Zahra Sadat Saneian, Seyed Mohammad Tabataba'i-Nasab, Saeid Saeida Ardakani and Masood Khodadadi
Values are both an effective variable and a powerful stimulus for consumer behavior. Values are different concepts and classifications influenced by factors such as culture and…
Abstract
Purpose
Values are both an effective variable and a powerful stimulus for consumer behavior. Values are different concepts and classifications influenced by factors such as culture and religion in different societies. This paper aims to identify the classification of values in an Islamic country’s context, Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
Iranian dominant values were identified through qualitative analysis and in-depth interviews with 77 interviewees. Grounded theory was used to identify theoretical categories that are derived from the interview data through the use of the constant comparative method.
Findings
The findings revealed three categories of hedonic, utilitarian and Islamic spiritual values, which include 10 types of values. The third value (Islamic spiritual) was identified and defined according to the Iranian Islamic religion and ideology. Interviewees expressed their values, attitudes and behaviors within the framework of their unique value system.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first articles that pay special attention to Islamic spiritual values as an influential value category in the buying behaviors and intentions of Iranian consumers. Undoubtedly, identifying these values can be an introduction to studying behaviors influenced by values and a powerful tool for managers to predict and evaluate Islamic consumers’ behavior and lifestyles.
Details
Keywords
Saeid Saeida Ardakani, Majid Nejatian, Mohammad Ali Farhangnejad and Mehran Nejati
– The purpose of this paper is to identify service quality dimensions that could enhance the level of services provided by a variety of carriers and rank them, accordingly.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify service quality dimensions that could enhance the level of services provided by a variety of carriers and rank them, accordingly.
Design/methodology/approach
This research aims to identify service quality dimensions that could enhance the level of services provided by a variety of carriers and rank them, accordingly.
Findings
The results show that “safety,” “timeliness,” and “variety and type of airplane” are the most important service quality criteria from the passengers’ viewpoint. It also indicates that the most and least important dimensions of service quality are “tangibles” and “responsiveness,” respectively. The results ranked the airlines from one to three as Emirates Airline, Mahan Air, and Iran Air.
Originality/value
Most of the service quality criteria are descriptive and are stated using lingual expressions (cardinal or ordinal scales). Therefore, evaluation of perceptions and expectations of customers regarding service quality using non-fuzzy methods ignores the ambiguity involved in individual judgments.
Details
Keywords
Hamed Dabaghi, Saeid Saieda Ardakani and Seyed Mohammad Tabataba’i-Nasab
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the emerging phenomenon of medical tourism in the context of Iran from a customer experience management perspective and benchmark of their…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the emerging phenomenon of medical tourism in the context of Iran from a customer experience management perspective and benchmark of their judgment including positive or negative, of the experience they have achieved of the Iranian health (medical) experience (CE) and suggest scenarios for the improvement of the Iranian customer experience management (CEM).
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodologies and research methods that are used in this descriptive-analytical research are based on an inspection of the remarkable literature related to medical tourism and customer experience management. The data gathering instrument is a researcher-made questionnaire based on the variables in the conceptual model extracted from the research literature. The study was conducted from May to August 2019. The population cohort of this study was the foreign patients calling selected Iranian hospitals and the sampling method was a purposive and snowball sample of prospective medical tourists. As the study was conducted throughout Iran, some important hospitals in Iran were selected by stratified sampling Yang et al. (2020b). The sample size and data saturation were 500 participants Lv and Song (2019). The collected data using the questionnaire were analyzed by SPSS software and statistical tests.
Findings
According to the results, the customer experience management statistical significance in the task aspect is (p = 0.0523), in the mechanical aspect is (p = 0.0563), in the human aspect is (p = 0.0544). The study showed positive customer experience among the patients who had been treated in the Iranian hospitals.
Originality/value
There is a lack of study that focuses on medical tourism and customer experience management in Iran. Therefore, based on the results of this study, the experience of medical tourists in Iran proved to be positive and satisfying. As little research has been conducted in the area of customer experience management (CEM) in Iranian medical tourism, future researchers can use these valuable results precisely and in more detail to benchmark more accurately the customer experience in all areas of medical and health tourism and other research areas in different aspects of CEM in Iran.