Airline Travelers' Causal Attribution of Service Failure and Its Impact on Trust and Loyalty Formation: The Moderating Role of Corporate Social Responsibility

This study examines airline travelers' causal attribution (stability and controllability) and its impact on trust and loyalty formation and investigates the moderating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in this process. Based on a literature review, theoretical relationships between stability, controllability, CSR, trust, and loyalty were derived, and the moderating effects of CSR on relationships between stability/controllability and trust/loyalty were examined. To empirically test these theoretical relationships, quantitative data were collected from 271 airline passengers who experienced a service failure in the past year. The results provide support for effects of stability and controllability on trust as well as the effect of stability on loyalty. In addition, the perception of CSR had positive effects on trust and loyalty. Finally, a favorable CSR perception weakened the negative effects of a service failure on trust and loyalty, particularly when the failure was attributed to a stable cause. The results highlight the important role of CSR in service failure situations and have important implications for airline managers.     

Coordination of efforts in disaster relief supply chains: the moderating role of resource scarcity and redundancy

Connecting to the ongoing conversation on the importance of effective coordination, in this paper, we empirically examine the impact of key theoretical modes of coordination, i.e. resource sharing, standardisation of operations, and synchronisation in disaster relief supply chains, on the performance of the humanitarian organisations. Survey data are collected from 101 humanitarian organisations in the emerging countries within Southeast Asia. Data are used to test a conceptually developed model, using structural equation modelling–partial least square (SEM-PLS) approach. The results reveal the significant impact of resource sharing and standardisation on performance outcomes in terms of resources used, responsiveness, and flexibility, while resource sharing is highly weakened by resource scarcity and redundancy. The managerial implication and recommendations are concluded for further research.     

Constructing a fuzzy Shewhart control chart for variables when uncertainty and randomness are combined

In this paper we introduce a fuzzy chart for variables which is used in situations when uncertainty and randomness are combined. It is showed that the Shewhart chart’s control limits must be adjusted in these situations. However, this chart is based on a fuzzy acceptance region and this method arises when a decision should be made by referring to the grade of a sample statistic belonging to the fuzzy acceptance region.     

Investigation of the reasons for not using helmet among motorcyclists in Kerman,Iran

This study was carried out to investigate reasoning and interpretation of motorcyclists for not using helmet utilizing qualitative methodology of ‘grounded theory’. The field of the study was Kerman, a cultural-historical city at the south-east of Iran. Participants were 21 young male motorcyclists. Two sampling strategies were used: maximum variation and snowball sampling. To collect data, in-depth, open-ended interviews were conducted. Data analysis yielded seven categories: fatalism; a barrier to social relationships; peer group pressure and negative labelling; messing up the appearance; disturbance in hearing and vision; barrier to normal breathing; and heaviness and superfluity of helmet. Based on the findings of the current study, it could be concluded that socio-cultural contexts, motorcyclists’ worldview and partly helmet-related problems are of the main factors which affect motorcycling. Therefore, the studies, policy-makings, and intervening programmes to control injury and to promote safety among motorcyclists should be focused on socio-cultural barriers to helmet use in general and changing the motorcyclists’ standpoints toward fatalism in particular. Helmet-related problems should be considered, too.