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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Wenbin, S. and P. Jing (2017): Service quality and global competitiveness: evidence from global service firms, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 27(6), pp.1058-1080
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between service quality and firms? global competitiveness in the service industry. A set of moderating effects is formulated to further reveal how the relationship varies under different situations. Design/methodology/approach This paper tests the model with data collected from multiple sources such as World?s Most Admired Companies and COMPUSTAT. Two types of robust regressions for panel data are employed in the empirical model estimation. Findings Service quality is found to significantly drive global competitiveness. Specifically, its impact is stronger for large service firms and when the global environment is characterized as low munificence, high dynamism, or high complexity. Practical implications The paper provides a set of implications for managers of service firms regarding global expansion and quality management. It generates useful guidelines of maximizing the power of service quality when a firm?s global competitive advantage is considered. Originality/value This paper takes the first attempt to formulate service quality?s influence on firm?s global competitiveness with a consideration of specific situational factors.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-12-2016-0225 [Google]
Pedeliento Giuseppe, Andreini Daniela, Bergamaschi Mara and Klobals Jane Elizabeth (2017): Trust, information asymmetry and professional service online referral agents, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 27(6), pp.1081-1104
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how the intermediation of an online agent in the relationship between prospective clients and professional service providers affects individual purchasing processes and decisions, and satisfaction with the professional service provider once the commercial transaction is concluded. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the integrated trust-technology acceptance model, modified to include two additional variables to take into account of the specificities of the context investigated ? users? perceived reduction of information asymmetry and satisfaction with the professional service provider ? a research framework is developed and tested with a research design combining a decision tree procedure with structural equation modelling and multi-group analysis. Participants are 188 users of an Italian website which incorporates an online agent that refers notaries to prospective clients. Findings Decisions to purchase professional services brokered by online agents depend upon trust in the agent, and users? perceptions of the agent?s ability to reduce information asymmetry, as well as its perceived usefulness. Online agents for professional services can be effective as well as efficient: users who bought the service from an agent-referred notary had higher levels of satisfaction with their professional service provider than users who purchased the service from a different notary. Originality/value This is the first empirical effort to investigate the effects of online agents in the specific context of professional service purchasing. The uniqueness of the research context permitted identification of a new type of online agent, the ?double-sided online referral agent?.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-10-2016-0185 [Google]
Sanjaya Singh, G., S. Piyush, H. Halimin and P. J. K. Russel (2017): Impact of frontline service employees’ acculturation behaviors on customer satisfaction and commitment in intercultural service encounters, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 27(6), pp.1105-1121
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of four types of acculturation behaviors of frontline service employees (assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization) on customer satisfaction and customer commitment. Design/methodology/approach In total, 377 ethnically diverse customers of a retail bank in New Zealand participated in this study. SmartPLS3 was used to test all the hypotheses. Findings Assimilation and integration have positive effects on both customer satisfaction and commitment. Marginalization has a negative effect on both customer satisfaction and commitment but separation has a negative effect only on customer satisfaction and not on customer commitment. Research limitations/implications Future research may validate and extend the authors findings in diverse cultural settings and use experimental method to explore the socio-psychological mechanisms underlying the influence of frontline service employees? acculturation behaviors on customer satisfaction and commitment. Practical implications This study will help managers understand the importance of service employees? acculturation behaviors and develop suitable recruitment strategies and training programs to improve their impact on customer satisfaction and commitment. Originality/value This study extends current research on intercultural service encounters by looking beyond the moderating effects of four types of service employees? acculturation behaviors, to explore their direct effects on customer satisfaction and commitment.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-08-2016-0138 [Google]
Chuanchuen, A. and G. P. Paul (2017): A contingency model of “Face” loss in service encounters: an Eastern cultural context, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 27(6), pp.1122-1144
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a loss of face on the psychological well-being of frontline employees (FLEs) in an Eastern cultural context (Thailand) when subjected to customer aggression. Importantly, it adopts a contingency approach and examines moderating effects by which social status, a ?customer is always right? organisational philosophy and a public/private context impact the nature of the association between customer aggression and loss of face. Finally, it examines the moderating effect of regulation of emotion on the association between loss of face on psychological well-being. Design/methodology/approach A survey, administered to 319 FLEs in retail stores in Thailand, asked them to recall a recent experience dealing with customer aggression. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling and a moderator regression. Findings Customer aggression expressions are associated with FLEs? loss of face, which in turn affects FLEs? emotional exhaustion and anxiety. FLEs social status and a ?customer is always right? organisational philosophy moderate the association between customer aggression and loss of face, and FLEs? loss of face is greater when their physical well-being is threatened publicly rather than in private. In addition, regulation of emotion was found to increase the negative impact of loss of face on emotional exhaustion. Practical implications The way FLEs respond to customer aggression during service encounters, as well as the FLEs? status and the context, can intensify their loss of face and psychological well-being. This has implications for the extent to which organisations impose a ?customer is always right? dictum on FLE, as well as the need for counselling and peer support immediately following customer aggression incidents. Originality/value This study is the first to investigate the moderating effects of social status, a ?customer is always right? philosophy and public/private context on the expression of customer aggression and FLEs? accompanying loss of face. In other words, rather than simply examining what causes face loss, the authors shift the focus from the ?Is? question to ?When? ? i.e., under what contingency condition is there more or less face loss?
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-03-2016-0055 [Google]
Tom, C., Y. Shirley Ou and L. Cheryl (2017): The beginning of value co-creation: understanding dynamics, efforts and betterment, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 27(6), pp.1145-1166
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the beginning of value co-creation by uncovering the roles, efforts, and desired outcomes of employees and how they affect employees? responses to their firm?s co-creation initiatives. Design/methodology/approach This study applies a single case study to explore micro-level processes at the beginning of value co-creation informed by a case about how a Taiwanese firm moved from a conventional to a co-creative business model. Findings The case study findings affirm nine subthemes that underlie three key themes: co-creation dynamics, efforts, and betterment. The authors provide a value co-creation framework that is informed by nine subthemes derived from interview data. Research limitations/implications Current literature on understanding value co-creation processes focuses on formalized co-creation processes which produce diverse and contextually dependent findings. The authors contribute to current value co-creation literature by offering convergent insights into the interplay of dynamics, efforts, and betterment experienced by employees transitioning to a value co-creation process. Practical implications The authors offer a diagnostic value co-creation checklist and propose three benefits of using the checklist, which can help managers mitigate the uncertainty that arises during the transition from a conventional to a co-creation firm. Originality/value The study responds to calls for research to investigate where and when the co-creation of value emerges, value co-creation behavior from employees? point of view, and employees? roles in the co-creation of value.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-12-2015-0257 [Google]
Chin-Feng, L. and F. Chen-Su (2017): Advancing Laddering And Critical Incident Technique To Reveal Restaurant Niches, Service Industries Journal, 37(0), pp.801-818
This study, based on means-end chain and dramaturgical theories, aims to reveal critical attributes/incidents that influence consumers to dine in a restaurant and proposes a complete picture for restaurant operators to understand consumer inner thinking that can be used to carve out their restaurant niches. By using the laddering and the critical incident techniques, this study proposes a theoretical explanatory scheme to identify the most critical attributes/incidents for the restaurant operators. From the perspective of dramaturgical theory, the results of the hierarchical value map show that the most common attributes/incidents dining in the restaurant are related to the physical facilities or customer-staff interaction system. Such a map can help restaurant operators easily and quickly capture their strengths and weaknesses from the relationship between restaurant features and customer value demands. If managers would like to know more specific critical attributes/features for their restaurants, they may simply follow the same procedure outlined in this work to find out what is the niche for their services and establishments, in order to survive in a highly competitive environment. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2017.1351551 [Google]
John, A., F. Qadeer, G. Shahzadi and J. Fu (2017): Corporate Social Responsibility And Employee’S Desire: A Social Influence Perspective, Service Industries Journal, 37(0), pp.819-832
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an increasingly important topic in management, especially in organizational behavior field across the globe; however, this concept is still in its infancy in Pakistan. In this study, we examined the effect of employees’ perceptions about CSR on their Desire to have a Significant Impact through Work (DSIW). We suggested the serial mediation of organizational identification and organizational pride in this relationship. The time-lag data of middle managers were collected from a well-known Pakistani firm that is actively engaged in CSR. The data consist of 187 observations and were analyzed using structural equation modeling in AMOS software. The results show that CSR positively affects employees’ identification that in turn make employees proud of their organizational membership and finally pride leads to employees’ DSIW. The study contributes in CSR and organizational behavior literature and provides managerial implication to enhance the positive psychological state of employees. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2017.1353081 [Google]
Di Berardino, C., D. D’Ingiullo and A. Sarra (2017): Distributive Trade And Regional Productivity Growth, Service Industries Journal, 37(0), pp.833-857
The paper aims to investigate the relationship between distributive trade (wholesale and retail trade) and productivity growth across Italian provinces. In most studies, the potential determinants of productivity in the distributive trade have been investigated, while the impact of these activities on economic growth of the whole system has received less attention. By using panel data during the time period 2000-2013, the paper tests if the increase in the share of employees in distributive trade over the given period has promoted the productivity growth. This study applies both a random-effects model and, among the dynamic panel data estimators, a generalized method of moments estimator (GMM). In order to control both the issue of endogeneity, due to the presence of some potentially endogenous variables among the explanatory variables, and the problem of instrument proliferation, the GMM estimator is implemented together with a statistical method, which reduces the number of instruments when the set of endogenous variables is wide. The findings show that the distributive trade has a strong positive impact on the productivity growth. Moreover, this link is reinforced when we control the potential endogeneity. The results also support the idea that distributive trade can promote provincial convergence. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2017.1359261 [Google]
Hui-Ju, W. (2017): Determinants Of Consumers’ Purchase Behaviour Towards Green Brands, Service Industries Journal, 37(0), pp.896-918
This study applies perceived risk theory to explore the factors that influence consumers’ purchase behaviour towards green brands, including green perceived quality, green perceived value, green perceived risk, information costs saved, and purchase intentions towards green brands. This study focuses on consumers who have the experience of purchasing products from green brands in the food and restaurant service industry in Taiwan. The results of this study show that purchase intentions are positively associated with purchase behaviour. Moreover, the study demonstrates that purchase intentions mediate the impacts of green perceived quality, green perceived value, information costs saved, and green perceived risk on purchase behaviour. Specifically, green perceived risk is negatively influenced by green perceived value and information costs saved and functions as a mediator among green perceived value, information costs saved, and purchase intentions. The study has critical implications for green brand researchers and practitioners. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2017.1365140 [Google]
Eiriz, V. and F. P. Leite (2017): The Digital Distribution Of Music And Its Impact On The Business Models Of Independent Musicians, Service Industries Journal, 37(0), pp.875-895
This article analyses the impact of digital distribution of music on business models developed by independent musicians. More specifically, it aims to analyse the main changes in the network of relationships between musicians and record companies, and between musicians and consumers; and to analyse how independent musicians’ business models have been evolving as a response to increasing change in the distribution of music. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with independent musicians, music journalists, and small independent record labels. The article discusses empirically the main results regarding changes in the network of relationships under study and analyses the evolution of business models, concluding that independent musicians follow a diversification strategy, aiming to capture the business opportunities provided by technological changes in the distribution of music. The implications of such an option, including its main challenges, are discussed. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2017.1361935 [Google]
Xiaofei, L., M. Baolong and Z. Chen (2017): Effects Of Customer Loyalty On Customer Entitlement And Voiced Complaints, Service Industries Journal, 37(0), pp.858-874
The value of customer loyalty has been well documented by academicians and practitioners. Nevertheless, prior literature has paid little attention to the negative consequences of customer loyalty, for example, entitlement behaviors (e.g. requests for deeper discounts) and complaint behaviors (voicing dissatisfaction to the company). This research empirically examines the effects of customer loyalty on entitlement and voiced complaint behaviors in the context of Frequent Flyer programs in airline industry. Base on partial least squares-structural equation modeling, the results show that (1) customer loyalty has a positive effect on customer entitlement, which is the extent to which customers expect special treatment from the company; (2) the effect of customer loyalty on voiced complaints is fully mediated by customer entitlement; (3) perceived status of loyalty programs amplifies the entitlement behaviors of loyal customers, while tangible rewards of loyalty programs mitigate the entitlement behaviors of loyal customers. Theoretical and managerial implications are elaborated in the discussion section. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2017.1360290 [Google]
Guo, X., B. Li, Y. Liu and L. Liang (2017): Eliminating the Inconvenience of Carrying: Optimal Pricing of Delivery Service for Retailers, Service Science, 9(3), pp.181-191
Delivery service becomes one of the most important issues that significantly influence customer purchase behavior, especially for retailers in tourist attractions. This paper builds a model to investigate the strategy optimization of delivery service for such retailers. Meanwhile, the retailer optimizes the retail price to maximize the expected profit in different types of delivery service scenarios. Our results indicate that, given the perceived value of a delivery service, the optimal strategy is to provide free delivery service when its cost is relatively low, but to not provide delivery service when the cost is relatively high.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2017.0173 [Google]
Corona, M., Y. Geum and S. Lee (2017): Patterns of Protecting Both Technological and Nontechnological Innovation for Service Offerings: Case of the Video-Game Industry, Service Science, 9(3), pp.192-204
Service innovation involves both technological and nontechnological aspects, which need to be protected as intellectual property. Thus, it is worth analyzing patents and trademarks at the same time to examine innovation-protection mechanisms considering that not only patents but also trademarks can play a significant role in protecting different aspects of innovation. In response, this paper focuses on the usage of trademarks and suggests hybrid intellectual property strategies to integrate patents and trademarks to understand the characteristics of innovation strategy?the patterns of innovation protection. We employed the United States Patent and Trademark Office database and conducted a sector-level and firm-level analysis. As a case study, we focused on the game industry, in which both patents and trademarks are considered the key drivers for innovation.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2017.0174 [Google]
Chang, J., M. Yu, S. Shen and M. Xu (2017): Location Design and Relocation of a Mixed Car-Sharing Fleet with a CO2 Emission Constraint, Service Science, 9(3), pp.205-218
Car-sharing companies have shown increasing support in the adoption of fuel-efficient cars to reduce CO2 emissions and to meet heterogeneous demand. In this paper, we consider location design and relocation problems for sharing a mixed fleet of cars and propose integer linear programs that incorporate both one-way and round-trip demand and operations. To model car movements, we use a minimum-cost flow model on a spatial?temporal network given time-based demand. We maximize the total profit of renting cars minus the cost of relocation and maintenance, subject to limited budget for purchasing cars and given a CO2 emission limit. In addition, we enforce the first-come, first-served principle to eliminate denied trips. We conduct computational studies based on 2014 Zipcar data in Boston to provide insights for fleet location, car-type designs, and their environmental impacts. Our results show high utilization of cars and low demand losses and denied trips. Although the CO2 emission limit may lower car-sharing profit, high demand on new energy-efficient cars can compensate the loss and is worth being satisfied.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2017.0178 [Google]
Frost, R. and K. Lyons (2017): Service Systems Analysis Methods and Components: A Systematic Literature Review, Service Science, 9(3), pp.219-234
The service system has been proposed as the basic abstraction of service science and, as a result, there has been much interest in the study and analysis of service systems in recent years. This paper presents the results of a systematic literature review of recent literature on service systems through which we characterize recent changes in direction and focus in service system research and identify new emphases and areas of focus. We discuss three approaches to service system analysis: descriptive, prescriptive, and evaluative. We also discuss new research focused on studying the components of service systems. Based on research gaps observed in our review, we identify eight specific opportunities and three broad directions for future research: (1) refocusing attention on a greater diversity of research designs and analytical approaches, (2) leveraging new perspectives to perform more ontological work on system components, and (3) fostering a better understanding of the role of innovation. We present a framework of our key findings, depicting the overarching logic linking research questions, opportunities, and directions.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2017.0180 [Google]
Adam, M., J. Strähle and M. Freise (2017): The Interaction of Product-Service Systems (PSS) and Corporate Environmental Management (CEM): Can PSS Drive Today’s Fashion Industry Toward More Environmental Sustainability?, Service Science, 9(3), pp.235-249
The fashion industry is well documented for causing significant environmental impact. Product-service systems (PSS) present a promising way to solve this challenge. PSS shift the focus toward complementary service offers, which decouples customer satisfaction from material consumption and entails dematerialization. However, PSS are not ecoefficient by nature but need to be accompanied by corporate environmental management (CEM) practices. The objective of this article is to examine the potential of PSS to contribute to the environmental sustainability of today?s fashion industry by investigating if fashion firms with a positive attitude toward PSS implementation also pursue goals related to the ecological environment. For this purpose, analysis of variance (ANOVA) is conducted to analyze data of 102 fashion firms. Results reveal that the diffusion of PSS in today?s fashion industry is low and few firms consider implementing PSS. Results, furthermore, demonstrate that PSS implementation is positively related to CEM. This indicates that existing structures of CEM favor PSS implementation and unlock the ecoefficient potential of implemented PSS in the fashion industry.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2017.0182 [Google]
Watanabe, K. and M. Mochimaru (2017): Expanding Impacts of Technology-Assisted Service Systems Through Generalization: Case Study of the Japanese Service Engineering Research Project, Service Science, 9(3), pp.250-262
The importance of technologies for services has been remarkably emphasized recently with the terms ?digitalization? and ?smart service systems.? Technologies, especially information and communications technologies, have been regarded as an important driver of innovating services, and various researchers of services and service systems have investigated the development of technology-assisted service systems and their methods. However, few studies report how to generalize and disseminate developed service systems and technologies for other service systems. This type of study is essential to expand the impact of the study on technology-assisted service systems on the industrial and societal levels. As our research question, we examined the necessary processes and deliverables to develop and disseminate technology-assisted service systems. We analyzed five cases of a service engineering research project in Japan that aimed at improving service industry productivity through disseminating developed technologies. We conducted semistructured interviews with the researchers responsible in each case. As a result, we clarified the generalization process through continuous codevelopment with stakeholders in the same or different service systems. We also specified a set of research outputs: technology, activity guideline, and application process, designated as a technological support model for a service system. The features of these outputs can be emphasized by categorizing them into three types: knowledge-worker support model, organization management support model, and association management support model. These processes and outputs provide a practical guideline for developing and disseminating technology-assisted service systems effectively.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2017.0183 [Google]
