理解。但中国文化对组织行为的作用机制究竟如何，是一个亟待回答的问题。为此通过对国内外现有研究成果的系统梳理，文章首先界定了本土文化的相关概念，然后基于文化构成，从基本假设、价值观和子文化三个方面探讨了具体文化要素对组织行为的影响作用，最后从中国文化情境的双重属性出发，揭示了文化影响组织行为的制度环境效应和个体偏好效应，构建了中国文化与组织行为的关系路径，并对未来研究进行了展望。     

Multigroup validation of the service quality,customer satisfaction and performance links in higher education

The notion of ‘students as customers’ continues to be prominent, yet is insufficiently explored, especially from the standpoint of various stakeholders. To address this inadequacy, the present study employs a multigroup analysis of the service profit chain (SPC) model in higher education (HE). Its purpose is to examine the complete SPC model regarding stakeholder perceptions in order to inform its validation and implementation. A cross-sectional survey was employed in order to enable multigroup comparison of a comprehensive research model on subsamples of employees and students by means of structural equation modeling (SEM). Results provide support for the proposed SPC model within the sample of vocational colleges. Besides strongly linked constructs (quality–satisfaction–loyalty), some notable weaknesses (cracked ‘satisfaction mirror’) are found. Multigroup analysis also indicates some important differences between employees and students. Implications are provided for strategic service management in HE, which should acknowledge the differences among stakeholder perceptions.     

Managing for customers and employees in Hong Kong: The quality and teamwork challenges

Service marketing, total quality management, and human resource management researchers have proposed that employee teamwork is a foundation for service quality. North American research suggests that developing cooperative relationships and constructive controversy among employees can empower employees to serve customers and to strengthen their work relationships and commitment to the organization. Chinese employees in an American-style restaurant in Hong Kong were interviewed on specific incidents that affected service quality. Correlational and structural equation results support the hypotheses that cooperative goals help employees discuss their diverse views open-mindedly and that this constructive controversy results in quality customer service. Competitive and independent goals were largely negatively correlated with dynamics and outcomes. Results were interpreted as suggesting that service teams should develop strong cooperative goals and the skills and procedures of constructive controversy. Deutsch's theory of cooperation and competition, although developed largely through North American research, seems useful for understanding and developing service quality teamwork in Asia.     

E-service quality: an internal,multichannel and pure service perspective

This article contributes to the emerging e-service quality literature by adopting a different approach to the dominant focus in previous research. The work centres on the internal perspective of organisation, studies the pure service sector and subjects the personal sales channel and the Internet channel to joint examination. A new conceptual framework is proposed via an adaptation of the service pyramid model [Parasuraman, A. (1996). Understanding and leveraging the role of customer service in external interactive and internal marketing. Paper presented at the 1996 Frontiers in Services Conference, Nashville, TN], and employee-orientated internal marketing and technology-orientated internal marketing are analysed as integrated drivers of commercial performance, within the context of retail banking in Spain. The results suggest that both marketing activities constitute part of a coherent strategy that is geared towards making and meeting service promises, within a multichannel perspective, and is associated with high commercial performance.     

Happiness as a predictor of service quality and commitment for utilitarian and hedonic services

In services research, little attention has been devoted to long‐term intrinsic personality traits. Long‐term personality traits predict short‐term affective states and thus understanding them is important from a service standpoint. Further, identifying long‐term personality traits facilitates the targeting of customers who are predisposed to evaluate services in a positive manner. This study focuses on one long‐term affective trait, happiness, and examines its impact on service evaluation and commitment, as it has been shown that the level of happiness affects whether people perceive life events, both great and small, in a positive or negative manner. Three studies were conducted to research the issue. The first study shows that customers who are happier evaluate service quality in utilitarian services in a more positive manner than do customers who are less happy. The second study shows that for hedonic services, involvement serves as an antecedent to perceived service quality; happier customers are also more involved in hedonic services, and thus perceive service quality in a more positive manner. Study 3 examines the link between happiness and commitment and shows that customers who are happier are also more prone to be committed to hedonic services. These results contribute to the marketing literature by showing that customers are predisposed to evaluate service quality in line with their level of happiness in the case of both utilitarian and hedonic services. Thus, marketing scholars and practitioners ought to recognize that service quality and commitment are partially predetermined by the personality of the customer and that some customers are more difficult to please than others. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

服务业对外开放、人民币实际汇率和出口企业加成率

本文通过将服务要素和汇率波动引入拓展的MO理论模型,并使用2001—2013年中国工业企业数据库和中国海关数据库匹配的样本研究了服务业对外开放对出口企业加成率的影响。研究结果表明:服务业对外开放显著提升了出口企业加成率,但人民币升值减弱了服务业开放的正面影响,该结论在经过工具变量法、替换变量等一系列稳健性检验后依然成立;服务业对外开放对技术密集型企业、非垄断企业、加工和非加工贸易企业加成率的提升作用明显,但随着人民币升值该促进作用逐渐减弱;服务业对外开放通过提升产品质量促进出口企业加成率,人民币升值通过价格效应抑制出口企业加成率;服务业对外开放和人民币升值均显著降低了加成率离散程度,优化了资源配置;服务业对外开放通过资源再配置效应提升了行业加成率。     

Managerial approaches towards service quality: the case of three service organisations

Using a multiple case study, this paper is concerned with assessing the impact of senior management's approach and attitudes on service quality and its implications for middle and firstline managers. Date from 52 semi-structured interviews representing a variety of managerial levels suggests that there exist many conflicts and differences in senior management's orientation and approach towards quality management (QM) with that of middle and firstline managers. The results further indicate that getting such consistency appropriate to the needs of top, middle, and firstline management, and of the QM itself, is one of the key problems of current management of service quality. However, the findings highlight that where there is consistency between senior managers' underlying approaches towards service quality goal with that of middle and firstline managers, service quality programmes will highly likely produce expected results. Finally, the implications of these findings as well as future research are put forward.     

Interpersonal service quality,self-service technology (SST) service quality,and retail patronage

The main purpose of this study is to examine how two components of interactive service quality (interpersonal service quality and self-service technology service quality) are related to retail patronage. This study also aims to identify the moderating effects of individual characteristics. The results indicate that two components of interactive quality are greatly related to retail patronage intentions. The moderating effects of technology anxiety, need for interaction, and age are also partially supported. To increase retail patronage, it is very important to focus on improving self-service technology service quality as well as interpersonal service quality. The results from this study also provide retail managers with a detailed understanding of how individual characteristics influence retail patronage intentions.