Considered Service-specific journals were Journal of Service Research, Journal of Service Management, Journal of Services Marketing, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Service Industries Journal, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, and Service Science.
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Schepers, J., D. Belanche, L. V. Casaló and C. Flavián (2022): How Smart Should a Service Robot Be?, Journal of Service Research, (2907), pp.1
Service robots are taking over the frontline. They can possess three types of artificial intelligence (AI): mechanical, thinking, and feeling AI. Although these intelligences determine how service robots can help customers, not much is known about how customers respond to robots of different intelligence. This paper addresses this gap, builds on the appraisal theory of emotions, and employs three online experiments and one field study to demonstrate that customers have different emotional responses to the three types of AI. Particularly, the influence of AI on positive emotions becomes stronger as the AI type becomes more sophisticated. That is, feeling AI relates more strongly to positive emotions than mechanical AI. Also, feeling AI and thinking AI increase spending and loyalty intention through customers’ positive emotions. We also identify important contingency effects of service tiers: mechanical AI is more suitable for low-cost firms, whereas feeling AI mainly benefits full-service providers. Remarkably, none of the three intelligences are directly related to negative emotions; perceived robot autonomy is an important mediator in these relationships. The findings yield concrete managerial guidance as to how smart a service robot should be by pinpointing the right type of AI given the market segment of the service provider.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221107704 [Google]
Wolter, J. S., T. J. Bacile and P. Xu (2022): How Online Incivility Affects Consumer Engagement Behavior on Brands’ Social Media, Journal of Service Research, (2910), pp.1
Research on consumer engagement in social media is flourishing. However, online incivility is rampant and its effect on consumer engagement is unknown. The current work posits long-term consumer engagement with a brand is decreased when consumer-to-consumer uncivil interactions take place on brands’ social media channels. Using behavioral data from Facebook, the first study documents that a consumer’s incivility to another consumer increases the victim’s engagement in the short term but decreases their engagement over the long term. Further, a brand’s response mitigates these effects. Two follow-up studies using scenario-based experiments provide evidence that consumer injustice perceptions mediate a confrontation coping strategy, while ostracism perceptions mediate an avoidance coping strategy. The experiments also evidence that a brand response mitigates some of the effects of incivility. However, an uncivil interaction from a brand advocate can ostracize a victim despite a brand response. Together, our work furthers consumer engagement and consumer incivility theory while also suggesting that practitioners should manage incivility on brands’ social media pages.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221096192 [Google]
Esmaeilzadeh, H. and R. Vaezi (2022): Conscious Empathic AI in Service, Journal of Service Research, (2900), pp.1
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have achieved human-scale speed and accuracy for classification tasks. Current systems do not need to be conscious to recognize patterns and classify them. However, for AI to advance to the next level, it needs to develop capabilities such as metathinking, creativity, and empathy. We contend that such a paradigm shift is possible through a fundamental change in the state of artificial intelligence toward consciousness, similar to what took place for humans through the process of natural selection and evolution. To that end, we propose that consciousness in AI is an emergent phenomenon that primordially appears when two machines cocreate their own language through which they can recall and communicate their internal state of time-varying symbol manipulation. Because, in our view, consciousness arises from the communication of inner states, it leads to empathy. We then provide a link between the empathic quality of machines and better service outcomes associated with empathic human agents that can also lead to accountability in AI services.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221103531 [Google]
Filieri, R., Z. Lin, Y. Li, X. Lu and X. Yang (2022): Customer Emotions in Service Robot Encounters: A Hybrid Machine-Human Intelligence Approach, Journal of Service Research, (2901), pp.1
Understanding consumer emotions arising from robot-customers encounters and shared through online reviews is critical for forecasting consumers’ intention to adopt service robots. Qualitative analysis has the advantage of generating rich insights from data, but it requires intensive manual work. Scholars have emphasized the benefits of using algorithms for recognizing and differentiating among emotions. This study critically addresses the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative analysis and machine learning methods by adopting a hybrid machine-human intelligence approach. We extracted a sample of 9707 customers reviews from two major social media platforms (Ctrip and TripAdvisor), encompassing 412 hotels in 8 countries. The results show that the customer experience with service robots is overwhelmingly positive, revealing that interacting with robots triggers emotions of joy, love, surprise, interest, and excitement. Discontent is mainly expressed when customers cannot use service robots due to malfunctioning. Service robots trigger more emotions when they move. The findings further reveal the potential moderation effect of culture on customer emotional reactions to service robots. The study highlights that the hybrid approach can take advantage of the scalability and efficiency of machine learning algorithms while overcoming its shortcomings, such as poor interpretative capacity and limited emotion categories.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221103937 [Google]
Helkkula, A., E. Arnould and A. Chen (2022): Glocalization in Service Cultures: Tensions in Customers’ Service Expectations and Experiences, Journal of Service Research, (2902), pp.1
In the global world, service cultures interact. The co-shaping interaction of local and global service cultures is a form of glocalization. In China, interaction between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine (WM) has produced glocalized versions of both services. Through analysis of customers’ experience of healthcare service in southwestern China, this paper addresses two research questions: What distinctive cultural resources do informants associate with WM and TCM? And how do tensions emerge in the contrast between customers’ expected and experienced cultural resources in glocalized healthcare service? The resource integration construct provides theoretical language to analyze customers’ service experiences in glocalized service cultures. One theoretical contribution resulting from this analysis is showing that culturally specific resources embedded in service systems emerge phenomenologically through resource integration in customers’ experiences. A second theoretical contribution resulting from this analysis is demonstrating how the mix of culturally specific resources from two glocalized services causes tensions and effects how experience is interpreted and valued. The article’s managerial contribution is a four-step culture-comparative resource framework. The framework can help managers identify tensions in customer expectations and experiences in glocalized service and identify needed changes to facilitate customers’ positive service experiences.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221094638 [Google]
Kipnis, E., F. McLeay, A. Grimes, S. de Saille and S. Potter (2022): Service Robots in Long-Term Care: A Consumer-Centric View, Journal of Service Research, (2903), pp.1
Service robots with advanced intelligence capabilities can potentially transform servicescapes. However, limited attention has been given to how consumers experiencing vulnerabilities, particularly those with disabilities, envisage the characteristics of robots’ prospective integration into emotionally intense servicescapes, such as long-term care (LTC). We take an interdisciplinary approach conducting three exploratory studies with consumers with disabilities involving Community Philosophy, LEGO ® Serious Play ® , and Design Thinking methods. Addressing a lack of consumer-centric research, we offer a three-fold contribution by 1) developing a conceptualization of consumer-conceived value of robots in LTC, which are envisaged as a supporting resource offering consumers opportunities to realize value; 2) empirically evidencing pathogenic vulnerabilities as a potential value-destruction factor to underscore the importance of integrating service robots research with a service inclusion paradigm; and 3) providing a theoretical extension and clarification of prior characterizations of robots’ empathetic and emotion-related AI capabilities. Consumers with disabilities conceive robots able to stimulate and regulate emotions by mimicking cognitive and behavioral empathy, but unable to express affective and moral empathy, which is central to care experience. While providing support for care practices, for the foreseeable future, service robots will not, in themselves, actualize the experience of “being cared for.”
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221110849 [Google]
Minguez, A. and F. J. Sese (2022): Periodic Versus Aggregate Donations: Leveraging Donation Frequencies to Cultivate the Regular Donor Portfolio, Journal of Service Research, (2904), pp.1
Charitable organizations play a key role in society but face the recurrent challenge of obtaining sufficient resources to accomplish their missions. The regular donor portfolio becomes a critical element in providing stable and long-lasting funding, and its effective management has emerged as a key research area. This study investigates the impact of the donation frequency by regular donors on their donation amount over time. Drawing from temporal reframing literature, we provide an understanding of these effects as well as the moderating role of the motivations to donate (self- vs other-oriented). The study also investigates the extent to which frequency choices are influenced by the motivations to donate and by the donation options presented during registration. Using a sample of regular donors from 2013 to 2019 and applying dynamic panel data techniques, the findings reveal that higher frequencies lead to higher donations, though this effect is strengthened by self-oriented motivations and weakened by other-oriented motivations. Our study shows that motivations to donate and donation options jointly explain donation frequencies. This study provides useful guidance for charities on how to increase regular donors’ perceived value and their contributions to help these organizations provide essential services to the most vulnerable groups in society.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221103270 [Google]
Orth, U. R., N. Spielmann and C. Meyer (2022): Ambient Temperature in Online Service Environments, Journal of Service Research, (2905), pp.1
Ambient Temperature in Online Service environments (ATOS) is a sensory cue not directly accessible in current online servicescape technology, but inferred from secondary cues, particularly visual ones. This study integrates research on cross-modal inferences with a situated cognitions framework and the stereotype content model to show that ATOS enhances judgment of service provider warmth, in turn influencing important service outcomes. A pilot study explores the linkages between consumer online and offline experiences, providing evidence for online service environments’ capacity (especially ATOS) to shape customer judgment and behavior. Study 1 examines a tropical island holiday resort to show that online representations of the environment evoke situated cognitions and preferences consistent with high ambient temperature. Study 2 uses virtual tours of cafés to demonstrate that ATOS, through judgment of service provider warmth, positively influences purchase intention and other managerially important service outcomes. Study 3 employs 12 service contexts to replicate ATOS effects, mediated through warmth, and to show that effects are stronger in contexts where service provision is directed more at objects (vs. people). Given that ambient temperature is ubiquitous in all types of service settings and easily adjusted by practitioners, managerial implications outline how service marketers can more effectively employ ATOS.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221110848 [Google]
Pantano, E. and D. Scarpi (2022): I, Robot, You, Consumer: Measuring Artificial Intelligence Types and their Effect on Consumers Emotions in Service, Journal of Service Research, (2906), pp.1
This research draws upon the increasing usage of AI in service. It aims at understanding the extent to which AI systems have multiple intelligence types like humans and if these types arouse different emotions in consumers. To this end, the research uses a two-study approach: Study 1 builds and evaluates a scale for measuring different AI intelligence types. Study 2 evaluates consumers’ emotional responses to the different AI intelligences. The findings provide a measurement scale for evaluating different types of artificial intelligence against human ones, thus showing that artificial intelligences are configurable, describable, and measurable (Study 1), and influence positive and negative consumers’ emotions (Study 2). The findings also demonstrate that consumers display different emotions, in terms of happiness, excitement, enthusiasm, pride, inspiration, sadness, fear, anger, shame, and anxiety, and also emotional attachment, satisfaction, and usage intention when interacting with the different types of AI intelligences. Our scale builds upon human intelligence against AI intelligence characteristics while providing a guidance for future development of AI-based systems more similar to human intelligences.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221103538 [Google]
Skiera, B., S. Yan, J. Daxenberger, M. Dombois and I. Gurevych (2022): Using Information-Seeking Argument Mining to Improve Service, Journal of Service Research, (2908), pp.1
If service providers can identify reasons users are in favor of or against a service, they have insightful information that can help them understand user behavior and what they need to do to change such behavior. This article argues that the novel text-mining technique referred to as information-seeking argument mining (IS-AM) can identify these reasons. The empirical study applies IS-AM to news articles and reviews about electric scooter-sharing systems (i.e., a service enabling the short-term rentals of electric motorized scooters). Its results point to IS-AM as a promising technique to improve service; the data enable the authors to identify 40 reasons to use or not use electric scooter-sharing systems, as well as their importance to users. Furthermore, the results show that news articles are better data sources than reviews because they are longer and contain more arguments and, thus, reasons.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221110845 [Google]
Vorobeva, D., Y. El Fassi, D. Costa Pinto, D. Hildebrand, M. M. Herter and A. S. Mattila (2022): Thinking Skills Don’t Protect Service Workers from Replacement by Artificial Intelligence, Journal of Service Research, (2909), pp.1
Despite the documented benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the service industry, the service employees’ fear of being replaced by AI continues to be a major concern as we transition to the Feeling Economy. This paper builds upon the Feeling Economy framework and the social comparison theory to examine how different service-related tasks (thinking vs feeling) distinctively impact the service employees’ feelings and behavior. Five studies reveal that the presence of AI increases negative outcomes for employees engaging in thinking (vs. feeling) tasks due to its adverse effects on their perceived ability (i.e., relative performance). Findings further indicate that these detrimental effects only happen when service employees compare their abilities with those of AI. This research provides important theoretical and managerial implications, helping to mitigate AI’s negative outcomes on employees’ fear of replacement and reduced job performance.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221104312 [Google]
Donthu, N., D. D. Gremler, S. Kumar and D. Pattnaik (2022): Mapping of Journal of Service Research Themes: A 22-Year Review, Journal of Service Research, 25(2911), pp.187-193
The Journal of Service Research (JSR) is one of the leading outlets in service research. It is international in scope and widely recognized among scholars, academicians, and practitioners for its original and well-executed research. In its 22 years of publishing, the journal has produced literary content considered classics in the service domain. With the application of bibliometric techniques, we examine articles published in JSR between 1998 and 2019. Our study explicates JSR’s prominent topics and tracks the evolution of research themes in the journal. “Customer satisfaction,” “service recovery,” and “service quality” are some of the prolific themes trending in JSR, while “big data,” “value cocreation,” “customer resource integration,” “service design,” and “customer participation” are its hottest topics. This study contributes primarily by providing a rich retrospective of JSR’s 22 years of publishing and proposes future research topics for the journal.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1094670520977672 [Google]
Lechner, A. T., F. Mathmann and M. Paul (2022): Frontline Employees’ Display of Fake Smiles and Angry Faces: When and Why They Influence Service Performance, Journal of Service Research, 25(2912), pp.211-226
Service firms invest much to ensure authentic and positive emotion displays from frontline employees. And yet, inauthentic positive displays (fake smiles) remain common, and at times, employees even show authentic negative displays (e.g., anger), thereby compromising service performance. Customer reactions to such unwanted emotion displays are heterogeneous, so managers need to know when possible negative effects on service performance are more or less strong. The literature on customer reactions to inauthentic displays is inconclusive and focuses on the moment of service delivery. We shine light on how predelivery choice confidence shapes customer reactions to inauthentic positive displays and demonstrate that customers’ high confidence in their service provider choice mitigates the negative effects of display inauthenticity. We present evidence in terms of tipping in a field study and replicate this interaction effect in three experiments. A serial mediation by cognitive dissonance and decision regret explains the conditional effect of inauthenticity. We also contrast inauthentic positive displays with authentic negative displays. The latter yield the worst service performance, unmitigated by choice confidence. We provide recommendations on how to ensure authentic positive displays (e.g., recruitment, resources, and rewards), taking into account circumstances that affect choice confidence and market shocks (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic).
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1094670520975148 [Google]
Hur, W.-M., Y. Shin and T. W. Moon (2022): Linking Motivation, Emotional Labor, and Service Performance From a Self-Determination Perspective, Journal of Service Research, 25(2913), pp.227-241
Drawing on self-determination theory, which suggests that individuals’ autonomous and controlled motivations determine their behavior and performance, our research examined the relationship between motivation, emotional labor, and service performance. We predicted that autonomous motivation will be positively associated with service performance through deep acting and that controlled motivation will be negatively associated with service performance through surface acting. To test these hypotheses, we collected three-wave data from 282 hotel employees and 21 general managers over a 15-month period. As predicted, autonomous motivation was positively related to deep acting and negatively related to surface acting 1 year later, whereas controlled motivation was positively related to surface acting 1 year later. Deep acting was positively associated with supervisor-rated service performance 3 months later. Further, the indirect effect of autonomous motivation on service performance through deep acting was significant. The robustness of these findings was established by reanalyzing the data without controlling for potential confounds and conducting a validation study among 70 flight attendants across 5 consecutive days. The findings highlight the importance of service employees’ autonomous motivation in effective emotion regulation and resulting service performance.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1094670520975204 [Google]
Ye, F., Q. Xia, M. Zhang, Y. Zhan and Y. Li (2022): Harvesting Online Reviews to Identify the Competitor Set in a Service Business: Evidence From the Hotel Industry, Journal of Service Research, 25(2914), pp.301-327
In today’s global service industry, online reviews posted by consumers offer critical information that influences subsequent consumers’ purchasing decisions and firms’ operation strategies. However, little research has been done on how the same information can be used to identify key competitors and improve services to increase competitiveness. In this article, we propose an analytical framework based on an improved k -nearest neighbor model and a latent Dirichlet allocation model for service managers to harvest online reviews to identify their key competitors and to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their businesses. With a sample comprising over 8 million customer reviews of 6,409 hotels in 50 Chinese cities from Ctrip.com, we validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in the analysis of a hotel’s service competitiveness and its key competitors. The findings indicate that the importance of particular attributes of a hotel varies in different segments according to hotel star ratings. This study extends the literature by bridging online reviews and competitor identification for service industries. It also contributes to practice by offering a systematic and effective way for managers to identify their key competitors, monitor market preferences, ensure service quality, and formulate effective marketing strategies.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1094670520975143 [Google]
Hollebeek, L. D., V. Kumar and R. K. Srivastava (2022): From Customer-, to Actor-, to Stakeholder Engagement: Taking Stock, Conceptualization, and Future Directions, Journal of Service Research, 25(2986), pp.328-343
Despite the significant strides made in the customer engagement literature, the need to understand any marketing actor?s engagement (vs. merely the customer?s) is increasingly recognized. Therefore, the budding actor engagement (AE) concept, which is commonly grounded in S-D logic, describes any marketing actor?s engagement, including that of customers, firms, employees, suppliers, and so on. However, while S-D logic-informed AE offers important insight into actors? mutual value creation, it largely overlooks the sociopolitical notions that (a) actors? potentially diverging goals may see them act against (vs. pro) focal others? interests and (b) different actors may extract differing levels of value from interactions, as advanced in stakeholder theory. Based on these gaps, we extend existing AE research by developing integrative stakeholder theory/S-D logic-informed stakeholder engagement (SE). We deduce five core SE tenets, from which we conceptualize SE as a stakeholder?s state-based, boundedly volitional resource endowment in his/her role-related interactions, activities, and/or relationships. We conclude this article by discussing important implications that arise from our analyses and by identifying avenues for further research.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1094670520977680 [Google]
Sok, K. M., D. Bin and P. Sok (2022): How and when do the ambidextrous frontline sales employees achieve superior sales performance?, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(2915), pp.505-520
Purpose Business-to-business (B2B) firms increasingly have a need for frontline sales employees who can both sell and service customer account, a task known as sales-service ambidexterity which may pose significant challenges to frontline sales employees. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to show that one has to be cognizant of the potential negative consequences brought about requiring frontline sales employees to engage in sales-service ambidexterity and find a way to mitigate such negative consequences. Design/methodology/approach The multisource data for this study was collected from frontline sales employees and their respective supervisors working across multiple B2B pharmaceutical companies in a Southeast Asian country. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and PROCESS Macro. Findings The results reveal a negative indirect effect of sales-service ambidexterity sales performance through role overload. This negative indirect effect is fully neutralized when information exchange is high but not when it is low. Originality/value This study underscores the importance of not only the negative consequence of sales-service ambidexterity but also offers insights into how this negative consequence is neutralized so that sales performance is maximized.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-09-2021-0194 [Google]
Dodds, S., N. Palakshappa and L. M. Stangl (2022): Sustainability in retail services: a transformative service research (TSR) perspective, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(2916), pp.521-544
Purpose Retail organizations that consider a service ecosystems view of sustainability focused on transformation have the potential to contribute to the wellbeing of individuals, business and society. The purpose of this paper is to explore the transformative nature of sustainable retail fashion organizations and their impact on wellbeing within a sustainable retail service ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative in-depth case study research design was implemented using four sustainable fashion brands. Data were collected from multiple sources including secondary data from company websites and publicly available reports and interviews with founders and/or high-ranking managers within the organization. Findings Three overarching themes critical to transformation in sustainable retail service ecosystems were identified: (1) embedded core purpose or ethos, (2) relevance of fit and (3) breadth and depth of message. Corresponding wellbeing elements were found within the three themes – community and society wellbeing, environmental wellbeing, business strategy wellbeing, consumer wellbeing, leadership wellbeing, employee wellbeing, stakeholder and value chain wellbeing and brand wellbeing. Research limitations/implications Future research offers an important opportunity to further explore the relationships between sustainability, TSR and wellbeing in other service contexts. Originality/value The paper contributes to transformative service research literature by conceptualizing a sustainable retail service wellbeing ecosystem framework.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-12-2021-0255 [Google]
Loh, J., M. I. Khan and R. Johns (2022): The straw that breaks the camel’s back: service provider vulnerability to customer incivility, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(2917), pp.545-564
Purpose Uncivil customer behaviour is a concern for service providers and can result in increasing vulnerability for them or their customers. This paper aimed to investigate the interactional link between customer incivility and service provider retaliation and job outcomes. Furthermore, power distance orientation and gender were investigated as potential moderators between customer and retaliation incivilities. Design/methodology/approach Five hypotheses were examined empirically through structural equation modelling. Overall, 679 (356 males and 323 females) service providers recruited across three countries, namely Australia (N = 233), Singapore (N = 199) and the Philippines (N = 247), were surveyed online. Findings The results indicated that incivility caused work exhaustion, which negatively impacted job satisfaction. Power distance orientation moderated the association between customer and retaliatory incivilities, leading to exhaustion and dissatisfaction with one’s job. Importantly, the results also revealed that the female service providers with a higher power distance tend to instigate incivility compared to their male counterparts. Originality/value By incorporating both conservation of resource and negative spiral incivility theories, this study provided an integrated and cohesive explanation for both the direct and interaction effects between customer incivility, retaliatory incivility and work outcomes. In addition, the finding that emotional exhaustion promoted job dissatisfaction highlighted the importance of examining the former’s role especially among the female service providers with a higher power distance as they may be less able to restrain their retaliatory behaviours during uncivil incidents. Several practical solutions aimed at reducing the vulnerability encountered by the mistreated service providers were proposed.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-11-2021-0238 [Google]
Zhang, J., C. Xie, A. M. Morrison, R. Huang, Y. Li and G. Wu (2022): The effects of hotel employee ternary safety behavior on negative safety outcomes: the moderation of job vigor and emotional exhaustion, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(2918), pp.565-585
Purpose The effect of hotel employee safety behavior has not as yet been investigated. The purpose of this research is to determine the impact of hotel employee ternary safety behavior on negative safety outcomes, as well as the moderation effects of job vigor and emotional exhaustion. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey of 16 medium- and high-star-rated hotels in southeast China was conducted and 571 responses were received for model estimation. The statistical analysis techniques adopted were confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, hierarchical regression, and structural equation modeling. Findings The results showed that: (1) safety compliance and participation positively predicted safety adaptation; (2) the three dimensions of safety behavior contributed to reducing negative safety outcomes, and there was a multiple mediation process in their relationship; and (3) job vigor positively moderated the influence of safety compliance and adaption on negative safety outcomes, and emotional exhaustion negatively moderated the influence of safety participation on negative safety outcomes. Originality/value This research provides greater insights into the relationship between safety behavior and outcome performance within the hotel industry, and yields theoretical and practical implications for improving employee safety behavior and hotel safety performance.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-01-2022-0023 [Google]
Kuuru, T.-K. and E. Närvänen (2022): Talking bodies – an embodied approach to service employees’ work, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2919), pp.313-325
Purpose: This paper aims to study the embodied nature of service employees’ work in human touch contexts. Design/methodology/approach: The paper adopts the practice theory as its interpretive approach, using focus group interviews with service employees from different industries. Findings: The study identifies four practice bundles related to the embodied dimension of service employees’ work: orienting, attuning, connecting and wrapping up. The findings illustrate how employees’ knowledge, skills and capabilities are used via the body. Practical implications: The study provides guidance for managers to use an embodied perspective in the management of service employees. Originality/value: This study contributes to the discussion on embodiment in service encounters by highlighting the embodied nature of service employees’ work.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-02-2020-0060 [Google]
Randle, M. and N. Zainuddin (2022): Value creation and destruction in the marketisation of human services, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2920), pp.326-339
Purpose: Governments are increasingly marketising human services in developed countries, with the aim of giving individuals more choice and control over the support they receive. Marketisation effectively transforms “clients” into “consumers” who are exposed to competitive market conditions and the marketing strategies of service organisations. However, the heterogeneity amongst citizens leaves some segments of populations more vulnerable within marketised systems. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of the marketisation of human services on the value delivered to consumers of disability services. Given that the nature of disabilities can vary greatly, the study also examines the impact of the degree of disability on value creation and destruction for disability service consumers. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative, individual-depth interviews were conducted with 35 participants: 17 were consumers of disability services (either because they have a disability or care for someone who does) and 18 were disability service providers (for example, managers of disability programmes). Findings: Factors that influence value creation and destruction include quality and turnover of staff, organisation and communication of service providers, ability to advocate effectively, level of funding and accessibility of services. Heterogeneity amongst consumers is also identified as a key factor affecting the creation and destruction of value. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to apply marketing techniques, such as market segmentation, to identify heterogeneity in relation to value creation and value destruction in the context of human services. It also considers the notion of consumer vulnerability, stemming from disability, as an important lens through which the outcomes of marketised human service systems can be evaluated.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-10-2019-0424 [Google]
Donthu, N., S. Kumar, C. Ranaweera, D. Pattnaik and A. Gustafsson (2022): Mapping of Journal of Services Marketing themes: a retrospective overview using bibliometric analysis, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2921), pp.340-363
Purpose: Journal of services marketing (JSM) is a leading journal that has published cutting-edge research in services marketing over the past 34 years. The main objective of this paper is to provide a retrospective of the thematic structure of papers published in JSM over its publication history. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses bibliometric methods to present a retrospective overview of JSM themes between 1987 and 2019. Using keywords co-occurrence analysis, this paper unveils the thematic structure of JSM’s most prolific themes. Bibliographic coupling analysis uncovers the research trends of the journal. Findings: Leading authors, leading institutions, authors’ affiliated countries and critically, the dominant themes of JSM are identified. As its founding, JSM has published approximately 40 papers each year, with 2019 being its most productive year. On average, lead JSM authors to collaborate with 1.30 others. Keywords co-occurrence analysis identifies nine prominent thematic clusters, namely, “marketing to service”, “quality, satisfaction and delivery systems”, “service industries”, “relationship marketing”, “service failure, complaining and recovery”, “service dominant logic”, “technology, innovation and design”, “wellbeing” and “service encounters”. Bibliographic coupling analysis groups JSM papers into four clusters, namely, “brand & customer engagement behaviour”, “service co-creation”, “service encounters & service recovery” and “social networking”. Research limitations/implications: This study is the first to analyse the thematic structure of JSM themes over its history. The themes are analysed across time periods and then compared to dominant themes identified in contemporary service research agendas. Recommendations are made based on the gaps found. This retrospective review will be useful to numerous key stakeholders including the editorial board and both existing and aspiring JSM contributors. The selection of literature is confined to Scopus. Originality/value: JSM’s retrospection is likely to attract readership to the journal. The study’s recommendations regarding which areas have matured and which are still ripe for future contributions will offer useful guidelines for all stakeholders.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2020-0122 [Google]
Kuppelwieser, V. G., P. Klaus, A. Manthiou and L. D. Hollebeek (2022): The role of customer experience in the perceived value–word-of-mouth relationship, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2922), pp.364-378
Purpose: The customer experience (CX), as revealed in the literature-based debate, has been variously viewed as either a driver or an outcome of customer-perceived value (CPV). However, the association of CPV, CX and word-of-mouth (WoM) behavior remains nebulous to date, thereby generating an important research gap. In response and to bridge this gap, this study aims to explore CX’s role in the CPV–WoM behavior relationship, the role of WoM behavior arising from CX and whether CX acts as a core mediator (vs a moderator) in the association of CPV and subsequent consumer-behavior outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: By conducting two studies spanning a broad range of services, this paper explores the relationship between CPV, CX, and WoM behavior through structural equation modeling. Findings: The findings are that CX plays a crucial role in the CPV–WoM relationship, thereby confirming the existence of a direct link between CPV (social/hedonic/utilitarian value), CX and WoM. The results also highlight CX’s mediating role in the relationship between social and utilitarian (but not hedonic) values. Moreover, the results reveal that the EXQ scale, measuring CX, comprises distinct experiences perceived by high and low CX-based customer segments, respectively. Practical implications: CPV (utilitarian, hedonic, social) not only affects consumers’ behavioral intentions but also, more importantly, their WoM behavior. Therefore, managers need to consider all three values. Moreover, managers should shift their focus from social value perceptions to CX. The results suggest that managers need to devote additional resources to the development of a suitable CX, which will help mitigate consumers’ online and/or offline brand-related WoM. This study indicates the context in which managers must emphasize the construct that produces positive outcomes. Originality/value: By identifying a direct relationship between CPV, CX and the ensuing consumer-behavior outcomes, the study offers important theoretical insight into CX’s nomological network.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-11-2020-0447 [Google]
Roongruangsee, R., P. Patterson and L. V. Ngo (2022): Professionals’ interpersonal communications style: does it matter in building client psychological comfort?, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2923), pp.379-397
Purpose: The inherent characteristics of professional services (i.e. high in credence properties, customized and featuring information asymmetry) often cause difficulties for clients to confidently evaluate technical outcomes before, during or even after service delivery. This results in considerable client psychological discomfort. This study aims to blend a revised social interaction model and uncertainty reduction theory to investigate the role that service provider’s interpersonal communication style plays in establishing client psychological comfort and satisfaction in a health-care context. Design/methodology/approach: The study draws on cross-sectional data collected from 355 hospital patients following visiting a physician plus an experimental design in an Eastern culture (Thailand). Findings: The study reveals three key findings. First, an affiliative communication style is positively associated with psychological comfort, but not so a dominant communications style. When both styles are presented, the high-affiliative style overshadows the low-dominant style and creates the highest psychological comfort. Second, clients’ perceptions of professional’s affiliative and dominant styles influence psychological comfort differentially under varying conditions of clients’ cognitive social capital, collectivist value-orientation but not service criticality. Third, a competing model suggests psychological comfort acts as a partial mediator between affiliative communication style and satisfaction. Research limitations/implications: To generalize the findings, further studies might be conducted in other professional services and in individualist Western cultures. Practical implications: The findings have important managerial implications for the appropriate use of communication style to build psychological comfort and engage clients of professional services firms. Social implications: The findings shed light on the important role of an everyday social function – interpersonal communications and how this impacts client psychological comfort and satisfaction. Originality/value: This is one of the few studies in a services context that examines the impact of professionals’ communications style. Moreover, it examines the impact of cultural value-orientation, cognitive social capital, service criticality in moderating the communications style – client psychological comfort relationship.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-09-2020-0382 [Google]
Hussain, A., A. Z. Abbasi, L. D. Hollebeek, C. D. Schultz, D. H. Ting and B. Wilson (2022): Videogames-as-a-service: converting freemium- to paying-users through pop-up advertisement value, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2924), pp.398-415
Purpose: Though the videogame literature is thriving, little remains known regarding the effectiveness of pop-up ads that appear in videogames. Addressing this gap, this study, therefore, aims to explore pop-up ads as an important tool to prompt gamer-perceived advertisement value and their subsequent intent to install the advertised videogame. Design/methodology/approach: To frame the analyses, the authors adopt and extend Ducoffe’s advertising value model by incorporating the visual/audio aesthetic videogame components that are largely overlooked in prior research. Using a self-administered survey, data were collected from 321 online gamers. The authors tested the model by using partial-least-squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: The results indicate that pop-up ad-related incentives, entertainment, credibility, personalization, audio aesthetics and irritation significantly affect user-perceived ad value. In turn, perceived ad value was found to affect players’ intent to install the advertised videogame. Research limitations/implications: Though the findings corroborate the importance of pop-up ads being perceived as informative and/or entertaining, they also emphasize the value of personalized ads, ad-related incentives and audio aesthetic, which impact gamers’ intent to install the advertised videogame. Practical implications: This study advances managerial understanding of videogame-based services, which is expected to be particularly useful for freemium-based videogame marketers and developers. Originality/value: By extending Ducoffe’s model of advertising value, the authors apply the proposed framework in the online videogaming-based pop-up ad context, and explore the effect of user-perceived pop-up ad value on their intent to install the advertised videogame.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-05-2020-0164 [Google]
Matthews, A. L. and M. Eilert (2022): Signaling authenticity for frontline service employees, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2925), pp.416-431
Purpose: Authenticity is a complex character that is valued in service contexts. Frontline service employees (FSEs), as both brand representatives and individuals who interact with clients, can signal their authenticity to customers. The purpose of this study is to investigate how FSEs signal their authenticity to customers. The authors investigate authenticity signal themes and develop a typology of how FSEs use these signals in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses a multi-method approach: qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with FSE and customers and quantitative data were collected in a follow-up survey using a sample of financial planners. Findings: Findings from both studies show that FSE can use signals reflecting the display of client-centricity, positive emotions, transparency and disclosure of personal information. A latent profile analysis reveals three authenticity signal profiles, differing in the extent to which FSE uses each of these signals. Research limitations/implications: This study identifies how FSEs can shape perceptions of authenticity in a service context, thus expanding theory by integrating both personal and brand authenticity perspectives. The findings further demonstrate that authenticity can be signaled on multiple dimensions, reflecting the complex nature of this construct. Practical implications: The findings from this research can guide managers in developing workplace policies that enable FSEs to display authenticity in various ways to customers. Managers can further use the insights from this research to identify needs for FSE training and development. Originality/value: The authors create novel insights into how FSEs signal authenticity to customers given their dual roles as individuals and brand representatives. This study offers nuanced insights into different types of signals and their application in a service context.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-12-2020-0486 [Google]
Ertz, E., L. Becker, M. Büttgen and E. E. Izogo (2022): An imitation game – supervisors’ influence on customer sweethearting, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2926), pp.432-444
Purpose: Customer sweethearting is a common illicit behavior of frontline employees in service firms. This paper aims to examine the impact of supportive–disloyal leadership behavior on customer sweethearting at different levels of leader–member exchange (LMX) quality. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on imitation theory and need-to-belong theory, the paper builds a conceptual model and empirically tests it using data from a survey-based study and a complementary experiment. Findings: The authors find that employees’ customer sweethearting is affected by their supervisors’ supportive–disloyal behavior (employee sweethearting) through two divergent paths: employees imitate the sweethearting behavior of their supervisors; and employee sweethearting triggers employees’ feelings of belongingness to their organization, which reduces their customer sweethearting behavior. Practical implications: The findings suggest that service firms can mitigate customer sweethearting by raising awareness that supervisors act as negative role models to subordinates and fostering high-quality LMX relationships, which give employees a sense of belonging to the supervisor and the organization. Originality/value: By taking supervisors’ supportive–disloyal leadership behavior as an ambivalent driver of customer sweethearting into account, this paper provides further insight into the occurrence of customer sweethearting, particularly its underlying contrasting psychological mechanisms.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-08-2020-0369 [Google]
Rahman, S. M., J. Carlson and N. H. Chowdhury (2022): SafeCX: a framework for safe customer experience in omnichannel retailing, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2927), pp.499-529
Purpose: The experience of safety as perceived by customers is a central issue in retailing, and its importance has increased because of the pandemic. Substantial literature exists addressing different factors related to safety/security experience in different types of retail channels. However, what is missing is a unified framework to guide safe customer experience initiatives across all channels. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the safety elements in omnichannel retailing as perceived by customers and how these safety elements affect customer experience (CX) judgments and consumer behavior in a post-pandemic context. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review on safety/security studies in a retail context is conducted, followed by a qualitative study driven by a means-end-chain laddering technique collecting data from 62 retail customers in Australia, the USA and UK. Findings: Fourteen distinct safety elements in omnichannel retailing are identified. Four elements are relevant to the CX at the pre-purchase stage of the customer journey: social inclusiveness, role readiness, employment policy and safety policy enforcement. Six elements are relevant to the during-purchase stage: physical safety, personal hygiene, spatial distancing, fraud prevention, security surveillance and safety signal. The remaining four elements are relevant to the post-purchase stage: delivery safety, safety recall, mental health and data usage. Originality/value: This study presents a new unified framework addressing safety and security in post-pandemic retail service settings. The SafeCX framework offers researchers and managers a holistic understanding of the distinct safety elements that shape customers’ perceptions across each customer journey stage of the retail CX.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2021-0114 [Google]
Pichierri, M. and L. Petruzzellis (2022): The effects of companies’ face mask usage on consumers’ reactions in the service marketplace, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2928), pp.530-549
Purpose: Face masks have been integrated into daily life and come to signify different meanings due to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on social perception and attribution theories, this paper investigates the possible additional benefits of face mask use in the service marketplace by understanding how consumers react to the new social norm. Design/methodology/approach: Four experimental studies were run across different service contexts. Study 1 examines consumers’ evaluation of a service promotion when an employee wears a face mask; Study 2 focuses on the impact of face mask usage on salesperson credibility and service satisfaction; Studies 3 and 4 investigate the consequences of not using face masks on consumers’ intention to spread positive word-of-mouth for the service provider. Findings: The results revealed that the presence of a face mask in a service promotion determined a higher level of service liking, while in a service encounter, it led to a higher level of salesperson credibility, which then positively affected consumer satisfaction. Finally, the non-utilization of a face mask negatively affected consumer intention to spread positive word-of-mouth about the service provider, even when the social norm is to not wear one. Originality/value: The manuscript adds to research on salespeople appearance and tries to understand consumers’ reactions toward face mask use in the services sector, as, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, few empirical studies in the service marketing literature have investigated the topic so far. Findings also provide useful insights that can further promote companies’ adoption of face masks beyond the COVID-19 emergency.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2021-0116 [Google]
Ferraro, C., S. Sands, A. Schnack, J. Elms and C. L. Campbell (2022): In this together: the long-term effect of a collective crisis on the retail and service sector, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2929), pp.550-562
Purpose: This research explores anticipated long-term change in the retail and services marketplace, directly arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: A series of 20 in-depth interviews were conducted with retail and service stakeholders (executives, suppliers and thought-leaders) from across Asia-Pacific (New Zealand and Australia), the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. Findings: We identify six guiding principles for long-term change in the retail and services sector required to guide future business development and practice, including embedding new ways of working, rethinking the role and purpose of physical space, prioritizing digital elements, integrating employees in community, building agile supply and planning for future turbulence. Originality/value: The Covid-19 pandemic is different from prior disruptive experiences in that it was a sudden shock to business and was collectively experienced by firms, workers and consumers across the globe. This research provides a view of decision-makers’ sensemaking and anticipated changes impacting the future retail and services marketplace.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2021-0144 [Google]
Vilnai-Yavetz, I., S. Gilboa and V. Mitchell (2022): “There is no place like my mall”: consumer reactions to the absence of mall experiences, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2930), pp.563-583
Purpose: How can the situation of shoppers staying at home and being unable to experience malls prepare retailers for the new marketplace? The COVID-19 lockdown provides a unique opportunity to examine the value of mall experiences to shoppers. This study aims to suggest a new mall experiences loss (MEXLOSS) model for assessing the importance of mall experiences as the foundation of any future strategy for attracting shoppers back to the mall. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 498 British shoppers completed an online survey during the May 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Findings: When the exchanges of resources manifested in mall experiences are absent, the perceived difficulty of substituting an experience increases shoppers’ longing for the experience, which in turn increases both willingness to pay and mall loyalty but decreases well-being. Using a conceptualization of four types of mall experiences, i.e. functional, seductive, recreational and social, the functional and recreational experiences are shown to be the most valuable. Practical implications: In the new more careful service marketplace, shoppers’ preferences are increasingly oriented toward health, safety, sustainability, collaboration and digitalization. To improve their resilience and attractiveness, malls need to adjust their layout, retail mix, digitalization, activities and connectivity according to these trends and to the characteristics of each mall experience. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to place a financial value on mall experiences and to use the absence of those experiences to assess their general and relative importance. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the superiority of online shopping and the decreasing attractiveness of malls.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2021-0118 [Google]
Palakshappa, N., S. Dodds and S. Bulmer (2022): Cause for pause in retail service: a respond, reimagine, recover framework, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2931), pp.584-596
Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many consumers to pause and rethink the impacts of their consumption behavior. The purpose of this paper is to explore changes to consumers’ preferences and shopping behavior in retail using a sustainable consumption lens to understand the long-term effects of the pandemic on retail services. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 participants to gain insights into shopping behaviors and preferences during the pandemic and to investigate changes in attitudes or behaviors toward sustainable consumption as a result of the pandemic. Data analysis involved an iterative inductive process and subsequent thematic analysis. Findings: The results reveal a strong move toward sustainable and conscious consumption with three key changes occurring as a result of the pandemic, including changes in consumers’ ethos, move to purpose-driven shopping and drive to buy local and support national. Practical implications: This paper reveals insights into consumer shopping behaviors and preferences that can potentially counter the collapse of “normal” marketplace activities in the face of the current global pandemic by providing a framework for how retail services can respond, reimagine and recover to move forward long term. Originality/value: This study uncovers the importance of services marketing in endorsing and promoting sustainable consumption by shaping subtle shifts in conscious consumption as a way to recover from a global pandemic and move to a “new” service marketplace.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-05-2021-0176 [Google]
Huang, Y., J. Finsterwalder, N. Chen and F. R. L. Crawford (2022): Online student engagement and place attachment to campus in the new service marketplace: an exploratory study, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2932), pp.597-611
Purpose: The pandemic has accelerated the use of virtual learning spaces and led to rethinking post-pandemic course delivery. However, it remains unclear whether students’ online engagement in e-servicescapes can influence attachment to a place, i.e. a physical servicescape. This study conducted an exploratory study to inform place attachment and actor engagement literature in an online service context. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative survey design was used and 98 usable responses were collected from undergraduate and postgraduate students at a major New Zealand university during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The questionnaire consisted of 23 items relating to three dimensions of online student engagement and 19 items referring to six dimensions of campus attachment. Findings: Results of the exploratory study indicate that classmate community in online lectures, referring to student–student interactions, can positively influence five of the dimensions of campus attachment, including place identity, place dependence, affective attachment, social bonding and place memory, even though students are physically not on campus. However, it cannot influence place expectation. Moreover, instructor community (student–instructor interaction) and learning engagement (student–content interaction) in online lectures have insignificant impact on campus attachment. Research limitations/implications: This study emphasises the social dimension when interacting in e-servicescapes. Person-based interactions are more influential than content-based interactions for student engagement. Educational service providers should integrate the e-servicescape and the physical servicescape by encouraging more student–student interactions to contribute to service ecosystem well-being at the micro, meso and macro levels. Originality/value: This study indicates that customer-to-customer interaction serves to integrate customer engagement across the digital and physical realms for process-based services like education.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2021-0148 [Google]
Hwang, H., W.-M. Hur, Y. Shin and Y. Kim (2022): Customer incivility and employee outcomes in the new service marketplace, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2933), pp.612-625
Purpose: Due to volatile changes and crises in the business environment, frontline service employees (FSEs) are faced with increasing work stressors in the new service marketplace. Of these, customer incivility has been found to negatively affect their work outcomes. This study aims to examine the moderating effect of experiencing an imminent environmental crisis (i.e. the COVID-19 pandemic) on the relationship between customer incivility, work engagement and job crafting, using pre- and postpandemic samples. Design/methodology/approach: The authors administered two-wave surveys to 276 FSEs (prepandemic sample) in July and October 2019 and to 301 FSEs (postpandemic sample) in March and April 2020. Findings: Moderation analyses showed that the relationship between customer incivility, work engagement and job crafting varied between FSEs who experienced the pandemic and those who did not; the relationship was stronger for the postpandemic than the prepandemic sample. There was a positive relationship between work engagement and job crafting; it was weaker for the postpandemic sample. Research limitations/implications: The deleterious effect of customer incivility exacerbated after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the authors did not explore why the pandemic aggravated the negative effect. The mechanism underlying the moderating effect of the pandemic and the effect of more diverse types of incivility should be explored in future research. Practical implications: It is critical to provide FSEs with instrumental and emotional support to cope with the crisis brought on by the pandemic. Service organizations must monitor customers’ uncivil behaviors to identify their causes and develop interventions to improve service quality. Furthermore, service organizations are advised to enhance the coping capabilities of FSEs by using diverse interventions, such as emotion regulation training, debriefing sessions, short breaks and job crafting. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to reveal the moderating effect of the pandemic on the relationships between customer incivility, work engagement and job crafting, using pre- and postpandemic samples. This study offers necessary insights to improve FSEs’ engagement at work and enhance their job crafting in the new service marketplace.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2021-0117 [Google]
Hale, D., R. Thakur, J. Riggs and S. Altobello (2022): Consumers’ decision-making self-efficacy for service purchases: construct conceptualization and scale, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2934), pp.637-657
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a scale to determine the consumer’s level of decision-making self-efficacy for a high-involved service purchase, specifically the purchase of medical insurance. One question to ask is how service providers can help consumers purchase the services that best meet their needs? Before interventions can occur, it is necessary to benchmark consumers’ perceptions of their own decision-making control and abilities. Design/methodology/approach: A scale that measures consumers’ service decision-making self-efficacy was developed using the principles established for scale development validation. A four-study approach was used to reach the research objective. Findings: The research consisted of four studies designed to: generate items to measure consumer service decision-making self-efficacy (CSDMSE); purify the scale and assess its dimensionality (second-order structure); establish the reliability and validity of the scale; and establish norms to provide details on its usefulness for aiding consumers with service purchases. The scale was found to be a higher-order construct, comprising three lower-order constructs. Originality/value: Research suggests that consumer self-efficacy may affect their decision-making. The greater the consumer’s self-efficacy for decision-making tasks, the more efficient the decision-making process strategies are expected to be. This is the purpose for which the CSDMSE scale measure was created: to understand how, where and when service professionals can assist consumers with making appropriate service-related decisions and purchases.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-12-2020-0505 [Google]
Altinay, L. and H. E. Arici (2022): Transformation of the hospitality services marketing structure: a chaos theory perspective, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2935), pp.658-673
Purpose: Drawing on chaos theory as an overarching approach, as well as guidelines from effectuation and transformative learning theories, this study aims to evaluate the changing marketing channels in the hospitality industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also aims to develop a conceptual framework that demonstrates the transformation of the marketing structure; in particular, the transformation of hospitality organizations, employees and customers. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses the hermeneutic method and conceptually evaluates the existing actors of the services marketing structure. It also discusses how to transform this structure into the new normal in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings: The findings of the study demonstrated that COVID-19 has resulted in changing marketing channels in the hospitality industry. These include external, internal, interactive and substitutional marketing channels. In response to these changes, the hospitality industry needs to adopt a more transformative marketing structure that requires the transformation of hospitality companies, employees and customers. Research limitations/implications: The conceptualized transformation of the services marketing structure could help hospitality practitioners, employees and customers to understand the new normal and acquire new abilities, meanings, awareness and learning accordingly. Originality/value: This study uses chaos, effectuation and transformative learning theories to reconceptualize the hospitality services marketing structure. The contribution of this paper lies in the conceptual pathways it suggests for transforming hospitality firms, employees and customers and for demonstrating their transformed roles and positions in the wake of the pandemic.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-01-2021-0017 [Google]
Mady, S., J. B. Ford and T. Mady (2022): Accommodating ethnic minority consumers during service encounters: the fine line, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2936), pp.674-690
Purpose: This paper aims to examine the effect of intercultural accommodation efforts on service quality perceptions among ethnic minority consumers. Specifically, the paper postulates that during an intercultural service encounter, the impact of the service provider’s language and ethnicity on the consumer’s service quality perceptions is moderated by the level of service involvement, consumer acculturation and perceived discrimination, which, in turn, influence purchase intent. Design/methodology/approach: A 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design with an online nationwide consumer panel of Hispanic consumers was conducted where 377 participants were randomly assigned to a series of service encounter scenarios in the banking service context to manipulate accommodation efforts (yes vs no) and the level of involvement with the service (high vs low). Findings: When such language and ethnicity accommodations were offered, highly acculturated minority consumers regarded the service encounter less favorably than low acculturated minority consumers. Moreover, during low-involvement service encounters, intercultural accommodations positively impacted consumer’s service quality perceptions compared to situations involving high-involvement services. Also, minority consumers with perceptions of past discrimination had less favorable evaluations of the service quality than when such perceptions were nonexistent when intercultural accommodation efforts were made by the service provider. Research limitations/implications: The findings add to the sparse literature that examines the effectiveness of intercultural accommodation and focuses on the combined use of service provider’s language and ethnicity as a means to enhance service quality. Practical implications: The study delivers cautions for service firms not to generalize the receptivity of intercultural accommodation efforts. Given the increasingly sizable segments of minority customers, this study offers insights for service providers to develop suitable recruitment strategies and training programs when devising effective ethnic targeting strategies. Originality/value: This research is among the first to explain why the effect of target marketing is not homogenous by expanding the research on intercultural accommodations toward a new context considering service involvement levels among varied minority consumer groups.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-12-2020-0541 [Google]
Varnali, K. and C. Cesmeci (2022): Customer responses to service failures on social media, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2937), pp.691-709
Purpose: As customers increasingly adopt social media as the primary channel to reach out to companies, voicing is becoming a public act. Adopting a social psychological perspective, this study aims to focus on the social dynamics that drive consumer voice on social media. Design/methodology/approach: The research uses three studies. First, a list of metaperceptions about voicing behavior is compiled using the critical incident technique, and then the hypothesized effects are tested with two scenario-based experiments. Findings: Metaperceptions mediate the relationship between social anxiety and the intention to voice on social media. Self-construal moderates the effect of metaperceptions, such that in the presence of a negative metaperception, the reluctance to post a direct complaint is attenuated under independent self-construal. Independent self-construal attenuates the positive effect of positive metaperception. An experimental comparison between social media and consumer review sites reveals that metaperceptions are only prevalent in social media and when the complainer construes him or herself as interdependent. Originality/value: Since lodging a direct complaint to a service provider has been mainly conceived as a private behavior, the role of social dynamics in the context of voicing remains under-researched. Aiming to fill this gap, the present research empirically examines how the presence of a perceived audience affects voicing behavior.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-11-2020-0484 [Google]
Lim, S. and C. M. Ok (2022): Gift card types and willingness to spend more, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2938), pp.710-724
Purpose: This study aims to provide a better understanding of how gift card receivers react to the types of gift cards. This study examined the effect of gift card types (intangible experiences vs less intangible experience vs tangible goods) on a recipient’s willingness to spend more through emotions and perceived effort (Study 1) and on feeling of appreciation (Study 2). Design/methodology/approach: Study 1 adopted a scenario-based 2 (tangible vs intangible) × 3 ($100 vs $200 vs $300) between-subjects design. Study 2 narrowed the scope of gift card type (intangible vs less intangible). Findings: Receivers tended to perceive less effort in gift card selection and feel less emotion when receiving gift cards for intangible experiences than when receiving gift cards for both tangible and less intangible products. However, as face value increased, gift card receivers for intangible experiences felt more pleasure and, in turn, rated higher willingness to spend more money than face value than those with gift cards for tangible products. Research limitations/implications: Future studies can rule out alternative explanations related to brand-related effects, previous experiences and personal preferences. Practical implications: Service providers should put more effort into tangibilizing the intangibles to reduce receivers’ uncertainty. Also, they can increase their profitability by stimulating gift card receivers’ willingness to spend more money through pleasure. Originality/value: Answering research calls for examining consumers’ perceptions of different gift card types, this study might be the first to unveil the differential effect of gift card types associated with the tangibility of products on purchase behavior and the underlying emotional mechanism.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-10-2020-0422 [Google]
Hernández-Ortega, B., J. Aldas-Manzano and I. Ferreira (2022): Relational cohesion between users and smart voice assistants, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2939), pp.725-740
Purpose: This study aims to examine users’ affective relationships with smart voice assistants (SVAs) and aims to analyze how these relationships explain user engagement behaviors toward the brands of SVAs. Drawing on relational cohesion theory, it proposes that cohesion between users and SVAs influences brand engagement behaviors, that is, continuing purchasing other products of the brand, providing knowledge to the brand and referring the brand. Design/methodology/approach: Data from a survey of 717 US regular SVA users confirm the validity of the measurement scales and provide the input for the covariance-based structural equation modeling. Findings: The results demonstrate that frequent user-SVA interactions evoke positive emotions, which encourage cohesive relationships. Pleasured-satisfaction and interest emerge as strong emotions. Moreover, relational cohesion between users and SVAs promotes engagement with the brand of the assistant. Originality/value: This paper applies an interpersonal approach in a context that, to date, has been examined from a predominantly technological perspective. It shows that users develop positive emotions toward smart technologies through their interactions, and establishes the importance of building affective relationships. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to analyze cohesion between users and smart technologies and to examine the effect of this cohesion on user engagement with the brand.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2020-0286 [Google]
Huang, Y.-S., X. Fang and R. Liu (2022): Necessary evil: a strategy to manage dysfunctional customer behavior, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2940), pp.741-753
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how and when used by employees influences witnessing customers’ willingness to spread positive word of mouth (WOM). Design/methodology/approach: This research used a qualitative method to develop a typology of necessary evil using two pilot studies and an experimental study to test the theoretical model. Findings: The results show that the necessary evil used by employees to manage dysfunctional customers positively influences witnessing customers’ perceptions of distributive, procedural and interactional justice and their subsequent deontic justice perceptions, resulting in their willingness to spread positive WOM. Moreover, the positive influence of necessary evil on witnessing customers’ responses is strengthened when dysfunctional customer behavior (DCB) targets another customer as opposed to an employee. Practical implications: This research offers service providers a better understanding of how to manage DCBs. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the existing literature by introducing necessary evil to the service literature, proposing a new typology of employee response strategies to DCB based on necessary evil and examining how necessary evil drives positive customer responses. Additionally, it is among the first to examine the relationship between deontic justice and traditional justice mechanisms.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2020-0317 [Google]
Batat, W. (2022): Consumers’ perceptions of food ethics in luxury dining, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(2941), pp.754-766
Purpose: This paper aims to draw on the sociocultural dimensions of food luxury consumption as a new theoretical foundation to explore the consumers’ perceptions of ethical food production and consumption practices within luxury gastronomic restaurants. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a contextualized, qualitative exploration of French luxury dining settings among 35 consumers with different profiles, food cultural backgrounds and gastronomic knowledge. Drawing on Thompson’s analysis framework, the authors captured the narratives beyond the stories told by participants that describe their perceptions and the meanings they assign to ethical food practices in Michelin-starred restaurants. Findings: The results illustrate how consumers with different profiles perceive ethical food practices within luxury restaurants. The authors identified three segments: novice, advanced and confirmed according to participants’ acquaintance with luxury gastronomy codes and values. These three profiles served as a framework to examine consumers’ perceptions of ethical food forms – environmental sustainability, food well-being and cultural heritage – within the luxury dining setting. Research limitations/implications: The study revealed no one dominant form of ethical food practices as emphasized in prior studies. Rather, there are multiple forms, including functional, hedonic and symbolic values, related to the degree of familiarity and knowledge of consumers in terms of their luxury gastronomic experiences. The findings show that the perception of ethical food practices within luxury restaurants can encompass additional dimensions such as food well-being and cultural preservation and transmission. This information can enrich the restaurant sustainability literature that principally focuses on health, community and the ecological aspects of food ethics in restaurants. Although this study suggests numerous new insights, there are limitations related to focusing on the French food culture. However, these limitations can help us develop other opportunities for future research. Practical implications: The findings of this study provide luxury professionals and marketers with key insights into effective strategies to integrate sustainable practices while enhancing the luxury experience. The findings show that to encourage luxury businesses and restaurants to promote sustainable practices, it is necessary to enhance the functional, social, emotional and cultural dimensions of the perceived benefits of offering sustainable luxury experiences and reducing the constraints related to sustainability. Social implications: With its focus on the luxury dining settings underpinning the ethical food practices from the perspective of consumers, this research offers novel insights for researchers and luxury professionals interested in ethical and sustainable business practices. Originality/value: This research suggests a new way to study sustainability and ethical food production and consumption practices in luxury dining settings – namely, as multiple, culturally embedded perceptions related to three main profiles of luxury gastronomy consumers: novice, advanced and confirmed.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-01-2021-0010 [Google]
Cova, B., L. Cantone and P. Testa (2022): Giving form to future branding realities, Journal of Service Management, 33(2942), pp.417-427
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to question the prospective relevance of conceptual articles on branding. Design/methodology/approach: The paper advocates the development of conceptual articles with prospective relevance by emphasizing two key elements – the form and the context of discovery. The paper is illustrated with empirical data on how some branding researchers have produced such conceptual articles. Findings: To author such articles the researchers might focus more on the initial phase of theorizing, when their intuition makes it possible to imagine new reality through alternative forms. The paper also highlights a need to reconsider the role of essays in branding research, particularly in writing conceptual pieces of prospective relevance. Research limitations/implications: The connection between intuition and form is crucial to producing prospectively relevant conceptual articles. By evolving along the middle ground, without falling into empirical production on the one hand or guruization on the other, the researcher can give form to emerging branding phenomena. Originality/value: The paper renews the debate on the need for more conceptual articles by focusing on a forgotten but crucial dimension: foresight relevance.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-02-2022-0048 [Google]
Brown, S. (2022): Figures in the carpet of branding, Journal of Service Management, 33(2943), pp.428-436
Purpose: Many have noted the role of metaphor in branding understanding. More than mere decorative frills, tropes play a fundamental, foundational part in the process. The purpose of this comment is to consider some of the branding’s core conceits and classifies them for scholarly convenience. Design/methodology/approach: Metaphors, first and foremost, are figures of speech not analytical tools or techniques. Accordingly, the commentary adopts an appropriate literary approach to its subject matter. Reflective for the most part, it seeks to deconstruct and reconstruct simultaneously. Suggestion not stipulation is the aim. Findings: After scrutinising branding’s figurative landscape, then focussing on several promising analogies, the commentary concludes with a cautionary note concerning internal branding. Metaphor is not all fun and games, nor the be all and end all of branding understanding. Originality/value: Services marketing possesses two powerful and deeply entrenched tropes – relationships and dramaturgy. Although this comment touches on both, particularly the former, it points out the plethora of figurative possibilities, some fresh, others familiar, that are available to brand managers and researchers both.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-06-2021-0222 [Google]
Kozinets, R. V. (2022): Algorithmic branding through platform assemblages: core conceptions and research directions for a new era of marketing and service management, Journal of Service Management, 33(2944), pp.437-452
Purpose: Contemporary branding transpires in a complex technological and media environment whose key contextual characteristics remain largely unexplained. The article provides a conceptual understanding of the elements of contemporary branding as they take place using networked platforms and explains them as an increasingly important practice that affects customer and manager experience. Design/methodology/approach: This article draws on a variety of recent sources to synthesize a model that offers a more contextualized, comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of how branding has become and is being altered because of the use of branded service platforms and algorithms. Findings: Core terminology about technoculture, technocultural fields, platform assemblages, affordances, algorithms and networks of desire set the foundation for a deeper conceptual understanding of the novel elements of algorithmic branding. Algorithmic branding transcended the mere attachment of specific “mythic” qualities to a product or experience and has morphed into the multidimensional process of using media to manage communication. The goal of marketers is now to use engagement practices as well as algorithmic activation, amplification, customization and connectivity to drive consumers deeper into the brand spiral, entangling them in networks of brand-related desire. Practical implications: The model has a range of important managerial implications for brand management and managerial relations. It promotes a understanding of platform brands as service brands. It underscores and models the interconnected role that consumers, devices and algorithms, as well as technology companies and their own service brands play in corporate branding efforts. It suggests that consumers might unduly trust these service platforms. It points to the growing importance of platforms’ service brands and the consequent surrender of branding power to technology companies. And it also provides a range of important ethical and pragmatic questions that curious marketers, researchers and policy-makers may examine. Originality/value: This model provides a fresh look at the important topic of branding today, updating prior conceptions with a comprehensive and contextually grounded model of service platforms and algorithmic branding.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-07-2021-0263 [Google]
Maslowska, E., E. C. Malthouse and L. D. Hollebeek (2022): The role of recommender systems in fostering consumers’ long-term platform engagement, Journal of Service Management, 33(2990), pp.721-732
Purpose Recommender systems (RS) are designed to communicate with users and drive consumers’ engagement with the platform. However, little is known about the strength of this relationship and how RS can create stronger consumer engagement (CE) with the platform brand. Addressing this gap, this paper examines the role of RS in converting consumers’ short-term engagement with the RS to their longer-term platform engagement. Design/methodology/approach To explore these issues, the authors review key literature in the areas of CE and RS, from which they develop a conceptual framework. Findings The proposed framework suggests RS design as an important precursor to consumers’ RS use, which is expected to affect their platform engagement/disengagement, in turn impacting the firm’s long-term outcomes. The authors also identify key managerial tactics, strategies and challenges to aid the conversion of consumers’ RS to CE. Research limitations/implications This research raises pertinent implications for research on the RS/CE interface, as synthesized in a proposed research agenda. Practical implications Based on the attained insight, authors outline implications for managing, facilitating and leveraging the proposed RS to CE conversion process. Correspondingly, authors argue that, to optimize RS effectiveness, RS designers should understand the nature of CE. Originality/value By exploring the effect of consumers’ RS on their longer-term CE with the platform, the analyses offer pioneering managerial insight into RS effectiveness from a CE perspective.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-12-2021-0487 [Google]
Baker, J. J., J. A. Fehrer and R. J. Brodie (2022): Navigating the emergence of brand meaning in service ecosystems, Journal of Service Management, 33(2945), pp.465-484
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to clarify how brand meaning evolves as an emergent property through the cocreation processes of stakeholders on multiple levels of a brand’s service ecosystem. This provides new insight into the intersection between brands, consumers and society, and emphasizes the institutionally situated nature of brand meaning cocreation processes. It further lays a holistic foundation for a much-needed discussion on purpose-driven branding. Design/methodology/approach: Combining the ecosystem perspective of branding with the concept of social emergence allows clarification of brand meaning cocreation at different levels of aggregation. Emergence means collective phenomena – like social structures, concepts, preferences, states, mechanisms, laws and brand meaning – manifest from the interactions of individuals. Drawing on Sawyer’s (2005) social emergence perspective, the authors propose a processual multi-level framework to explore brand meaning emergence. Findings: Our framework spans five levels of brand meaning emergence: individual (e.g. employees and customers); interactional (e.g. where work teams or friend groups interact); relational (e.g. where internal and external actors meet); strategic (e.g. markets and strategic alliances); and systemic (e.g. regulators, NGOs and society). It acknowledges that brand positioning is an inherently co-creative process of negotiating value propositions and aligning behaviors and beliefs among broad sets of actors, as opposed to a firm-centric task. Originality/value: Service research has only recently embraced a macro–micro perspective of branding processes. This paper extends that perspective by paying attention to the nested service ecosystems in which brand meaning emerges and the degree to which this process can (and cannot) be navigated by individual actors.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-07-2021-0261 [Google]
Giertz, J. N., L. D. Hollebeek, W. H. Weiger and M. Hammerschmidt (2022): The invisible leash: when human brands hijack corporate brands’ consumer relationships, Journal of Service Management, 33(2946), pp.485-495
Purpose: Corporate brands increasingly use influential, high reach human brands (e.g. influencers, celebrities), who have strong parasocial relationships with their followers and audiences, to promote their offerings. However, despite emerging understanding of the benefits arising from human brand-based campaigns, knowledge about their potentially negative effects on the corporate brand remains limited. Addressing this gap, this paper deepens insight into the potential risk human brands pose to corporate brands. Design/methodology/approach: To explore these issues, this conceptual paper reviews and integrates literature on consumer brand engagement, human brands, brand hijacking and parasocial relationships. Findings: Though consumers’ favorable human brand associations can be used to improve corporate brand outcomes, they rely on consumers’ relationship with the endorsing human brand. Given the dependency of these brands, human brand-based marketing bears the risk that the human brand (vs the firm) “owns” the consumer’s corporate brand relationship, which the authors coin relationship hijacking. This phenomenon can severely impair consumers’ engagement and relationship with the corporate brand. Originality/value: This paper sheds light on the role of human brands in strategic brand management. Though prior research has highlighted the positive outcomes accruing to the use of human brands, the authors identify its potential dark sides, thus exposing pivotal insight.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-06-2021-0211 [Google]
Ahuvia, A., E. Izberk-Bilgin and K. Lee (2022): Towards a theory of brand love in services: the power of identity and social relationships, Journal of Service Management, 33(2947), pp.453-464
Purpose: Building meaningful relationships between consumers and service brands has received significant attention. This paper aims to explore how brand love in services – a relationship between the consumer and the service brand – is created through relationships between the consumer and other people. Specifically, we explore how brand love is created through the social relationships consumers form with other consumers. Design/methodology/approach: This conceptual paper synthesizes the literature on consumer-brand relationships, brand community, social support and service providers, psychological ownership and brand love in the context of services. Findings: This paper suggests that consumers love brands that are meaningful to them. Brands can become more meaningful to consumers by facilitating interpersonal connections and helping consumers define their identity. The connection between social relationships with other consumers and brand love is mediated by the consumer’s level of perceived membership in the community. For some consumers, perceived membership grows to the point of becoming perceived psychological ownership of the community, where the consumer feels a sense of responsibility for the brand’s and the community’s well-being. Originality/value: This paper advances theoretical understanding of how brand love operates in services and how it can be enhanced through services’ management.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-06-2021-0221 [Google]
Yu, M. and Z. Hua (2021): Embedding Isolation, Contact Tracing, and Quarantine in Transmission Dynamics of the Coronavirus Epidemic—A Case Study of COVID-19 in Wuhan, Service Science, 14(2948), pp.110-120
Coronaviruses have caused multiple global pandemics. As an emerging epidemic, the coronavirus disease relies on nonpharmacological interventions to control its spread. However, the specific effects of these interventions are unknown. To evaluate their effects, we extend the susceptible?latent?infectious?recovered model to include suspected cases, confirmed cases, and their contacts and to embed isolation, close contact tracing, and quarantine into transmission dynamics. The model simplifies the population into two parts: the undiscovered part (where the virus spreads freely?the extent of freedom is determined by the strength of social distancing policy) and the discovered part (where the cases are incompletely isolated or quarantined). Through the isolation of the index case (suspected or confirmed case) and the subsequent tracing and quarantine of its close contacts, the infections flow from the undiscovered part to the discovered part. In our case study, multisource data of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in Wuhan were collected to validate the model, the parameters were calibrated based on the prediction of the actual number of infections, and then the time-varying effective reproduction number was obtained to measure the transmissibility of COVID-19 in Wuhan, revealing the timeliness and lag effect of the nonpharmacological interventions adopted there. Finally, we simulated the situation in the absence of a strict social distancing policy. Results show that the current efforts of isolation, close contact tracing, and quarantine can take the epidemic curve to the turning point, but the epidemic could be far from over; there were still 4,035 infected people, and 1,584 latent people in the undiscovered part on March 11, 2020, when the epidemic was actually over with a strict social distancing policy.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2021.0291 [Google]
Menon, R. R., T. T. Niranjan and D. Simpson (2022): Service Supply Chain Fit: Consistency Between Operant Resources and Service Supply Chains, Service Science, 14(2949), pp.156-178
Firms are grappling with multiple challenges because of COVID-19, such as supply discontinuity, disruptions, irregular demand patterns, and service delivery issues, among others. The disruption brought by the pandemic has highlighted the relevance of responsiveness and agility in service chains in particular. The unprecedented nature of the pandemic, however, has made design of agile and responsive supply chains difficult, especially for services that draw on intangible, unique resources. In this paper, we develop relevant?and thus far largely absent?theory for the design of service supply chains through a model of service supply chain fit that will guide service firms to prepare better for COVID and future threats. Our model guides the identification of the right supply chain (responsive, efficient, or agile) for services based on their operant resources, which are the intangible resources that act on other resources. Using a qualitative study, we first draw on service-dominant logic and supply chain fit framework to develop the concept of service supply chain fit; that is, the strategic consistency between a service firm?s operant resources and its supply chain. We then validate our model using survey data. The results indicate that service supply chain acts as both moderator and mediator for the relationship between operant resources and firm performance. Our findings indicate that, unless managers view service supply chain fit strategically and invest in developing operant resources for the right supply chain, future COVID-like disruptions may continue to severely impact firm performance.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0299 [Google]
Heiman, A., T. Reardon and D. Zilberman (2022): The Effects of COVID-19 on the Adoption of “On-the-Shelf Technologies”: Virtual Dressing Room Software and the Expected Rise of Third-Party Reverse-Logistics, Service Science, 14(2950), pp.179-194
The fashion industry is adapting to the new situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by changing the structure of its supply chain, much like other industries that experience exogenous shocks. The pandemic affected conditions of apparel retailers: downstream among consumers and upstream among suppliers. It induced retailers to accelerate the adoption of technologies to make their supply chains more flexible and resilient. Before COVID-19, the apparel industry had gradually adopted virtual dressing room (VDR) technologies and crowd wisdom software, both of which reduce the risk associated with online purchases. Apparel retailers also altered the structure of their supply chains by outsourcing product turns via third-party logistics providers. This article analyzes how changes in market demand and supply conditions following the outbreak of COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of VDR technologies. The analysis is based on a conceptual microeconomic model of adopting technologies and changes in the supply chain. We support our theoretical findings with business cases. Understanding the nonlinear relationships among changes in demand, supply chains, and retail technology adoption triggered by exogenous shocks is essential for managers and affects the quality of service.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0300 [Google]
Walsman, M. C. (2022): Operational Adaptation and Innovation During COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Consulting and a Road Map for the Future, Service Science, 14(2951), pp.195-212
The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed professional service firm (PSF) operations, most visible perhaps in the transition to a work from home economy. This study is a deep dive into management consulting (a common type of PSF) and describes the impact of the pandemic on short- and long-term operations. It uses a mixed-method approach to data collection (primary/secondary and quantitative/qualitative) to explain the operational adaptations that consulting firms made in response to the pandemic and the service innovations that resulted. During the pandemic, disruptions to client mix, customer experience, customer acquisition, and employee lifestyle triggered new organizational challenges in strategic planning, marketing, employee relations, and cost control. Firms responded by modifying operational characteristics (e.g., customer engagement, customization, knowledge intensity, and capital intensity). Successful operational adaptations led to service innovation (most commonly in product, strategy, delivery, and marketing). The study finishes with an exploration of how the lessons learned in management consulting may provide a road map for other PSFs and more generalized services in a post-pandemic world.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0301 [Google]
Mele, C., M. Marzullo, S. Morande and T. R. Spena (2022): How Artificial Intelligence Enhances Human Learning Abilities: Opportunities in the Fight Against COVID-19, Service Science, 14(2952), pp.77-89
This paper widens the focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) can foster the learning abilities of human actors, adopting a wider view with respect to a strict focus on tasks and activities. The interaction between AI and human learning has not been investigated in service research. Placing its theoretical roots in work by Huang and Rust [Huang MH, Rust RT (2021) Engaged to a robot? The role of AI in service. J. Service Res. 24(1):30?41.] in service research and on Bloom?s revised taxonomy in education studies [Anderson LW, Krathwohl DR, Airasian PW, Cruikshank KA, Mayer RE, Pintrich PR, Raths J, Wittrock MC (2001) A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom?s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (Longman, London).], this study offers an integrative framework for the ways AI enhances human learning abilities. Some cases in the context of COVID-19 offer insightful illustrations of the framework.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2021.0289 [Google]
Mondschein, S., M. Olivares, F. Ordóñez, D. Schwartz, A. Weintraub, I. Torres-Ulloa, C. Aguayo and G. Canessa (2022): Service Design to Balance Waiting Time and Infection Risk: An Application for Elections During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Service Science, 14(2953), pp.90-109
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused great disruption to the service sector, and it has, in turn, adapted by implementing measures that reduce physical contact among employees and users; examples include home-office work and the setting of occupancy restrictions at indoor locations. The design of services in the context of a pandemic requires balancing between two objectives: (i) special measures must be implemented to maintain physical separation among people to reduce the risk of infection, and (ii) these sanitary measures also reduce process capacity, thereby increasing the waiting times of users. We study this problem in the context of election processes, in which balancing waiting time with public safety is of first order relevance to ensuring voter turnout, using as a real-world application the Chilean 2020 national referendum. Analyzing this problem requires a multidisciplinary approach that consists of integrating randomized experiments to measure how voters weigh infection risk relative to waiting time and stochastic modeling/discrete event simulation to prescribe recommendations for the service design?specifically setting capacity limits to trade off between overcrowding and process efficiency. Overall, our results shows that infection risk is an important factor affecting voter turnout during a pandemic and that capacity limits can be a useful design tool to balance these risks with other service quality measures. Some of these findings were considered in the guidelines that Servel provided to manage capacity and voter arrival patterns at voting centers.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2021.0290 [Google]
Cambra-Fierro, J., L. Gao, I. Melero-Polo and L. Patrício (2022): Theories, constructs, and methodologies to study COVID-19 in the service industries, Service Industries Journal, 42(2954), pp.551-582
Despite the wide variety of literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the service industry, there is still a lack of an integrated systematized view of these multiple impacts. This study contributes to service research by identifying a variety of academic and managerial perspectives about the influence of COVID-19. We pay attention to the service industry, but with an especial focus on the tourism and hospitality industries, which have been more severely affected. This paper presents two multi-approach studies blending a systematic literature review (SLR) and a focus group methodology. Hence, it integrates and synthesizes the main results of the two studies considered to assist researchers and practitioners. It offers a complete overview of the state of the art and identifies three key service trends that have been accelerated by COVID-19: (1) the increasingly digital and autonomous customer; (2) the growing potential of data-driven services versus privacy concerns, and (3) the evolution from firm-centric to customer-centric and networked business models. Finally, this study provides relevant theoretical implications where we suggest relevant theories, constructs, and methodologies for future research to advance the current knowledge, and useful guidelines for business managers to better understand how to respond to market changes. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2060209 [Google]
Aljarah, A., B. Dalal, B. Ibrahim and E. Lahuerta-Otero (2022): The attribution effects of CSR motivations on brand advocacy: psychological distance matters!, Service Industries Journal, 42(2955), pp.583-605
Companies are becoming increasingly involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR) to enhance their self- rather than public interests, and this has made CSR ambiguous when considering organizational goodwill. This study therefore investigated the relative effects of CSR motivations on brand advocacy while considering psychological distance as a moderating variable. Two between-subject experiments were conducted using coffee shop customers in the United States as participants. The findings revealed that customers demonstrate more brand advocacy toward a company when they believe the company has conducted a CSR activity with a public-serving motivation than when they believe the company has conducted a CSR activity with a firm-serving motivation. Furthermore, customers demonstrate greater brand advocacy with respect to public-serving motivations when a firm’s spatial or temporal CSR initiative distances are low (when there are local or present benefits, respectively). However, customers demonstrate greater brand advocacy with respect to firm-serving motivations when a company conducts a CSR initiative with a low social distance (when there are in-group benefits). (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2041603 [Google]
Raza, A., M. I. Ishaq, H. Zia, Z. ur-Rehman and R. Ahmad (2022): Technostressors and service employees outcomes: a longitudinal study, Service Industries Journal, (2956), pp.1-24
This study determines the impact of technostress creators on employee wellbeing dimensions and employee engagement. This study also examines the moderating role of mindfulness and optimism to use technology between technostress creator and employee wellbeing. A longitudinal research design was adopted to collect the data from 286 government employees involved in public dealing during two waves of COVID-19 in Pakistan. The data were assessed using structural equation modeling and Hayes’ method to test mediation and moderation. The study findings shed important light on the role of personal resources in reducing stress over a time period. The results conclude that technostress creators negatively influence employee wellbeing dimensions and employee engagement in both waves. Also, personal resources, i.e. mindfulness and optimism to use technology, dampen the negative association of technostress creators on employee wellbeing. One of the significant limitations of this research is collecting the data from employees working in public offices only, whereas this study fills an essential gap by exploring the role of technostressors using a longitudinal study design. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2081685 [Google]
Katircioglu, S. and S. Katircioglu (2022): The role of tourism in environmental pollution: evidence from Malta, Service Industries Journal, (2957), pp.1-19
This article searches the effects of tourism development on emission pollutants in Malta using (1) the autoregressive distributed lag approach and (2) two datasets which are annual data from 1971 to 2018 and quarterly data from 1990Q1 tı 2018Q4 as per data availability. Findings confirm that tourism, energy usage, and carbon dioxide emissions are in a long-term equilibrium relationship; carbon emissions converge rapidly towards the long-term equilibrium path through tourism and energy consumption channels. Findings also reveal that growth in tourism results in significant changes in energy consumption and, therefore, in CO2 emissions. Tourism has positive effects on carbon emissions in shorter periods. Still, these effects turn out to be harmful in the more extended periods beyond the peak point of carbon emissions which correspond to 1,063,213 million tourists. Therefore, this study strongly confirms the existence of an inverted U-shaped Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis for Malta. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2086977 [Google]
Khan, F., M. Arshad, R. Raoof and O. Farooq (2022): Servant leadership and employees’ performance: organization and information structure perspective, Service Industries Journal, (2958), pp.1-19
Prior research has established the relationship between servant leadership and employees’ task performance; however, these studies have ignored the boundary conditions under which this relationship can be sustained. The current study bridges this gap by examining the moderating role of task interdependence and information asymmetry on the relationship between servant leadership and employees’ task performance. It is argued that such a relationship is stronger in organizations where employees perceive lower task interdependence and higher information asymmetry. Multi-source data were collected using two independent surveys from 475 employees and 98 supervisors working in service sector organizations. Structural equation modeling was used to test the measurement and hypothesized models. The results showed that servant leadership positively affected employees’ task performance, which was further moderated by task interdependence and information asymmetry. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2086976 [Google]
Arici, H. E., M. A. Köseoglu and A. Sökmen (2022): The intellectual structure of customer experience research in service scholarship: a bibliometric analysis, Service Industries Journal, 42(2959), pp.514-550
This study presents a framework and viewpoint on the intellectual structure and evolution of customer experience research in the service literature. Using the Scopus database, journal articles on customer experience have been extracted and examined to unearth the source knowledge and main themes via a two-step approach of bibliometric (citation and co-citation) and content analyses. The bibliometric analysis has revealed five main clusters of the knowledge domain: (1) methodology and information technology, (2) customer co-creation of value, (3) service quality and customer satisfaction, (4) tourist experience, (5) customer perception in service environments. Based on the literature review, content analysis was subsequently performed to reveal recent articles from each cluster. Overall, this article comprehensively examines customer experience literature in the service industries. Results present a holistic comprehension of the knowledge domain, reveal scientific progress, and provide main directions and questions for further academic efforts. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2043286 [Google]
Ozyilmaz, A. and D. Taner (2022): Communication skills shape voice effects in organizations, Service Industries Journal, 42(2960), pp.606-629
Benefiting from constructive communication theory, in this study, we contend that voice behavior will interact with the employee’s functional communication competence or communication skills to predict workplace behaviors and motivation. Particularly, we predicted that voice would have a positive effect on task performance when communication skills were high whereas it would have a negative effect when communication skills were low. Using data collected from 299 employees of nine hospitals in Turkey through two separate surveys, we found that communication skills played a mitigating influence in which the negative relationship between voice and task performance is diminished for those employees who have higher levels of communication skills. The results suggest that the value of voice is beneficial to the degree to which employees also have high communication skills, whereas low communication skills diminish task performance benefits and weaken job engagement advantages. This is an important contribution to the current body of knowledge on voice, as this study offers new insights into how voice behavior affects follower task performance and job engagement. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2018.1506444 [Google]
Kim, J.-H. and H. Song (2022): Examining the influence of multiple dimensions of authentic dining experiences, Service Industries Journal, (2961), pp.1-25
This study tested multiple constructs of authenticity (i.e. true-to-ideal, true-to-fact, and true-to-self) and examined the structural relationships among authenticity perception, perceived value, positive emotions, and revisit intentions. Gilmore and Pine’s authenticity model suggests that authenticity is strongly related to customers’ trust. Customers tend to perceive chain restaurants as more credible than independent restaurants. Thus, this model contradicts the widespread argument that independent organizations reflect authenticity. Further investigation is needed to verify the relationship between restaurant ownership type and authenticity perception. Data were collected from 491 Chinese ethnic diners and analyzed using a structural modeling analysis. All three authenticity dimensions significantly influence overall authenticity perceptions. Furthermore, individuals’ authenticity perceptions affect revisit intentions through perceived value and positive emotions. Additionally, the ownership type of ethnic restaurants moderates the effects of the three authenticity dimensions on overall authentic dining experiences. Thus, ethnic restaurateurs should emphasize different authenticity dimensions of uniquely positioned restaurants. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2059074 [Google]
Shih, C.-T., S.-L. Chen and M. Chao (2022): How autonomy-supportive leaders influence employee service performance: a multilevel study, Service Industries Journal, 42(2962), pp.630-651
Although self-determination theory has important implications for service management literature and implies that leader autonomy support is critical to facilitating successful service delivery, surprisingly, little is known about how leader autonomy support influences employees to enhance service performance. By adopting the perspective that leaders act as key agents of organization, we argue that psychological contract fulfillment plays a pivotal role in transmitting the cross-level effect of leader autonomy support to work engagement, which in turn leads to enhanced service performance. Hierarchical linear regression analysis of time-lagged data collected at two points in time from 600 service employees of 39 gas stations in Taiwan support our predictions. The findings suggest that a leader’s autonomy support is an effective way to foster employees’ experience of psychological contract fulfillment to increase their involvement at work and customer service performance. This study stresses the importance of autonomy leadership development programs in organizations in service industries, where a mixed labor composition of full-time and part-time workers is prevalent. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2019.1691168 [Google]
Lim, W. M., S. Kumar and F. Ali (2022): Advancing knowledge through literature reviews: ‘what’, ‘why’, and ‘how to contribute’, Service Industries Journal, 42(2963), pp.481-513
Literature review is part and parcel of scholarly research. Though many literature review guides are available, they remain limited because they do not adequately account for the different types of literature review. Noteworthily, literature reviews can manifest as part of conceptual or empirical studies, or as independent studies, in which the latter may be curated in various ways. Moreover, despite its importance and popularity, literature reviews, particularly as independent studies, continue to attract unfair criticism and remain scarce in service research. To address the aforementioned gaps, this article endeavors to provide an overview and guidelines for writing literature reviews. Specifically, this article explains (1) what a literature review is and is not, (2) why literature reviews are valuable, and (3) how to conduct a literature review, as well as (4) the areas of service research and (5) the innovative ways in which literature reviews can be curated in the future. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2047941 [Google]
Tuan, N. M. (2022): Customer readiness–customer participation link in e-services, Service Industries Journal, 42(2964), pp.738-769
E-services such as online tourism, e-commerce, ride hailing, mobile banking, and payment are increasingly adopted in emerging markets. The paper, on the basis of service-dominant logic, aims to develop and validate an integrative theoretical model that centers on the customer readiness-customer participation link in e-services. From the perspective of customer, as both technology user and service consumer, this study proposes technology readiness, a technology-related factor, and customer empowerment, a firm-developed factor, as determinants of customer readiness and perceived value and satisfaction as outcomes of customer participation. A cross-sectional survey with PLS-SEM analysis of 257 customers in e-services in Hochiminh City, Vietnam, reports that all of eight hypotheses are empirically supported. This paper is among the first, with empirically affirming the roles of technology readiness and customer empowerment, two formative second-order constructs, to evidently investigate the two important formation mechanisms of customer readiness and the interconnection of these customer operant resources.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2021.1946517 [Google]
Ma, C. and J. Ye (2022): Linking artificial intelligence to service sabotage, Service Industries Journal, (2965), pp.1-21
The widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the service industry has made the conflict between service robots and frontline employees a hot topic. While research shows that the adoption of service robots may have a negative impact on employees’ psychology and behavior, little is known about its effects on frontline employee’ service sabotage. The current study explores the influencing mechanism of service sabotage in the context of AI introduction based on the STARA theory and conservation of resource theory. The results reveal that: (1) Frontline employee’s AI awareness direclty affects service sabotage; (2) Organization-based self-esteem plays a partial mediating role between AI awareness and service sabotage; (3) Perceived organizational support weakens the effect of AI awareness on service sabotage. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2092615 [Google]
Wu, J., T. Wu, H. Zhang and B. B. Schlegelmilch (2022): To wait or not to wait: effect of apologies and explanations on customer call abandonment, Service Industries Journal, (2966), pp.1-22
Research on wait management has almost exclusively focused on customer affective response, trying to mitigate their negative emotions. As such, prior studies appear to be motivated by the assumption that encouraging customers to quit the wait is not an option. Our study challenges this assumption by proposing that during peak hours or for customers who are unlikely to get served within a reasonable time frame, the firm should consider applying tactics to skillfully guide them to quit the wait. We examine the effects of apologies and explanations on customer emotional and behavioral responses to waiting in a telephone queue setting. In two field studies and two lab studies, we find that apologies with a high-control explanation (which indicates that the firm has a high degree of control over the situation) versus a low-control explanation, result in greater attribution of locus to the service provider. In turn, this leads to greater customer call abandonment but, crucially, will not generate additional negative emotions from customers. Our study offers a new research angle by incorporating an operational perspective into customer experience management. Our findings can be applied to help service providers better manage the flow of customer calls while avoiding negative customer sentiments. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2092614 [Google]
Kabadayi, E. T., N. C. Aksoy and P. B. Turkay (2022): How does customer engagement value occur in restaurants?A stimulus-organism-response(S-O-R) perspective顾客参与价值如何在餐厅里得到体现？刺激—机体一响应(S-O-R)视角研究, Service Industries Journal, (2967), pp.1-28
The customer engagement value plays a vital role in the service industry. This study aims to explain how the customer engagement value occurs through restaurants using the stimulus-organism-response approach (S-O-R), based on environment-related dimensions (i.e. physical environment), brand-related feelings (i.e. love), and customer experience. 685 respondents were surveyed online, and data were analysed through structural equation modeling. The research findings show that physical environment positively affects brand love, brand love positively affects customer engagement value dimensions and also mediates the relationships between physical environment and customer engagement value, and customer experience moderates the relationship between physical environment and brand love. Restaurants can utilize our results to gain customer engagement value by creating love toward their brands through the physical environment; moreover, future research can further develop the customer engagement value theory and approach in light of our results. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2075350 [Google]
Cambra-Fierro, J., L. Gao, M. E. López-Pérez and I. Melero-Polo (2022): How do macro-environmental factors impact customer experience? A refined typology, integrative framework, and implications: 宏观环境因素如何影响客户体验？精炼的分类，综合框架及意义, Service Industries Journal, 42(2968), pp.653-687
In increasingly turbulent times shaped by macro-environmental shifts, the complexity of customer experience has radically intensified. Augmenting this complexity, myriad contingency factors are involved in customer experience delivery. Therefore, scholars have called for the development of a comprehensive view of the extent to which customer experience literature has viewed and studied the roles of macro-environmental factors, and an integrative understanding of how customer experience can be affected by different macro-environmental factors. To this end, this study (1) differentiates the concept of macro-environmental factors; (2) summarizes extant knowledge by conducting a systematic literature review via qualitative and quantitative analysis to identify relevant research gaps; and (3) grounded in the service-dominant logic service ecosystem perspective, develops an integrative framework that integrates a holistic, novel view and understanding of the dynamic relationship between customer experience and macro-environmental factors while accounting for different contingency factors of lower environmental factors (meso and micro). Using the COVID-19 crisis, we vividly illustrate the real-life applicability of the integrative framework we develop. The study broadens the scope of customer experience research, offers actionable ideas for business managers in a turbulent environment, and puts forth a research agenda identifying key research lines for advancing the customer experience research field. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2070613 [Google]
Kwan, H. K., M. Li, X. Wu and X. Xu (2022): The need to belong: how to reduce workplace ostracism: 归属感的需求：如何减少职场排斥, Service Industries Journal, 42(2969), pp.716-737
Although the need to belong, or the desire for interpersonal attachments, is a basic human motivation, understanding of how and when it influences workplace ostracism is notably limited. Based on belongingness theory, this study examines the negative relationship between the need to belong and exposure to workplace ostracism by focusing on the mediating role of organizational deviance and the moderating role of in-role performance. Data from 108 supervisor–subordinate dyads in China were collected at three time points. The results reveal that organizational deviance mediates the relationship between the need to belong and workplace ostracism. Additionally, in-role performance alleviates the negative relationship between the need to belong and organizational deviance. The implications for management theory and practice are discussed. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2021.1873295 [Google]
Bigne, E. and P. Maturana (2022): Does Virtual Reality Trigger Visits and Booking Holiday Travel Packages?, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (2970), pp.1
Although virtual reality technology is increasingly being used in tourism, its potential as a shopping tool and as an avenue for marketing and selling tourism products and services has not yet been examined. Likewise, very little is known about how exploring holiday packages through virtual reality affects behavioral intention to visit tourist destinations. This study aims to compare the visit intentions evoked and the process of booking holiday travel packages between an immersive virtual reality environment (displayed through Oculus head-mounted glasses) and a traditional web-based 2D platform. A causal model is proposed and tested for both designs. Using a between-subjects experimental design with a sample of 202 individuals, the experiences of two randomly selected groups were observed as they bought holiday tour packages to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The first group made a simulated purchase in an immersive virtual reality environment using a head-mounted device, and the second group made the purchase on a traditional e-commerce website. The findings revealed that the scores given to sense of presence, attitude change, and perceived ease of use were greater among those who made the purchase in the more immersive virtual reality environment. However, the relationships between the variables in the causal model were stronger for the classic website than for the virtual reality setting. Attitude change positively affected intention to visit a destination more in the virtual reality environment.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102386 [Google]
Fang, S., X. Han and S. Chen (2022): The Impact of Tourist–Robot Interaction on Tourist Engagement in the Hospitality Industry: A Mixed-Method Study, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (2971), pp.1
Service robots have become a topic of interest for tourism and hospitality researchers and practitioners. The success of service robot adoption lies in the effectiveness of tourist–robot interaction. There has been less interest in the performance of tourist–robot interaction, with research related to tourist engagement being particularly scarce. Drawing on the theoretical perspective of relationships, this article examines the impact of tourist–robot interaction on tourist engagement in the hospitality context. A mixed-methods approach is adopted, utilizing grounded theory and structural equation modeling. The findings reveal two types of tourist–robot interaction, emotional (fun and playfulness) and instrumental (convenience and ease of use). Tourist–robot emotional interactions influence tourist engagement by enhancing tourists’ needs satisfaction, tourist emotion, and social bonds with robots. It was found that tourist–robot instrumental interaction positively affects tourist engagement through needs satisfaction and tourist emotion but not social bonds. The findings extend our understanding of human–robot interaction and customer engagement.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102383 [Google]
Hwang, Y., Y. Gao, A. S. Mattila and P. Wang (2022): Optimizing Handwritten Font Style to Connect With Customers, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (2972), pp.1
Considerable research has demonstrated the positive effects of handwritten font styles on product attachment and word-of-mouth behavior. However, few studies examined whether these positive effects can be mitigated or even reversed. The purpose of this study is to fill this knowledge gap by identifying several boundary conditions (communal orientation, message type, and hotel type) for the positive effects of handwritten font styles. We conducted two quasi-experimental studies. In Study 1 (n = 125), the positive effect of handwritten font styles on attitude toward a hotel was not observed among individuals with a low communal orientation. In Study 2 (n = 245), the handwritten (vs. machine-written) font styles in the sustainability messages of a luxury hotel reduce warmth of the hotel. Hospitality managers should use handwritten font styles carefully depending on hotel type, message type, and customer characteristics.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102389 [Google]
Lee, K.-H. and C.-L. A. Yen (2022): Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Toward Service Robots in the Hospitality Industry: Gender Differences, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (2973), pp.1
The current study applies implicit theory as a theoretical lens to explore gender differences in explicit and implicit measures of robot attitudes, which in turn facilitates behavioral intention. In total, 108 participants assessed the modified Robot Implicit Association Test (RIAT) to complete both implicit measures of attitudes and explicit self-reported measures in randomized order. Our findings demonstrated that (a) implicit attitudes (RIAT D-scores) were significantly correlated with self-reported measures (explicit attitude, perceived technology innovativeness, and behavioral intention), (b) different patterns of explicit and implicit attitudes exist, and (c) males may have a more favorable preference toward service robots than females. These results help build theoretical and methodological foundations for service management innovation into the role of implicit attitude in hospitality firms.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102381 [Google]
Liu, P. and J. W. O’Neill (2022): Do Brand-Affiliated Hotels Have Lower Cash-Flow Risk?, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (2974), pp.1
Hotels are generally perceived as the riskiest type of commercial real estate (CRE) investment because hotel “leases” have relatively high turnover. Existing literature regarding CRE investment risk and return lacks investigation of hotels at the unit level—which is the level of analysis undertaken by existing and prospective hotel investors. Two major types of hotels are branded and independent ones. The purpose of this study is to investigate the variability (risk) of key performance indicators (KPIs) such as occupancy rate, and revenues and profit of branded versus independent hotels. Using a large sample of performance data regarding over 4,000 U.S. hotel properties from 2000 to 2019, we examine the extent to which branding affects the volatility of KPIs. We find that brand-affiliated hotels have lower cash flow risk measured as lower volatilities of KPIs compared with independent ones. Furthermore, the level of volatility reduction of branded hotels is greater for profit than for revenue, and profit may be the most important KPI for hotel investors. The magnitude of volatility reduction also increases as the measurement window length (number of years) increases. We also study the long-term returns of branded versus independent hotels. This study contributes to the understanding regarding the relationships between investment risk of branded versus independent hotels, extends the literature regarding hotel investment, and provides hotel investors and analysts information regarding risk to aid decisions such as developing, purchasing, holding, or disposing of hotel assets.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102385 [Google]
Lucas, A. F., K. Spilde and A. K. Singh (2022): The Impact of Free-Play: A Longitudinal Study of Trip-Level Visitation and Wagering Behavior, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (2975), pp.1
The aim of this study was to understand the impacts of changes in free-play (FP) award values on visitation frequency and gaming revenue. With costly and perpetual FP campaigns well established in many markets, a critical issue for operators centers on the potential consequences of walking back offer values, especially when nearby competitors do not. The results of experimentally manipulated FP offers suggested that widely held industry beliefs about their ability to influence visitation are equivocal. Additional outcomes related to the economic impact of FP awards across the experimental groups also questioned the sensitivity of loyalty club members to reductions in FP offers. Working from a common offer tier of 600 loyalty club members, subjects were randomly assigned to one of six groups, each comprised of 100 subjects. Daily group-level outcomes were produced by aggregating player performance data over a 191-day sample period, collected from the records of a tribal casino operating in a competitive repeater market. This longitudinal design allowed for the measurement of multiple levels of FP offers on visitation behavior and gaming value, over a meaningful duration. Our findings fill gaps in the literature related to the impacts of FP on visitation frequency and the ability to drive own-money wagering. Our results also add to literature within the domains of operant conditioning, goal gradient theory, and a growing stream of research on FP efficacy. There are also connections to the house money effect, reverse house money effect, and the endowment effect.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102382 [Google]
So, K. K. F., H. Kim, Y. He and X. Li (2022): Mapping Service Innovation Research in Hospitality and Tourism: An Integrative Bibliometric Analysis and Research Agenda, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (2976), pp.1
In light of current industry imperatives and growing scholarly attention, this study was conducted to provide a thoroughly updated bibliometric overview of how service innovation research has evolved. A total of 133 papers across 42 hospitality and tourism journals over 18 years (2003–2020) were extracted and analyzed. We first examined the publication outlets and trajectories of service innovation. Next, we applied several state-of-the-art bibliometric techniques, including co-citation and keyword co-occurrence analysis. Based on the results of co-occurrence analysis, we proposed a flowchart of the service innovation process combining organizational and customer perspectives while considering the service design, process, and outcome phases. We then summarized the major findings and limitations of service innovation studies in hospitality and tourism. A series of critical future research directions were presented accordingly.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102392 [Google]
Webb, T., J. Ma and A. Cheng (2022): Variable Pricing in Restaurant Revenue Management: A Priority Mixed Bundle Strategy, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (2977), pp.1
The restaurant industry has historically been limited in its ability to adopt traditional revenue management pricing practices (e.g., variable pricing across tables and times) because of three specific challenges: (a) inability to segment customers by willingness to pay prior to seating, (b) limited ability to price discriminate (i.e., prioritize limited seating for the highest paying customers), and (c) inability to communicate menu price variances in advance. This article reviews common restaurant pricing strategies and discusses how each strategy cannot sufficiently address these three challenges. This work proposes a new strategy, the Priority Mixed Bundle (PMB) Strategy, which addresses all three of these challenges. The PMB states that customers can make reservations if they are willing to commit to dining from a prix-fixe menu while walk-ins can dine a la carte. The article argues for why PMB is theoretically viable and could be superior to existing menu pricing strategies. A field study shows that the PMB generates more revenue than a la carte strategies. Survey results suggest that customers perceive PMB as fair. Overall, this research advances theory in restaurant revenue management and proposes a pricing strategy for restaurants.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102387 [Google]
Yalcinkaya, B. and D. R. Just (2022): Comparison of Customer Reviews for Local and Chain Restaurants: Multilevel Approach to Google Reviews Data, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (2978), pp.1
Online reviews influence customer decisions and present publicly available data to investigate differences between customer evaluations for local and chain businesses. We conduct a text analysis on a sample of 80,728 online customer reviews of quick-service restaurants to examine how the impact of dining experience attributes on customer evaluation differs between the two restaurant types. Estimation of multilevel multinomial models reveals that customer reviews for local restaurants have less polarized sentiment than chain restaurants. This polarization is also evident for sentiment usage related to four dining experience attributes: food, service, ambience, and price. Although food offerings are essential to get high ratings for local restaurants, service quality has a relatively greater impact on customer satisfaction for chains. Although customer reviews favor local restaurants, they need powerful testimonials for differentiation due to high review valence among their local competitors.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102388 [Google]
Han, S. and C. K. Anderson (2022): The Effect of Private Customer-Manager Social Engagement Upon Online Booking Behavior, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(2979), pp.141-151
Owing to the impact of third-party commissions upon hotel profitability, many hotel brands have actively engaged in book direct campaigns, but to date, no large-scale longitudinal effort has been conducted to systematically evaluate direct booking behavior (i.e., direct versus online travel agency [OTA]). In this study, we use three years of transactional data from a large hotel brand to evaluate booking channel choices. To address the dynamic nature of the longitudinal individual-level data, we use a hidden Markov model (HMM), allowing us to evaluate both short- and long-term effects. Using the HMM, we evaluate the latent loyalty status of customers through their observed online booking channel behavior (i.e., direct versus OTA). As a result, we find that customer–manager engagement through guest satisfaction surveys (and managerial responses to those surveys) has a long-term effect on consumer propensities to book direct, gradually increasing customer loyalty to the brand. Specifically, we find that positive customer feedback signals a greater willingness to book direct in subsequent purchases. Moreover, managerial responses to the satisfied customer result in greater tendency to remain loyal and book direct. Second, the membership program tier of the customer has a significant short-term effect on the consumer’s propensity to book direct. Low-loyalty customers’ direct booking tendency increases as soon as they join the membership program. These findings not only illustrate the impact of membership status upon channel choice but also indicate the effect of the customer’s voice and the resulting managerial response upon booking behaviors over time.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520975330 [Google]
Kim, K. and M. A. Baker (2022): Do I Deserve to Spend? Online Social Support and Spending Pleasure, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(2980), pp.152-168
Despite evidence of people posting their consumption experiences to online social networks to fulfill the needs of social support, an understanding of how online social support affects post-consumption spending behaviors remains elusive. This research aims to examine how online social support from online social network friends and the firm influence perceptions of self-deservingness and spending pleasure. Across two studies, this research provides evidence that social support gained through online social networks influences consumers’ spending pleasure through perceptions of their own deservingness. Notably, this study reveals that people obtain social support in online social networks from two sources: social networks friends and firms through receiving “Likes” and “Comments” on their post. This study also explores boundary conditions for when online social support is more effective on spending pleasure. The findings not only broaden the social support literature but also address the benefit to the service industry by understanding how social support can enhance spending pleasure.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520973576 [Google]
Zou, S. and S. J. Migacz (2022): Why Service Recovery Fails? Examining the Roles of Restaurant Type and Failure Severity in Double Deviation With Justice Theory, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(2981), pp.169-181
Due to the increasingly competitive nature of the industry, the prevalence of service failure in restaurants has made a satisfactory service recovery critical for retaining customers. However, the success rate of service recovery is far from satisfactory. Informed by Rawls’s justice theory, this study explored service recovery failures (double service failure) in a restaurant setting. Results from our experiment indicate that the effects of different types of service recovery failure on postrecovery evaluations vary across two situational factors: restaurant type and failure severity. Specifically, procedural injustice (low-resolution speed) was found to exert more influence on word-of-mouth intentions in a quick-service restaurant than a full-service restaurant. For failures of high severity (vs. low severity), distributive injustice (no compensation offered) is found to be more impactful. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520967921 [Google]
Drinkwater, K., B. Massullo, N. Dagnall, B. Laythe, J. Boone and J. Houran (2022): Understanding Consumer Enchantment via Paranormal Tourism: Part I—Conceptual Review, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(2982), pp.195-215
Tourism-hospitality businesses sometimes market consumer experiences in terms of “enchantment,” although this phrase is often used vaguely or variously. Therefore, we approached the issue conceptually by examining prior research on the experience economy, extraordinary architectural experiences, and accounts of paranormal tourism. Our critical overview suggests that we are dealing with a phenomenon rooted in environment-person bidirectional (or enactive) effects. We subsequently argue for the term “situational-enchantment” to denote a distinct and progressive arousal state characterized by dis-ease or dissonance that facilitates a sense of connection or oneness with a “transcendent agency, ultimate reality, or Other.” An iterative Content Category Dictionary exercise based on target literature specifically mapped this hypothesized state in terms of five competing features: (a) Emotional, (b) Sensorial, (c) Timeless, (d) Rational, and (e) Transformative. We frame this phenomenology within Funder’s Realistic Accuracy Model, which we propose drives an epiphanic process involving attentional, perceptual, attributional, and social mechanisms. Our synthesis of the multidisciplinary literature in this domain helps to clarify the nature and relevance of enchantment as an individual difference that varies across people and is subject to a variety of contextual influences. Accordingly, we discuss how this hypothesized state can be manipulated to an extent within certain people by creating or reinforcing conditions that spur experiential and rational engagement with ambiguous or unexpected stimuli.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520967920 [Google]
Houran, J., R. Lange and B. Laythe (2022): Understanding Consumer Enchantment via Paranormal Tourism: Part II—Preliminary Rasch Validation, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(2983), pp.216-230
Situational-enchantment is a hypothesized arousal state encompassing a potent sense of connection or oneness with a “transcendent power or ultimate reality.” Qualitative research previously suggested that this individual difference involves dissonance around ideations with competing “Emotional, Sensorial, Timeless, Rational, and Transformative” themes. We tested this presumed phenomenology via an online convenience sample of 79 men and 101 women who reported memorable ghostly experiences during a paranormal tour within the last 12 months. Respondents provided a global enchantment rating of their anomalous experiences, as well as selected specific descriptors from a set of 30 items on an adjective checklist (ACL). Analyses revealed that 21 items on the Enchantment-ACL formed a Rasch hierarchy of generally “pleasant” themes that was free of response biases related to age, sex, and latency (time since the “enchanting” experience). This structured sequence contained all five experiential themes, and the resulting Enchantment-ACL measure of this phenomenon showed good internal reliability (Rasch reliability =.82) and a positive correlation with global enchantment ratings (r =.51, p <.001). The other nine items formed a separate factor containing overtly “unpleasant” ideations. We discuss the results within a cognitive dissonance framework for situational-enchantment, although future research must explore potential nuances related to the construct’s dimensionality and the specific role of pleasant versus unpleasant ideations.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520971276 [Google]
Kim, C. and K. Chung (2022): Measuring Customer Satisfaction and Hotel Efficiency Analysis: An Approach Based on Data Envelopment Analysis, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(2984), pp.257-266
We propose a network DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) model that consists of internal and external service processes and employs customer satisfaction as an intermediate factor. Using the proposed model, we calculate four efficiency scores: service productivity score drawn from internal service process, service efficiency score drawn from external service process, overall efficiency score drawn from both internal and external service processes, and management efficiency score calculated without the intermediate output. By analyzing the four efficiency scores, we find that overall efficiency score is well suited to represent a hotel’s comprehensive productivity. Our results support the validity of a network DEA model which includes customer satisfaction for analyzing hotel efficiency. Despite its important role that plays in hotel efficiency, customer satisfaction has been barely considered in the previous hotel efficiency studies. By analyzing hotel efficiency including customer satisfaction, this study sheds new light on the hotel efficiency research area and provides a valuable basis for future research.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520944914 [Google]
Griessmair, M., S. H. Han and H. Masuda (2022): Being Moved or Being Satisfied? The Effect of Unexpected Acts of Personal Kindness in Hospitality Service Encounters, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(2985), pp.267-288
Prior research has revealed that merely satisfying customers is not sufficient to secure a lasting competitive advantage during service encounters in the hospitality industry. We propose and demonstrate that hospitality providers can evoke feelings of “being moved” in their customers by providing unexpected acts of personal kindness rather than merely satisfying them by meeting their expectations. The distinct emotional signature associated with being moved, in turn, significantly increases customers’ loyalty and commitment (LoC) and the extent to which they engage in positive word of mouth (WoM), on top on what can be achieved by simply satisfying customers. We show that the joy/happiness component of being moved significantly increases LoC and WoM, and that this effect is shared with satisfaction. Moreover, surprise and guilt, which are emotions uniquely associated with being moved, also both significantly increase customers’ LoC and WoM. The positive effect of being moved can be enhanced by minimizing shame, an emotion occasionally associated with being moved. We also show that being moved has a positive effect on how customers perceive the workplace environment of an organization and the extent to which a hospitality organization is perceived as socially and environmentally responsible, which are core measures of organizations’ corporate social responsibility efforts.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520940291 [Google]
