A multi-level study on employee voice: Evidence from a chain of retail stores

The objective of this research is to examine the joint influence of both organizational characteristics and individual personality on employee voice. Employing a multi-level design, data from a chain of retail stores were collected for hypothesis testing. A total of 267 employees from 59 stores participated in this study. The results offered support for the individual-level relationships among proactive personality, voice behavior, and individual creative performance. At the store-level, both transformational leadership and supportive peer relations exerted significant effects on voice climate, but not on store performance. In addition, negative cross-level interaction between transformational leadership and proactive personality was found for voice behavior. Lastly, implications for managerial theory and practice are discussed.     

Innovation leadership: Best-practice recommendations for promoting employee creativity,voice, and knowledge sharing

Innovation—the implementation of creative ideas—is one of the most important factors of competitive advantage in 21^st century organizations. Yet, leaders do not always encourage employee behaviors that are critical for innovation. We integrate existing literature on the critical factors that serve as antecedents of innovation, including employee voice and knowledge sharing, which in turn lead to creativity and innovation. Based on existing empirical research, we offer evidence-based recommendations for managers to become innovation leaders by: (1) developing the right group norms, (2) designing teams strategically, (3) managing interactions with those outside the team, (4) showing support as a leader, (5) displaying organizational support, and (6) using performance management effectively.     

To start or not to start: Outcome and ability expectations in the decision to start a new venture

This study seeks to better understand why some individuals decide to start new businesses and others do not, particularly in light of high base rates of failure. In addressing the question of “Why do some individuals choose to start new ventures?” a common perspective is that potential entrepreneurs with high levels of confidence in potential outcomes are likely to start new ventures. Alternatively, it also may be that firm creation decisions are based largely on individual expectations of one's ability. Hypotheses examining these perspectives are tested using a sample of 316 nascent entrepreneurs with the start-up decision tracked longitudinally. The results indicate that confidence in one's ability to perform tasks relevant to entrepreneurship is a robust predictor of start-up while outcome expectancies appear to play a marginal role. Theoretical and practical implications stemming from these results are discussed.     

Ethical leadership,organizational identification and employee voice: examining moderated mediation process in the Chinese insurance industry

This study examines the link between ethical leadership and employee voice behaviour by focusing on the mediating role of organizational identification and the moderating role of organizational trust. The results of distinctive data from 293 supervisors–follower pairs in an insurance group from the People's Republic of China reveal that ethical leadership positively relates to employee voice behaviour, and that organization identification fully mediates the positive influence of ethical leadership on employee voice behaviour. We also found that organization trust moderates the relationship between the organization identification and employee voice. Furthermore, the mediating effect between ethical leadership and employee voice is moderated by organizational trust, that is to say moderated mediation. We discuss implications of these findings for research and practice.     

一种提高恶劣环境中电台话音质量的方法

针对恶劣环境中电台话音质量差这一难题,提出了一种有效的解决方法。首先在最小值控制的递归平均Ⅱ型（MCRA-2）算法基础上,提出了一种改进的MCRA-2算法。该算法采用自适应平滑参数和双检测门限,能有效减小音乐噪声,提高噪声估计准确性;然后将该噪声估计算法与对数最小均方误差估计器相结合,实现话音降噪,提高恶劣环境下电台话音质量;最后利用噪声估计结果和降噪后的话音信号,采用信噪比判决算法,自适应估计静噪门限,实现自适应静噪,进一步提高话音舒适度。实验表明,采用该方法的电台在大噪声、强干扰等恶劣环境中使用时,能明显改善话音质量,有效减轻收听者听觉疲劳。     

Customer satisfaction and customer behavior: The differential role of brand and category expectations

Previous research has suggested that consumers use multiple strands to evaluate their satisfaction with a product and to establish postpurchase behavioral intention. However, prior empirical research has focused on which individual standard best predicts satisfaction. In contrast, this article develops and tests a model of consumer satisfaction and postpurchase behavioral intention in which consumers simultaneously use multiple standards—perceptions of performance, brand expectations, and category expectations. The results of an experiment for a simulated service encounter provide support for the proposition that consumers use multiple standards and that these standards have differential effects on such postpurchase outcomes as satisfaction, repurchase intention, and willingness to recommend. Brand expectations are shown to be better predictors of affective outcomes (such as satisfaction), while category expectations are shown to be better predictors of behavioral outcomes (repurchase and recommendation). Consistent with prior research, perceived performance is shown to have a strong effect on both satisfaction and behavioral intention.     

Work-to-family enrichment and voice behavior in China: The role of modernity

There is a lack of knowledge in the literature regarding the effects of the work-family interface on employees’ behaviors while taking into consideration of cultural values in developing countries. This study investigates the impact of work-to-family enrichment on employees’ voice behavior by focusing on the moderating role of modernity in a Chinese setting. Results from a survey of 230 Chinese married managers indicate that work-to-family enrichment positively influences voice behavior. In addition, the enrichment-voice relationship is weaker when modernity is high rather than low. The findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications for human resource management.     

The impact of external reference price on consumer price expectations

Comparative pricing practices are frequently used where actual product prices are accompanied by higher external reference prices. All types of stores, regular-price department stores as well as discount stores, use comparative price claims to frame price deals as attractive [Marketing Science 4 (1985) 199]. In this paper, a quadratic model is specified for the impact of external reference price (ERP) on consumer price expectations. Based on the research on communication discrepancy and advertising claim discrepancy, which in turn draw on assimilation-contrast, attribution, and prospect theories, we hypothesize a quadratic effect of external reference prices on consumer price expectations. An interactive, computer-controlled experiment using multiple levels of ERP is used to estimate the proposed model. As hypothesized, support for an inverted U-shape relationship is found between consumers’ updated price expectations and the difference between ERP and initial price expectations. That is, as the difference between ERP and subjects’ initial price expectations increases, subjects’ updated price expectations increase to a point and then start to decrease. We find that the fit of the quadratic model specification for the effect of external reference price on price expectations is noticeably superior to that of linear, logarithmic, square root, and S-shaped specifications. Finally, we provide implications of our results for both retail managers and for regulatory authorities alike.     

Exploring advertiser's expectations of advertising agency services

Advertisers have expectations about what they will receive from an advertising agency. These expectations are about the future service they believe the agency will deliver and influence the satisfaction/dissatisfaction the advertiser has of agency performance. Using an expert sample and a native categories approach, the study explores advertiser's expectations of agency services at the selection stage. The paper makes three main contributions to our understanding of agency selection. First, we provide insight into what advertisers seek to gain from an agency in future service delivery. Second, we identify four categories of expectations: craft, affinity, functionality and perspective. Third, we illustrate the nature of these expectations and provide evidence that some expectations are less precise than others. We consider the implications of the findings for the agency selection literature and agency management.     

Understanding the usability of retail fashion brand chatbots: Evidence from customer expectations and experiences

The existing literature suggests that chatbots tend to provide automated and generic responses that may not fully address complex customer inquiries, particularly when additional guidance is required. To improve the usability of retail fashion brands, this study examines how socially constructed experiences and expectations influence customer interactions. Data was collected from various sources, including online reviews, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions, to enhance the credibility of the results. The research reveals that individuals in the retail industry demand a broader variety of fashion products and more sophisticated capabilities to bolster the reminiscence of their shopping experiences. Retail fashion chatbots hold potential in recommending items that align with customers' preferences and goals, yet it is crucial for developers and brand managers to address numerous usability challenges and provide multilingual assistance to boost user engagement. Moreover, optimizing fashion retail chatbots is vital to reduce battery consumption, curtail instances of conversation window freezing, and hasten response times. This study provides a novel research framework that offers valuable insights on how to enhance the retail customer experience by improving interactivity, compatibility, credibility, and other factors that promote the use and adoption of retail fashion chatbots.     

Service quality and the congruency of employee perceptions and customer expectations: The case of an electric utility

Understanding how the quality of customer service is impacted by employees is essential to managing and improving customer service quality. This article develops a model that looks at the relationship between a series of two important customer service gaps. The first series of gaps (service provider gaps) is a result of the difference between consumers' and employees' expectations based on various dimensions of the customer service encounter. The second series of gaps (service quality gaps) occur when a difference exists between consumer expectations and the service they actually receive based on specific aspects of the customer service encounter. This study found a positive significant relationship between these two series of gaps. This significant relationship provides empirical evidence as to the importance of keeping employees informed about the expectations of consumers. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The effects of differences in explanations,employee attributions,type of infraction,and discipline severity on perceived fairness of employee discipline

Participants reported perceptions of fairness after reading 1 of 72 scenarios describing a disciplinary discussion between a manager and an employee (crossing four different disciplinary infractions, with three types of explanations for each infraction, three different levels of discipline severity, and two types of employee attributions for their behaviour). Results indicate that type of attribution, type of infraction, and level of discipline severity all have significant effects on perceptions of distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational justice. Type of explanation also has significant effects on perceptions of justice other than informational justice. It appears that managing disciplinary fairness may require a contingency approach. Copyright © 2008 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparative study of the determinants of future plans and expectations of business students

Current university juniors and seniors have plans and expectations for after they graduate. In an effort to better understand these plans and expectations, the authors assessed a sample of 334 university students enrolled in business classes. The study examined the impact of three categories of independent variables—family influences, demographic influences, and academic influences—on the dependent variables of student degree aspirations, career aspirations, and expected salaries. Determinant variables with the most consistent influences on these dependent variables include birth order and parents' income (family influences); age and ethnicity (demographic influences); and grade point average, college entrance exam scores, and academic major (academic influences).     

建立以消费者感受为核心的售后服务评价体系

<正>中国的汽车售后服务体系的评价体系经历了初期照搬国外的指标体系,到现阶段本土化适应性调整的发展过程,而未来的售后服务评价体系将从会从厂商服务标准为核心过渡到以消费者感受为核心。新华信作为中国第一家从事售后服务满意度调研的公司,早在1998年就开始应客户要求开展汽车售后服务     

The dimensions of international hotel employee service attitude and their managerial implications

The purpose of this paper is to determine the dimensions of international hotel employee service attitude and the differences in customer satisfaction with these dimensions among guests from the USA, Japan, and Taiwan, and the resulting practical managerial implications in the area of international hotel operation. Using exploratory factor analysis, service attitude is divided into four dimensions: problem solving, empathic feeling, enthusiastic service, and friendliness. The results of the study reveal that there are significant differences in satisfaction with customer service among three national sets of tourists by the use of ANOVA. These findings are followed by a discussion of their implications for hotel management in the areas of employee recruitment, training, and motivation, with suggestions on how to improve the various dimensions of hotel employee service attitude and thereby, the corresponding customer satisfaction.     

On the efficiency of monetary policy rules with flexible prices and rational expectations

The classic Sargent–Wallace–Lucas (SWL) rational expectations-flexible price model is usually interpreted as implying “policy ineffectiveness”: systematic monetary rules cannot affect the distribution of real output. A contrary but not widely-appreciated result of Dotsey and King suggests that there exist “prospective feedback” rules (future money depending systematically on current but as yet unobserved information) which improve output distribution by means of improving agents’ ability to perceive relative prices.We show the Dotsey–King proposition in fact to be a colossal understatement: prospective feedback rules applied vigorously enough (and even “contemporaneous feedback” rules based on current interest rates, provided at least one prospective feedback is active) can in the limit drive price-perception errors to zero. This is not to say such a policy would be desirable. Feedback parameter combinations that reduce current price level misperception tend to produce high forecast error variances with respect to future prices, with attendant loss in capital market efficiency. Whatever the desirable frontier among these different social cost-producing variables, feedback parameters will in general be needed in order to get on the frontier as well as to move along it. Monetary policy clearly produces social gain even in a version of this model which contains no elements of price “friction,” inefficient use of available information, or asymmetry in information as between the government and the public.     

Effects of voice assistant recommendations on consumer behavior

The present study compares the influence of text-based recommendations; traditionally known as online consumer reviews, and the influence of voice-based recommendations provided by voice-driven virtual assistants on consumer behaviors. Based on media richness theory, the research model investigates how voice versus text modality influences consumers' perceptions of credibility and usefulness, as well as their behavioral intentions and actual behaviors. In addition, the study analyses if these relationships vary based on the type of product and compares the influence of masculine and feminine voices. Two studies were conducted using between-subjects experimental designs, partial least squares-structural equation modeling, and logistic regression. The core finding is that voice-based recommendations are more effective than online consumer reviews in altering consumer behaviors. In addition, the first study showed that the influence of recommendations on behavioral intentions is mediated by consumers' perceptions of their credibility and usefulness. The second study confirmed, in a realistic setting, that voice-based recommendations affect consumer choices to a greater extent. Recommendations for search products and provided by males are also found to be more effective. These results contribute to the voice assistant and e-WOM literature by highlighting the effectiveness of voice-based recommendations in predicting consumer behaviors, confirming that credibility and usefulness are key factors that determine the influence of recommendations, and showing that recommendations are more effective when they focus on search products.     

Consumer social voice in the age of social media: Segmentation profiles and relationship marketing strategies

Service failures, once handled quietly by customer service departments, are now played out on a highly public social media stage. These failures can result in not only the loss of a loyal consumer but also can negatively affect relationships with those watching the dialogue between disgruntled customers and organizations. The phenomenon of seeking resolution to service failures online is distinct from both traditional word-of-mouth and voice behaviors. This article introduces social voice: public complaining behavior that aims to change the behavior of the organization. A qualitative methodology defines eight dimensions of social voice and categorizes them by the strength of the relationship to the organization. Results indicate that appropriate response strategies differ based on social voice segment.     

Corporate social responsibility and employee attitudes: The moderating role of employee age

This study examines the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on employee engagement and job satisfaction. Using 322 responses from employees of selected companies in Ghana, and employing hierarchical regression analysis, the study examines the direct impact of economic, legal, ethical and discretionary CSR practices on employee satisfaction and engagement in organisations. The study further explores the moderating role of employee age on the relationship between CSR and employee engagement and satisfaction. The results provide evidence that economic, legal, ethical and discretionary CSR practices influence higher employee engagement and satisfaction levels at work. However, the study finds no evidence of employee age moderating the association between each of the four CSR dimensions and employee job attitudes (engagement and satisfaction). These findings are insightful and provide a response to calls for research on these issues. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that ethical CSR practices strongly influence employees' satisfaction and engagement levels; legal and discretionary CSR activities also have an influence, though to a lesser extent; and the economic dimension of CSR activities has the least impact. The managerial, practical and further research implications of these findings are discussed.     

心理契约、公平感、发言权与工作卷入——基于劳务派遣工的实证研究

基于社会交换理论、社会比较理论,围绕员工的公平和发言权实现程度,本文探讨了劳务派遣工的心理契约履行与工作卷入的关系、以及分配公平和程序公平感知的中介作用及工会会员角色的调节作用。研究采用问卷调查法,基于7家劳务派遣单位的171个劳务派遣工样本进行分析,结果表明：劳务派遣工感知到的心理契约履行与工作卷入程度显著正相关,分配公平和程序公平感知在两者间起完全中介作用。层次回归方程分析的结果显示,“是否加入工会”对程序公平与工作卷入的关系具有显著的调节作用,即相对于未加入工会的劳务派遣工,加入工会的派遣工的程序公平感知与工作卷入的正相关关系较强。最后,论文针对假设检验的启示和意义进行探讨。