Heiko Gebauer, Bo Edvardsson and Margareta Bjurko
The purpose of this paper is to examine if there is a relationship between the interdependence among different components of service culture and performance. This paper also…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine if there is a relationship between the interdependence among different components of service culture and performance. This paper also contributes to the discussion on how integrating or separating the service organization from the product organization interacts with service culture.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are collected through a survey and structural equation modeling is used for the data analysis.
Findings
The three main findings are: identified interactions among different elements of service orientation in corporate culture, the positive association between the service orientation of corporate culture and business performance, and the moderating effects of the type of organizational structure on interactions among service‐orientation elements in corporate culture.
Research limitations/implications
There may be alternative explanations for the correlations in the model. There are limitations in survey research in measuring service orientation in service culture.
Practical implications
Separating the service and product organization strengthens the creation of a service orientation in the corporate culture, but at the same time, does not affect the link between culture and performance.
Originality/value
The originality of the paper comes from combining service orientation in corporate culture with types of organizational structure. In addition, compared to the dominant single dimension approach to service orientation in corporate culture, four dimensions are used (service orientation of management values, management behavior, employee values, and employee behavior).