Anne Broderick

Service quality in Internet banking: the importance of customer role

One of the key challenges of the Internet as a service delivery channel is how service firms can manage service quality as these remote formats bring significant change in customer interaction and behaviour. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of service quality and adapting these to particularly reflect the remote delivery format of the Internet, this study proposes and tests a service quality model of Internet banking. The research uses participant observation and narrative analysis of a UK Internet banking Web site community to explore how Internet banking customers perceive and interpret the elements of the model. Findings show that the level and nature of customer participation had the greatest impact on the quality of the service experience and issues such as customers’ zone of tolerance, the degree of role understanding by customers and emotional response potentially determined, expected and perceived service quality.

Role theory, role management and service performance

Outlines the essential elements of a role theoretical perspective and explores its potential importance to service performance in people‐based service encounters. Drawing on Biddle, and on Solomon et al.’s interpretations, how role theory enhances our marketing exchange understanding by focusing on the interactive features within successful service encounters is demonstrated. Outlines how role management offers a framework to evaluate the degree of interactivity sought in relationship approaches. Role theory, it is argued, can enable organizations to identify role development needs for service personnel within interactive service formats and permits organizations to monitor processual elements of service performance. A managerial framework, which identifies specific role management tasks in client encounters, is developed. This, it is proposed, may operate in two domains, internally within the service process and externally within the service encounter with clients. The contribution of role to the service...

Role Theory and the Management of Service Encounters

In this article, the contribution of role theory to our understanding and management of service encounters is highlighted. In the first section of the article the focus on social exchange within role theory is identified and commonalities between relational approaches to marketing and a role theoretical perspective are outlined. Thereafter the article outlines the specific contribution of role theory to our understanding of service encounters. Role theory, it is argued, permits better management of the interactive features of service provider-client interface and a clearer focus on role performance and the interpersonal dimensions of service quality. Role analysis offers both focus on role consistency in service provision and a framework for dealing with the uncertainty and evolution in long term service relationships. In services marketing, role can be incorporated as a factor in successful service performance and form a central framework for good service encounter management.

Tickled Pink: The Personal Meaning of Cause Related Marketing for Customers

There has been significant growth and interest in Cause Related Marketing over the past few years. (See Fellman 1999; Polonsky and McDonald 2002; Dupree 2002), An important element of cause related marketing is the level of customer awareness and involvement. However, in a review of previous studies conducted, it is clear that a limited amount of research has been conducted with regard to the role and involvement of consumers within Cause Related Marketing programmes. This paper reports on a qualitative research study of customers’ perceptions and levels of involvement in Cause Related Marketing activities. Focusing on a case study of Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns involving one retail and one product-based organization (ASDA and AVON), now running for several years, respondents offered some revealing and insightful commentary on their perceptions of the campaign. Among respondents in the study, the emotional level of individual involvement was found to be a key differentiating factor in customers’ awa...

Tribal motivation in sponsorship and its influence on sponsor relationship development and corporate identity.

Whilst the literature on sponsorship suggests it has evolved from a philanthropic gesture to a strategic tool that mangers leverage to provide sustainable competitive advantage, this paper reports on a study which suggests other motivational factors may be on par with or supersede commercial or altruistic considerations. Drawing on self identification, social identity and tribal marketing literature, the paper explores the concept of tribal support as a motivational factor for sponsorship participation and examines the moderating effect this may have on sponsor-object relationship development and on corporate identity development. Findings show strong sub-cultural, tribal connection and variations in self and social identification among sponsors and demonstrate how sponsorship motivation affects sponsor relationship development, sponsor-event fit, brand association and corporate identity development in complex ways.

Consuming Bollywood: Young Sikhs social comparisons with heroes and heroines in Indian films

Abstract This interpretivist study uses social comparison and social identity theory to consider how members of the British Sikh community are consuming Bollywood films (the Indian movie industry). In applying social comparison theory to this ethnic context, we seek to extend knowledge of how this theory relates to cultural identity construction. In terms of social identity and acculturation, the social function of Bollywood films and their popular consumption provide a valuable narrative space to negotiate and ‘remoor’ ethnic identity. Three key themes emerged to illustrate the ways in which the social comparisons that Bollywood encourages are influencing the identities of third generation British Sikhs: (1) social comparison and ideals of romance; (2) gender differences: making comparisons to heroes and heroines; and (3) British versus Indian self: Bollywood as a medium for identity reconstruction.

Has Mumsnet changed me? SNS influence on identity adaptation and consumption

Abstract This paper seeks to assess how one SNS network may support ongoing processes of identity adaptation and explore the role of consumption references in identity negotiation on the site. Drawing on theories of the liminality of motherhood, and the identity reconstruction processes that emerge in online communities, this paper traces the complexity of identity adaptation on SNS. With focus on SNS as a platform that may enable different phases of liminality, the transition to reincorporation phase is explored, revealing how members may experience support for ongoing identity renewal. Adopting a qualitative approach and direct observation method, posts from 12 extensive mumsnet.com discussion threads were screened and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings show how the functionality of this SNS site may facilitate some identity reconstruction.

The need for adaptive processes of benchmarking in small business‐to‐business services

Purpose – This paper aims to explore current management attitudes towards benchmarking and its implementation within small business‐to‐business service firms in order to enhance a deeper understanding of benchmarking within such contexts.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses in‐depth case analysis of small architectural services to collect empirical data on benchmarking initiatives, attitudes, key characteristics and constraints on benchmarking.Findings – Findings suggest that there are significant variations in the receptiveness of small business‐to‐business firms towards the adoption of benchmarking. There may be an inherent distrust of benchmarking, as it is primarily perceived as being a tool for larger organizations, where productivity improvements are the main driver. Evidence of perceived constraints in both the implementation of benchmarking and in the definition of what constitutes best practice highlighted a cultural difficulty for small architectural firms when adopting a business proces...