Masayuki Yoshida, Jeffrey D James and J. Joseph Cronin
Throughout this study, the authors sought to identify the antecedents and consequences of a multi-dimensional consumption-value construct. Data were collected from sports…
Abstract
Throughout this study, the authors sought to identify the antecedents and consequences of a multi-dimensional consumption-value construct. Data were collected from sports spectators in Japan (n=372) and the United States (n=396). The results indicate that three quality dimensions (functional, technical and aesthetic quality) have a significant impact on their respective value dimensions in the context of sporting events. Moreover, the constructs of entertainment and community prestige have positive effects on customers' behavioural intentions.
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This study examines how various characteristics of the discount retail environment and the overall attitude towards a discount retail store, considered to be an abstract and…
Abstract
This study examines how various characteristics of the discount retail environment and the overall attitude towards a discount retail store, considered to be an abstract and global image component, influence consumers’ satisfaction and how consumers’ satisfaction, in turn, affects store loyalty. The data, collected from a sample of 517 discount retail customers in Daegu, Korea, indicate that: (1) forming the overall attitude is more closely related to in‐store services: atmosphere, employee service, after sales service and merchandising, (2) store satisfaction is formed through perceived store atmosphere and value, (3) the overall attitude has strong influence on satisfaction and loyalty and its impact is much stronger on loyalty than on satisfaction, (4) store loyalty is directly affected by most significantly location, merchandising and after sale service in order, (5) satisfaction is not related to customers’ committed store revisiting behavior. The applications in management and implications for future research are discussed.
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Jeremy S. Wolter, V. Myles Landers, Simon Brach and J. Joseph Cronin
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether customer-company identification (CCI) can transfer from one organization to the next within the context of service alliances.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether customer-company identification (CCI) can transfer from one organization to the next within the context of service alliances.
Design/methodology/approach
A between-subjects experiment using a fictitious alliance and a field study focused on a real alliance tests identification transfer at the time of a service alliance announcement and while the service alliance is in operation.
Findings
Identification transfer is enabled by an exclusive service alliance but not an inclusive one. For identification transfer to be maintained, customers must perceive the companies as a coherent group (i.e. high entitativity) and have close physical proximity to the alliance.
Originality/value
By drawing heavily on self-categorization theory for the proposed effects, the current research provides a new theoretical framework to the service and brand alliance literature that contrasts with the attitude-based theories commonly used. Furthermore, the current research explores how company-company relationships influence CCI whereas most research has focused on characteristics of the customer-company relationship. These two differences suggest service alliances provide more value to the companies and customers than currently realized.
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The article considers the applicability of traditional attitude and other constructs in service quality research. It is suggested that the effects of perceived service quality may…
Abstract
The article considers the applicability of traditional attitude and other constructs in service quality research. It is suggested that the effects of perceived service quality may be masked by non‐linear relationships and under‐identified explanatory models. Constructs that might assist researchers and practitioners improve their service quality research and strategies are identified.
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This paper aims to provide an evaluation of the findings first put forward in the article “A cross-sectional test of the effect and conceptualization of service value” with the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide an evaluation of the findings first put forward in the article “A cross-sectional test of the effect and conceptualization of service value” with the benefit of hindsight, and to offer directions for further research and developments in the research area.
Design/methodology/approach
Research directions which emanated from the publication of the paper have been examined in the light of current service(s) marketing theory and practice. As a result, promising current and future strands of research have been identified.
Findings
The focus of both the original and this paper is on the conceptualization and measurement of the value construct. Although much theory has been advanced relative to the measurement of value, the marketing literature lacks a conceptualization and measures that reflect this theory.
Research limitations/implications
The implication of the paper is that marketing scholars tend to focus more on to other studies before exhausting the opportunities to identify and test appropriate conceptualizations and measures of core marketing constructs such as value, quality, sacrifice and satisfaction.
Practical implications
Although value is universally identified as a major driver of consumer decision-making, a full appreciation of its role in the strategic marketing efforts of organizations depends on having an accurate conceptualization and measures. The original paper and this revisit motivate and assist organizations in their efforts to better understand value and its impact in the decisions made by consumers.
Social implications
To contribute to the needs and wants of society, organizations must identify what is valued by society. The original and this revisit identify the creation of value as a basic need in encouraging consumer behaviours when the intent is to satisfy societal needs or desires.
Originality/value
The original paper was highly rated, and generated discussion and important further research. It has value as part of the history of service marketing research. The retrospective analysis by the authors gives a unique insight into processes and thinking associated with understanding key aspects that contribute to the historical development of service marketing, and provides substantial food for thought for future research directions.
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Brian L. Bourdeau, J. Joseph Cronin, Daniel T. Padgett, Clay M. Voorhees and Kimberley White
All hypothesized relationships were significant. Specifically, H1 was supported as disconfirmation and surprising consumption were significantly correlated. Moreover, arousal (H2…
Abstract
Purpose
All hypothesized relationships were significant. Specifically, H1 was supported as disconfirmation and surprising consumption were significantly correlated. Moreover, arousal (H2) and outrage (H4a) were functions of surprising consumption and negative affect (H3) and outrage (H4b) were functions of arousal. H4c was also supported as negative affect had a significant direct effect on consumer outrage. In addition, disconfirmation had negative direct effects on both negative affect (H5) and dissatisfaction (H6a) and dissatisfaction was a function of negative affect. Finally, both outrage (H7a) and dissatisfaction (H7b) had significant negative effects on behavioral intentions.
Design/methodology/approach
Respondents were recruited to participate in the data collection in a “college town” in the Southeastern United States. Respondents were provided a paper and pencil data collection instrument that include complete survey instructions and the balance of the research design. To adequately test all hypotheses, the researchers developed a unique scenario that described an extreme service failure that takes place during a hotel check-in. Each respondent was asked to read the scenario and then reflect upon it as they responded to items that assessed their feelings toward the hotel check-in experience.
Findings
The results provide additional evidence in support of the existence of the satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum, as well as specifically identifying the affective nature of levels of satisfaction that fall surprisingly well-below the zone of tolerance. The authors feel that the present study is a necessary step to provide a more comprehensive view of the satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum. Likewise, the authors posit initial evidence of the antecedents and consequences of consumer outrage. This research supports the prior assumptions of Westbrook (1987) about the vast detrimental effects of negative affective responses to service or product failures.
Research limitations/implications
Future research needs to discover just how extremely deficient service has to be to elicit outrage. Is outrage a personal phenomenon with every consumer experiencing it to different degrees? As such, is outrage triggered at different points on the satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum? The zone of tolerance seems to suggest this, but it would be interesting to discover if at some collective level of dissatisfaction consumers generally begin to show signs of outrage. Likewise, it would be interesting to understand how the level and pattern of outrage results in customers exiting the relationship but also results in loyal customers becoming enemies (e.g. Gregiore et al., 2009; Gregiore and Fisher, 2008).
Originality/value
The motivation for the current study is both pragmatic and theoretical. As alluded to above, it is evident that the level of service customers’ emotional responses to their service experiences are increasing in frequency and intensity. These negative emotions affect the efficacy of service workers and impede the financial performance of service providers. The popular mantra of “anti-woke” consumers, “Go Woke, Go Broke,” is indicative of the importance of negative emotion. Sometimes referred to as “brand activism” (Moorman, 2020; Sarkar and Kotlet, 2019), recent public stances on social and political issues have led to a boycott of Gillette razors, the burning of Nike shoes, and the canceling of Costco Memberships in what has been called “virtue signaling” (Vredenburg et al., 2020). While none of these actions are desirable, the importance of investigating the impact of strong negative emotions (i.e. outrage) is further demonstrated in reports that 65% of consumers expect companies to authentically support such issues (Barton et al., 2018; Edelman, 2018; Larcker and Tayan, 2018; Moorman, 2020).
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J. Joseph Cronin and Thomas J. Page
This article investigates the relative impact which marketing growth strategies have on profit performance as opposed to strategic debt utilisation, asset management, and margin…
Abstract
This article investigates the relative impact which marketing growth strategies have on profit performance as opposed to strategic debt utilisation, asset management, and margin management. A structural equation approach is used to assess which areas deserve the greatest attention in the process of making strategic decisions. Implications for management and future research are offered.
Duane M. Nagel, J. Joseph Cronin Jr and Richard L. Utecht
Despite the recent growth of the do-it-yourself market, very little is known as to how or why individuals actually choose to engage in prosumption behavior. The purpose of this…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the recent growth of the do-it-yourself market, very little is known as to how or why individuals actually choose to engage in prosumption behavior. The purpose of this study is to specifically examine the decision process of actors when determining the level of resource commitment and integration necessary to prosume or consume a service, thus offering insights to both managers and academics alike.
Design/methodology/approach
A multi-method study using both qualitative and quantitative research examines the decision of actors to consume or prosume a service. A conceptual model is presented and tested.
Findings
The results identify the primary drivers individuals considered when evaluating the resource commitment necessary for a make or buy decision. This research offers empirical support for the application of transaction cost analysis as an appropriate theoretical explanation of how actors decide to prosume or consume a service. The authors further suggest, based on these findings, that transaction cost analysis is a viable middle-range theory to explain the commitment and sharing of resources between actors engaged in co-production within the perspective of a service-dominant logic.
Research limitations/implications
Future research is needed to identify opportunities for hybrid models that consider the appropriateness of these findings within larger service networks, as well as potential moderating or mediating influences of the direct effects identified and investigated.
Originality/value
This study offers an initial attempt to provide a theoretical explanation for the resource integration decisions (e.g. make or buy) faced by individuals in a growing segment of the economy. The findings enable better informed strategies to be identified by both service providers and retailers.
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Michael K. Brady, Clay M. Voorhees, J. Joseph Cronin and Brian L. Bourdeau
The purpose of this paper is to advance a new conceptualization of the service encounter that highlights the role of outcome valence as a key antecedent of customer satisfaction.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to advance a new conceptualization of the service encounter that highlights the role of outcome valence as a key antecedent of customer satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
This study develops and tests a conceptual model using structural equation modeling. Specifically, it adopts recent procedures for assessing direct, mediated, and moderated effects.
Findings
The findings demonstrate that valence has a stronger effect on satisfaction than both functional and service environment quality, that satisfaction fully mediates the effects of valence on behavioral intentions, and that consumer involvement moderates the valence‐satisfaction relationship.
Research limitations/implications
This research draws attention to the fact that valence is an important research topic and researchers should focus attention on how valence might influence customer evaluations of services. Specifically, it is important to replicate these findings across industries, develop models that consider additional moderating influences, and conduct experiments to investigate the relative effects of valence across different service environment and functional quality conditions.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that managers must be aware that valence directly influences customer satisfaction levels and that they can and should account for its effect. Specifically, in some service industries, rewarding employees based on customer satisfaction ratings without controlling for the effects of valence is misguided. Ultimately, failure to account for valence can lead to managerial decisions that may not be in the best interest of the firm.
Originality/value
This paper provides a new look at service encounters and suggests that valence is a critical antecedent of customer satisfaction and, in some instances, outcome valence is a more dominant predictor of satisfaction than service environment and functional quality.