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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Osburg, V.-S., V. Yoganathan, W. H. Kunz and S. Tarba (2022): Can (A)I Give You a Ride? Development and Validation of the CRUISE Framework for Autonomous Vehicle Services, Journal of Service Research, (3037), pp.1
Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly enabling firms to develop services that utilize autonomous vehicles (AVs). Yet, there are significant psychological barriers to adoption, and insights from extant literature are insufficient to understand customer emotions regarding AV services. To allow for a holistic exploration of customer perspectives, we synthesize multidisciplinary literature to develop the Customer Responses to Unmanned Intelligent-transport Services based on Emotions (CRUISE) framework, which lays the foundation for improved strategizing, targeting, and positioning of AV services. We subsequently provide empirical support for several propositions underpinning the CRUISE framework using representative multinational panel data (
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221118233 [Google]
Bagozzi, R. P., M. K. Brady and M.-H. Huang (2022): AI Service and Emotion, Journal of Service Research, (3038), pp.1
AI in service can be for routine mechanical tasks, analytical thinking tasks, or empathetic feeling tasks. We provide a conceptual framework for the customer, firm, and interactional use of AI for empathetic tasks at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Emotions resulting from AI service interactions can include basic emotions (e.g., joy, sadness, and fear), self-conscious emotions (e.g., pride, guilt, embarrassment), and moral emotions (e.g., contempt, righteous anger, social disgust). These emotions are mostly likely to occur during frontline interactions in which both firms and customers use AI, a phenomenon called “AI as customer.” The analysis level of AI service and emotion can be at the macro-level in which AI is transforming the service economy into a feeling economy, at the meso-level in which firms can use “thoughtful AI” to make the employees’ and customers’ lives a little bit better by brightening their days, and at the micro-level in which customers can experience basic, self-conscious, and moral emotions from interactions with service AI.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221118579 [Google]
Gahler, M., J. F. Klein and M. Paul (2022): Customer Experience: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Application in Omnichannel Environments, Journal of Service Research, (3039), pp.1
Managing customer experiences has become a key strategic priority for service research and management. Yet researchers and managers lack a customer experience (CX) measure that applies to the different experience partners, touchpoints, and journey stages in the omnichannel environments of today’s service industries. Without such a common measure, empirical research on CX remains fragmented, and service companies continue to struggle to improve customer interactions in customer journeys. To address this shortcoming, this article proposes an omnichannel-capable measurement of CX that applies to different customer interactions in the omnichannel environment. With seven studies, the authors develop and validate a six-dimensional, 18-item CX scale. The proposed CX scale overcomes the fragmentation of existing scales in service research and provides a valid measure that can be used consistently for various customer interactions in omnichannel environments. This article details how the proposed CX scale can monitor and compare CX for different interactions in customer journeys (i.e., pain-point analysis), as well as improve CX features and their marketing outcomes (i.e., CX profiling). By overcoming the existing fragmentation in available scales and providing a common omnichannel CX measure, this CX scale establishes an empirical foundation for developing CX knowledge and advancing related service research.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221126590 [Google]
Hall, M. J. and J. D. Hyodo (2022): Service Provider to the Rescue: How Firm Recovery of Do-It-Yourself Service Failure Turns Consumers from Competitors to Satisfied Customers, Journal of Service Research, (3040), pp.1
While consumers frequently attempt to resolve their own consumption problems (i.e., do-it-yourself (DIY)), they are often unsuccessful and subsequently turn to a professional. In the present research, we consider DIY failure as a form of service failure (SF) and demonstrate that experiencing DIY service failure (DIY SF) influences consumer evaluations of subsequent firm recovery. This occurs because consumers who experience DIY SF gain greater understanding of the task (i.e., learning) through their failed attempt. This learning promotes increased appreciation of the recovering service provider’s ability, ultimately resulting in greater satisfaction with the recovery offering. We further identify mindset as a moderator of this effect, wherein those with a growth mindset are more likely to learn from failure and appreciate the abilities of the recovering service provider. By highlighting DIY SF as a novel form of SF, we demonstrate the importance of understanding customers’ prior experiences with the focal consumption problem and its solution, and of training front-line employees to better manage these customers. We test our theory across four studies using lab and field data, and close by discussing theoretical and managerial implications.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221111347 [Google]
Kim, T. W., L. Jiang, A. Duhachek, H. Lee and A. Garvey (2022): Do You Mind if I Ask You a Personal Question? How AI Service Agents Alter Consumer Self-Disclosure, Journal of Service Research, (3041), pp.1
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has grown rapidly in the service industry and AI’s emotional capabilities have become an important feature for interacting with customers. The current research examines personal disclosures that occur during consumer interactions with AI and humans in service settings. We found that consumers’ lay beliefs about AI (i.e., a perceived lack of social judgment capability) lead to enhanced disclosure of sensitive personal information to AI (vs. humans). We identify boundaries for this effect such that consumers prefer disclosure to humans over AI in (i) contexts where social support (rather than social judgment) is expected and (ii) contexts where sensitive information will be curated by the agent for social dissemination. In addition, we reveal underlying psychological processes such that the motivation to avoid negative social judgment favors disclosing to AI whereas seeking emotional support favors disclosing to humans. Moreover, we reveal that adding humanlike factors to AI can increase consumer fear of social judgment (reducing disclosure in contexts of social risk) while simultaneously increasing perceived AI capacity for empathy (increasing disclosure in contexts of social support). Taken together, these findings provide theoretical and practical insights into tradeoffs between utilizing AI versus human agents in service contexts.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221120232 [Google]
Makridis, C. A. and S. Mishra (2022): Artificial Intelligence as a Service, Economic Growth, and Well-Being, Journal of Service Research, (3042), pp.1
The share of artificial intelligence (AI) jobs in total job postings has increased from 0.20% to nearly 1% between 2010 and 2019, but there is significant heterogeneity across cities in the United States (US). Using new data on AI job postings across 343 US cities, combined with data on subjective well-being and economic activity, we uncover the central role that service-based cities play to translate the benefits of AI job growth to subjective well-being. We find that cities with higher growth in AI job postings witnessed higher economic growth. The relationship between AI job growth and economic growth is driven by cities that had a higher concentration of modern (or professional) services. AI job growth also leads to an increase in the state of well-being. The transmission channel of AI job growth to increased subjective well-being is explained by the positive relationship between AI jobs and economic growth. These results are consistent with models of structural transformation where technological change leads to improvements in well-being through improvements in economic activity. Our results suggest that AI-driven economic growth, while still in the early days, could also raise overall well-being and social welfare, especially when the pre-existing industrial structure had a higher concentration of modern (or professional) services.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221120218 [Google]
Wakefield, K. L., P. Raghubir and J. J. Inman (2022): Have We Got a Deal for You: Do You Want the Good News or Bad News First?, Journal of Service Research, (3043), pp.1
Traditional practice prominently presents offers (e.g., “50% Off”) followed by a quantity (“When you buy two”), duration (“Today only”), or other conditional restriction as a scarcity appeal to increase urgency. Placing a hurdle to clear before purchase eligibility presents the good news of the offer followed by the bad news of the restriction.We propose and test a sales promotion framework for admission-based experiences showing that leading with the bad news first (the restriction) followed by the good news (the discount) is consistent with consumer news order preferences and changes perceptions of the deal. Our first study confirms consumer preference for bad news before good news in general and ticket offers in particular. The next two studies examine the process by which leading with the bad news (of the restriction first, discount later) increases the salience of the deal (% off). This in turn makes the customer feel in greater control over the offer, thereby making the deal appear to be fairer and more attractive, leading to increased purchase intentions. A fourth study in the field shows presenting the restriction followed by a discount improves click-through and potential revenue compared to presenting the identical offer with the discount preceding the restriction.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705221120147 [Google]
Hogreve, J., A. Iseke and K. Derfuss (2022): The Service-Profit Chain: Reflections, Revisions, and Reimaginations, Journal of Service Research, 25(3044), pp.460-477
Over the past 25 years, the service–profit chain (SPC) has become a prominent guidepost for service managers and researchers. In this article, we reflect on and synthesize published research to clarify what researchers have learned about the SPC and what remains less well understood. Based on an in-depth discussion of the field, we present a revised SPC and propose multiple areas in which further research would be worthwhile, such as internal service quality as specific systems of human resource management practices, both employee and customer well-being as additional mediators, different targets of employee and customer loyalty, contingencies, and non-linear and feedback effects. We conclude by reimagining the SPC, and we discuss digital and artificial-intelligence–driven changes to the SPC’s structure. Finally, based on the insights we discuss, we inform scholars of the current state of SPC research and provide a detailed agenda for future research.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10946705211052410 [Google]
Shi, Y. and K.-H. Tsai (2022): A sequential process from external stakeholder pressures to performance in services, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(3045), pp.589-619
Purpose This study develops a sequential process model to address how to improve firm performance by responding to external stakeholder pressures in service contexts. Design/methodology/approach The model posits that external stakeholder pressures affect firm performance through organizational learning, green creativity and environmental performance. Data from 219 service firms are utilized to test the hypotheses. A sequential mediation approach is adopted to analyze the model. Findings Results reveal (1) organizational learning mediates the effects of government, customer and supplier pressures on firm performance, (2) environmental performance mediates the effect of customer pressure on firm performance, (3) organizational learning and green creativity serially mediate the effects of the three stakeholder pressures on firm performance and (4) the three external stakeholder pressures enhance firm performance through organizational learning, green creativity and environmental performance in a sequential manner. Originality/value This study originally contributes to the service literature by providing a sequential process lens to address how to improve performance by responding to external stakeholder pressures.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-06-2021-0109 [Google]
Shen, Y.-C., H.-Y. Lin, C. Y. Chou, P. H. Wu and W.-H. Yang (2022): “Yes, I know you”: the role of source familiarity in the relationship between service adaptive behavior and customer satisfaction, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(3046), pp.620-639
Purpose This study investigates the role of source familiarity in moderating the effect of service adaptive behavior (SAB) on customer satisfaction. Applying the accessibility–diagnosticity framework and situated cognition theory as the theoretical basis, this research hypothesizes that when customers are familiar with the source that provides the service (i.e. brand familiarity for Study 1 and personal familiarity for Study 2), customer satisfaction responses to SAB would be more moderate than when customers are not familiar with the source. Two studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. Design/methodology/approach Two experiments manipulating SAB and the brand name familiarity (Study 1) and personal familiarity with the service staff (Study 2) as the source familiarity were conducted. Customer satisfaction as a function of source familiarity was measured to test the hypothesis that source familiarity moderates the relationship between SAB and customer satisfaction. Findings Compared to unfamiliar sources, familiar sources generated a more moderate response in customer satisfaction as a function of SAB. High familiarity with the brand and service staff induced top-down, memory-based processing that overrides external stimuli as the basis of satisfaction judgment; bottom-up, stimulus-based processing relying on SAB for judgment kicked in only when the source familiarity is low. Practical implications From a practical point of view, this study indicates the importance of SAB, especially for brands with low awareness, and alludes to the comparative importance of relationship building in service delivery processes. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by validating the role of contextual factors in influencing the impact of SAB on customer satisfaction.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-01-2022-0017 [Google]
Saxena, S., V. Chawla and J. Tähtinen (2022): Dimensions of e-return service quality: conceptual refinement and directions for measurement, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(3047), pp.640-672
Purpose Research regarding the quality of e-tailers’ service during product returns is sparse and the little that has been performed treats returns as recovery from failure. However, that view is outdated. E-tailers’ product return practices have substantially evolved and customers’ return behavior has considerably increased, in turn, influencing expectations of customers. Thus, a need arises to revise the understanding of how customers evaluate the quality of e-tailers’ service during product returns. This study conceptualizes customer-perceived e-return service quality, identifies e-return’s current dimensions, and offers directions for measurement. Design/methodology/approach This study is conducted in two stages. The first stage follows an abductive approach, with a continuous back-and-forth movement between existing theory and two qualitative data sets to identify the dimensions of e-return service quality. Scale development process is started in the second stage to offer directions for measurement based on the empirically grounded dimensions. Findings The conceptualization of e-return service quality identifies six dimensions: (1) owning of responsibility, (2) return convenience, (3) return remedies, (4) service team support, (5) site’s return friendliness, and (6) returns diligence. The factor analysis supports the six-factor solution that can be employed for developing a valid scale in future. Practical implications The study suggests that e-tailers who are looking to differentiate themselves through superior e-return service quality should focus on customizing their service through excellent performance on these dimensions. Originality/value The paper updates and refines the understanding of service quality in the context of product returns service provided by e-tailers and thus offers a novel contribution.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-09-2021-0191 [Google]
Yap, S. F., M. Phillips, E. Hwang and Y. Xu (2022): Transforming healthcare service environments: a sensory-based approach, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(3048), pp.673-700
Purpose Healthcare service is a process that comprises a series of touchpoints underlying the key facets of service delivery, collectively shaping the users’ (i.e. patients, hospital staff, and visitors) experiences. Departing from most sensory studies dedicated to understanding the retail environment and hedonic service, this study focuses on how sensory knowledge can contribute to understanding the sensory-based experiences of hospital users and their interactions with healthcare services at multiple touchpoints. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a multi-method approach comprising two studies involving semi-structured interviews and a qualitative online survey of past patients. Findings Drawing upon the user-centered theory, the authors (1) consulted healthcare experts on hospital service touchpoints and standards around medical protocol; (2) explored users’ needs, experiences, expectations, and evaluations of healthcare services; and (3) identified the issues and challenges faced by healthcare service users at various service touchpoints. Based on these insights, the authors proposed sensory tactics across healthcare service touchpoints that promote the well-being of major hospital users. Research limitations/implications The proposed sensory tactics require follow-up empirical evidence. Future research could adopt robust methodological designs on healthcare environmental interventions and progress with a transdisciplinary approach to advance this research area. Practical implications The authors’ experience-based framework forms the basis of a valuable toolkit for healthcare service management. Originality/value This study advances services literature by integrating sense-based marketing knowledge with healthcare service research to understand the dynamic and interactive relationship between hospital users and the environment.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-02-2022-0033 [Google]
Salgado, M., M. V. De Castro Martínez, E. Marcos Martínez, M. López-Sanz and M. L. Martín-Peña (2022): Driving organisational change in SMEs using service design, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(3049), pp.701-736
Purpose The purpose of the paper is to present a service design (SD)-based methodology developed to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) undertake organisational change. Design/methodology/approach This research used the design science research methodology, which enabled the creation of the Service Design for Organisational Change (SD4OCh) methodology. A real case study of a small service company specialised in neuropsychological disorders was used for the definition and validation of SD4OCh. Findings The main outcome of this study is the SD4OCh methodology, which is based on three key stages: diagnosis (knowing where to begin by detecting the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses), innovation (improving the structure/processes and designing/redesigning services by employing a customer-centric approach), and implementation (enabling the definition of the route towards organisational change). There is also a transversal evaluation stage, which quantifies the organisational changes. Research limitations/implications This study adds valuable knowledge to the service science research field and contributes to the awareness of the usefulness of SD theory within companies, especially those which are small and medium-sized, since those companies lack the tools and methods required to tackle organisational change, signifying that the challenges the companies confront are different to those of larger companies. Originality/value Although this is a SD-based research, the SD4OCh methodology was developed in order to enable companies to make holistic changes, namely, to innovate their services, structure, and processes, thus supporting and guiding organisational change.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-08-2021-0174 [Google]
Görgülü, B. and V. Sarhangian (2022): A Newsvendor Approach to Design of Surgical Preference Cards, Service Science, 14(3050), pp.213-230
Surgical procedures require a large number of consumable supplies that need to be kept in hospital inventory and transported to the operating rooms (OR) before the surgery. A surgical preference card (SPC) provides a list of items to be prepared for each surgery. For each item, a SPC also specifies how many should be taken to the OR (fill quantity). As the usage of most consumables in the OR is subject to uncertainty, the cards also specify how many of the filled items should be opened at the beginning of the surgery (open quantity). The fill and open quantities control the flow of consumables between the hospital inventory and the ORs and directly affect the wastage in ORs. In this work, we formulate the problem of determining the fill and open quantities on the preference cards as a stochastic optimization problem, where the objective is to minimize a weighted sum of the expected wastage and operational costs. We show that, as in the newsvendor problem, the optimal solution for the fill and open quantities takes the form of critical quantiles of the item usage distribution in the OR. The solution form together with historical usage data provide a data-driven approach to design of SPCs, as well as insights on the value of including an open decision. We demonstrate our approach using extensive numerical experiments and real usage data from a Canadian hospital. The results suggest a potential for significant reduction of wastage and operational costs in the ORs.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2021.0298 [Google]
Lin, X. and H. Wang (2022): Revenue Management of Group Service Considering Different Quality Levels and Stochastic Customer Patience, Service Science, 14(3051), pp.231-253
We consider a service that provides different quality levels to customers who are served in groups (referred to as ?group service? (GS)). We consider stochastic customer patience and build a multitype service model to maximize service profit. First, we consider a fixed number of service personnel and decompose the model into several subproblems. We then transform the model into a service personnel allocation problem that can be efficiently solved. Furthermore, we use the water-filling theory, together with a dichotomy approach, to design the numerical algorithm to conduct a numerical test based on actual data. The main contributions of this study are as follows. First, we provide the service provider with a service capacity allocation mechanism that can determine the optimal choice of service quality levels, number of service groups of different quality levels, time length of the service registration period, and service prices. Second, we find that under scarce service capacity, the single-type service can be more profitable than the multitype service, and low-quality services have higher marginal profits than high-quality services. However, when service capacity increases to a certain level, the multitype service can be more profitable than the single-type service. Third, we construct a service capacity decision mechanism and demonstrate the influence of service quality on the total number of service personnel and service groups. The conclusions are potentially useful to GS service providers to effectively make better managerial decisions and improve service profits.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2022.0302 [Google]
Canina, L. and G. Potter (2022): Persistent Performance Differences in Lodging Properties, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (3052), pp.1
Studies have documented the existence of persistent performance differences across business units and firms in many industries and countries. Unfortunately, little is known about the causes of these performance differentials. Using property-level data from the lodging industry, this study documents the existence of large and persistent performance differentials across lodging units. These differences exist after controlling for the resources utilized for the production of the service as well as market conditions and hotel property characteristics and are most persistent for the highest and the lowest performers. Similar to studies that analyzed performance differences in other industries, our analysis leaves a large portion of the variation in performance differences unexplained. However, we do find that a small portion of these performance differences is positively related to the hotel property’s choice regarding chain size and hotel portfolio company scope, suggesting the possibility of benefits from scale economies and/or scope. Understanding how performance differences arise and persist requires a close look into less deterministic, quantifiable, and tangible factors such as managerial practices, decision-making processes, innovation, knowledge creation, the transfer of knowledge, the flow of information, compensation, and personnel policies, among others. In other words, there is much unexplained and yet to be discovered here, resulting in a ripe area for future research. Future research that links attributes of the industry’s demand, management controls, or technology to factors driving productivity may help explain, and perhaps enhance, the industry’s productivity growth.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221102384 [Google]
Fan, A., H. W. Shin, J. Shi and L. Wu (2022): Young People Share, But Do So Differently: An Empirical Comparison of Peer-to-Peer Accommodation Consumption Between Millennials and Generation Z, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (3053), pp.1
Built on the consumer socialization theory and generational cohort theory, this research examines the consumption phenomena of the sharing economy among young travelers. Specifically, the current study investigates Millennial and Generation
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221119463 [Google]
Kandampully, J., A. Bilgihan, A. C. R. Van Riel and A. Sharma (2022): Toward Holistic Experience-Oriented Service Innovation: Co-Creating Sustainable Value With Customers and Society, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, (3054), pp.1
Hospitality exists from the grassroots level of society upward and plays a central role in the global economy. For the many organizations active in this sector and the societies they are based in, innovation in hospitality services is considered their lifeblood. Recent advancements in digitalization, artificial intelligence, robotics, communications technologies, and platform-based new business models are transforming the global business environment at a rapid pace. However, unlike many other service sectors, the hospitality and tourism sectors are unique in their focus on people, experiences, and the wider ecosystem (i.e., society and the environment). The unique makeup of the hospitality sector, therefore, demands a distinctive approach to innovation. This study aims to examine service innovation with a focus on the hospitality sector. It provides a holistic theoretical framework and proposes an agenda for future research. The framework suggests the hospitality experience to be at the core of innovation in this sector. Consequently, hospitality firms must focus on creating value through both technological and nontechnological innovation. This innovation must be facilitated in a symbiotic manner, with a strong focus on people at its center, showcasing the “soul” of the hospitality across the extended “footprints” of the experience.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19389655221108334 [Google]
Ma, E., Y.-C. Wang and H. Qu (2022): Reenergizing Through Angel Customers: Cross-Cultural Validation of Customer-Driven Employee Citizenship Behavior, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(3055), pp.334-349
This study proposes and examines the role server-friendly customers play in the customer-employee exchange stage of service encounters, and how customer-employee exchange relates to employee organizational citizenship behaviors toward customers, colleagues, and hotel organizations. To further explain how service employees could reenergize through the psychological resources gained from server-friendly customers at the point of customer-employee exchange, conservation of resources theory was applied. Hotel employees in the United States and China were sampled to jointly examine our proposed model. Findings of this study contribute valuable theoretical implications by emphasizing the role of customer-employee exchange in the formation of employee citizenship behaviors, as well as practical implications with regard to mentoring employees, thus strategically reenergizing psychological resources and obtaining tacit knowledge of citizenship behavior and its practice.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520981936 [Google]
Guzzo, R. F., X. Wang and J. Abbott (2022): Corporate Social Responsibility and Individual Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Gratitude and Compassion at Work, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(3056), pp.350-368
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and activities are aimed at, executed for, and witnessed by individuals, yet CSR literature has long overlooked assessing CSR outcomes at the individual level. Previous CSR research has focused primarily on macro- and institutional-level outcomes. The current paper addresses this issue by analyzing the influence of CSR on a crucial stakeholder for hospitality organizations: their employees. Specifically, gratitude and compassion at work were tested as parallel mediators between employees’ perceptions of CSR and their well-being and organizational citizenship behavior directed toward the organization (OCBO). Drawing from the affect theory of social exchange and moral emotions, this article aims to understand how CSR leads to improving employees’ well-being and OCBO through the underlying emotional mechanisms of gratitude and compassion. Survey data from two independent samples were gathered to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that employees’ perceptions of CSR activities had a significant positive direct effect on eudaimonic well-being but not on hedonic well-being. Gratitude mediated the relationship between perceived CSR and OCBO as well as hedonic well-being. Compassion mediated the relationship between perceived CSR and hedonic well-being as well as OCBO. Besides theoretical contributions of testing these mechanisms together in a hospitality context and evaluating the influence of CSR efforts on certain dimensions of well-being, this research will be particularly relevant to hospitality managers when formulating CSR strategies and promoting a CSR culture.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520981069 [Google]
Aharon, D. Y. (2022): Sentiment, Confidence and Uncertainty: The Case of Tourism and Leisure Stocks, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(3057), pp.385-398
This study tests the possible effect of sentiment on the performance of the tourism and leisure (T&L) industry. Using a portfolio consisting of U.S. publicly traded firms, we reveal that the Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI) and the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) are perhaps better candidates for capturing a contemporaneous relationship or making predictions about the performance of the T&L stocks than the Economic Policy Uncertainty Index (EPU) or the Volatility Index (VIX). Macroeconomic variables have a limited contribution to the establishment of contemporaneous relationships and none of them is suitable for making predictions, which underscores the importance of addressing and paying attention to the issue of sentiment. Our results are robust using different empirical procedures such as ordinary least squares (OLS), GARCH, and quantile regressions. The findings may have important implications for policy makers at both the state and firm levels in light of increased uncertainty periods such as the ongoing coronavirus epidemic.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520978170 [Google]
Casado-Díaz, J. M., O. Driha and H. Simón (2022): The Gender Wage Gap in Hospitality: New Evidence From Spain, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(3058), pp.399-417
This article examines the gender wage gap in the Spanish hospitality industry versus the rest of the economy. Decomposition techniques are applied to a nationwide representative sample that includes matched employer–employee data allowing an accurate quantification of the phenomenon and its determinants. The methodologies used allow us to examine the average gender wage gap and also how this gap behaves throughout the wage distribution. According to the results, the gender wage gap in hospitality is rather significant (although slightly lower compared with the rest of the economy) and exhibits a steeper profile along the wage distribution. A large part of the gap is explained by observable characteristics, as female hospitality workers have lower levels of seniority than men, are overrepresented in low-skilled occupations, have less supervisory responsibilities, and are segregated into low-wage firms. Although potentially direct discrimination seems to be lower in hospitality, it is not a negligible problem, as, in its most conservative measure (namely, when observationally identical male and female employees working in the same firm are compared), it accounts for as much as 0.05 log points or 30% of the raw gender wage gap. The evidence also shows that the particularly intense gender wage gap observed in the uppermost part of the wage distribution in the hospitality industry arises because more qualified women in the sector are doubly penalized by an intense segregation into comparatively worse jobs and by an unfavorable wage treatment with respect to comparable men, which is consistent with the glass-ceiling phenomenon.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520971273 [Google]
Lucas, A. F., S. R. Cho and A. K. Singh (2022): Impact of Casino Free Play on the Wagering Behavior of Light- and Medium-User Groups: The Importance of Winning at the Bottom of the Database, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(3059), pp.418-428
This study examined the extent to which free-play credits affected spend-per-trip levels in slots, with a focus on contributions from the loyalty program’s (LP) light- and medium-user tiers. These user groups represent the bulk of LP members, and also comprise the area of the database for which spending gains are most important and equivocal. Daily, tier-level performance data were collected from four different casinos, which were owned and operated by a common parent company. Analysis of player performance data failed to indicate group-level differences in the spend-per-trip results produced by free-play redeemers and non-redeemers, within each of two tiers. These findings were produced by both parametric and nonparametric measures. The free-play group (FP) recorded a mean daily T-win that was significantly greater than that generated by the no-free play group (NFP) on a maximum of 2 days (out of 365), across all four properties and both tiers. Given that the players in FP were staked with free credits, it would appear that these awards served as bankroll substitutes, rather than sources of incremental play. With respect to own-money wagering, the lack of significant increases in win on free-play trips may be most aligned with the prospect-theory-with-memory effect. While our work expanded the literature by examining decision-making under risk, beyond two stages, our results did not generally support the house-money effect. For management, our findings signaled the need for a program review, as these expensive annual campaigns comprised a substantial percentage of the casino marketing budget.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1938965520963047 [Google]
Larivière, B. and E. G. Smit (2022): People–planet–profits for a sustainable world: integrating the triple-P idea in the marketing strategy, implementation and evaluation of service firms, Journal of Service Management, 33(3060), pp.507-519
Purpose: Numerous requests to also take care of people (i.e. societal impact) and planet (i.e. environmental impact) in addition to making profits (i.e. economic impact) urge service firms to rethink their marketing. In this paper, the authors therefore develop an organizing framework that integrates the people–planet–profits – also referred to as the “Triple-P” – concept in the marketing strategy, implementation and evaluation of service firms. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a conceptual approach that is rooted in the service marketing, marketing strategy and communication literature. Findings: The foundations of marketing strategy (Palmatier and Crecelius, 2019) and the Gaps model of service marketing (Parasuraman et al., 1985) guide both academics and practitioners regarding (1) why the Triple-P idea should be part of a company’s marketing strategy, (2) how people and planet could play an important role in the implementation stage by integrating the Triple-P concept in the service marketing mix and (3) what impact could be achieved and evaluated by closing the five gaps identified by the Gaps model, while fostering a people–planet–profits mindset. Research limitations/implications: The authors also identify areas for future research on this important topic. Practical implications: Transformative value (people and planet) without profits is not attractive to firms. Profit-making organizations are in the best position to transform the world in a societal and environmental rewarding way. Social implications: The Triple-P affects the marketing strategy, implementation and evaluation of firms and contributes to a better, sustainable world. Originality/value: Marketing evolves from traditional over service and digital to transformative. Therefore, it is crucial to embrace transformative challenges in combination with economic returns, resulting in a new sustainable service era for marketers and managers.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-01-2022-0033 [Google]
Bilstein, N., P. W. J. Verlegh, J. Klostermann and E. Akpinar (2022): Better together: involving consumers in the ideation, creation and dissemination of transformative value, Journal of Service Management, 33(3061), pp.520-530
Purpose: Consumers play a central role in the creation of transformative value, enhancing the well-being of people and the planet. With this article, the authors synthesize service and communication scholars’ views to conceptually discuss opportunities and challenges on how to involve consumers in the ideation, creation and dissemination of transformative value. In doing so, the authors identify avenues for future research. Design/methodology/approach: This research relies on a review of service and communication literature, connecting their insights to real world examples. Findings: Consumers are involved in the ideation, creation and dissemination of transformative value by engaging in customer innovation, customer participation and customer dissemination behaviors. In relation to these types of customer involvement, four overarching research themes emerge in the context of transformative services: (1) the voice of the non-customer, (2) protecting vulnerable customers, (3) consumer literacy and (4) WOM as a double-edged sword. Originality/value: This research contributes to transformative service research by assessing the opportunities and challenges related to customers’ involvement in the ideation, creation and dissemination of transformative value. Additionally, it identifies avenues for the future at the intersection of communication and service research.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0414 [Google]
Tsiotsou, R. H. and S. Diehl (2022): Delineating transformative value creation through service communications: an integrative framework, Journal of Service Management, 33(3062), pp.531-551
Purpose: Transformative value is a central tenet of transformative service research (TSR) because it affects individual and community well-being, quality of life and sustainability. Although transformative value plays a significant role in well-being, the literature suffers from a lack of sound interdisciplinary conceptual frameworks that delineate how transformative value is created in services throughout the service consumption process. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and role of service communications during the various stages of the service consumption process to enable the creation of transformative value for people and the environment. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the above goal, the authors integrate agenda-setting theory (media theory) combined with framing and relational dialectics (communication theories) as well as TSR. Findings: In line with the objectives of the study, the authors propose an integrative framework named Transformative Value Creation via Service Communications (TVCSC) that explains how firms set their transformative corporate agendas through their dialectics with consumers, society and media. This transformative agenda is reflected in the marketing mix of their services (7Ps) as communicated with various means, physically and digitally (sales/frontline personnel, advertising, CSR, social media and website). Recommendations for a transformative marketing mix are provided. Furthermore, TVCSC illustrates how value is co-created in all customer–firm interactions via relationship dialectics throughout the service consumption process to result in transformative value outcomes. Research limitations/implications: The proposed framework identifies several research gaps and provides useful future research directions. Originality/value: This is the first comprehensive framework that explains how transformative value is created through the various communications in services and is the outcome of value co-creation interactions of the service consumption process.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0420 [Google]
Leroi-Werelds, S. and J. Matthes (2022): Transformative value positioning for service brands: key principles and challenges, Journal of Service Management, 33(3063), pp.552-564
Purpose: The aim of this paper is to integrate insights from service, branding and communication research to present key principles of a successful transformative value positioning for service brands. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a conceptual approach that is rooted in the service, branding and communication literature. Findings: The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, this paper explains why positioning a service brand is different from positioning a product brand and why this is especially challenging in case of transformative value. Second, an organizing framework is used to theorize that a successful transformative value positioning is based on the organizational DNA; is consistently implemented in actions, communications, employee behavior, and servicescapes; and inspires customer engagement. Based on this framework, this paper formulates key principles of a successful transformative value positioning for service brands. Third, this paper provides a research agenda to guide and stimulate future research. Practical implications: The key principles provide guidelines for managers striving for a transformative value positioning. Not adhering to these guidelines could have severe implications for service brands in terms of washing perceptions ultimately deteriorating the brand image. Originality/value: This paper combines insights from service, branding and communication research to provide a comprehensive and balanced perspective on a successful transformative value positioning for service brands.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0419 [Google]
Aksoy, L., A. J. Buoye, M. Fors, T. L. Keiningham and S. Rosengren (2022): Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) metrics do not serve services customers: a missing link between sustainability metrics and customer perceptions of social innovation, Journal of Service Management, 33(3064), pp.565-577
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight challenges for service firms communicating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) efforts to customers. Specifically, it focuses on the relationship between ESG metrics and reporting and customer perceptions of social innovativeness. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical material comprises three years of data (2018–2020) covering more than 100 firms from three sources: (1) Social Innovation Index (Sii), which is collected as part of the American Innovation Index (Aii), (2) Bloomberg Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) ESG and (3) Datamaran. Findings: ESG metrics and reporting do not suffice to explain customer perceptions of social innovativeness. Rather, a firm’s industry plays the prominent role in affecting these perceptions where service firms are at a disadvantage as customers perceive services as less socially innovative compared to goods. Practical implications: While ESG metrics and reporting provide important information for investors and regulators, they are not reflected in customers’ perceptions of firms’ social innovativeness, and services are at a disadvantage relative to goods. Therefore, services researchers and managers must advance their knowledge regarding how to better link ESG metrics and report to customers’ perceptions. Originality/value: The paper offers a first large-scale, cross-industry investigation of how ESG metrics and reporting impact customer perceptions of social innovativeness, leading to a research agenda on communication of ESG.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0428 [Google]
Verleye, K. and B. Reber (2022): Communication in service ecosystems through value propositions: dilemmas and future research avenues, Journal of Service Management, 33(3065), pp.578-588
Purpose: This paper aims to provide insight into communication strategies that may enable service ecosystem actors to co-create economic, social and/or environmental value. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve this end, the authors rely upon the literature on value propositions, which represent strategic tools for communicating about the value package (i.e. the benefits that actors can offer to one another along with its costs). This literature stream – in combination with the communication literature – allows the authors to unravel five dilemmas that service ecosystem actors face when communicating about the value package with one another. Findings: To co-create value in service ecosystems with the help of value propositions, actors need to reflect upon (1) whether to involve third parties when sending messages about their value package (cf. sender), (2) what information to share about their value package (cf. message), (3) whether to invest resources in face-to-face communication when conveying messages about the value package (cf. channel), (4) whether to reach out to a broad audience with value package messages (cf. receiver) and (5) whether to engage in institutional work through communication in response to various interpretations of messages about the value package (cf. effect). Originality/value: This research advances the literature on value co-creation in service ecosystems by relying upon communication theory to unravel the dilemmas that come along with using and/or creating value propositions as strategic tools for communication.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-12-2021-0470 [Google]
Ravazzani, S. and S. Hazée (2022): Value co-creation through social media: a multistakeholder, communication perspective, Journal of Service Management, 33(3066), pp.589-600
Purpose: Despite an increasing body of research on value co-creation through social media, service organizations still face difficulties in leveraging the potential of social media communication to facilitate value co-creation with multiple stakeholders. This article addresses this challenge by adopting a multistakeholder, communication perspective. Design/methodology/approach: This article uses a conceptual approach and builds upon concepts widely recognized in the public relations (PR) literature to assess communication in multistakeholder social media-mediated exchanges. Findings: This article discusses the role of social media communication in enabling value co-creation as well as the communicative challenges that come along with it. Moreover, applying PR academic insights to the service innovation and service recovery research fields, it advances theoretical propositions that predict how service organizations can successfully build upon the social media communication fundamentals – namely dialogue, engagement, social presence and conversational human voice – to trigger value co-creation with and among multiple stakeholders. Originality/value: This article introduces selected relevant theoretical concepts from the PR field and develops novel theoretical propositions that are likely to make unique contributions to the service management field. The article also advances future research avenues that will help service and communication scholars together move the field forward.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0411 [Google]
Blasco-Arcas, L., J. Falkheimer and M. Heide (2022): Crisis communication in service ecosystems: perspectives and future challenges, Journal of Service Management, 33(3067), pp.601-613
Purpose: The purpose of this article is to offer new insights into crisis communication in service ecosystems. The authors present a framework to conceptually categorize service crises and then analyze key aspects of crisis communication among different stakeholders in a service ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach: Building on crisis communication and service ecosystems research, we propose a framework to better understand crisis communication during service crises in service ecosystems. In doing so, we propose a typology of service crisis in service ecosystems and identify the main factors of crisis communication under the lens of the Rhetorical Arena Theory (RAT). Findings: This article integrates communication theory and service research in the area and identifies different key dimensions to gain a deeper understanding of crisis communication in service ecosystems. Moreover, and building on RAT, several research lines are recommended in order to explore further macro (i.e. the role and interactions between different stakeholders in the event of a crisis) and micro (i.e. individual aspects related to the context, media, genre and text) dimensions, and their importance during the communication process. Originality/value: Our framework offers a typology of service crises and suggests the importance of considering a multi-actor, multi-channel perspective in communication when a crisis occurs in order to monitor and avoid the potential negative impact for both the organization’s recovery and the service ecosystem evolution afterward.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0436 [Google]
Fehrer, J. A., J. J. Baker and C. E. Carroll (2022): The role of public relations in shaping service ecosystems for social change, Journal of Service Management, 33(3068), pp.614-633
Purpose: Wicked problems require holistic and systemic thinking that accommodates interdisciplinary solutions and cross-sectoral collaborations between private and public sectors. This paper explores how public relations (PR) – as a boundary-spanning function at the nexus of corporate and political discourse – can support societies to tackle wicked problems. Design/methodology/approach: This conceptual paper synthesizes literature on PR with a service ecosystem perspective. The authors use the service ecosystem design framework to structure the PR literature and develop a model of service ecosystem shaping for social change, which highlights the important role that PR can play in shaping processes. Findings: The authors explicate how PR can (1) facilitate value cocreation processes between broad sets of stakeholders that drive positive social change, (2) shape institutional arrangements in general and public discourse in particular, (3) provide a platform for recursive feedback loops of reflexivity and (re)formation that enables discourse to ripple through nested service ecosystems and (4) guide collective shaping efforts by bringing stakeholder concerns and beliefs into the open, which provides a foundation for collective sense-making of wicked problems and their solutions. Originality/value: This paper explains the complexity of shaping service ecosystems for positive social change. Specifically, it highlights how solving wicked problems and driving social change requires reconfiguration of the institutional arrangements that guide various nested service ecosystems. The authors discuss in detail how PR can contribute to the shaping of service ecosystems for social change and present a future research agenda for both service and PR scholars to consider.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-01-2022-0044 [Google]
Keränen, J. and L. Olkkonen (2022): Opportunities for social activism in transformative service research: a research agenda, Journal of Service Management, 33(3069), pp.634-647
Purpose: This paper highlights the potential of social activism – defined as a public act that aims to challenge the status quo by bringing alternative views or narratives to the debate – in transformative service research and proposes a future research agenda. Design/methodology/approach: This paper builds upon a review of social activism in the management and communications literature to identify its potential for social change in service (eco)systems. Findings: This paper outlines three ways in which social activism can influence companies (external activism, internal activism, and activism as practice) and illustrates how they can be used to advance transformative service research in selected priority areas. Research limitations/implications: This paper develops a future research agenda and suggests research questions that could guide scholarly inquiry at the intersection of social activism and transformative service research. Practical implications: For managers and policy makers, this paper highlights how social activism can influence companies’ attempts to drive social change. Originality/value: This paper is among the first to link social activism and transformative service research and highlight novel research opportunities at their intersection.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0446 [Google]
Mahr, D. and J. Huh (2022): Technologies in service communication: looking forward, Journal of Service Management, 33(3070), pp.648-656
Purpose: The aim of the paper is to bring together the state-of-the-art research and theory from the communication and service research fields to examine the implications of new technologies for the future of service communication. Design/methodology/approach: The authors apply the media affordances perspective to develop an overarching framework that facilitates theoretical conceptualization and research question formulation on the constantly evolving technology-enabled communication formats. Findings: Central to the forward-looking framework of service communication facilitated by new technologies, this paper identifies various affordances at the service frontline where service customers and providers interact with the technologies. Customers are empowered to expand their roles blurring the role distinction between service providers and customers. Depending on what kind of relationships service providers form with the emerging technologies, they may develop new service communication strategies and new interaction possibilities with customers. As a result, the technologies’ affordances would facilitate value creation outcomes that can manifest in the external (whether it is in the physical or digital space) and/or internal (one’s own mind) spaces. Applying the affordances framework, the authors map out four key areas of future research regarding new technologies in service communication: (1) social media technologies; (2) multisensory reality-enhancing technologies; (3) AI-enabled voice assistants; and (4) AI-driven service robots. Originality/value: This paper proposes an original theoretical framework to stimulate and guide future research and theory development regarding the implications of new technologies in the constantly evolving and complex service communication landscape.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-03-2022-0075 [Google]
Hilken, T., M. Chylinski, K. de Ruyter, J. Heller and D. I. Keeling (2022): Exploring the frontiers in reality-enhanced service communication: from augmented and virtual reality to neuro-enhanced reality, Journal of Service Management, 33(3071), pp.657-674
Purpose: The authors explore neuro-enhanced reality (NeR) as a novel approach for enhancing service communication between customers, frontline employees, and service organizations that extends beyond current state-of-the-art approaches based on augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies. Design/methodology/approach: The authors first take stock of research on reality-enhanced service communication with AR and VR, then complement these insights with emerging neuroscientific research to conceptualize how NeR enables innovative forms of service communication. On this basis, the authors develop a research agenda to guide the future study and managerial exploitation of NeR. Findings: AR and VR already offer unique affordances for digital-to-physical communication, but these can be extended with NeR. Specifically, NeR supports neuro-to-digital and digital-to-neuro communication based on neuroimaging (e.g. controlling digital content through thought) and neurostimulation (e.g. eliciting brain responses based on digital content). This provides a basis for outlining possible applications of NeR across service settings. Originality/value: The authors advance knowledge on reality-enhanced service communication with AR and VR, whilst also demonstrating how neuroscientific research can be extended from understanding brain activity to generating novel service interactions.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0439 [Google]
Becker, M., E. Efendić and G. Odekerken-Schröder (2022): Emotional communication by service robots: a research agenda, Journal of Service Management, 33(3072), pp.675-687
Purpose: Many service industries are facing severe labor shortages. As a result, service providers are turning to new sources of labor, such as service robots. Critics however often point out that service robots lack emotional communication capabilities without which they cannot be expected to truly replace human employees and fill the emerging labor market gaps. Here, a research agenda for the investigation of the role of emotional communication by service robots and its effects on customers and their service experience are laid out. This paper aims to propose that research in this area will further understanding of how service robots can add value to service frontlines, engage customers, increasingly replace service employees and ultimately help overcome pressing labor shortages. Design/methodology/approach: A research agenda structured around the three-step emotional communication process (i.e. read, decide and express) and the four emotional communication strategies crucial for service interactions (i.e. mimicking, alleviating, infusing and preventing) are conceptualized. Findings: Three contributions are made. First, the importance of emotional communication by service robots during service interactions is highlighted. Second, interdisciplinary research priorities and opportunities in this emerging field are mapped out. Third, a theoretical structure to connect the findings of future studies is provided. Originality/value: Service research investigating the role and implications of emotional communication by service robots is scarce. A research agenda to guide the exploration of this crucial, yet underresearched component of customer-robot service interactions is structured and mapped out.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-10-2021-0403 [Google]
Ciuchita, R., G. Medberg, V. Penttinen, C. Lutz and K. Heinonen (2022): Affordances advancing user-created communication (UCC) in service: interactivity, visibility and anonymity, Journal of Service Management, 33(3073), pp.688-704
Purpose: Digital platform users not only consume but also produce communication related to their experiences. Although service research has explored users’ motivations to communicate and focused on outcomes such as electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), it remains largely unexplored how users iteratively interact with communication artifacts and potentially create value for themselves, other users and service providers. The purpose of this paper is, thus, to introduce communicative affordances as a framework to advance user-created communication (UCC) in service. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing from the literature in communication, service research and interactive marketing, an affordance perspective on UCC in service is introduced. Findings: Three UCC affordances for the service context are presented – interactivity, visibility and anonymity – opportunities and challenges for service providers associated with these affordances are discussed and, finally, affordance-specific research questions and general recommendations for future research are offered. Research limitations/implications: By conceptualizing UCC in service from an affordances perspective, this paper moves beyond the traditional sender–receiver communication framework and emphasizes opportunities and challenges for service research and practice. Practical implications: Instead of focusing separately on specific technologies or user behaviors, it is recommended that service managers adopt a holistic perspective of user goals and motivations, use experiences and platform design. Originality/value: By conceptualizing UCC as an augmenting, dialogical process concerning users’ experiences, and by introducing communicative affordances as a framework to advance UCC in service, an in-depth understanding of the diverse and ever-evolving landscape of communication in service is offered.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-10-2021-0407 [Google]
Grewal, D., A. Guha, E. Schweiger, S. Ludwig and M. Wetzels (2022): How communications by AI-enabled voice assistants impact the customer journey, Journal of Service Management, 33(3074), pp.705-720
Purpose: Artificial intelligence–enabled voice assistants (VAs), such as Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri, are available in smartphones, smart speakers, and other digital devices and channels. Use of these VAs is growing rapidly and are expected to significantly impact purchase intentions. This article focuses on how the communications enabled and provided by these VAs influence VA evaluations and usage intentions, contingent on the stage of the customer journey. Design/methodology/approach: This paper builds from work on VAs, work on artificial intelligence (AI) and work on communications, to offer a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of how VA evaluations and usage intentions may be impacted by the communications from VAs, contingent on the stage of the customer journey. Findings: This paper proposes a model for VA enabled communications impact VA evaluations. It builds from work on VAs, AI, communications, and customer journey management. In the proposed model, VA evaluations are not only impacted by source, message and recipient characteristics (per prior communication models), but also by (1) VA/AI specific features, like perceptions of humanness and perceptions of artificiality, and (2) stage of the customer journey. Practical implications: This paper provides guidance to firms, as regards how VA communications may influence VA evaluations and usage intentions. As an initial conjecture, (1) increasing perceptions of humanness, (2) decreasing perceptions of artificiality (3) a better fit between communications style (e.g. abstract vs concrete), and request type (e.g. transactional vs informational) (4) a better fit between VA communications (e.g. information vs banter), and consumer perceptions of the VA (servant vs partner) and (5) a better fit between VA communications and the stage of the customer journey may positively influence VA evaluations and VA usage intentions. Originality/value: This paper provides a fresh look at the impact of VA communications, clarifying how such communications impact VA evaluations and usage intentions at various stages of the customer journey.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0452 [Google]
Blazevic, V. and K. Sidaoui (2022): The TRISEC framework for optimizing conversational agent design across search, experience and credence service contexts, Journal of Service Management, 33(3075), pp.733-746
Purpose: Service providers increasingly use conversational agents (CAs), such as chatbots, to effectively communicate with customers while managing interaction costs and providing round-the-clock customer service. Yet, the adoption and implementation of such agents in service contexts remains a hit-and-miss, and firms often struggle to balance their CAs implementation complexities and costs with relation to their service objectives, technology design and customer experiences. The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance on optimizing CA design, therefore, the authors develop a conceptual framework, TRISEC, that integrates service logic, technology design and customer experience to examine the implementation of CA solutions in search, experience and credence (SEC) contexts. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on service marketing and communications research, combining the service context classification scheme of search, experience and credence and the technology infused service marketing triangle foci (service, technology and customer) in its conceptual development. Findings: The authors find that an opportunity exists in recognizing the importance of context when designing CAs and aiming to achieve a balance between service objectives, technology design and customer experiences. Originality/value: This study contributes to service management and communications research literature by providing interactive service marketing researchers with the highly generalizable TRISEC framework to aid in optimizing CA design and implementation in interactive customer communication technologies. Furthermore, the study provides an array of future research avenues. From a practical perspective, this study aims at providing managers with a means to optimize CA technology design while maintaining a balance between customer centricity and implementation complexity and costs in different service contexts.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-10-2021-0402 [Google]
Calder, B. J. (2022): Customer interaction strategy, brand purpose and brand communities, Journal of Service Management, 33(3076), pp.747-757
Purpose: Customer interactions are integral to service brands. Indeed, many product brands have added services in order to create more opportunity for customer interaction. This paper deals with the strategic use of customer interactions to build a strong brand. Customer interaction strategy has evolved considerably beyond traditional sales and advertising in how customer interactions are conducted. Yet the Pareto rule (e.g. 80% of sales from 20% of customers) continues to guide who brands interact with. Conventional wisdom is that firms should target heavy users or customers high on the recency, frequency and monetary (RFM) value of purchases. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to examine how brands can use brand purpose and brand communities to target light users and even nonuser stakeholders as well. Design/methodology/approach: There is reason to hypothesize that brands can go beyond the heavy user limit of targeting customer interactions by developing brands around purpose. Purpose can be based on engagement with personal goals or values or on societal values about doing good for others. Brand purpose can be reinforced by either life purpose brand communities or societal purpose brand communities. Findings: The paper reviews findings in the brand interaction, brand purpose and brand communities literature. Research limitations/implications: The two types of brand purposes and brand communities offer the possibility of growing a brand by targeting customer interactions at light users and nonuser stakeholders. Practical implications: There are important future research issues to be addressed, but this approach could increase the value of brands to consumers and extend the life cycle of brands for organizations. Social implications: Furthermore, the concept of societal brand purpose could allow firms to focus on creating shareholder value as well as addressing social and environmental problems. Originality/value: This paper broadens the current conception of customer interaction strategy and is thus relevant to relationship and experience marketing.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0410 [Google]
Mitchell, S.-L. and M. K. Clark (2022): Rethinking nonprofit service disintermediation through service communication interactions, Journal of Service Management, 33(3077), pp.758-773
Purpose: A significant management issue for nonprofit organisations (NPOs) is the disconnect between services beneficiaries and the funders of those services. Individual donors and fundraisers provide the resources to enable other people (or animals) to be supported. The purpose of this paper is to address this service management challenge through new types of customer service interactions that bring together service donors and service recipients through innovative digital communication. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a review, and illustrated by recent examples of innovative best practice, the authors develop a new conceptual framework for understanding the relationship between customer participation and service brand communication. Findings: The paper starts by identifying the problem of “nonprofit service disintermediation”. The paper also outlines the inadequacies of popular frameworks of communication, widely taught in business schools, to understand the new reality of customer-service organisation engagement in the digital age. Through adopting a customer engagement lens, the paper develops a new conceptual framework for understanding the relationship between customer participation and service brand communication. Research limitations/implications: Given the authors’ focus on the intersection between new communication opportunities and customer service interactions, this paper adds novel insight to theory and raises important implications for management. Originality/value: The paper explores how, through these new communication interactions, engagement with, and loyalty to, the brand is built over time in a fluid and dynamic way. It identifies a disintermediated relationship, distinct to other service contexts, but significant in terms of value and social impact.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-10-2021-0401 [Google]
Dalla Pozza, I. (2022): The role of proximity in omnichannel customer experience: a service logic perspective, Journal of Service Management, 33(3078), pp.774-786
Purpose: This article proposes a new theoretical background against which to measure customer experience for omnichannel service deliveries and communications based on the concept of proximity. This represents a first step in developing a new measurement approach for omnichannel customer experience. Design/methodology/approach: The methodological approach is based on literature review and theory development. Various streams of literature are integrated on the basis of their interactionist nature (service logic, psychological distance theory, and omnichannel customer experience literature), and theory is developed based thereon. Findings: Successful omnichannel service deliveries and communications should build proximity with the customer during interactions at the different touchpoints. Proximity represents the value-in-use for the customer, who is coproducer of value at each interaction. Proximity can be applied to all touchpoints, thus strengthening seamlessness for omnichannel service deliveries and communications. Originality/value: This research advances knowledge by integrating the concepts of omnichannel and proximity under the lenses of service logic. The author proposes a new theoretical background for the measurement of omnichannel customer experience that contributes to the literature. In modern omnichannel service deliveries and communications, a measurement approach based on proximity fulfills the need to reconcile customer experiences at both remote and physical touchpoints for a holistic and coherent customer experience. Use of the four proximity dimensions (social, temporal, spatial, and hypothetical) gives flexibility to managers to build proximity across remote and physical touchpoints in different industries.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-01-2022-0009 [Google]
Schill, M. and D. Godefroit-Winkel (2022): Consumer responses to environmental corporate social responsibility and luxury, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(3079), pp.769-780
Purpose: Drawing on the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework, this study presents an original model examining the influence of environmental corporate social responsibility (CSR), luxury and service quality dimensions on consumer emotions that in turn influence consumer attitudes towards the shopping mall. Design/methodology/approach: Structural equation modeling is applied to data from a sample of 706 French consumers to test the hypotheses. Findings: The results highlight the importance of environmental CSR, luxury and service quality dimensions as stimuli influencing positively consumer emotions, which in turn positively influence consumer attitudes. Research limitations/implications: This study extends prior work in the field of services marketing and the S-O-R framework while considering environmental CSR, luxury and service quality dimensions as relevant stimuli. It further contributes to the literature of the shopping mall while examining relevant and unexplored antecedents to consumer emotions. Practical implications: This paper provides tailored recommendations for shopping mall managers. It details how managers can use environmental CSR and luxury dimensions besides service quality as relevant stimuli in their positioning strategies to enhance consumer emotions and attitudes. Originality/value: This study provides novel insights into shopping mall dimensions, i.e. environmental CSR, luxury and service quality, influencing consumer responses.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-11-2020-0472 [Google]
Plotkina, D., J. Dinsmore and M. Racat (2022): Improving service brand personality with augmented reality marketing, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(3080), pp.781-799
Purpose: Augmented reality (AR) apps offer a great opportunity for brands to provide better service to customers by creating augmented customer service. However, not every AR app is equally effective in improving customer experience. Investigation of underlying processes and brand-related outcomes of AR marketing remains scarce and it is unclear how different types of AR apps influence brand perceptions, such as brand personality. This paper aims to fill in this knowledge gap and provide practical insights on how different AR apps can improve service brand personality. Design/methodology/approach: Using an experimental plan, the authors investigate how attitudes towards AR apps contribute to customer perceptions of brand personality (i.e. excitement, sincerity, competence and sophistication) according to two different variables, namely, the location of the AR app (location-specific vs non-location-specific) and its orientation (augmenting the product, brand or store experience). The authors also examine the effect of expected customer experience with the AR app (i.e. playfulness and pleasure) and customer technological innovativeness and shopping orientation as predictors of attitudes towards the AR app. Findings: The findings show that non-location-specific and product-oriented AR apps (i.e. virtual try-on apps) receive more positive evaluations and lead consumers to perceive the brand as more exciting, sincere, competent and sophisticated. Moreover, the playfulness and pleasure experienced with the AR app determine consumers’ attitudes towards the app. Additionally, AR apps improve brand personality perceptions amongst more innovative and adventure-focussed shoppers. Originality/value: The authors show that brand announcements on high-technology, customer-oriented service offerings are an effective branding tool. Thus, AR apps perceived as pleasant and playful can signal and improve brand personality.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-12-2020-0519 [Google]
Toscani, G. and G. Prendergast (2022): The role of reciprocity and reputation in service relationships with arts organisations, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(3081), pp.800-812
Purpose: In an arts organisation context, this paper aims to further the understanding of service relationships by developing a framework explaining how sponsored arts organisations could better manage their relationships with sponsors to facilitate mutual benefit and relationship persistence. Design/methodology/approach: Grounded theory methodology was applied to sponsorship of arts organisations through interviews with the managers of arts organisations worldwide who had been involved in seeking and managing sponsorship relationships. Findings: Reciprocity was found to be the key factor in successful sponsorship relationships, but emotional reference to reputation was also important. Together they link uncertainty in the complex sponsorship environment with an arts organisation’s artistic ambitions. Practical implications: This study extends the understanding of service relationships by shedding light on the sponsorship relationship from the sponsored organisation’s point of view and in particular highlighting the role of reciprocity in managing the relationship with their sponsor. Originality/value: Understanding the moderating roles of reciprocity and reputation in sponsorship relationships helps to explain key facets of such relationships which can partially negate sponsor benefits and threaten a sponsorship’s continuation.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-10-2020-0436 [Google]
Fleischman, D., P. Sotiriadou, R. Mulcahy, B. Kean and R. L. Cury (2022): The impact of “capitalization” social support services on student-athlete well-being, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(3082), pp.813-830
Purpose: This paper aims to investigate capitalization support, an alternative perspective for theorizing social support in-service settings. In the service setting of the student-athlete experience, the relationships between capitalization support service dimensions (i.e. the academic, athletic, self-development and place dimensions), well-being and sports performance are examined through a transformative sport service research (TSSR) lens, a newly introduced form of transformative service research (TSR). Design/methodology/approach: Data from an online survey of Australian student-athletes (n = 867) is examined using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings: The results support the theorized service dimensions of capitalization support, indicating their validity and relevance to the student-athlete experience. Further, the results demonstrate that all capitalization support dimensions except athletic support (i.e. academic support, place support and self-development support), have a direct effect on well-being and an indirect effect on sports performance. Originality/value: This research is unique for several reasons. First, it introduces a new perspective, capitalization support, to theorizing about social support in services. Second, it is one of the first studies in both TSR and TSSR to empirically test and demonstrate a relationship between support services, well-being and performance in a single study. Insight into how to design services to optimize well-being in relation to other service objectives like performance thus emerges.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-12-2020-0520 [Google]
Hendricks, J. and G. Schmitz (2022): Value co-creation in services for animal companions, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(3083), pp.831-845
Purpose: As other actors in the service ecosystem often have a pivotal role in value creation for actors experiencing vulnerability, this paper aims to explore caregiving customer value co-creation in services for animal companions. Design/methodology/approach: Study 1 follows a two-step procedure, using two different qualitative approaches (interviews and observations) to identify caregiving customer value co-creation activities. Study 2 serves to empirically test a higher-order structure of caregiving customer participation behaviour in value co-creation and test for differences regarding customer and service characteristics (questionnaire survey; n = 680). Findings: The results reveal the existence of various value co-creation activities towards the service provider (e.g. cooperation under consideration of the animal companion’s needs) and animal companion (e.g. emotional support). Significant differences in individual caregiving customers’ activities were found regarding gender, age, type of service and animal companion. Caregiving customer value co-creation is influenced by emotional attachment and has a positive effect on value outcomes for both the caregiving customer and the animal companion. Originality/value: This study extends and enriches customer value co-creation literature by providing innovative findings on various such caregiving activities and value outcomes in services for (non-human) actors experiencing vulnerability. It also adds knowledge by showing differences in customer value co-creation behaviour regarding specific customer and service characteristics.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-12-2020-0530 [Google]
Srivastava, H. S., K. R. Jayasimha and K. Sivakumar (2022): Addressing customer misbehavior contagion in access-based services, Journal of Services Marketing, 36(3084), pp.849-861
Purpose: Access-based services (ABSs) provide short-term access to goods, physical facilities, space or labor in exchange for access fees without transferring legal ownership (e.g. bike-sharing). This study aims to investigate what service providers can do to minimize financial losses when customers misbehave with the service providers’ assets in ABSs. The study also examines the effects of product misuse on subsequent customers and what factors may mitigate it. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a scenario-based experiment to test the conceptual model. Findings: Injunctive norms reduce the mediating effect of descriptive norms on misbehavior contagion. As generally accepted and approved (injunctive) norms become salient, they override the impact of prevailing (descriptive) norms, thereby breaking the vicious cycle of misbehavior contagion. Customer-company identification (CCI) and reduced interpersonal anonymity mitigate the effects of previous misbehavior on misbehavior contagion. Practical implications: ABS firms should strive to mitigate the financial and reputational losses they suffer from customer misbehavior. Such mitigation would be a win-win for the ABS firm (reduced misbehavior) and the customers (improved user experience). Originality/value: The research complements prior research highlighting the role of social norms in misbehavior contagion. The study demonstrates the role of boundary conditions by investigating the interactive effects of descriptive and injunctive norms. In addition, it shows the positive impact of CCI and reduced interpersonal anonymity on containing misbehavior contagion.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2021-0121 [Google]
Zhu, Q., F. Wei and M. F. Moin (2022): Supervisor negative gossip and employees’ thriving at work, Service Industries Journal, (3085), pp.1-18
Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, we examine (a) how supervisor negative gossip affects frontline employees’ thriving at the workplace through positive affect and job self-efficacy and (b) how perceived organizational support (POS) mitigates the adverse effects of supervisor negative gossip on employees. Using a sample of 219 frontline employees from three companies in China, we found that supervisor negative gossip is indirectly and negatively associated with employees’ thriving through reduced employees’ positive affect and job self-efficacy, and that the conditional indirect effect of supervisor negative gossip is stronger in employees who perceive lower levels of organizational support. Our findings extend the literature on the dysfunctional consequences of supervisor negative gossip and highlight the need for leaders to become aware of the impact of negative workplace gossip on employees. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2117301 [Google]
Kraus, S., A. Kallmuenzer, D. K. Kanbach, P. M. Krysta and M. M. Steinhoff (2022): An integrative framework for business model innovation in the tourism industry旅游业商业模式创新的综合框架, Service Industries Journal, (3086), pp.1-23
These are constantly changing times for the tourism industry. The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying negative economic effects significantly impacted customer behavior and accelerated the need for companies to innovate. Business model innovation (BMI) is ideal for overcome these challenges by innovating the very core of the firm. However, siloed BMI thinking is insufficient: firms need a more holistic approach. We expand the current understanding of business model innovation by proposing a framework that integrates relevant dimensions (change impulses and business model configurations), context factors (service newness and degree of change or destination characteristics), and the outcomes of BMI initiatives into a comprehensive model for the tourism industry context. With our work, we want to guide future research and expand the currently unbalanced, heterogeneous picture of BMI in service industries. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2127690 [Google]
Scholl-Grissemann, U., N. E. Stokburger-Sauer and K. Teichmann (2022): The importance of perceived fairness in product customization settings, Service Industries Journal, 42(3087), pp.823-842
Customization tools enable computerized service interactions that increase customer value. This value is affected by customers’ co-creation efforts. During the customization process, customers weigh the cost of their resources (e.g. ideas, time, knowledge) against the resources invested by a service company (e.g. online support, product warranty) to evaluate the fairness of the process. This study examines how customer satisfaction is affected by perceptions of fairness during the customization process, as well as the number of customization options offered by a customization tool. Two experiments show that, regardless of the number of customization options, customers always evaluate a company more positively when the customization process is fair. Product category involvement and customer expertise also moderate the relationship between customization and satisfaction. As this research indicates, customization must be designed carefully to avoid undesirable marketing outcomes.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2020.1819252 [Google]
Malhotra, N., N. Ashill, C. R. Lages and A. Homayounfard (2022): Understanding the role of frontline employee felt obligation in services: 解读在服务领域一线员工中感知义务的作用, Service Industries Journal, 42(3088), pp.843-871
Drawing on social exchange theory, this study investigates the mechanism of felt obligation underpinning the link between three key forms of perceived support (organization, supervisor, and team) and three key frontline employee work outcomes. The study also examines felt obligation – employee work outcomes relationships under the boundary condition of perceived fairness in reward allocation to explore if felt obligation preserves employee support despite unfair outcomes. Data obtained from 347 frontline employees in a call center organization largely support our hypotheses. Our findings demonstrate that perceived supervisor and team support exert a greater influence on felt obligation than the commonly investigated perceived organizational support. Our findings underscore the importance of felt obligation as an influential social exchange force that stimulates affective commitment and reduces turnover intentions of employees even under conditions when fairness in reward allocation is perceived to be lower. Felt obligation also influences service recovery performance positively. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2020.1858062 [Google]
Arici, H. E., M. A. Köseoglu and N. Cakmakoglu Arici (2022): Emotions in service research: evolutionary analysis and empirical review: 服务情绪研究：进化分析与实证综述, Service Industries Journal, 42(3089), pp.919-947
This study provides a bibliometric review of emotion-focused research in the service discipline by examining the main research themes and concepts, conceptual foundations, and the most recent research fields. Six-hundred forty-seven documents on emotions were extracted and examined by performing co-citation and bibliographic coupling analyses as well as qualitative content analysis. Co-citation analysis results show that ’emotions’ is a defined research area with six fundamental themes; namely, positive customer emotions, emotional reactions to service failure and recovery, measurement of emotions, empirical analysis of emotions, brand love, and customer delight. In addition, various theoretical foundations could be employed in various empirical contexts, among which conservation of resources and social exchange play a great role. An examination of the most recent documents via bibliographic coupling analysis clarifies six appealing research trends and releases various recommendations on the occasions for further investigation to be drawn. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2101638 [Google]
Hofmeister, J., M. H. G. Schneider, D. K. Kanbach and S. Kraus (2022): Combining strategies for high service productivity with successful service innovation: 将高服务生产率的战略与成功的服务创新相结合, Service Industries Journal, 42(3090), pp.948-971
Service innovation and service productivity are key elements of a firm’s ability to gain competitive advantages. Although previous studies have advanced the understanding of each topic individually, few attempts have been made to bridge the gap between the two research streams. Endeavoring to explain how firms combine strategies for high service productivity with successful service innovation, we adopt a multiple-case research design. Results of a one-year field study in the financial services market show that firms are more likely to gain competitive advantages if they link multiple innovation configurations that fit with their productivity strategy. We identified 27 cases that facilitated productivity through cost emphasis, revenue emphasis, or a dual emphasis on both cost and revenue. Our data, which include 42 in-depth interviews as well as public documents, also suggest that two sets of service innovation configurations—new service development and service design—are linked together in relationships with service productivity. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2098952 [Google]
Hyun, Y., S. Hlee, J. Park and Y. Chang (2022): Discovering meaningful engagement through interaction between customers and service robots, Service Industries Journal, 42(3091), pp.973-1000
Although service robots are causing a paradigm shift in the service industry by creating new interactions with customers, there is limited knowledge regarding which elements of service robots create desirable interactions with customers. To address this gap, this study invited situated action theory to investigate elements of service robots shaping customers’ meaningful engagement. 252 responses from the survey were analyzed. These revealed that some socio-functional elements are primary for meaningful engagement by affecting both experiential and instrumental outcomes, whereas others are salient for either one of the outcomes. Our analysis also examined personal innovativeness and viability of human–robot team pertaining to meaningful engagement. This study contributes to the literature by identifying socio-functional elements of service robots and exploring how they create meaningful engagement. It also provides practical implications to service companies, demonstrating critical elements of service robots for enhancing their service quality and for developing robot-driven service environments. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2088738 [Google]
Zhou, Y., F. Furuoka and S. Kumar (2022): Promoting electronic customer-to-customer interaction: evidence from social commerce sites, Service Industries Journal, (3092), pp.1-27
Social commerce facilitates communication among customers worldwide and promotes electronic customer-to-customer interaction (eCCI). Considerable research has been undertaken on consumer behaviour, but the understanding of the factors that drive eCCI is limited, particularly in the social commerce context. This limitation arises from a lack of theoretical frameworks to account for such behaviour. By using motivation–opportunity–ability (MOA) theory, this study aims to observe how MOA theory constructs (intrinsic motivation, perceived self-efficacy and tie strength with other customers) integrate and impact eCCI. A survey method is utilised to collect data, and structural equation modelling is used with 359 customers from social commerce sites in China. Results demonstrate that eCCI behaviour is strongly determined by intrinsic motivation, perceived self-efficacy and tie strength with other customers. Among these factors, intrinsic motivation partially mediates the association between perceived self-efficacy and eCCI. Moreover, tie strength with other customers moderates the relationship between intrinsic motivation and eCCI. Overall, this study introduces a new way of assessing eCCI and reports eCCI behaviour as a new and dynamic approach to explore how its outcomes can be enhanced in social commerce marketing. Such outcomes may help social commerce and service providers in delivering their services. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2113780 [Google]
Chiu, Y.-T. H. and D. M. Nguyen (2022): Service failure and self-recovery in tech-based services: self-determination theory perspective, Service Industries Journal, 42(3093), pp.1075-1100
The pervasiveness of self-service technologies (SSTs) in the service industry has led to renewed interest in SST failure and recovery. Understanding how customers respond to SST disruptions and motivating them to resolve SST failures by themselves should be at the core of service companies’ recovery strategies, as this entails significant benefits to service providers and customers. Drawing on self-determination theory, we examined how intrinsic motivation encourages customers to undertake self-recovery after SST failure. A survey was conducted among users of airport self-check-in kiosks, and the obtained data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings show that a greater perceived needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness results in higher expected value and attitude towards self-recovery, thus increasing self-recovery intention. Following expert interviews with airport personnel to consolidate the results, this study provides managerial suggestions aimed at raising customers’ intrinsic motivation, especially competence needs, to promote self-recovery. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2104257 [Google]
Phillips, C., R. Russell-Bennett and M. Kowalkiewicz (2022): The physical frictionless experience: a slippery slope for experience memorability of retail services?, Service Industries Journal, (3094), pp.1-30
Service industries are increasingly creating physical frictionless experiences to reduce effort for customers so they are able to ‘just walk out’. However, frictionless experiences can reduce memorability which can in turn reduce share of wallet. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between customer effort and experience memorability in a just-walk-out physical frictionless experience. Interviews were conducted with 30 customers using a simulated frictionless retail experience. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. This study found that a just-walk-out physical frictionless experience consists of transferable positive and negative effort with physical, cognitive, and interpersonal components. A second finding was that the reduction of customer effort is facilitated by removing high interpersonal effort which is associated with a more forgettable, or slippery, experience. Individual differences that appear to play a role in desire for effortful human interaction, shopping value type, attitude towards technology and age were identified. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2119222 [Google]
Moin, M. F., M. K. Omar, A. Ali, M. I. Rasheed and M. Abdelmotaleb (2022): A moderated mediation model of knowledge hiding, Service Industries Journal, (3095), pp.1-13
Building on the social exchange theory and displaced aggression theory, we examined the link between exploitative leadership and subordinates’ task performance via knowledge hiding. In addition, we examined the moderating effect of subordinates’ negative reciprocity beliefs. We collected multi-source and two-wave field data (
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2112180 [Google]
Lievonen, M., J. Bowden and V. Luoma-aho (2022): Towards a typology of negative engagement behavior in social media, Service Industries Journal, (3096), pp.1-22
Extant literature on consumer engagement has focused on positive manifestations of the construct, rather than on its negative dimension. Yet, many brand interactions are negative in nature. The purpose of this conceptual study is to develop a typology of negative engagement behavior in social media by using the multi-grounded theory (MGT) approach on a sample of 12,429 tweets extracted from Twitter. The analysis shows that negative engagement behavior with a brand or service provider as the object focus or target can be categorized according to (a) the manifestation of the negative engagement and (b) the emotional intensity of the negative engagement. Four categories of negative engagement behavior (NEB) were identified. These include
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2121961 [Google]
Thabet, W. M., K. Badar, M. Aboramadan and A. Abualigah (2022): Does green inclusive leadership promote hospitality employees’ pro-environmental behaviors? The mediating role of climate for green initiative, Service Industries Journal, (3097), pp.1-21
Drawing on social learning and social information processing theories, this study proposes and tests a model of the association of green-inclusive leadership on pro-environmental behaviors (task-related pro-environmental behavior (PEB) and organizational citizenship for the environment) through climate for green initiative. Using data collected in two waves from 254 employees working in the hospitality industry (restaurants) and utilizing structural equation modeling, our results suggest that green-inclusive leadership is a promising leadership style in encouraging task-related PEB and organizational citizenship for the environment (OCBE). The results also suggest that climate for green initiative is an effective underlying mechanism between the green-inclusive leadership-pro-environmental behaviors linkages. Our model is novel in that the associations proposed and tested were not investigated before. Furthermore, the research is the first of its kind to introduce climate for green initiative in the research of pro-environmental management practices. Discussion, implications and limitations are presented. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2120982 [Google]
Auh, S., B. Menguc, F. M. Thompson and A. Uslu (2022): Conflict-solving as a mediator between customer incivility and service performance, Service Industries Journal, (3098), pp.1-36
The customer incivility literature has primarily focused on emotional exhaustion and burnout as
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2094916 [Google]
