The antecedents of employee commitment to customer service: evidence from a UK

This paper provides a first attempt at conceptualizing and operationalizing the notion of commitment to customer service (CCS) as part of a broader concern to explore the determinants of key aspects of service quality and of individual-level performance in service organizations. Based on an explicitly behavioral definition of commitment to customer service, we first set out a model of the antecedents of CCS. We then test it using data from a representative sample of 717 employees of a major food-retailing organization in the UK. The results suggest that commitment to customer service is primarily a non-calculative phenomenon driven above all by affective. normative altruistic concerns, rather than by overtly instrumental considerations. Additional significant determinants of CCS were job pressure, job routinization. job competence and employees' understanding of customer service requirements. Research and policy implications of the study are discussed.     

Workplace isolation: salespeople and supervisors in USA

Virtual work is becoming the norm in sales organizations because it is cost effective for the firm and can benefit customers and salespeople. However, along with these benefits, virtual work brings new challenges to organizations. One critical issue is workplace isolation (WI). This study uses responses from a sample of 346 salespeoples in the pharmaceutical field to test a model that investigates the relationships among WI, self-efficacy, leadership style, extra-role performance (ERP), satisfaction with the supervisor, and turnover intentions. Salespersons perception of managers as considerate leaders are associated with lower WI levels. Salespeople with higher levels of self-efficacy are less likely to believe that they are isolated from the company and their colleagues. WI, in turn, is significantly related to satisfaction with the supervision and ERP. Managerial implications and future research directions are presented.     

A goal orientation model of feedback-seeking behavior

Why do individuals differ in their feedback-seeking behavior, and how do these differences impact their task performance? The current article addresses these questions by developing a theoretical model using the individual difference of goal orientation (an orientation toward developing or demonstrating one's ability) as a central influence in the feedback-seeking process. Goal orientation is proposed to influence how individuals cognitively process the cost and value of feedback-seeking opportunities. These cognitions are then proposed to influence the choices made for six dimensions of feedback-seeking behavior—the frequency, type, source, method, timing, and sign preference. The argument is then made that assessment of multiple dimensions of feedback seeking, compared to the customary frequency assessment, should enhance our ability to explain the relationship of feedback-seeking behavior with outcomes such as task performance. Finally, the theoretical model is discussed as a platform for future research and as a source of guidance for the management of feedback-seeking behavior.     

The service climate‐firm performance chain: The role of customer retention

This study examines the role of customer retention as a mediator in the service climate–firm performance chain. Using a predictive design that involves data collected from 1,500 automotive service stores from 12,518 employees and approximately 30,000 customers, a model linking service climate (a concern for employees and customers), customer satisfaction, customer retention, and firm performance was tested. Notably, the results support the overall model and the hypothesized mediating effect of customer retention regarding the relationship between customer satisfaction and firm performance. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Market orientation as determinant of entrepreneurship: An empirical investigation on SMEs

Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) and Market Orientation (MO) are considered key factors in ensuring firm longevity in the new competitive landscape. Despite extensive research during the past decade, most of the studies use samples that exclude small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which represent the majority of economic activity worldwide. Some studies do investigate this relationship in small companies but place little importance on the subtle differences between SMEs and large companies when measuring MO. This study empirically investigates the relationship between MO and EO on a sample of 2500 Swedish SMEs. A new measure of MO that takes into consideration SMEs specific conditions has been developed and used. Findings suggest that MO is the main determinant of EO in SMEs.     

高绩效服务人员之人格特质研究——以屏东百货公司为例

人格特质是个体对人对事的态度和行事风格的综合表征,不同人格特质传递的服务体验,将产生不一样的绩效。本文从中国文化视角出发,依易经哲理以三爻构(动能、判读、行为)六大因素(阴、阳、刚、柔、实、虚)分类,构造"人格特质八卦类型量表"描述个体人格差异。运用该量表对屏东百货公司人员进行实证研究,结果发现,该公司高绩效人员多呈现务实、积极特质(属天卦、火卦、风卦和山卦型)和超圆融级人格特质。八卦类型为个体先天特质有其稳定性,不易改变;圆融度级别为处事能力,可经由后天学习和历练改变,有其可塑性。     

A structural compendium on service quality and customer satisfaction: A survey of banks in India

ABSTRACT

The core aim of the research is to measure and analyze the quality of services offered by the top three public- and private-sector banks in India and to attempt to know how bank services quality affects customer satisfaction. By administering both questionnaires and personal interviews, researchers garnered the opinions of a total of 600 respondents with BANKQUAL statement. The authors applied Cronbach’s alpha to test reliability and the selected hypotheses have been proven with Chi-square tests and t-tests. All the public-sector banks chosen for the study lead in the satisfaction index over the private-sector banks by demonstrating differences in the dimensions of credibility, influence, and geographic spread. The research is most precious to diverse stakeholders of the Indian banking industry, particularly to banks who want to know about their existing service quality for further improvement. For the first time, the researchers introduced the comprehensive BANKQUAL statement to test out the quality of bank services in India.     

Devising appropriate service strategies for customers of different value: an integrated assessment model for the banking industry

Customer relationship management seeks to nurture relationships with customers by providing appropriate services for particular customers. Previous studies in this area have tended to examine either: (i) the improvement of service quality or (ii) the identification of customers who will bring the most value (and thus greatest profit). Few studies have attempted to integrate the two aspects of the problem. The present study addresses this deficiency by proposing a comprehensive assessment model that integrates a novel categorization of customers (using a customer pyramid) with a detailed analysis of particular service-quality attributes (using a performance control matrix) to provide more accurate guidance for practitioners in designing specific service-improvement strategies for particular quality attributes and particular customer categories. This integrated assessment model promises to be of particular benefit to service providers whose business resources are limited because it facilitates the design of appropriate service-improvement strategies that are tailored to specific customer groups and the service-quality attributes that are of importance to them.     

试论KN涂料公司大客户经理的绩效考核

文章以KN涂料公司为例来分析大客户经理如何进行绩效考核及如何构建大客户经理的关键绩效指标考核体系。     

创业营销对创业绩效的影响研究:一个有调节的中介模型

先前学者们对于创业营销的研究大多聚焦于定性研究,文章从创业营销的创业导向与市场导向入手,通过实证研究的方法探究创业营销对创业绩效的提升机制。以创业导向作为自变量、市场导向作为中介变量、顾客导向为调节变量,构建一个有调节的中介模型。通过问卷搜集中国297家企业的数据检验假设,结果表明:创业导向、市场导向均正向影响创业绩效,且当市场导向作为中介变量时,对两者之间对创业绩效的总效应更加明显;顾客导向的调节作用并不明显。最后,提出了管理建议与未来的研究方向。     

装备制造企业的服务模式研究:以江钻股份为例

服务作为装备制造企业提高竞争力和获得差异化竞争优势的重要来源,目前正引起越来越多国内外学者的关注。装备制造企业提供的现代服务范畴远远超过传统售后服务,还包括技术服务、渗透到顾客价值链的系统解决方案等。同时,明晰的服务愿景、技术创新能力和顾客导向是支持制造企业服务模式的关键因素。     

Public service motivation and customer service behaviour: testing the mediating role of emotional labour and the moderating role of gender

ABSTRACT

Prior research indicates that public service motivation (PSM) provides a motivational base for effective emotion regulation. This study extends this body of research by investigating how service workers in different gender groups regulate their emotions during service transactions. Analysis of survey data from public service workers in Thailand showed that ‘deep acting’ is the primary emotional labour strategy-linking PSM and customer service behaviour (CSB), whereas ‘surface acting’ does not play a mediating role. The results further revealed that PSM has a stronger association with male workers’ CSB only via deep acting. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed.     

我国物流企业服务质量管理的问题与对策探讨

随着市场经济的不断发展,服务质量的竞争已成为企业不断争取有限市场份额的重要手段。而如何提高物流企业服务质量是企业在市场经济条件下必须要深入探讨的课题。本文分析了物流服务质量管理存在的问题,对我国物流企业服务质量管理的问题进行了对策探讨。     

New product development in foreign customer relationships: a study of international SMEs

Abstract

This study identifies a gap in research concerning how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can benefit from pursuing locally (rather than globally) oriented internationalization strategies. Becoming overly dependent on one single foreign market could potentially reduce the inflow and diversity of new knowledge that can serve as input for new product development. This study discusses how this risk can be minimized. In this endeavour we create a theoretical model that investigates how the local sales concentration and relationship-specific commitment of SMEs relates to new product development. To do this we draw on the behavioural internationalization process framework. The theoretical model is tested on an effective sample of 188 Swedish SMEs. The results show that relationship-specific commitment mediates the effect of local sales concentration on new product development. The implication is that investments which enable collaboration in important business relationships are crucial requisites for keeping firms innovative and in pace with market fluctuations. The findings thus contribute to international business literature by showing that a local market scope of operations combined with a relationship orientation are beneficial for new product development in international SMEs.     

Sustainable development in small and medium enterprises: The role of entrepreneurial orientation in supply chain management

Organizations are under increased pressure to improve their sustainable performance through the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have lagged behind larger corporations due to a number of factors. Chief among these factors is the lack of resources and capabilities. In this study, we investigate whether entrepreneurial orientation as a distinctive firm-level resource contributes to the successful implementation of GSCM practices within SMEs. We use primary data obtained from 316 manufacturing SMEs and analyze the data by using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Our findings show four equifinal configurations of GSCM practices and the components of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) that lead to high environmental performance. Two practices, “eco-design” and “internal environmental management”, are present in all configurations, with the latter being the single core condition. The components of EO are present in all the configurations. Three distinct configurations lead to the simultaneous achievement of high environmental performance and high economic performance. Some noticeable differences appear in these configurations: “internal environmental management” is no longer a core condition, instead external practices (“green purchasing,” “cooperation with customers including environmental requirements,” and “investment recovery”) and “risk-taking” become core conditions. We exptrapolate our findings into a set of propositions that expand theory on the link between entrepreneurial orientation and sustainable performance. Our study provides insights for managers who seek to infuse entrepreneurial thoughts and actions into their green supply chain initiatives.     

Age as double‐edged sword among victims of customer mistreatment: A self‐esteem threat perspective

Service workers are expected to maintain high‐quality service delivery despite customer mistreatment—the poor‐quality treatment of service workers by customers—which can be demeaning and threatening to self‐esteem. Although service work is increasingly delivered by middle‐aged and older workers, very little is known about how employees across the age range navigate abuse from customers on the job. Does advancing age help or hinder service performance in reaction to customer mistreatment? Drawing on strength and vulnerability integration theory, we proposed that age paradoxically both helps and hinders performance after customer mistreatment, albeit at different stages. We tested our proposed model in a two‐sample field investigation of service workers and their supervisors using a time‐lagged, dyadic design. Results showed that age heightens the experience of self‐esteem threat but, nevertheless, dampens reactions to self‐esteem threat, leading to divergent effects on performance at different stages. Implications for age and service work, as well as aging and the sense of self, are discussed.     

Held captive in the office: an investigation into long working hours among Korean employees

Although working long hours is a common practice, scholars still know little about what really causes employees to work long hours. Drawing on social information processing and social learning theory, this study examines the role of social contextual antecedents (i.e. supervisor working hours and the perceived overtime climate of one’s workgroup) in influencing employee working hours, after controlling for individual background and job characteristics. Further, we examine whether such relationships are contingent on employees’ individual differences in their identification with leader and a collectivist tendency. A field study of 200 supervisor-subordinate dyads in South Korea revealed a strong positive relationship between the contextual antecedents and employees’ working hours, as well as the moderating effects of the two individual difference variables. Specifically, we found that the relationship between supervisor working hours and employee working hours was more positive for low identifiers than for high identifiers, while the relationship between the perceived overtime climate and employee working hours was more positive for those low in collectivism than for those high in collectivism. Finally, we found that working long hours was associated with lower job satisfaction, higher psychological distress, lower in-role performance, but not with organizational citizenship behavior.     

Linking organizational learning and customer capital through an ambidexterity context: an empirical investigation in SMEs1

Ambidexterity is an organization's context to achieve alignment and adaptability simultaneously within the organization learning processes. This paper examines the relationship between and significance of two key factors of organization learning (exploration and exploitation of knowledge) and two possible control factors (company size and sector) on the ambidexterity context, and their effects on the creation of customer capital. These relationships are examined through an empirical investigation of 269 Spanish SMEs from two different sectors (Optometry and Telecommunications), using structural equation modelling validated by factor analysis. The results indicate that the effects of exploration and exploitation of knowledge on customer capital are mediated through an ambidexterity context, which in this study is not affected by the size of SMEs but might be related to the sector in which they operate.     

汽车采购物流服务绩效评价指标体系研究

分析了汽车采购物流的发展背景,在客户满意的基础上,结合实际,立足汽车生产企业,对汽车采购物流企业服务绩效评价指标进行了探讨。     

Accounting for personal disposition and organizational context: connecting role ambiguity,public service motivation,and whistle-blowing in federal agencies

Abstract

Organizational psychologists and HRM scholars have long argued that prosocial organizational behaviors enhance organizational performance. However, prosocial behaviors are motivated by both self-interested and altruistic intent. Moreover, some have recognized that the factors that encourage shifts between egoistically and altruistically motivated prosocial behaviors may result from inherent tensions between individual disposition and situational contexts. As such, this study draws from literature examining prosocial behavior to evaluate whether work situations with clear task expectations dampen the extent to which prosocial personal dispositions diminish egoistically motivated prosocial behavior. Findings from a series of structural equation models reveal that altruistic dispositional traits diminish egoistic motives for engaging in one specific prosocial behavior, whistle-blowing. However, findings also reveal that work situations characterized by clear task expectations dampen the negative effect of altruistic dispositions on egoistically motivated whistle-blowing. Our findings imply that managers can adjust organizational contexts to capitalize on the enhanced benefits resulting from altruistically motivated prosocial behaviors.