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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Bourdin, D., C. Sichtmann and V. Davvetas (2023): The Influence of Employee Accent on Customer Participation in Services, Journal of Service Research, (3321), pp.1
The increase of immigrant employees in services has made intercultural service encounters a commonplace phenomenon. In these encounters, customers frequently use service employees’ accent to infer their ethnic background, often eliciting cultural stereotypes. However, it is still unknown how accent-based stereotyping impacts customer participation (CP), that is, the degree to which customers engage in the service process by contributing effort, knowledge, and information to improve their service experience. Addressing this question in four experimental studies (
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231171740 [Google]
Cabano, F. G. and E. A. Minton (2023): A Common Identity Intervention to Improve Service Quality for Consumers Experiencing Vulnerabilities, Journal of Service Research, (3322), pp.1
Prior research shows that consumers act in ways to avoid associating with conflicting social identities. However, it is unclear how such conflicting social identities influence the behaviors of service providers when interacting with consumers experiencing vulnerabilities, leading to potential marketplace discrimination. Additionally, research has yet to adequately identify what type of intervention strategy may be introduced in order to improve service quality when discrimination occurs. Across six studies, within the context of highly religious service providers or highly conservative service employees interacting with LGBTQIA + consumers, we demonstrate that the motivation to avoid being associated with undesirable social identities negatively influences their service quality toward these consumers experiencing vulnerabilities, leading to discrimination against such consumers. This occurs because of an increase in social identity threat perceptions associated with providing service to these consumers. We also identify an important boundary condition, such that this effect manifests when providing service that is high (vs. low) in identity relevance. Importantly, we provide evidence for a common identity intervention (i.e., focusing on the commonalities between actors) as a strategy that increases service quality and show its effectiveness across multiple contexts and using real businesses.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231157076 [Google]
Danaher, T. S., P. J. Danaher, J. C. Sweeney and J. R. McColl-Kennedy (2023): Dynamic Customer Value Cocreation in Healthcare, Journal of Service Research, (3323), pp.1
In managing a chronic illness, customers have the opportunity to play an active role in their healthcare—by cocreating value. For example, customers can adhere to medical advice, seek out information about their condition(s), manage their diet, and interact with family and friends. Moreover, across an extended treatment period, customers may dynamically adjust their level of value cocreation. In this study, we examine 307 healthcare customers receiving treatment for cancer, with 12 value cocreation activities tracked longitudinally over 4 survey waves. Using a hidden Markov model, we reveal three latent states of customer value cocreation: low, moderate, and high. We then determine which of the 12 value cocreation activities are most strongly associated with transitions among cocreation states. Finally, we show that transitioning to a cocreation state with a higher level of cocreation activity positively correlates with customer and marketing outcomes, including customer quality of life and satisfaction. Our findings show that an increase in six cocreation activities—actively sharing information, compliance with medical requirements, interacting with staff, maintaining a healthy diet, interacting with others who receive treatment, and maintaining a good physical appearance—yields positive gains for both customer and marketing outcomes. In contrast, an increase in emotion regulation negatively affects customer outcomes.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231161758 [Google]
Danatzis, I. and J. Möller-Herm (2023): Stopping the Spread: How Blame Attributions Drive Customer-to-Customer Misbehavior Contagion and What Frontline Employees Can Do to Curb It, Journal of Service Research, (3324), pp.1
Service encounters nowadays are increasingly characterized by customer-to-customer (C2C) interactions where customers regularly become targets of other customers’ misbehavior. Although previous research provides initial evidence of the contagiousness of such C2C misbehavior, it remains unclear whether, how, and why C2C misbehavior spreads when frontline employees (FLEs) are involved and what FLEs can do to curb it. Two online and one field experiment in the context of co-working and transportation services reveal that FLE-directed blame attributions drive the spread of C2C misbehavior while perpetrator-directed blame attributions reverse it. These blame attributions are greater the more severely customers judge other customers’ misbehavior. Findings further rule out alternative contagion mechanisms (social norms and emotional contagion) and show that contagion spills over to C2C misbehavior unrelated to the initial transgression. By specifying how contagion unfolds and by explicating the central role blame attributions play in C2C misbehavior contagion, this research uncovers its social dynamics, thus extending existing theory on customer misbehavior and attribution theory in multi-actor settings. Managerially, this research provides FLEs with explicit guidance on what they should do (personalized FLE interventions delivered either in person or remotely) and avoid doing (disapproving looks, FLE service recovery) when faced with C2C misbehavior.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221150441 [Google]
Fennell, P. B., M. P. Lorenz, K. K. Lindsey Hall and J. M. Andzulis (2023): Not My Circus, Not my Monkeys? Frontline Employee Perceptions of Customer Deviant Behaviors and Service Firms’ Guardianship Policies, Journal of Service Research, (3325), pp.1
Recent disruptions, labor shortages, and fiscal pressures, especially in retail service environments, have necessitated and highlighted changes in the roles and responsibilities of frontline employees, often requiring them to enforce mask mandates and police customer deviant behavior (CDB). While extant work has investigated the impact of policing, or
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231163881 [Google]
Good, V., A. G. Fehl, A. C. LaBrecque and C. Voorhees (2023): Cultivating Resilience in Organizational Frontline Employees, Journal of Service Research, (3326), pp.1
This research examines the antecedents and outcomes of organizational frontline employees’ (FLEs’) resilience. Developing a better understanding of resilience, defined as an employee’s ability to overcome or bounce back from adversity, has become critical, as managers increasingly are struggling to manage change on the front lines. The results from three studies conducted in organizational frontline contexts confirm the importance of FLE resilience, demonstrating its association with increased effort and reduced turnover intentions. Moreover, using an experience sampling methodology, we find that nearly half the variance in resilience lies within individuals, which suggests that resilience is not merely a trait but rather malleable. As such, the main contribution of this research is to offer fresh insights into what leads to greater resilience in customer-facing roles. The results show that rather than being motivated by a desire for monetary compensation, FLEs’ resilience is driven by a sense of competence and relatedness to not only coworkers but also customers. Moreover, we find that autonomy is negatively related to resilience when customer orientation is low. For managers, our findings offer guidance on how to cultivate resilience to improve FLE effort and reduce turnover intentions in the face of adversity.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231161778 [Google]
Han, B., X. Deng and H. Fan (2023): Partners or Opponents? How Mindset Shapes Consumers’ Attitude Toward Anthropomorphic Artificial Intelligence Service Robots, Journal of Service Research, (3327), pp.1
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) service robots is on the rise. With service frontlines gradually shifting to human–robot interactions, the question of whether the anthropomorphism of robots facilitates or constrains consumers’ experiences has emerged. This article focuses on the individual factor “consumer mindset” (competition vs collaboration) and investigates how it impacts consumers’ attitudes toward anthropomorphic AI robots during service delivery. Across three studies, we confirm our main prediction that competitive mindset consumers respond less favorably to anthropomorphic (vs. non-anthropomorphic) AI robots, whereas collaborative mindset consumers respond more favorably to anthropomorphic (vs. non-anthropomorphic) AI robots. We test the mediating role of perceived psychological closeness and the moderating role of interaction distance to explain the underlying mechanism. Our findings provide theoretical insights into the mixed results of previous studies of service robot anthropomorphism and have practical implications for service agencies using frontline robots.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231169674 [Google]
Kuppelwieser, V. G., N. Spielmann and D. Vega (2023): Humanitarian Crises: The (Un)Certainty of Servicescapes and Their Impact on Frontline Actors, Journal of Service Research, (3328), pp.1
Prior works discuss servicescapes as a stable environment but abstain from examining servicescapes in crisis situations and how they impact frontline employees (FLEs). This paper investigates servicescapes as something other than static and planned, and it accounts for the uncertainty often present in servicescapes. Specifically, we conceptualize servicescapes in crisis situations on a continuum that takes into account the landscape’s (in)stability and the processes’ (un)predictability. In so doing, we provide a more nuanced understanding of FLE experience and job satisfaction in crisis servicescapes, such as humanitarian contexts. Our research on these rarely surveyed but highly important service-providing circumstances identifies how FLEs need to reconcile the dynamic contextual facets and the variables likely to influence their job satisfaction. Across two studies of humanitarian aid contexts, including one with the United Nations, we show that servicescape processes and/or landscapes are often dynamic. We further show that organizational value’s congruence, pleasantness, and convenience have a positive impact on FLE job satisfaction in crisis servicescapes by decreasing their perceived level of uncertainty.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231159715 [Google]
Pandey, A. and S. Tripathi (2023): To go or to let it go: A regulatory focus perspective on Bundle Consumption, Journal of Service Research, 26(3329), pp.136-150
Despite the widespread reliance on service bundles across industries (examples include theater season-tickets, vacation packages, and annual sports passes), the impact of consumer-specific factors on the post-purchase consumptions of such bundles has received limited academic attention. Drawing on regulatory focus theory, we show that a consumer’s regulatory orientation influences the consumption of service bundles, and that the impacts are mediated by construal level. Using six studies (including a field study and a quasi-field experiment using Twitter data) we illustrate that prevention-focused individuals demonstrate concrete construal and are better able to resolve the ambiguity in allocating costs and benefits to individual bundle components, leading to higher consumption. By examining the role of a consumer’s regulatory orientation, our work advances the theoretical understanding of consumer behavior in response to the bundling of services. We make an important methodological contribution by demonstrating how text-mining can be innovatively utilized to analyze consumer posts on Twitter to infer regulatory focus and understand service bundle consumption. Our studies provide practical guidance to managers seeking to infer (using publicly available Twitter data and consumer-provided inputs during purchase) and prime (using advertisements and nudges) regulatory focus to understand/influence service consumption.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705211067101 [Google]
Roschk, H., M. Hosseinpour and J. Breitsohl (2023): Coalitions and Their Negative Consequences: An Examination in Service Failure-Recovery Situations, Journal of Service Research, (3330), pp.1
The social nature of customer experiences creates complex and potentially detrimental dynamics in failure situations, such as when other customers side with the complainer or the firm. The present research is the first to analyze such coalitions and their consequences. We conceptualize a triad composed of a complainer, a service employee, and one or multiple others as a third actor. A field study of consumer complaints on social media shows that coalitions occur in 32% of cases, negatively shifting the affective tone of an online conversation from approximately neutral to negative. Both third actor–complainer and third actor–service employee coalitions independently deteriorate the affective tone, their individual effects are not additive, and the third actor–complainer coalition exerts the larger impact of both coalitions. Two experiments reveal that complainers feel betrayed by the third actor when this actor sides with the service employee (vs. the complainer), which strengthens complainers’ satisfaction with taking steps as a recovery effort by the firm and weakens satisfaction with an offered apology. This research provides managerial insights into the practical significance of coalition effects, how coalitions impair firm response effectiveness, and under which conditions different responses sustain their effectiveness. It also presents several avenues for future research.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231163884 [Google]
Tuunanen, T., J. Lumivalo, T. Vartiainen, Y. Zhang and M. M. Myers (2023): Micro-Level Mechanisms to Support Value Co-Creation for Design of Digital Services, Journal of Service Research, (3331), pp.1
This study identifies micro-level value co-creation mechanisms that support the design of digital services. As services are now becoming digital—or at least digitally enabled—how to design digital services that enable value co-creation between a service provider and customers has become an increasingly important question. Our qualitative research study provides one answer to this question. Based on 113 in-depth laddering interviews analyzed using interpretive structural modeling, our study shows that value co-creation mechanisms differ between business-to-business and customer-to-customer digital service types. We identify five mechanisms to support value co-creation in the design of digital services: (1) Social use, (2) Customer orientation and decision making, (3) Service experience, (4) Service use context, and (5) Customer values and goals. We claim that firms can readily utilize these mechanisms to improve their customers’ service experiences.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231173116 [Google]
Warren, N. B. and S. Hanson (2023): Tipping, Disrupted: The Multi-Stakeholder Digital Tipped Service Journey, Journal of Service Research, (3332), pp.1
The shift from analog to digital point-of-sale systems (e.g. Square) and app-based service platforms (e.g. Uber) disrupted frontline services by creating new tipping processes that occur in an ever-expanding range of service contexts and involve new stakeholders. The increasing importance of tipping in the global economy and the uncertainty regarding tipping practices suggest the need for a comprehensive framework that accounts for evolving tipped service networks. We introduce the multi-stakeholder service journey lens to build a conceptual framework that accounts for the competing interests of customers, employees, frontline service managers, technology providers, and other stakeholders in emergent tipped services. This framework examines interactions between stakeholders at different points along the tipped service journey, while accounting for the technologies and contexts that shape stakeholder interactions and the sometimes divergent outcomes that result. Stakeholder interactions at each stage of the tipped service journey suggest theoretically rich research questions, such as “How do digital tipping technologies diffuse into and realign cultural practices?”, and important practical questions, such as “Which tip request framing and formatting choices result in the highest tips, most customer satisfaction, and optimum employee outcomes?” Our conclusion emphasizes the importance of multi-stakeholder service journey perspectives for examining digitally disrupted services.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705231166742 [Google]
Akbar, P. and S. Hoffmann (2023): Collaborative space: framework for collaborative consumption and the sharing economy, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3333), pp.496-509
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop and introduce the new concept of the collaborative space. Design/methodology/approach: Building on an extensive overview of past research and footing on extant conceptual work, the paper chooses an explicating conceptualization approach. Findings: The paper presents the collaborative space, which features the three bipolar dimensions, namely, the type of consumption (access vs reownership), source of resource (company-owned vs consumer-owned) and the type of compensation (with vs without monetary fee). These dimensions open up multiple areas of the collaborative space, including the pseudo sharing economy, sharing ecology, redistribution markets and redistribution communities. Research limitations/implications: The paper shows blind spots in the literature as well as the need to consider the consumption context to outline directions for future research. Practical implications: For managers, this paper develops a foundation for entering, exploring and exploiting the collaborative space along the stages acquisition, distribution, consumption and compensation. Social implications: Collaborative consumption is associated with community-building, resource saving and sustainability. The conceptualization of the collaborative spaces provides different options to enable more sustainable consumption and raise social exchange between consumers. Originality/value: So far, an overarching framework that reveals similarities and differences of business models that are associated with collaborative consumption and the sharing economy is missing. This paper develops this framework, which is labelled the collaborative space.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-03-2021-0078 [Google]
Al-okaily, N. S., N. Alzboun, Z. Alrawadieh and M. Slehat (2023): The impact of eudaimonic well-being on experience and loyalty: a tourism context, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3334), pp.216-231
Purpose: The effects of travel motivation and emotional experience on both tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty are recognized and have been extensively researched as key factors in tourism success. However, the structural relationships between these factors, considering the mediating effects of eudaimonic well-being (optimal psychological functioning), have been scarcely investigated in the consumer tourist behaviors literature. This study aims to develop an integrated model explaining the impact of travel motivation and emotional experience on tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty, mediated by eudaimonic well-being in the realm of domestic tourism. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative survey was conducted with 321 domestic tourists visiting Aqaba in Jordan; structural equation modeling was used to analyze the empirical data. Findings: The findings of this study indicate that both travel motivation and emotional experience have a direct effect on eudaimonic well-being and that eudaimonic well-being has a direct effect on both tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty. Additionally, travel motivation and emotional experience have significant indirect impacts on post-consumption behaviors mediated by eudaimonic well-being. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature on consumer behavior in a tourism context by developing a fresh model that improves theoretical knowledge of the relationships between travel motivation, emotional experience and eudaimonic well-being, which underlie tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty formation. This study also advances theoretical understanding of the key roles of eudaimonic well-being in the tourist experience. Managerial implications of these findings are discussed.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-08-2021-0282 [Google]
Barrios, A., S. Camacho and C. Estrada-Mejia (2023): From service to social innovation with a service-dominant logic approach, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3335), pp.201-215
Purpose: This paper aims to explore the intersection between service and social innovation, using a service-dominant logic (SDL) ecosystem approach to analyze how service innovations cocreate transformative value for individuals and communities. Design/methodology/approach: A case study, with different data sources, is used to understand different innovations in a program that provides financial training to women in poverty in Colombia. Findings: In the program’s service ecosystem, actors worked in tandem to develop dialogical service innovations. These service innovations transformed into social innovations, cocreating transformative value at different levels of the service ecosystem, including beneficiaries, families and communities. Research limitations/implications: First, this study illustrates how, during service value cocreation experiences, a dialogical innovation path occurs with the simultaneous participation of different service entities. Second, it uses transformative value cocreation to integrate service and social innovations conceptually. Third, it reveals how service innovation cocreates transformative value at different levels of the service ecosystem. Fourth, it shows how technology in its material and immaterial forms, working as an operand and operant role, respectively, facilitates service innovations. Practical implications: This study illustrates how a wider service focus including all actors involved, in addition to a holistic view of beneficiaries, can prompt service and social innovations. Originality/value: Service and social innovations have been seen as parallel fields. This study uses SDL to integrate these types of innovation processes and outcomes by applying the concept of transformative value.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-08-2021-0295 [Google]
Bordian, M., I. Gil-Saura and M. _eri_ (2023): The impact of value co-creation in sustainable services: understanding generational differences, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3336), pp.155-167
Purpose: The service industry has been facing many challenges connected to sustainable practices and how they affect final consumers. This paper aims to explore the impact of value co-creation (VCC) on customer-based brand equity and satisfaction, the latter being considered in terms of overall and green customer satisfaction. Moreover, considering the influence that a consumer’s age has on their behaviour, this paper analyses the moderating role of generational cohorts (Centennials vs. Millennials) on the direct interactions between the examined variables. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical study was conducted in hotel companies, which place a strong emphasis on customer service and as such provide valuable implications for the industry. The data were collected from 263 hotel guests in Ukraine in 2018 using a structured closed-response face-to-face survey. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesised relationships. Multi-group analysis was conducted to examine the moderating role of the generational cohort. Findings: The results show that customer perception of VCC positively influences brand equity. The findings also indicate that brand equity mediates the relationship between VCC, overall customer satisfaction and green customer satisfaction. In addition, it is demonstrated that generational cohorts moderate the relationships between VCC and overall customer satisfaction. Practical implications: This study suggests that service companies should create more opportunities for VCC activities, not only to increase their customers’ participation in green practices but also to enhance brand equity and satisfaction to gain more competitive advantages. Originality/value: The contribution of this study lies in considering value co-creation as a novel driver of brand equity, overall customer satisfaction and green customer satisfaction through the lens of sustainability in service-based companies. Examining the moderating role of the generational cohort provides significant insights into the impact of value co-creation through different groups of customers.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-06-2021-0234 [Google]
Dootson, P., D. A. Greer, K. Letheren and K. L. Daunt (2023): Reducing deviant consumer behaviour with service robot guardians, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3337), pp.276-286
Purpose: The purpose of this research is to understand whether service robots can safeguard servicescapes from deviant consumer behaviour. Using routine activity theory, this research examines whether increasing the perceived humanness of service robots reduces customer intentions to commit deviant consumer behaviour and whether this negative relationship is mediated by perceived empathy and perceived risk of being caught. Design/methodology/approach: Five hundred and fifty-three US residents responded to a hypothetical scenario that manipulated the humanness of a service agent (from self-service technology, to robot, to human employee) across seven conditions and measured the likelihood of deviant consumer behaviour, empathy towards the service robot, perceived risk of being caught and punished and negative attitudes towards robots. Findings: The results indicate that replacing human service agents with different types of service robots does inadvertently reduce customer perceptions of capable guardianship (i.e. the human element that deters potential offenders from committing crimes) in the servicescape and creates conditions that allow customers to perpetrate more deviant consumer behaviour. Practical implications: When investing in technology such as service robots, service providers need to consider the unintended cost of customer misbehaviour (specifically deviant consumer behaviour) in their return-on-investment assessments to optimise their asset investment decisions. Originality/value: Moving beyond research on customer adoption and use, this research examines the unintended consequences that might arise when deploying service robots in a technology-infused service environment. Humanised service robots offer more guardianship than self-service technology but do not replace human employees in preventing deviant consumer behaviour, as they remain more capable of deterring customer misbehaviour.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-11-2021-0400 [Google]
Farías, P., M. Reyes and J. Peláez (2023): Understanding online retail brand equity: a cross-cultural perspective, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3338), pp.420-430
Purpose: This study aims to assess how department store websites can add online retail brand equity. A quick, relatively easy and low-cost diagnostic tool for stakeholders (e.g. retailers, investors) is presented. Design/methodology/approach: A content analysis of department store websites in the USA and Latin America was conducted. Findings: The findings show that Latin American and US department store websites exhibit acceptable use of online retail brand equity dimensions related to emotional connection and trust. In contrast, compared to their US counterparts, Latin American department store websites show weak usage on some of the dimensions of responsive service nature, online experience and fulfillment. The results also show that higher online retail brand equity is positively associated with average daily time on site. This indicates the usefulness of this index for developing effective websites to creating online retail brand equity. Practical implications: This study suggests that Latin American department stores should improve three dimensions of online retail brand equity: responsive service nature, online experience and fulfillment. The online retail brand equity index presented can serve as a diagnostic tool for department store managers to monitor the online retail brand equity they are building on their websites. It is also possible to analyze the websites of competing department stores and monitor the long-term impact of modifications made to their websites and those of competitors. Originality/value: This paper proposes an easy-to-apply index to assess online retail brand equity through website design partially. In addition, this research is the first to evaluate how Latin American department store websites, compared to those in the USA, are building online retail brand equity.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2021-0259 [Google]
Ge, G. L. and S. C. Schleimer (2023): Robotic technologies and well-being for older adults living at home, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3339), pp.340-350
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the benefits for aged care providers of adding affordable robotic technology to their services packages to enhance the well-being of older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds who choose to live at home. Design/methodology/approach: This study, adopting a transformative service research lens, was performed with a group of older Australian adults from CALD backgrounds aged approximately 70 years. This study conducted four rounds of home trials with three different, commercially available robotic technologies from January to November 2020. Each trial lasted seven days. Findings: The findings reveal that older adults from CALD backgrounds are open to learning about new technologies and can successfully interact independently with multiple robotic technologies in their own homes. The results indicate that robot technology has the potential to increase the well-being of older people by enhancing a sense of belonging, independence and quality of life while living at home. Research limitations/implications: This study shows a promising future involving the use of available technology to assist older people from CALD backgrounds to live better lives at home. Ageing at home can be central to a person’s sense of identity and independence, and this study is a big step towards a new aged care system desperately needed in a society with a rapidly ageing population. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to introduce three different commercially available robots, each designed to satisfy companionship, cleaning and/or communication needs in the homes of older adults from CALD backgrounds to increase their overall well-being.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-03-2022-0076 [Google]
Guidice, R. M., J. Mesmer-Magnus, D. C. Barnes and L. L. Scribner (2023): Service amid crisis: the role of supervisor humor and discretionary organizational support, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3340), pp.168-183
Purpose: This paper aims to study the effects of widespread stress and uncertainty that is characteristic of organizational crises on service employees and to explore the extent to which organizations may proactively use supervisors’ positive humor and discretionary organizational support that goes above and beyond service employee expectations to mitigate the pandemic’s negative impact on work engagement. Design/methodology/approach: Cross-sequential survey-based data was collected from 172 service employees during the height of the pandemic to assess service employees’ perceptions of both their supervisors’ use of positive humor and their employers’ discretionary organizational support in response to the emotion-laden stress and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. PROCESS analysis was used to test the hypotheses and to conduct supplementary analyses. Findings: Results suggest employee perceptions of supervisors’ use of positive humor positively impact dimensions of work engagement at Time 1. This engagement then positively impacts extra-role behavior, innovativeness and pride at Time 2. The impact from supervisor humor to the outcomes is fully mediated through work engagement. From a moderation perspective, discretionary organizational support was shown as a substitute for creating work engagement at low levels of supervisor humor suggesting that the two “resource builders” can act as substitutes in creating engagement. Originality/value: This paper provides unique insights into both the valuable role of positive workplace humor for service workers’ work engagement during times of widespread crisis and the moderating role discretionary organizational support plays when perceptions of humor are relatively low. Moreover, the supplemental examination of the multidimensional work engagement construct as a mediator between humor and the service outcomes of extra-role behavior, innovativeness and organizational pride provides unique insights into how a crisis context may deferentially affect the experience and implications of engagement for other service worker outcomes. Understanding the proactive, ameliorative role in service effectiveness played by supervisor humor and discretionary organizational support during crises is an emerging question for service research.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2021-0260 [Google]
Hoang, G., T. T. Luu, T. Du and T. T. Nguyen (2023): Can both entrepreneurial and ethical leadership shape employees’ service innovative behavior?, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3341), pp.446-463
Purpose: Employee’s service innovative behavior lays the groundwork for bottom-up innovation and ongoing service improvement in service firms. Therefore, it is vital for service organizations to understand the antecedents of employees service innovative behavior. Drawing upon the social cognitive theory, this study aims to develop a research model that examines the effects of ethical and entrepreneurial leadership on service innovative behavior. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 178 managers and 415 employees working in 178 small- and medium-sized (SME) hotels in Vietnam. Findings: The findings showed that ethical leadership has direct and indirect effects on service innovative behavior, while entrepreneurial leadership only influences service innovative behavior via intrinsic motivation. In addition, trust in leader moderates the effect of intrinsic motivation on service innovative behavior Research limitations/implications: The study advances current scholarly research on leadership by combining the two areas of entrepreneurial and ethical leadership into one theoretical model and examines how these leadership styles generate hospitality employees’ service innovative behavior through the mediating effect of intrinsic motivation and the moderating effect of trust in leader. Practical implications: The findings of this research offer significant implications for SME hotels and their managers. In their recruitment processes, hotels should search for particular personality traits, which have been found to predict ethical and entrepreneurial leadership. Hospitality firms also need to encourage communication between leaders and co-workers to enhance employees’ intrinsic motivation. Originality/value: There are calls for research to examine whether both entrepreneurial and ethical leadership styles can be integrated to enhance employees’ positive outcomes. Evidence about the mechanism linking entrepreneurial and ethical leadership to service innovative behavior is limited. With this stated, the current study makes significant contribution to leadership and innovation literature by filling in these voids.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2021-0276 [Google]
Kim, J. M. and E. Lee (2023): The effect of perceived threat on online service reviews, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3342), pp.300-312
Purpose: The ongoing impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent perception of threat have shifted consumer perceptions and evaluations of service experiences. This paper aims to investigate how customers’ service evaluation is shared as customer reviews following the pandemic and the heightened perception of threat. In doing so, this research particularly investigates the shifts in the textual contents of online reviews. Design/methodology/approach: This study used the textual contents in the online reviews posted on Hotels.com for 1,497 hotels in New York City for empirical analysis. In total, 109,190 observations were used for the analysis. Findings: By analyzing actual online review data from an online review platform for hotel services, this study finds that the text reviews generated after the pandemic outbreak tend to contain words with stronger negative emotions. In terms of the pronoun choice, this study further finds that the use of “I” increases while the use of “we” decreases. Originality/value: This research adds to the existing literature on service evaluation and online customer reviews by showing that there are shifts in the expressions used to communicate service evaluation through online text reviews, including the degree of emotionality and pronoun usage. Because potential customers are likely to rely on online reviews for their own decisions, the findings suggest that it is important for practitioners to be aware of such shifts and respond accordingly.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-06-2021-0220 [Google]
Landers, V. M., C. B. Gabler, H. E. Hardman and W. M. Northington (2023): Can you ask “too much” of your customers?, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3343), pp.531-546
Purpose: Companies are beginning to rely more on customer participation (CP). As a result, consumers are expected to expend more resources throughout the service exchange. Through three studies, this study aims to examine the effect of CP on customers’ evaluations of these exchanges. Study 1 examines the interaction between two levels of CP (low versus high) and shopping experience type (hedonic versus utilitarian). In Study 2, the focus shifts to understanding the negative consequences of high CP. In Study 3, the authors explore how the negative effects of high CP can be mitigated. Design/methodology/approach: Scenario-based experiments were implemented across three studies. This study used multivariate analysis of variance (Study 1) and PROCESS (Hayes, 2018; Studies 2 and 3) to uncover how consumers respond to CP. Findings: Results of Study 1 indicate that the CP level negatively impacts satisfaction and positive word-of mouth (PWOM) in a utilitarian context but has no effect in a hedonic context. Study 2 finds that the negative effects of high CP on satisfaction and PWOM are mediated by fairness and frustration. Study 3 suggests that these negative results can be mitigated by offering a financial incentive. Originality/value: This study’s two primary objectives address specific calls in the CP literature. First, this study examines the effects of increased CP during hedonic and utilitarian shopping experiences. Second, this study investigates mediators and moderators associated with the negative effects of increased CP, shedding light on how the consumer processes high CP service encounters.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-10-2021-0394 [Google]
Le, N.-H., M.-Q. T. Mai and T.-A. Pham (2023): Understanding how mindfulness sustains customer cocreation effort and transforms service value to well-being, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3344), pp.248-260
Purpose: Mindfulness, while being suggested as an important psychological cognitive capability of customers, has received insufficient attention in studies of transformative services characterized by challenging cocreation behaviors. It is unclear about the contributions of mindfulness to customers’ cocreation and transformative outcomes. This study aims to investigate the direct, indirect, mediating and moderating relationships to explain how mindfulness sustains cocreation effort, increases perceived service value and ultimately enhances the diffusion from the service value to customer well-being. Design/methodology/approach: A structural model was developed and tested using the CB-SEM method. Data were surveyed from two transformative service industries, yoga training and higher education (N = 283 and 273 cases, respectively). Findings: Customer mindfulness has a positive relationship with cocreation effort, which in turn positively associates with perceived value. Additionally, mindfulness has a direct relationship with perceived value, which then is the full mediator in the relationships between mindfulness, cocreation effort and life satisfaction. Mindfulness also moderates the transformation from service value (immediate outcome) to life satisfaction (long-term outcome). Practical implications: Transformative service providers and policymakers should acknowledge and develop strategies to cultivate customers’ mindfulness, which subsequently fosters their value cocreation effort and enhances their well-being. Originality/value: This research puts forward the concept of mindfulness, a trainable cognitive capability of customers, and shows its importance in transformative service cocreation. This paper provides a full structural mechanism explaining how mindfulness helps cocreate a transformative service and diffuse its immediate value to customer life satisfaction.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-03-2022-0107 [Google]
Lee, C. T. and L.-Y. Pan (2023): Resistance of facial recognition payment service: a mixed method approach, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3345), pp.392-407
Purpose: Sellers view facial recognition mobile payment services (FRMPS) as a convenient and cost-saving way to receive immediate payments from customers. For consumers, however, these biometric identification technologies raise issues of usability as well as privacy, so FRMPS are not always preferable. This study uses the stressor–strain–outcome (S–S–O) framework to illuminate the underlying mechanism of FRMPS resistance, thereby addressing the paucity of research on users’ negative attitudes toward FRMPS. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing from the stressor–strain–outcome (S–S–O) framework, the purpose of this study is to illuminate the underlying mechanism of FRMPS resistance. To this end, they invited 566 password authentication users who had refused to use FRMPS to complete online survey questionnaires. Findings: The findings enrich the understanding of FRMPS resistance and show that stressors (i.e. system feature overload, information overload, technological uncertainty, privacy concern and perceived risk) aggravate the strain (i.e. technostress), which then leads to users’ resistance behaviors and negative word of mouth. Originality/value: Advances in payment methods have profoundly changed consumers’ consumption and payment habits. Understanding FRMPS resistance can provide marketers with strategies for dealing with this negative impact. This study theoretically confirms the S–S–O paradigm in the FRMPS setting and advances it by proposing thorough explanations of the major stressors that consumers face. Building on their findings, the authors suggest ways service providers can eliminate the stressors, thereby reducing consumers’ fear and preventing resistance or negative word-of-mouth behaviors. This study has valuable implications for both scholars and practitioners.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-01-2022-0035 [Google]
Leo, W. W. C., G. Laud and C. Y. Chou (2023): Digital transformation for crisis preparedness: service employees’ perspective, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3346), pp.351-370
Purpose: Digital transformation (DT) has had a profound impact on how services are delivered, but its effects on service frontline employees in crisis have yet to be examined. Using conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this study is to empirically test the overall effects of DT within service organisations on service employees’ beliefs with respect to crisis preparedness, life satisfaction and customer orientation. It also examines the moderating effects of crisis-related anxiety and job experience on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach: This study’s hypotheses were tested quantitatively with an online survey of N = 592 frontline service employees working in hospitality and retail services organisation during the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. A post-hoc study of customer-facing supervisors (N = 268) was conducted to validate the study findings and establish generalisability. Findings: DT predicts service employees’ beliefs regarding crisis preparedness. In turn, crisis preparedness increases life satisfaction and customer orientation. Moreover, crisis-related anxiety negatively moderates the relationship between DT and crisis preparedness. Post hoc analyses validate the results derived from service employees’ data. Surprisingly, there is no significant relationship between crisis preparedness and life satisfaction for supervisors/managers with low job experience. Originality/value: This study makes an empirical contribution to the service management literature by examining the impact of DT on service employees’ beliefs with respect to crisis preparedness that subsequently influences their life satisfaction and ability to remain customer oriented during a crisis. It highlights an important intersection between technology and service work in terms of a transformative impact of DT on service employee outcomes during crises.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2021-0249 [Google]
Liu, R., J. Long and L. Liu (2023): Seeking the resilience of service firms: a strategic learning process based on digital platform capability, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3347), pp.371-391
Purpose: How to improve the resilience of service firms in the crisis, such as the COVID-19 epidemic, to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage becomes a growing concern worldwide. Digital platform capability (DPC) provides a series of opportunities and advantages for service firms to shape resilience in the crisis. This study aims to clarify the effect and mechanism of DPC on service firms’ resilience, and provides a new mediator (strategic learning [SL]), as well as two boundary conditions (legal inefficiency [LIE] and legal incompleteness [LIC]). Design/methodology/approach: Questionnaires were used to obtain firm data, and executives answered these key questions. Data from 293 service firms during the COVID-19 period were used for hypothesis testing. Findings: DPC was positively related to the adaptive capacity (AC) and planning capacity (PC) of service firms. SL mediated the positive effect of DPC on the AC and PC of service firms. The positive effect between DPC and SL was weakened when LIE and LIC were high. Practical implications: This study suggests that it is a very desirable measure to improve DPC to gain organizational resilience (OR) in the crisis. In addition, a SL process in the crisis is crucial, because service firms need to absorb key strategic information from digital platforms to cope with uncertainty. The services firms need to realize that the benefits of DPC will be weakened in the dysfunctional institutional environment of LIE and LIC. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to link the DPC with the resilience of service firms, and provides a new explanation mechanism and some boundary conditions for this important relationship. Furthermore, this study takes a step forward, because these efforts respond to the widespread call of the literature on digitalization and OR, and provide new insights for understanding digital resilience.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2022-0124 [Google]
Mähner, P. M., A. Zogaj and D. K. Tscheulin (2023): Linking self-congruence and functional congruence to mobile health apps, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3348), pp.287-299
Purpose: Consumers often start using mobile health apps but quit using them after a brief period of time. However, app providers can only ensure their long-term existence in the market if their app is used a long period, so that they can thus generate long-term revenue from advertising, subscriptions and sponsorships. Therefore, this study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the determinants of consumers’ continuous usage intention. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a sample of 274 current mobile health app users, this study tests whether ideal self-congruence and/or functional congruence strengthens consumers’ continuous usage intention. Findings: The results reveal that ideal self-congruence and functional congruence positively affect consumers’ continuous usage intention. Furthermore, an initial favorable attitude toward a mobile health app (i.e. ideal self-congruence) leads to a more favorable evaluation of the functional attributes of the app regardless of consumers’ objective evaluation of these attributes. Practical implications: Providers should specifically take consumers’ ideal self-concept into consideration to increase consumers’ continuous usage intention of mobile health apps. Matching consumers’ ideal self-concept further leads consumers to a more favorable evaluation of the functional attributes of mobile health apps. Originality/value: Only a few studies have examined factors influencing the continuous usage intention of mobile health apps; moreover, these studies have largely neglected the symbolic dimension of consumption behavior. Therefore, this study introduces congruence theory into the context of mobile health apps to provide a holistic view of the influence of the symbolic (i.e. ideal self-congruence) and utilitarian (i.e. functional congruence) dimensions on mobile health app consumption.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-06-2021-0215 [Google]
Meng, Y., S. J. Gould, L. Song, H. Chang and S. Vaziri (2023): Mental conversion: a customer service strategy impacting shopping experiences, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3349), pp.464-477
Purpose: This study aims to provide a practical strategy for customer service and salesforce from the basis of behavioral economics. When customers thought they missed a discount but eventually could get the deal, they perceived that they had obtained more value. This research defines such a conversion effect between gain and loss accounts, demonstrates its impact in marketing settings and provides the salesforce a tactic to increase sales and quality of customer service to improve the consumer experience in the social customer journey. Design/methodology/approach: Three experiments were conducted in a behavioral lab and online setting. Participants were randomly assigned to 2 (gain vs loss) _ 2 (converted vs simple) between-subjects designs in the first two experiments and 2 (gain vs loss) _ 2 (converted vs simple) _ 2 (high price vs low price) in the third experiment. Analysis of variance was conducted to analyze the data. Mediation and moderation analyses were also conducted to identify the mediator and moderator in the model. Findings: The conversion between gain and loss mental accounts exists, and the converted gains are more likely to lead consumers to make purchases with a once-lost discount than simple gains. This conversion effect is mediated by consumers’ implemental mindset activated by the conversion and moderated by price. Originality/value: This research shows that mental accounts of gains and losses can be dynamically converted to one another. It provides a managerial tactic for salesforces and customer service to lead consumers to make a purchase decision right away. This is especially important when they aim to enhance the consumer experience in the social customer journey.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-08-2021-0296 [Google]
Miller, C. J., L. Sajtos, K. N. Lemon, J. Salas, M. Troncoza and L. Ostrom (2023): Longitudinal upgrades and asymmetric effects of satisfaction and perceived-value, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3350), pp.478-495
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how customers’ upgrading/downgrading (t_1) behavior may be predictive of future spending. Further, this paper also investigates how customers’ post-consumption evaluations of upgrades and downgrades [satisfaction(t_1) and perceived value(t_1)] may moderate the relationship between upgrades/downgrades and future spending. Design/methodology/approach: The predictions are tested using a large longitudinal data set of river cruise purchases (N = 48,103) and largely replicated using a data set of zoo membership purchases (N = 2,469). Findings: Satisfaction(t_1) mitigates the positive relationship between prior upgrades(t_1) and future spending(t). In contrast, perceived value(t_1) magnifies the positive relationship between prior upgrades(t_1) and future spending(t). However, no positively moderating effects are observed to alleviate the negative relationship between prior downgrades(t_1) and future spending(t). Practical implications: This research suggests that managers should work hard early in customer–firm relationships because of an asymmetric difficultly in altering the trajectory of an established relationship. Specifically, relationships that are trending downward (as consecutive downgrades would suggest) are difficult to repair – a mechanism to alter this trajectory is not observed. In contrast, relationships that are trending upward (as consecutive upgrades would suggest) can be improved with high perceived value evaluations but also degraded with high satisfaction evaluations. Originality/value: This research should recast marketers’ understanding of the value of customers’ upgrade and downgrade decisions. Instead of using customers’ upgrade or downgrade decisions as the dependent variable, or final outcome in buyer behavior, this study shows how the accumulation of prior upgrades and prior downgrades, over time, acts as a bellwether of the customer–firm relationship. Further, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to connect these upgrade/downgrade decisions to customers’ evaluations of those purchases to understand how individual purchases can impact the overall customer–firm relationship.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-12-2021-0475 [Google]
Mulcahy, R., S. Pourfakhimi, G. Prayag, E. Falatoonitoosi and N. Scott (2023): Seeking thrills during a crisis? A TSR and hierarchy of effects perspective of the transformative potential of travel, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3351), pp.510-530
Purpose: This study aims to theorise and empirically test a model based on the hierarchy of effects behavioural learning approach (“do-think-feel”) to explain how travel during a crisis assists consumer well-being. The paper also examines whether the effect travel has on well-being is serially mediated by perceived risk and resilience and moderated by the personality trait of sensation-seeking. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses a quasi-experimental design involving Australian consumers based on a sample of n = 307 who had travelled and n = 277 who had not during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 584). A replication study (N = 290) is also undertaken to assess the robustness of the hierarchy of effects uncovered in the main study. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) and Hayes PROCESS macro. Findings: The results reveal travellers have significantly higher levels of both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being than non-travellers, suggesting the transformative potential of travel experiences during a crisis. The transformative potential of travel is driven by perceived risk and psychological resilience, which mediate the relationship between travel frequency and well-being. Further, spotlight moderation analysis demonstrates that the effect of travel on well-being is most profound for those with lower levels of sensation-seeking. These relationships are also confirmed in the replication study. Originality/value: This research is among the first in transformative service research (TSR) to test the mediators of perceived risk and resilience together in a singular study, showing how experiences such as travel are potentially transformative. It also evaluates personality traits such as sensation-seeking as a moderating factor, which is uncommon in TSR. Further, this study empirically validates a do–think–feel behavioural learning approach, as opposed to other hierarchy of effects sequences that are dominant in TSR and the wider services marketing literature.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-02-2022-0047 [Google]
Nguyen, A. (2023): Viewpoint: designing transformative service to overcome eudaimonic-hedonic outcome conflict, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3352), pp.129-137
Purpose: The potential displeasure (e.g. strain, uncertainty and lack of control) involved in the process of obtaining eudaimonic outcomes (e.g. becoming healthier or more knowledgeable) may turn consumers away from a transformative service or hinder their coproduction. This paper aims to propose a service design that could overcome this conflict. Design/methodology/approach: To allow for concrete discussions of service design, the proposed design is developed in the context of a specific transformative service: the higher educational service. Findings: It is possible to transform the relationship between hedonic and eudaimonic outcomes from conflicting to complementary goals by replacing passive pleasure that is irrelevant or in conflict with eudaimonic well-being with active pleasure that is complementary to eudaimonic well-being. To facilitate simultaneous attainment of active pleasure and eudaimonic well-being, the transformative service provider needs to structure the elements of the service to create the conditions for the optimal experience to occur. Research limitations/implications: The proposed design is extendable to other human service contexts. Originality/value: To the best of the author’s knowledge, this research is the first that shows how a transformative service can be effectively designed to overcome the potential conflict between its eudaimonic versus hedonic outcomes, such that the service will be well received by consumers while remain faithful to its transformative goal.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2020-0314 [Google]
Ofori-Okyere, I., F. Edghiem and S. P. Kumah (2023): Marketing inclusive banking services to financially vulnerable consumers: a service design approach, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3353), pp.232-247
Purpose: To explore how inclusive banking services are marketed to financially vulnerable consumers (FVCs) in Ghana from the perspective of managers. This study aims to explore this under-researched area and contribute towards a transformative service research in the country. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a multiple case study research approach to analyse six banks, including commercial, development, investment and rural and community banks. Specifically, semi-structured interviews and archival documents were used to collect data from the perspectives of bank managers. Findings: The empirical research based on practical and theoretical models shows that Ghanaian banks design an array of financial products and services (FPS), adopt innovative traditional marketing strategies and apply inclusive technologies to reach out to the FVCs. Research limitations/implications: The authors conducted this study on six banks in Ghana; thus, service researchers are cautioned when generalising the findings and conclusions in other contexts beyond the country of focus. Practical implications: This study offers practical ideas to guide marketers to better understand how banks market their inclusive banking services to FVCs. Social implications: This paper provides implications for addressing financial inclusion amongst the “unbanked”, “underserved” and “unserved” collectively known as the FVCs and how Ghanaian banks design FPS to improve service research and well-being outcomes. Originality/value: This study provides vital information to policymakers in designing FPS aimed at achieving an inclusive financial system to improve the well-being of FVCs in Ghana.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-10-2021-0399 [Google]
Polonsky, M. J., A. Ferdous, N. Robertson, S. Jones, A. Renzaho and J. Telenta (2023): Refugee awareness of a transformative intervention to increase blood donations, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3354), pp.138-154
Purpose: This study aims to test the efficacy of the awareness of a transformative health service communication intervention targeted to African refugees in Australia, designed to increase their intentions to participate in blood donation and reduce any identified barriers. Design/methodology/approach: Following the intervention launch, a survey was administered to African refugees. The data were analysed with structural equation modelling. Findings: Intervention awareness increases refugees’ blood donation knowledge and intentions. Although it has no direct effect on refugees’ medical mistrust or perceived discrimination, intervention awareness indirectly reduces medical mistrust. The findings, thus, suggest that the intervention was transformative: it directly and indirectly reduced barriers to refugee participation in blood donation services. Research limitations/implications: Limitations include a relatively small sample size, single-country context and measures that address blood donation intentions versus behaviours. Social implications: Addressing health service inequities through intervention awareness, via the mere exposure effect, can facilitate refugees’ health service participation and inclusion. Originality/value: This study contributes to transformative service research and responds to calls to improve individual and community well-being by testing a transformative intervention targeted towards vulnerable consumers. Not all targeted refugees donated blood, but being encouraged to participate in this health service within the host society can foster their greater inclusion.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-02-2021-0054 [Google]
Pontes, V., D. A. Greer, N. Pontes and A. Beatson (2023): Need for distinction moderates customer responses to preferential treatment, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3355), pp.409-419
Purpose: This paper aims to examine how individuals’ need for distinction moderates the effect of perceived harm to others as a result of preferential treatment on customers’ attitudes towards the service provider. Design/methodology/approach: Two experiments test the hypothesis that when a customer receives preferential treatment, the effect of perceived harm to others on the customer’s attitudes towards the service provider is moderated by their need for distinction and mediated by negative moral emotions, such that mediation occurs for customers with a lower (but not higher) need for distinction. Findings: When customers have a lower need for distinction, they scan the environment to seek information about others when judging their own experience. In contrast, customers with a higher need for distinction tend to disregard others’ opinions and feelings, focusing solely on the benefits they receive from the service provider and avoiding moral emotions. Our results show that customers with a higher need for distinction tend to evaluate the service provider more favourably than those with a lower need for distinction in scenarios where the benefit given to an advantage customer imposes a disadvantage on other customers. Originality/value: To the best of author’s knowledge, this research is the first to examine the interaction between perceived harm to others and one’s need for distinction as drivers of customers’ response to preferential treatment. The authors are the first to show that negative moral emotions may arise for customers with a lower need for distinction but not for those with a higher need for distinction.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-02-2021-0053 [Google]
Rancati, G. and I. Maggioni (2023): Neurophysiological responses to robot–human interactions in retail stores, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3356), pp.261-275
Purpose: Retailers are increasingly considering the introduction of service robots in their stores to support or even replace service staff. Service robots can execute service scripts during the service encounter that can influence customer interactions and the overall experience. While the role of service agents is well documented, more research is needed to understand customer responses to a technology-infused servicescape and to investigate the value of service robots as interaction partners. The purpose of this study is to examine the degree of customer immersion in human-human or human-robot interactions across different stages of the service experience and to understand how immersion affects store visit duration under each condition. Design/methodology/approach: An experimental field study was developed to test the research hypotheses. The study was conducted in a retail store selling premium Italian leather goods with 50 respondents randomly allocated to one of two experimental conditions, interaction with a service robot or interaction with a human sales associate. Participants’ biometrics were collected to measure their immersion in the service encounter and to assess its impact on store visit duration. Findings: The interaction with a service robot increases the level of customer immersion during the service encounter’s welcome and surprise moments. Immersion positively affects visit duration. However, participants exposed to a robot sales associate reported a shorter visit duration as compared to those who interacted with a human sales associate. Originality/value: This study contributes to the emerging service and retail marketing literature on service robot applications applying a neuroscientific approach to the study of human–robot interactions across different moments of the service encounter. For managers, this study shows the conditions under which service robots can be successfully implemented in retail stores in accordance with the type of task performed and the degree of immersion generated in customers.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2021-0126 [Google]
Riedel, A., A. Beatson, R. Mulcahy and B. Keating (2023): A transformative and social marketing ecosystem investigation into drug use among young adults, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3357), pp.184-200
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the underresearched transformative service research (TSR) and social marketing segment of young adults who use drugs and identify motivators that have been studied in previous literature, using a service ecosystem lens and provide direction for future research into this area. This research provides the evidence-based knowledge for transformative service and social marketing practitioners to design transformative services that target these motivators. Design/methodology/approach: This systematic review, guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis framework, examines and analyses 207 articles published between 2015 and 2020. Findings: This study identified that young adults are motivated to take drugs to enhance one’s experience, to cope, for social reasons, because of individual characteristics and for other reasons. Research has largely focused on microsystem and mesosystem motivators with data collected mainly using a microsystem approach. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the TSR and social marketing literature by providing a holistic investigation into all motivators relevant to young adult drug use. An ecosystem classification and theoretical framework of the motivators is curated to help guide future TSR and social marketing research and interventions.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-12-2021-0462 [Google]
Schibik, A., D. Strutton and K. Thompson (2023): Investigating assortative mating processes inside Internet-dating-service settings, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3358), pp.431-445
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate assortative mating processes inside Internet-dating-service settings. Unattached consumers traditionally sought to satisfy their need for love through conventional search processes, including old-fashioned match-making. That was then, this is now; dozens of internet-mediated dating websites promising romantic-love-matches currently operate internationally. These dating services cultivate dating-exchanges by offering new-fashioned match-making processes. Despite these trends, theoretical and practical questions related to how and why dating services marketers might induce superior romantic exchanges between customers by managing assortative mating processes remain unanswered until now. Design/methodology/approach: A survey-based approach was used to test hypotheses. Pretests were conducted to develop reliable measures of assortative mating propensity. Seven subconstructs of assortative mating were identified by analyzing data from a representative sample. The measurement model was validated before hypotheses testing. The focal assortative mating construct was measured formatively; assortative mating subdimensions functioned as indicators. The model was tested by structural equation modeling. Findings: Assortative mating processes facilitated superior preference-selection outcomes for individuals seeking consumer-to-consumer romantic relationships inside internet-mediated service settings. Insights were generated about how and why assortative mating processes exercised positive effects on consumers’ attitudes toward online dating and about how dating services marketers might leverage assortative mating tendencies to benefit consumers. Originality/value: A novel concept was introduced to the services marketing literature, as were several theoretical implications. The study simultaneously measured consumers’ propensities to engage in assortative mating and captured the effects of various physical/behavioral consumer characteristics. This study develops new and practical insights about how dating service marketers could manage the effects of assortative mating processes.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-09-2021-0331 [Google]
Tarbit, J., N. Hartley and J. Previte (2023): Exoskeletons at your service: a multi-disciplinary structured literature review, Journal of Services Marketing, 37(3359), pp.313-339
Purpose: Exoskeletons are characterized as wearable, mechanical orthoses that augment the physical performance of the wearer, enhance productivity and employee well-being when used in value producing contexts. However, limited research involving exoskeleton usage by service employees in frontline contexts has been undertaken within service research. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of exoskeleton research undertaken within the context of value-producing roles, introduce exoskeletons conceptually to the service research domain, provide new conceptualizations of service exchange interactions involving physically augmented service actors and propose future avenues of exoskeleton research in alignment with key service theories. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-disciplinary structured literature review based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses method was undertaken across a variety of literature fields. A final selection of n = 25 papers was selected for analysis from an initial sample of N = 3,537. Given the emergent nature of exoskeleton research and the variety of methodology types used between literature fields, a thematic analysis approach was used for analysing identified papers. Findings: The literature review identified four main themes within role-focused exoskeleton research. These themes informed proposals for future exoskeleton research with respect to key service theories and typologies. The findings demonstrate that the presence of an exoskeleton changes the behaviours and interactions of service employees. The augmented social presence AugSP typology is conceptualized to explain the influences of human enhancement technologies (HETs) within service actor interactions. Originality/value: This research introduces the AugSP typology to conceptualize the impacts that exoskeletons and HETs impose within technologically mediated service interactions and provides a service-specific definition of exoskeleton technology to guide future service research involving the technology.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-02-2022-0045 [Google]
Ciuchita, R., J. K. Gummerus, M. Holmlund and E. L. Linhart (2023): Programmatic advertising in online retailing: consumer perceptions and future avenues, Journal of Service Management, 34(3360), pp.231-255
Purpose: Digital advertising enables retailers to rely on large volumes of data on consumers and even leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to target consumers online with personalised and context-aware advertisements. One recent example of such advertisements is programmatic advertising (PA), which is facilitated by automatic bidding systems. Given that retailers are expected to increase their use of PA in the future, further insights on the pros and cons of PA are required. This paper aims to enhance the understanding of the implications of PA use for retailers. Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical overview is conducted that compares PA to traditional advertising, with an empirical investigation into consumer attitudes towards PA (an online survey of 189 consumers using an experimental design) and a research agenda. Findings: Consumer attitudes towards PA are positively related to attitudes towards the retailer. Further, perceived ad relevance is positively related to attitudes towards PA, which is moderated by (1) consumer perceptions of risks related to sharing their data with retailers online and (2) consumer perceptions of AI’s positive potential. Surprisingly, the disclosed use of AI for PA does not significantly influence consumer attitudes towards PA. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the literature on technology-enabled services by empirically demonstrating that ad relevance drives consumer attitudes towards PA. This paper further examines two contingencies: risk beliefs related to data (i.e. the source of PA) and perceptions of AI (i.e. the somewhat nebulous technology associated with PA) as beneficial. A research agenda illuminates central topics to guide future research on PA in retailing.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-06-2021-0238 [Google]
Kandampully, J., A. Bilgihan and S. M. Amer (2023): Linking servicescape and experiencescape: creating a collective focus for the service industry, Journal of Service Management, 34(3361), pp.316-340
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review what one knows – and does not know about servicescape and experiencescape. The paper provides a comprehensive conceptualization, discussion of the servicescape and experiencescape and calls for the need for a collective focus of servicescape and experiencescape for the service industry. Design/methodology/approach: This conceptual paper analyzes multiple literature studies related to servicescape, experiencescape and other related concepts such as service quality and customer experience for building a comprehensive framework that draws knowledge from both servicescape and experiencescape in an effort to create a collective focus. Findings: Prior research on the components of servicescape and experiencescape raises more questions than answers. The findings of this study highlight the importance of technology as one of the key components of experiencescape to motivate customers to engage in the consumption environment. Furthermore, the proposed conceptual framework provides a detailed discussion and highlights the importance of using servicescape and experiencescape concepts together as a collective framework to bring about greater benefits to the service industry. The proposed framework suggests that these concepts are not only collective but also interrelated. Research limitations/implications: Technology is not a tool but an important partner for the firm to create the experience. It can bring together marketing, management and operations within the organization to collectively focus on the customer. Collectively designed servicescape and experiencescape will create lasting memories and emotional connections with customers. Practical implications: Service organizations can develop smart experiencescapes that positively influence customer value cocreation and heighten customer experience by utilizing technology. Managers are advised to understand consumers’ emphasis on technological personalization, aesthetics, functionality, interactivity and social presence while participating in cocreation. Technologies may improve the experience by incorporating real-time and less-restrained interactions between consumers and the service organization. Originality/value: This paper synthesizes insights from the extant literature related to servicescape, service quality, customer experience and experiencescape. Further, it helps to extend the current understanding of experiencescape and calls for the need to incorporate technology as one of the key experience components in the experiencescape concept. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance and the need to bring these two concepts together with a collective focus to enhance value for the customer. Thus, it is argued here that the collective focus of servicescape and experiencescape in the service industry will create new opportunities for further research and practical applications.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-08-2021-0301 [Google]
Le, K. B. Q., L. Sajtos and K. V. Fernandez (2023): Employee-(ro)bot collaboration in service: an interdependence perspective, Journal of Service Management, 34(3362), pp.176-207
Purpose: Collaboration between frontline employees (FLEs) and frontline robots (FLRs) is expected to play a vital role in service delivery in these increasingly disrupted times. Firms are facing the challenge of designing effective FLE-FLR collaborations to enhance customer experience. This paper develops a framework to explore the potential of FLE-FLR collaboration through the lens of interdependence in customer service experience and advances research that specifically focuses on employee-robot team development. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a conceptual approach rooted in the interdependence theory, team design, management, robotics and automation literature. Findings: This paper proposes and defines the Frontline employee – Frontline robot interdependence (FLERI) concept based on three structural components of an interdependent relationship – joint goal, joint workflow and joint decision-making authority. It also provides propositions that outline the potential impact of FLERI on customer experience and employee performance, and outline several boundary conditions that could enhance or inhibit those effects. Practical implications: Managerial insights into designing an employee-robot team in service delivery are provided. Originality/value: This study is the first to propose a novel conceptual framework (FLERI) that focuses on the notion of human-robot collaboration in service settings.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-06-2021-0232 [Google]
Maar, D., E. Besson and H. Kefi (2023): Fostering positive customer attitudes and usage intentions for scheduling services via chatbots, Journal of Service Management, 34(3363), pp.208-230
Purpose: This article draws on a reasoned action perspective and the two fundamental dimensions (i.e. warmth and competence) of the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) to analyze customers’ chatbot-related attitudes and usage intentions in service retailing. The authors investigate how chatbot, customer, and contextual characteristics, along with perceptions of chatbot warmth and competence, shape customers’ chatbot-related attitudes. Furthermore, the authors analyze whether the customer generation or the service context moderates the relationship between chatbot-related attitudes and usage intentions. Design/methodology/approach: The results are based on two studies (N = 807). Study 1 relies on a 2 (chatbot communication style: high vs low social orientation) _ 2 (customer generation: generation X [GenX] vs generation Z [GenZ]) _ 2 (service context: restaurant vs medical) between-subjects design. Study 2 relies on a similar number of respondents from GenX and GenZ who answered questions on scheduling a service with either the dentist or the favorite restaurant of the respondents. Findings: GenZ shows more positive attitudes toward chatbots than GenX, due to higher perceptions of warmth and competence. While GenZ has similar attitudes toward chatbots with a communication style that is high or low in social orientation, GenX perceives chatbots with a high social orientation as warmer and has more favorable attitudes toward chatbots. Furthermore, the positive effect of chatbot-related attitudes on usage intentions is stronger for GenX than GenZ. These effects do not significantly differ between the considered contexts. Originality/value: This research formulates future directions to stimulate debate on factors that service retailers should consider when employing chatbots.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-06-2021-0237 [Google]
Mickelsson, J., J. J. G. M. van Haren and J. G. A. M. Lemmink (2023): Wrinkles in a CSR story: mismatched agendas in fast fashion service brands’ CSR reputation, Journal of Service Management, 34(3364), pp.256-273
Purpose: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an increasingly important issue for service brands in fast fashion retailing, as consumers’ negative impressions about retailers’ CSR activities influence brand experience. Consumers’ impressions of CSR efforts arise based on agendas communicated through many channels from different sources. The paper unravels the ‘wrinkles’, i.e. possible mismatches in CSR communication around service brands by studying differences between the three main sources of fast fashion brand-related CSR agendas: Autonomous company communication, news media and social media postings by consumers. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use structural topic modeling (STM) to analyze a corpus of texts focusing on the CSR efforts of three major fast fashion service brands over three years. The texts included 89 items of company communication (CSR reports and press releases), 5,351 news media articles about the brands’ CSR efforts and 57,377 consumer generated tweets about the brands. Findings: The STM analysis extracted 26 different CRS-related topics from the texts. Results showed differences in how much the three sources emphasized topics. The brands’ own communication puts emphasis on environmental responsibility. News media tended to report on economic issues, treatment of employees and specific CSR-related events. Twitter showed more activity in discussing incident-based and emotionally charged topics. Research limitations/implications: The results feed into the ongoing discussion about how companies’ CSR communication relates to communication in the press and among consumers. The authors highlight themes in the individual topics that are emphasized by the three sources, and discuss how CSR themes emerge in the overall transformative agenda. Practical implications: The paper highlights how fast fashion service brands can identify and understand different CSR agendas arising around their brand. Insight into such agendas can be used to tailor the brands’ communication strategies. Originality/value: The paper contributes to the understanding of the factors behind fashion service brands’ CSR reputation, highlighting how the three main sources of CSR reputation (company reports, news and social media) emphasize different types of agendas.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-07-2021-0243 [Google]
Ponsignon, F. (2023): Making the customer experience journey more hedonic in a traditionally utilitarian service context: a case study, Journal of Service Management, 34(3365), pp.294-315
Purpose: This article aims to provide an understanding of how utilitarian services can make the customer experience more hedonic. Design/methodology/approach: The author performs an in-depth case study of a leading wealth management firm that is reinventing its business model to incorporate a hedonic perspective into experience design. Findings: The findings reveal how a traditionally utilitarian firm integrates hedonic elements into the customer experience. The findings describe and expose how four experience design characteristics are interactively linked to form a customer journey model, from eliciting emotional engagement to trigger rapid enrolment through to individualising the experience to drive purchase. Research limitations/implications: This research takes the perspective of the firm to explore the research question. No customer data are collected. Practical implications: The article provides evidence-based recommendations that can serve as a platform to develop an action plan for designing and deploying hedonic elements in the customer experience in utilitarian contexts. Originality/value: This study challenges the dichotomy between utilitarian and hedonic services. It derives an empirically grounded understanding of an intended experience that combines design characteristics associated with both the utilitarian and hedonic model at different stages of the customer journey. The emergent conceptual framework describes and links these design characteristics to enact the customer journey. Together, these empirical insights extend and enrich existing knowledge and provide actionable recommendations for managers.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-03-2021-0096 [Google]
Verhoef, P. C., C. S. Noordhoff and L. Sloot (2023): Reflections and predictions on effects of COVID-19 pandemic on retailing, Journal of Service Management, 34(3366), pp.274-293
Purpose: The Covid-19 pandemic has a strong effect on societies, business and consumers. Governments have taken measures to reduce the spread of the pandemic, such as social distancing and lockdowns. The latter has also resulted in a temporary closure of physical stores for “non-essential” retailing. Covid-19 thus has a profound impact on how people live. The period of relative isolation, social distancing and economic uncertainty changes the way we behave. New consumer behaviors span all areas of life, from how we work to how we shop to how we entertain ourselves. These shifts have important implications for retailers. This paper aims to discuss the potential structural effect on shopping behavior and retailing when Covid-19 measures are no longer needed and society moves back to a normal situation. Design/methodology/approach: The paper synthesizes empirical and conceptual literature on the consequences of COVID-19 and introduces a conceptual framework along with a set of predictions that can be investigated with empirical data. Findings: This study suggests that Covid-19 shapes both consumer needs and behavior and how retailers respond to these changes. Moreover, it suggests that this will not only affect market outcomes (i.e. retail sales and market share online) but also firm outcomes (i.e. customer experience, firm sales) and importantly the competition between online and offline retailers. Originality/value: In the conceptual framework, this study aims to advance knowledge on longer-term outcomes (vs immediate outcomes such as panic buying) and how COVID-19 is changing the competitive landscape of retail.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-09-2021-0343 [Google]
Meyer-Waarden, L. and W. Sabadie (2023): Relationship quality matters: How restaurant businesses can optimize complaint management, Tourism Management, 96(3367), pp.104709
This research investigates the effectiveness of complaint management according to company–client relationship quality (RQ). Interactional recovery efforts are critical for efficient complaint management in the hospitality management (restaurant) context; this study addresses the potential compensatory interaction effects of interactional recovery efforts (personal apology vs. impersonal apology via email) and two types of compensatory recovery efforts (voucher vs. refund), as well as their intensity (full vs. partial). A robust cut-off effect emerges, such that a minimum level of interactional effort influences the effectiveness of compensation efforts. Furthermore, RQ influences complaint management effectiveness: For loyal, high-RQ customers, interactional recovery effort (personal apologies) is more important, regardless of compensation intensity (full vs. partial) or type (voucher vs. refund). High- (low) RQ customers are more (less) likely to accept vouchers than refunds; vouchers symbolize their willingness to continue relationships. Thus, interactional effort allows firms to decrease the intensity of customer compensation required.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104709 [Google]
Lajante, M., D. Remisch and N. Dorofeev (2023): Can robots recover a service using interactional justice as employees do? A literature review-based assessment, Service Business, 17(3368), pp.315-357
Interactional justice (e.g., empathy) plays a crucial role in service recovery. It relies on human social skills that would prevent it from automation. However, several considerations challenge this view. Interactional justice is not always necessary to recover service, and progress in social robotics enables service robots to handle social interactions. This paper reviews service recovery and social robotics literature and addresses whether service robots can use interactional justice as frontline employees do during service recovery. Results show service robots can replicate interactional justice norms, although with some considerations. Accordingly, we propose a research agenda for future studies.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11628-023-00525-z [Google]
Badar, K., Y. M. Kundi, A. N. Siddiquei and A. Abualigah (2023): Linking environmentally-specific empowering leadership to hotel employees’ green creativity: understanding mechanisms and boundary conditions, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3369), pp.412-435
Purpose Drawing on conservation of resources and social exchange theories, the authors build and test a theoretical model examining the association of environmentally-specific empowering leadership (ESEL) with green creativity as well as the mediating and moderating roles of green knowledge sharing behavior and green psychological climate, respectively, in this association. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected in three different waves from 265 employees working in three-, four- and five-star hotels located in major cities in Pakistan. EFA, CFA and PROCESS macro were utilized to validate the study’s research model and to examine the hypotheses. Findings The results indicated that ESEL is positively associated with green creativity, and green knowledge sharing behavior is an effective underlying mechanism between the ESEL–green creativity association. Furthermore, this study’s findings suggested that green psychological climate moderates the direct and indirect associations such that the associations were stronger when green psychological climate was more positive rather than less positive. Practical implications The study provides important lessons to managers and policymakers about the benefits of ESEL to achieving green employee creativity within the hospitality sector and helps to contextualize the importance and relevance of addressing global challenges in light of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Originality/value The study is the first to explore the green adaptation of empowering leadership, its effects, mechanisms and boundary conditions.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-07-2022-0158 [Google]
Cardinali, S., A. Pagano, E. Carloni, M. Giovannetti and L. Governatori (2023): Digitalization processes in small professional service firms: drivers, barriers and emerging organisational tensions, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3370), pp.237-256
Purpose This study aimed to provide an exploratory analysis of digitalization processes in small professional service firms (SPSFs) by examining their main drivers and barriers and their impact on customer management practices, considering the intra-organizational, inter-organizational and service offering dimensions. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative, exploratory and inductive research methodology based on in-depth interviews with 19 owners or consultants of small tax/accounting firms, focusing on the role of digitalization in their internal and external processes. Findings The findings reveal external and internal barriers to and drivers of digitalization, as well as its effects on customer management practices. They also reveal the emergence of tensions related to the intra-organizational, inter-organizational and service offering dimensions. Originality/value This work contributes to the research on the role of digital technologies in the professional service sector, with a focus on SPSFs, which has thus far received limited attention. This research highlights the complexity of combining increasingly standardized processes and services with the need to maintain flexibility and informality in internal and external interactions.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-06-2022-0132 [Google]
Cohen, A. H., J. E. Fresneda and R. E. Anderson (2023): How inaccessible retail websites affect blind and low vision consumers: their perceptions and responses, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3371), pp.329-351
Purpose This research seeks to fill a gap in the service and retailing marketplace experience literature as well as retailing practice by extending Attribution and Expectancy Disconfirmation Theories to the large and growing market of consumers with vision disabilities. It reveals how accessibility-related service failures with a retailer’s website can lead to anti-firm reactions from blind and low vision consumers, including social media sharing, negative word-of-mouth (NWOM) and avoidance of the retailer’s other sales channels even if they are accessible. Design/methodology/approach Blind respondents were recruited from national blindness organizations to participate in this study using a within-subjects design to test reactions to accessibility-related propositions in two different scenarios involving varying degrees of effort. Findings In both high- and low-effort conditions, an accessibility-related service failure leads to the anti-firm consequences of NWOM, social media sharing and avoidance of the retailer’s sales channels. Additionally, blind and low vision consumers who also feel inaccessible websites are discriminatory develop stronger anti-firm attitudes toward the offending retailers. Further, we aver that the retailer’s entire website including all its features, not just the homepage, should be made accessible to the growing market of vision-impaired consumers and thereby obtain substantial competitive advantages. Originality/value This research pertains to the service failure and recovery nomological network. It extends the existing paradigm to include accessibility-related service failures experienced by consumers with disabilities into the specialized category of discrimination-based service failures in instances where service recovery is not easily achieved. Empirical investigations of these experiences have been rare, despite the frequency with which they occur.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-08-2021-0167 [Google]
Ferreira, C., J. Robertson, R. Chohan, L. Pitt and T. Foster (2023): The writing is on the wall: predicting customers’ evaluation of customer-firm interactions using computerized text analysis, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3372), pp.309-327
Purpose This methodological paper demonstrates how service firms can use digital technologies to quantify and predict customer evaluations of their interactions with the firm using unstructured, qualitative data. To harness the power of unstructured data and enhance the customer-firm relationship, the use of computerized text analysis is proposed. Design/methodology/approach Three empirical studies were conducted to exemplify the use of the computerized text analysis tool. A secondary data analysis of online customer reviews (n = 2,878) in a service industry was used. LIWC was used to conduct the text analysis, and thereafter SPSS was used to examine the predictive capability of the model for the evaluation of customer-firm interactions. Findings A lexical analysis of online customer reviews was able to predict evaluations of customer-firm interactions across the three empirical studies. The authenticity and emotional tone present in the reviews served as the best predictors of customer evaluations of their service interactions with the firm. Practical implications Computerized text analysis is an inexpensive digital tool which, to date, has been sparsely used to analyze customer-firm interactions based on customers’ online reviews. From a methodological perspective, the use of this tool to gain insights from unstructured data provides the ability to gain an understanding of customers’ real-time evaluations of their service interactions with a firm without collecting primary data. Originality/value This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge regarding the use of computerized lexical analysis to assess unstructured, online customer reviews to predict customers’ evaluations of a service interaction. The results offer service firms an inexpensive and user-friendly methodology to assess real-time, readily available reviews, complementing traditional customer research. A tool has been used to transform unstructured data into a numerical format, quantifying customer evaluations of service interactions.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-04-2022-0100 [Google]
Kalra, A., O. S. Itani and S. Sun (2023): “Turning role conflict into performance”: assessing the moderating role of self-monitoring, manager trust and manager identification, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3373), pp.436-461
Purpose This study examines the contextual variables that can curb the negative effects of role conflict on job satisfaction and enhance the positive effect of job satisfaction on creativity and service performance. More specifically, adopting the job demands-resources theory, the authors explore the interactive effect of frontline employee (FLE) self-monitoring and FLE-manager trust on the relationship between role conflict and job satisfaction. Extending this line of inquiry, the authors adopt social identity theory and analyze the moderating effect of FLE-manager identification on the relationship between job satisfaction and creativity and between job satisfaction and service performance. Design/methodology/approach Dyadic data utilizing 122 responses from FLEs and their managers were obtained from FLEs working with a major financial services firm in India. Structural equation modeling and PLS were used to assess the hypothesized relationships. Findings The negative relationship between role conflict and job satisfaction is reduced at higher levels of FLE self-monitoring and FLE-manager trust. Furthermore, FLE manager identification accentuates the effect of job satisfaction on creativity and service performance. Practical implications Organizations should invest in developing FLEs’ personal and job-related resources to reduce the deleterious effects of role conflicts on FLEs’ job outcomes. Specifically, managers should hire FLEs who are high in self-monitoring while enhancing FLE-manager trust and FLE-manager identification. Originality/value Role conflict is inevitable in a service job and can have serious negative downstream consequences. Hence, the study explores the important contextual factors that can help an organization develop policies to reduce the negative effects of role conflict.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-08-2022-0163 [Google]
Kondapaka, P., S. Khanra, A. Malik, M. Kagzi and K. Hemachandran (2023): Finding a fit between CXO’s experience and AI usage in CXO decision-making: evidence from knowledge-intensive professional service firms, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3374), pp.280-308
Purpose Artificial intelligence (AI) applications’ usage in Chief Officers’ (CXOs’) decision-making is a topic of current research interest. A fundamental dilemma is carefully planning an effective combination of a CXO’s professional experiences and AI applications’ decision-making responsibility. However, the existing literature fails to specify the value of co-creation of AI applications and the human experience in managerial decision-making. To address this gap in the literature, the authors’ examine how an ideal cognitive-technology fit can be created between human experiences and AI-based solutions at CXO-level decision-making using the theoretical lens of the Service-Dominant Logic. Design/methodology/approach The authors’ employed a grounded theory approach and conducted a focus group discussion with seven participants to shed light on the factors that may balance AI applications’ usage and CXOs’ experience in making business decisions. This was followed by 21 in-depth interviews with employees from knowledge-intensive professional service firms to validate the findings further of a new phenomenon. Further, given the newness of the phenomenon, this approach allowed researchers a retrospective and real-time understanding of interviewees’ experiences of the phenomenon under consideration. Findings The advantages and constraints of both CXOs’ experiences and AI applications deserve due consideration for successfully implementing technology in knowledge-intensive professional service organizations. Research limitations/implications This study may appeal to researchers and practitioners interested in the future of decision-making, as the authors’ study findings advocate for balancing CXO’s expertise and the use of AI in decision-making. Originality/value Based on the preliminary findings, the authors developed a theoretical framework to understand the factors that govern AI implementation in an organization and how a competitive strategy may emerge from value co-created by AI applications and CXOs’ experience, particularly in knowledge-intensive professional service firms.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-06-2022-0134 [Google]
Lin, L., Z. Guo and C. Zhou (2023): Failure to maintain customers: antecedents and consequences of service downgrades, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3375), pp.387-411
Purpose Despite service downgrades’ undisputed practical relevance, service downgrades (e.g. customers shifting the price tier downward) have received surprisingly little attention from scholars. Previous studies have focussed on either the public policy issue of tiered pricing or optimal pricing by the service provider. Only a few studies have examined why customers shift across different price tiers and how such activities indicate their future behaviour. Design/methodology/approach Based on customer data collected from a major telecommunications company, the authors use a logistic regression model to investigate how two service modification levers (i.e. transaction- and relationship-level factors) influence the likelihood of service downgrade. The authors apply a survival model to study how service downgrades affect customer churn. Findings Transaction-level factors such as service usage (e.g. the frequency and recency of underuse experiences) are positively associated with the likelihood of a downgrade. However, relationship-level factors (e.g. relationship duration and customer status) are negatively associated with the likelihood of downgrades. Customers engaging in downgrades are more likely to churn in the future. Originality/value The authors focus on downgrade behaviour, which can be perceived as customers’ choice to move down the price tier, which likely ruins the service provider’s performance. The authors conceptualise two fundamental driving forces behind a service downgrade: the misfits between the actual usage and the service plan chosen and the deteriorating relationships. The authors’ empirical findings on the factors influencing downgrades provide insights for service providers seeking to prevent such behaviour.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-03-2022-0057 [Google]
Liu, Y., H. F. L. Chung, Z. Zhang and M. Wu (2023): When and how digital platforms empower professional services firms: an agility perspective, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3376), pp.149-168
Purpose Drawing on a strategic agility perspective, the authors develop a theoretical framework and empirically examine how digital platform adoption and capability impact business performance via digital-enabled strategic agility in the context of professional service firms. Design/methodology/approach The authors propose and examine a conceptual framework based on survey data from 127 professional service firms in New Zealand. Findings This study reveals the impact of digital platform capability on the business performance of professional service firms that employ digital platform technologies. The results suggest that organizational innovation and managers’ creative efficacy will be used as distal antecedents and contribute to digital platform capabilities. In addition, digital strategic agility can mediate the link between digital platform capabilities and business performance. Originality/value This study is one of the first to investigate when and how digital platforms empower professional service firms. This study reveals the role of digital strategic agility and digital platform capabilities in knowledge-intensive enterprises. This research advances the development of knowledge-based economy in the information age by applying and extending strategic agility to the uncertain and volatile business environment. The authors’ new conceptualization provides a deeper understanding of how and why professional services business and organizations can adapt to the post-COVID era smoothly and successfully.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-04-2022-0092 [Google]
Marino-Romero, J. A., P. R. Palos-Sanchez and F. Velicia-Martin (2023): Improving KIBS performance using digital transformation: study based on the theory of resources and capabilities, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3377), pp.169-197
Purpose The aim of this research is to analyze the success of digital transformation (DT) in the management and performance of organizations. To do so, the role of IT and its ability to integrate in organizations that provide professional services with high added value for their clients are investigated. These services require highly developed skills as they solve complex problems for the clients and this means that success depends on gathering knowledge from different sources (customers, public administrations and competitors). This study analyses the decisive and complementary role of IT in this process. Design/methodology/approach The analysis combines quantitative and qualitative methods. After questioning managers of Spanish KIBS companies about certain components of DT, the gathered data are subsequently processed with PLS-SEM to establish causal relationships. Findings The results show that digital capability is the determinant of DT. It has a positive effect on the digital resources integrated in KIBS companies and on their organizational performances. Research limitations/implications Future research should continue to analyze other components of TD that drive the organizational performance of KIBS firms, such as technological culture or government policies that encourage digital transactions. The present study analyzes data from companies that are part of a single economic sector in Spain which may limit the conclusions drawn. It would be particularly useful to confirm the applicability of the results in companies operating in different markets to explore the direct relationship between digital capability and organizational performance. Practical implications This research has implications for managers of KIBS companies, as it shows the high potential of the ability of IT to implement and manage a TD process. Managers can benefit from IT management practices using the appropriate tools (ERP, CRM and management software) to gain more knowledge of customer behavior with the possibility of easily codifying and analyzing the data, which significantly influences innovation activities. The objective is to develop a strong internal capability to absorb knowledge from day-to-day interactions with customers by using IT effectively. This process leads to an improvement in the organizational performance of KIBS companies, as they become more effective in decision making with improved internal communication, generate greater employee satisfaction and reach new customers. Following strategies aimed at the implementation and use of the technological resources studied creates more agile firms and helps to close the production gap between SMEs and large companies. Social implications The results obtained can help create sustainable businesses through cloud-based technology tools. It can provide insights for policy makers to implement economic policies that help SMEs to become more competitive and sustainable. Originality/value The development of digital technologies and the ability to manage them is one of the decisive factors that conceptualizes DT and improves organizational performance. This research contributes to the understanding of the need for managers of KIBS companies to follow strategies oriented towards the digitization of their organizations and for the collaborators to have a high level of IT training, especially in the use of cloud technology.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-04-2022-0095 [Google]
Nguyen, M. (2023): I see myself in my leader: transformational leadership and its impact on employees’ technology-mediated knowledge sharing in professional service firms, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3378), pp.257-279
Purpose Knowledge is the main product of professional service firms; therefore, knowledge is the key to success. Due to the nature of this organizational type, management in professional service firms has faced many challenges in encouraging employees to share knowledge. The diffusion of technologies has facilitated technology-mediated knowledge sharing (TMKS), which helps the transfer of knowledge become easier without time and space limits. This study aims to unfold the impact of transformational leadership as an antecedent of TMKS under the interplay with perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness in using technology. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was distributed to employees in professional service firms through the snowball sampling method. Three hundred forty employees, who had experience with technology-mediated knowledge sharing, participated in the survey. Findings The findings showed that transformational leadership had a significant impact on TMKS, which was moderated by perceived usefulness and gender. TMKS influenced organizational innovation, and the mediating effect of TMKS was identified. Originality/value This study provides solutions for management in professional service firms to motivate their employees to share knowledge via technology, which drives organizational innovation. More caution about gender differences and the low levels of perceived usefulness from employees need to be considered when adopting transformational leadership.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-04-2022-0093 [Google]
Panda, A., S. S. Pasumarti and S. Hiremath (2023): Flourishing digital technology in professional services firms: multidisciplinary perspectives in India, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3379), pp.198-216
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the role of digitalization on the key characteristics of professional service firms (PSFs) that are part of the service sector and inherently oriented with intense knowledge, capital and professionalized workforces.xD; xA. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative, exploratory and inductive research methodology based on in-depth interviews with 49 entrepreneurs/professionals of PSFs focusing on the role of digitalization including capital intensity, knowledge intensity and professionalized workforce. Findings The result reflected that digitalization facilitates at lower levels of knowledge intensity, whereas it increases the capital intensity for most of the firms and decreases the professionalization of the workforce among PSFs. Originality/value The study provides empirical validations where digitalization has changed the distinctive characteristics of PSFs, which promotes new practices, allows for variation and transforms their competitive contexts. In light of these findings, the authors illuminated the application of digitalization on the Indian law firms, retail, education, healthcare and manufacturing industry.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-06-2022-0131 [Google]
Silva, J. H. O., G. H. S. Mendes, J. G. Teixeira and D. Braatz (2023): Gamification in the customer journey: a conceptual model and future research opportunities, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3380), pp.352-386
Purpose While academics and practitioners increasingly recognize the impacts of gamification on customer experience (CX), its role in the customer journey remains undeveloped. This article aims to identify how gamification can leverage each customer journey stage, integrate the findings into a conceptual model and propose future research opportunities. Design/methodology/approach Since CX and customer journey are interrelated concepts, the authors rely on CX research to identify research themes that provide insights to propose the conceptual model. A systematic review of 154 articles on the interplay between gamification and CX research published from 2013 to 2022 was performed and analyzed by thematic content analysis. The authors interpreted the results according to the service customer journey stages and the taxonomy of digital engagement practices. Findings This article identified five main thematic categories that shape the conceptual model (design, customer journey stages, customer, technology and context). Gamification design can support customer value creation at any customer journey stage. While gamification can leverage brand engagement at the pre-service stage by enhancing customer motivation and information search, it can leverage service and brand engagement at the core and post-service stages by enhancing customer participation and brand relationships. Moreover, customer-, technology- and context-related factors influence the gamified service experience in the customer journey. Originality/value This article contributes to a conceptual integration between gamification and customer journey. Additionally, it provides opportunities for future research from a customer journey perspective.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-07-2022-0142 [Google]
Ameen, N., G. Viglia and L. Altinay (2023): Revolutionizing services with cutting-edge technologies post major exogenous shocks, Service Industries Journal, 43(3381), pp.125-133
In this editorial, we provide a background on how services have been revolutionized with cutting-edge technologies due to the occurrence of major exogenous shocks. In addition, we provide an overview of the papers published in this special issue. Finally, we suggest new areas for future research on revolutionizing services with cutting-edge technologies post major exogenous shocks. We focus on four main themes for future research namely: (1) new technologies and revolutionized services (2) fit-for-purpose technology-enabled services (3) service resilience and flexibility and (4) academic-industry collaboration. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2185934 [Google]
Hao, S. and L. Huang (2023): How the time-scarcity feature of live-streaming e-commerce affects impulsive buying____________________, Service Industries Journal, (3382), pp.1-21
Live-streaming e-commerce(LSE) features limited-time resources and usually only lasts for a few hours. Drawing on psychological reactance theory, this study investigates the effects of time scarcity on consumers’ impulsive buying behavior by identifying perceived urgency as the underlying mechanism and examining the moderating role of product types. We conducted two scenario-based experiments to test the research framework. The results demonstrate that time scarcity increases impulsive buying and perceived urgency. Furthermore, the effect of time scarcity on perceived urgency depends on product types, but the effect of time scarcity on impulsive buying is independent of product types. In addition, perceived urgency mediates the effect of time scarcity on impulsive buying of utilitarian products. Our findings provide anchors with evidence on how to leverage the time scarcity feature of LSE to stimulate impulsive buying. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2185231 [Google]
Prakash, A. V., A. Joshi, S. Nim and S. Das (2023): Determinants and consequences of trust in AI-based customer service chatbots, Service Industries Journal, (3383), pp.1-34
According to industry reports, artificial intelligence-based chatbots could transform online customer service. Though businesses are increasingly implementing chatbots to automate customer service, the lack of consumer trust and acceptance continues to cause worry. Although trust is critical to acceptance, research on the drivers and consequences of trust in AI-based chatbots is limited. Hence a study was conducted to identify the antecedents of consumers’ trust in text-based customer service chatbots and examine the influence of trust on behavioral intentions. The data collected from 221 users was analyzed using the structural equations modeling method. Results reveal that conversational cues influence the perceived functional and social attributes of the chatbot, and these, along with personal disposition to trust technology, further influence trust formation. Finally, trust determines behavioral intentions. Incidentally, privacy risk turned out to be a non-significant predictor of trust. The study provides measures to improve trust and suggests directions for future research. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2166493 [Google]
Ali, A. and A. N. Khan (2023): Task stressors, team reflexivity, and proactive customer service performance, Service Industries Journal, (3384), pp.1-29
This study integrates the transactional theory of stress with social media literature to produce novel theoretical insights into whether and how social media affordance affects the relationship between task stressors, team reflexivity, and team proactive customer service performance of teams working in the hotel industry. Empirical analysis on the data collected from 389 members of 85 service-related teams in China supports the hypothesized model of this study. Findings reveal that team task conflict and team task ambiguity are negatively related to proactive customer service performance and that these relationships are mediated by team reflexivity. Furthermore, social media affordance mitigates the direct and indirect negative effects of team task conflict and team task ambiguity on proactive customer service performance via team reflexivity. Theoretical contributions, practical implications, and limitations of this study are discussed in the later section. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2197221 [Google]
Horodnic, I. A., C. C. Williams, A. Apetrei, M. Ma_cu and A. V. Horodnic (2023): Services purchase from the informal economy using digital platforms, Service Industries Journal, (3385), pp.1-21
This paper evaluates the extent to which digital platforms are used to purchase services from the informal economy and how this can be tackled. Reporting data from a 2021 survey involving 1209 consumers in Romania, 33% had purchased services from the informal economy and 36% of these purchases had been bought via digital platforms. To explain and tackle this, a logistic regression analysis reveals that informal purchases decrease significantly when both the level of horizontal trust as well as the level of sanctions and risk of detection increase. These results support the use of the holistic approach for tackling informal economy, advocated by the European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work of the European Commission, to achieve progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Indicator 8.3.1 (Proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment, by sex). (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2189242 [Google]
Tlili, A., R. Huang and Kinshuk (2023): Metaverse for climbing the ladder toward ‘Industry 5.0’ and ‘Society 5.0’?, Service Industries Journal, 43(3386), pp.260-287
Metaverse implementations have started to emerge in various industries with the promise of providing better industrial services and a more sustainable society (Society 5.0). At the same time, various studies have revealed several challenges to the use of metaverse. Motivated by the fragmented literature on the implementation of metaverse in industries, this study presents a systematic literature review of research on this topic. Both content and bibliometric analyses are applied to reveal research trends, impacts and challenges of research on metaverse in the industry. The findings have revealed that metaverse adoption in industries is still in its infancy, with most research adopted in education and health industries. Additionally, there is unequal geographical distribution of research on metaverse in industries, calling for more international collaboration in this regard to facilitate metaverse adoption worldwide. The findings have also revealed several concerns that researchers and practitioners should keep in mind while implementing metaverse in industries. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2178644 [Google]
Belanche, D., L. V. Casaló, M. Flavián and S. M. C. Loureiro (2023): Benefit versus risk: a behavioral model for using robo-advisors, Service Industries Journal, (3387), pp.1-28
This research aims to propose and analyze a novel behavioral model for using robo-advisors grounded on stimulus–organism–response and decision theory. Data (n_=_596) were collected from a panel of US participants. The findings contribute to the financial services arena by demonstrating the relevance of customers’ perceptions of robo-advisors’ benefits and risks, particularly fear of losing money and wasting time. Greater or lesser ease in learning to use the robo-advisor and the perception of safety are the stimuli for customers to cognitively assess the balance between the risks and benefits of using the robo-advisor. Younger customers are more likely than older customers to recommend the robo-advisor to others, and male users tend to have more confidence than female users in their use of the service. Thus, robo-advisors need to learn how to adapt to different customer profiles to customize the service and to increase the perception of security and ease of use. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2176485 [Google]
Tansakul, N., S. Suanmali and K. Shirahada (2023): Conceptualizing a transformative supply chain for ecosystem well-being, Service Industries Journal, 43(3388), pp.378-399
The purpose of this study is to integrate the transformative service research (TSR) concept into a supply chain management (SCM) concept called a transformative supply chain (TSC) to transform the focus point of SCM from profitability to sustainability and ensure the well-being of an ecosystem. The study focuses on the components and interactions of each entity of a supply chain and explores how to transform conventional supply chains into TSCs by using a transformative service platform. An in-depth interview was conducted with a high-level manager at the Royal Project Foundation in Thailand to validate the TSC concept with reference to a real business situation. The results demonstrate that TSC requires collaboration and resource integration among the various stakeholders of an ecosystem. The TSC framework can serve as a guideline for both academic research and practical applications for constructing a supply chain that prioritizes the well-being of humans and nature over profit. The process, key considerations, and principles of TSC form the key contribution of this study. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2018.1515204 [Google]
Chang, C.-M. (2023): Determinants of customer loyalty in online group-buying: the self-regulation mechanism, Service Industries Journal, 43(3389), pp.400-421
Based on self-regulation mechanism, this study integrates the perspectives of expectation–confirmation model, fairness, service quality, and commitment to develop a theoretical model to examine the antecedents of customer loyalty in online group-buying. Data collected from 191 customers of Groupon were used to test the proposed model. The results show that affective commitment and satisfaction are the key predictors of customer loyalty, while calculative commitment exerts a significant effect on affective commitment. The results also reveal that satisfaction have a positive effect on calculative commitment and affective commitment, whereas confirmation of procedural fairness and confirmation of price fairness affect satisfaction significantly. On the other hand, the results show that environment quality and outcome quality influence confirmation of procedural fairness significantly. Finally, outcome quality exerts a positive effect on confirmation of price fairness. The implications for theory and practice and suggestions for future research are also discussed. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2018.1537369 [Google]
Gürlek, M. and M. A. Koseoglu (2023): Mapping knowledge management research in hospitality: a bibliometric analysis, Service Industries Journal, (3390), pp.1-51
The purpose of this study is to map knowledge management (KM) research in the field of hospitality and to develop an agenda for future research. This research has adopted a two-stage methodological approach that includes bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review. First, a bibliometric analysis was performed, which included citation and co-citation analyses, and then a systematic literature review was conducted. The findings revealed that KM research has not made sufficient progress and that there are still many research gaps. Finally, potential research questions have been developed for future research. Considering that the use of KM in the context of hospitality has become increasingly important in recent years, this paper is expected to contribute to the literature and practitioners. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2169279 [Google]
Horodnic, I. A., C. C. Williams, A. Manolic_, C. T. Roman and G. Boldureanu (2023): Employer perspectives on undeclared work in the service sector: impacts and policy responses, Service Industries Journal, 43(3391), pp.358-377
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the impact on service sector businesses of competitors’ undeclared work practices and the policy measures service enterprises perceive as most effective in tackling such noncompliant behaviour. The results of a survey with 1,130 service sector businesses reveals that illegal competition is the most common major obstacle for their activity and more than a half are severely affected by competitors undertaking undeclared work. However, the proportion of businesses perceiving competitors undertaking undeclared work as a major obstacle varies across different service industries, as do the policy measures that businesses view as required to tackle undeclared work. The paper concludes by discussing the policy implications and calling for a shift from the dominant deterrence approach aimed at eradicating undeclared work to measures aimed at supporting the transition to declared work. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2020.1731476 [Google]
Eshaghi, M. S., M. Afshardoost and J. L.-H. Bowden (2023): Consumer well-being (CWB): conceptualisation, contextualisation and a research agenda, Service Industries Journal, (3392), pp.1-24
Consumer well-being (CWB) is an important multifaceted concept which contributes directly to consumers’ need satisfaction at the material, emotional, social, and physical levels. Despite interest in the concept, contemporary research on CWB is limited in agreement over its definition, measurement and characterisation leaving The term ambiguous, abstract, and with no universally agreed upon conceptualisation. We seek to provide a concise review of current research on the concept of CWB. Our review comprises 265 peer-review articles drawn from scholarly databases, which have been analysed according to a range of theoretical and methodological foci. An in-depth systematic literature review approach was followed. With regard to CWB foci, the review illustrates that CWB research has focused on individual consumer entities with a self-beneficiary foci. Secondly, the review identifies four CWB themes, namely wellbeing, well doing, well having and well becoming. Although, scholars refer to all of these as CWB, they vary in their theoretical conceptualisation, operationalisation and reference to temporal states. Thirdly, the review identifies two mega themes within CWB research namely definition centrality and problem centrality. A framework for CWB is subsequently proposed according to context-based versus object-based modelling. The review concludes by presenting a researcher guideline for CWB and an agenda for future research. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2197644 [Google]
Satar, M. S., R. A. Rather, S. H. Parrey, H. Khan and T. Rasul (2023): Eliciting consumer-engagement and experience to foster consumer-based-brand-equity: moderation of perceived-health-beliefs, Service Industries Journal, (3393), pp.1-26
Although
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2191953 [Google]
Forgas-Coll, S., R. Huertas-Garcia, A. Andriella and G. Aleny (2023): Social robot-delivered customer-facing services: an assessment of the experience, Service Industries Journal, 43(3394), pp.154-184
The ability to install social intelligence protocols in robots in order for them to exhibit conversational skills has made them ideal tools for delivering services with a high cognitive and low emotional load. Little is known about how this capability influences the customer experience and the intention to continue receiving these services. Experiences were assessed in a study simulating customer-facing service delivery, and the constructs of the technology readiness index and stated gender were analysed as possible moderators in a quasi-experiment. Hedonic quality was the most relevant factor explaining attitude, and attitude explained intention to use as well as social influence. As for the constructs of technological readiness and gender, optimism and innovativeness seem to be the most likely candidates for moderating the other variables. The most optimistic and the most innovative route would be for the main actors to continue adapting to social robot technology in the future. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2163995 [Google]
Saxena, S. and A. Prashar (2023): How satisfactory are empathetic care and robotic assistance in telemedicine services?, Service Industries Journal, (3395), pp.1-27
Telemedicine healthcare and assistive robotic technologies are gaining popularity as support systems for traditional healthcare practices. However, there are concerns regarding the use of these digital services due to their lack of empathy and intimacy. This paper investigates the impact of physicians’ empathetic care and telepresence robot assistance on patients’ intimate experience and satisfaction. We employ a multi-method design to achieve our research objective. The first study utilizes a 2 (digital empathetic care: high vs. low)___2 (telepresence robot assistance: present vs. absent)___2 (severity of illness: high vs. low) between-subject experimental design involving 287 participants who have used robotic assistance and telemedicine services. The findings from this study confirm that the telepresence robotic assistance and empathetic care by physicians positively impact intimate experience and patient satisfaction significantly more for patients with low severity of illness, thus confirming the significant moderated-moderated mediation effect. The second study employs field data (n_=_4629 reviews) to further validate the telepresence robots’ usability in establishing intimate patient experiences in digital settings. The study recommends to healthcare practitioners that empathetic care and robotic assistance are essential factors for building intimate experience and patient satisfaction in telehealthcare services. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2199990 [Google]
Zulfiqar, S., T. Garavan, C. Huo, M. W. Akhtar and B. Sarwar (2023): Leaders’ knowledge hiding and front-line employee service sabotage, Service Industries Journal, (3396), pp.1-19
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2023.2180499 [Google]
Ke, H. and Y. Mo (2022): Station-Based or Free-Floating? An Integrated Carsharing System with Dual Service Types, Service Science, 15(3397), pp.58-76
A specific service type is applied by most one-way carsharing operators, either station-based or free-floating, which depends on whether users are required to pick up and return vehicles in fixed parking lots. However, both of them have inherent limitations. The station-based carsharing system encounters the weakness of low parking-space utilization, whereas the free-floating system needs to face high parking and relocation costs. To overcome the limitations of single-type carsharing systems, this paper proposes an integrated system to apply the two types in different parts of the service area. A mixed-integer linear-programming model is established to maximize the operator profit, considering both strategic decisions of service type and operational decisions of relocation and trip selection. Despite the fact that the model can be solved by the CPLEX solver, it is limited by excessive memory usage and too long solving time in large-scale cases. To enhance the solving feasibility of the proposed model, a heuristic algorithm is proposed to effectively iterate feasible strategic options and solve the operational subproblem. The numerical results of the case study show that the proposed algorithm can achieve comparable objectives with the CPLEX solver in a much shorter computational time. Through system comparison, the integrated system achieves a larger profit and higher demand-fulfillment rate, compared with the single station-based or free-floating system.History: This paper has been accepted for the Service Science Special Issue on Innovation in Transportation-Enabled Urban Services.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0312 [Google]
Schwamberger, J., M. Fleischmann and A. Strauss (2022): Feeding the Nation—Dynamic Customer Contacting for E-Fulfillment in Times of Crisis, Service Science, 15(3398), pp.22-40
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led demand for online grocery orders for both click second, we select the most promising subareas; and third, we determine which customers to contact within the chosen subareas. To gain managerial insights and to show the practical benefits of our approaches, we apply both approaches to realistic data from the London area. Our results show that proactive customer contacting allows for a tailored allocation of scarce capacity in e-groceries. We conclude with a discussion on how these contacting techniques can be valuable in postcrisis times.History: This paper has been accepted for the Service Science Special Issue on Innovation in Transportation-Enabled Urban Services.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0304 [Google]
van der Gaast, J. P. and A. M. Arslan (2022): Personal Shopper Systems in Last-Mile Logistics, Service Science, 15(3399), pp.41-57
This paper explores the logistics operations of instant grocery delivery services. Therefore, we introduce the instant delivery problem (IDP) to replicate and examine two widely adopted strategies in the rapid delivery market: the personal shopper system (PSS) and the inventory owned delivery (IOD) system. In the PSS, couriers visit affiliated brick-and-mortar stores in the delivery area to pick up and purchase ordered products and then deliver them to customers. In the IOD system, couriers collect products from a single distribution center, or so-called dark store, in which the platform manages the inventory. Even though a PSS strategy is asset light because of the utilization of existing retailers in the area, maintaining a good level of on-time instant deliveries with the PSS is more complex than with IOD. This is because the PSS requires deciding which store to purchase ordered goods from, and picking and shopping at stores needs to be considered in the real-time decision process. We propose a tailored rolling horizon framework that utilizes column generation to browse updated delivery plans for arriving customer orders. Computational studies both in real life?inspired settings and in case studies on selected urban areas show that the PSS is a highly competitive strategy compared with IOD, particularly when dealing with small-sized customer orders. We observe that the performance of the PSS is robust when varying the delivery service time frame. The case studies also suggest that the PSS becomes even more competitive in areas where the retail store density is high.History: This paper has been accepted for the Service Science Special Issue on Innovation in Transportation-Enabled Urban Services.Funding: This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 72150410444] to J.P. van der Gaast.Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0310.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0310 [Google]
Yan, P., X. Cai, F. Chu, D. Ni and H. He (2022): An Incentive Mechanism for Private Parking-Sharing Programs in an Imperfect Information Setting, Service Science, 15(3400), pp.3-21
This paper proposes a matching-and-pricing mechanism for a drivers? demand-reporting problem in parking-sharing programs in which owners share their private parking slots with drivers. We generate a driver-slot matching solution by a centralized assignment procedure according to the demand and supply information reported by drivers and owners, respectively, and determine truth-telling pricing by the Vickrey-Clark-Grove mechanism. We show that under the assumption that drivers do not know with certainty whether other drivers will show up to compete for the parking slots, the mechanism proposed in this paper induces drivers to truthfully report their private information of the travel plans and guarantees three other desirable properties: participation of drivers and slot owners, optimal system efficiency, and balance of the system?s budget. We further extend these results to two dynamic situations. Finally, the results of the numerical experiments based on real-world data demonstrate the performance of the mechanism.History: This paper has been accepted for the Service Science Special Issue on Innovation in Transportation-Enabled Urban Services.Funding: This work was partially funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 71972026, 72192805, and 71971044], the Major Program of National Social Science Foundation of China [Grant 20&ZD084], and the Leading Talent Program of Guangdong Province [Grant 2016LJ06D703].Supplemental Material: The online supplement is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0303.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0303 [Google]
Lee, M., M. Russen, M. Dawson and J. M. Madera (2023): Enhancing Performance and Perceived Justice in Hospitality Organizations: An Integrated Model of Gender Diversity Within Top Management Teams, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (3401), pp.1
Prior research has produced conflicting findings regarding the positive outcomes of having gender diversity within top management teams. These studies have not considered the industry-specific context, the incorporation of binary, agender, and transexual traits, and potential non-financial outcomes, which play a role in organizational performance. Therefore, this paper aims to further this research by offering a research framework that is hospitality specific, highlights the benefits of gender diversity, and delineates the impact of gender diversity on firm performance and organizational justice based upon previous research and theories. The authors introduce potential processes and facilitators influencing the relationship between gender diversity, organizational performance, and organizational justice. These mechanisms have the potential to shape strategic changes, influence employee behaviors, increase service levels, and ultimately provide a competitive advantage.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655231164063 [Google]
Ma, J. and Z. Schwartz (2023): Revenue Analytics: The Problem With Fixed-Tier Pricing, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (3402), pp.1
With the widely used fixed-tier computerized pricing system (e.g., based on the best available rate or BAR), fenced discount rates are set and updated as a fixed percentage of the base rate such as the BAR. This intuitive computer-automated solution to a complex pricing issue is, however, theoretically suboptimal. The study demonstrates why the practice of using fixed-tier pricing is suboptimal, showing that this fixed-tier approach is inferior even when the initial set of fenced rates is optimal and even in the unlikely scenario of the various market segments’ demand curves shifting proportionally. As such, practitioners should avoid using a convenient fixed-tier pricing model (BAR-based or not) where only one pricing optimization is run and the rest of the fenced prices are calculated based on this optimized price using fixed percentages. Instead, a fenced-rate pricing system where individual segments are treated independently, and optimizations are run for each segment should be adopted.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655231152456 [Google]
O’Neill, J. W., J. Zhao, P. Liu and M. D. Caligiuri (2023): Benchmarking Hotel Investment Risk: Differences Based on Types of Hotels, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (3403), pp.1
Commercial real estate (CRE) investment involves risk, and hotels are perceived as the riskiest CRE assets because of the high turnover of guest room occupants and are the most operation-intensive of all types of CRE properties. Furthermore, that risk may vary significantly across types of hotels based on different dimensions. The existing academic literature regarding CRE investment performance generally lacks such investigation of hotels at the establishment level. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the volatility of operating profit (risk) of different types of hotel assets. Using relative standard deviations of historical performance (gross operating profit [GOP]) to measure hotel risk, we examine various property characteristics and the extent to which they affect the volatility of GOP at the unit level from 2015 through 2020 of over 3,000 U.S. hotel properties. We find that different types of hotels have carried different levels of risk. Specifically, we find significant differences in risk based on hotel brand affiliation status, class, property type, location type, region in which the hotels are located, age of the hotels, size of the hotels, and their occupancy and average daily rate levels. This study provides practitioners and researchers with an understanding regarding the relationships between the risk of different types of hotels, and provides practitioners with information regarding risk and a benchmarking methodology that may be applied to evaluate risk to aid hotel investment decisions. Furthermore, we provide researchers with information regarding various hotel characteristics that may lead to relatively greater/lesser risk.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655231164061 [Google]
Xu, F. Z., E. Ma and Y. Zhang (2023): A Two-Path Moderated Mediation Model of Customer-Driven Service Innovation, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (3404), pp.1
This study proposes a moderated mediation model of customer-driven hotel employee service innovations. Building on social exchange and social identity theories, we suggest that positive customer–employee exchanges influence employees’ service innovations via direct and indirect paths. While the reciprocal nature of social exchanges was used to explain the direct path from customer–employee exchange to employees’ service innovation, social identity theory was used to explain the indirect path whereby customers’ inputs shape employees’ creative role identities, thus fostering innovation behaviors. The study further tests how organization openness serves as a boundary condition, and the results support the moderating role of organization openness, suggesting that while positive customer–employee exchanges help shape employees’ self-identification (as being creative) and trigger employees’ service innovation, an open organization encourages employees to actively engage in service innovations.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655231161182 [Google]
Janotta, F. (2023): Making emergent technologies more tangible – Effects of presentation form on user perceptions in the context of automated mobility,
Journal of Service Management Research, 7(1), pp. 7-22.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-1-7
One of the main challenges of investigating consumers’ perceptions and acceptance of emergent technologies is that respondents have not had any experience with them. This posits the question of how such technologies can be effectively presented to consumers both in the context of research and in measures to foster acceptance. Using automated driving as a case study, this paper presents results from a comparative study of three presentation forms (vignette, real-world video, computer-generated VR) of a ride in an automated vehicle in an empirical study with 103 participants. Results from quantitative analyses show that both real-world videos and the VR simulation outperform textual descriptions in terms of visualisation capability and user experience. Unexpectedly, the VR simulation does not perform significantly better at creating mental images of automated driving than a vignette. Recommendations are offered regarding the choice of a suitable presentation form in empirical research in relation to study objectives.
Yefimenko, O., J. Foehr, C. C. Germelmann (2023): I’ll have what Alexa’s having… but only if that’s what I’m looking for! – The impact of personalization on recommendation capabilities of smart voice-interaction technology in voice commerce, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(1), pp. 23-38.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-1-23
With smart voice-interaction technology (SVIT) augmenting consumers’ lives, its commercial application, e.g., in voice commerce, increases. Here, SVIT can offer consumers convenience during the shopping process by giving personalized product recommendations. Focusing primarily on the technicalities, marketing research on voice commerce has overlooked consumers’ perceptions of such personalized recommendations. We test to what extent personalized recommendations impact perceived recommendation capabilities of a SVIT when consumers’ end goals are taken into account. The results of our multifactorial online experiment suggest that high personalization positively impacts consumers’ attitude towards SVIT and increases purchase intention particularly when they pursue an optimizing (vs. satisficing) end goal. Our findings suggest that highly personalized recommendations are good predictors for purchase intentions in both optimizing and satisficing conditions, whereas low personalization predicts purchase in satisficing conditions only. These results add to researchers’ understanding of consumers’ smartness perceptions and help marketers leveraging smart service value creation in practice.
Jesenko, B., S. Thalmann (2023): Analysing the Introduction of Data-Driven Service Innovation Processes: Stages of Implementation, Success Factors, and Prerequisites, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(1), pp. 39-51.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-1-39
Data-driven business models are becoming increasingly important and have been applied successfully in the service sector. However, due to the challenges associated with utilizing data-driven technologies to identify service innovations, these have received little attention so far. Researchers and practitioners have primarily focused on understanding data-driven service innovation itself, but less on identifying and developing such innovations. Based on two analytical cases that emerged during expert interviews with service and innovation managers, we identified goals, opportunities, and prerequisites for data analytics to improve service innovation processes. Consequently, we propose three stages to implement data-driven technologies for service innovation processes and describe the prerequisites, key success factors, and expected benefits of this implementation.
Schleef, M., N. Bilstein, P. T. Schrader, C. Stummer (2023): When Smart Products Become Dumb (Again): Voluntary and Legally Required Service Updates and Their Impact on Consumers’ Purchase Intention, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(1), pp. 52-65.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-1-52
Ultimately, it is the software that makes and keeps products smart. Accordingly, the peculiarities of the provision of service updates (i.e., regular software updates allowing all functions of a smart product to work properly) can affect consumers’ purchase intention. In our research, we investigate the following: (1) whether the seller’s commitment to delivering service updates for a certain time affects consumers’ purchase intention, (2) whether it makes a difference if the provision of service updates is mandatory (i.e., legally required) or voluntary, and (3) whether it could be an advisable strategy to complement a mandatory provision by incorporating a voluntary extension. To gain such insights, we conducted two experimental studies in the context of a durable consumer product (i.e., a smart dog collar) in Germany. Our results can be valuable for managers who are responsible for the market introduction of smart offerings.
