Apostolos Giovanis

An extension of TAM model with IDT and security/privacy risk in the adoption of internet banking services in Greece

Purpose – This paper presents an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) with concepts from the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) and customers’ perceived risk, aiming to examine the factors affecting Greek customers’ intentions to adopt internet banking services. Furthermore, several individual differences are examined, with respect to their impact on the formation of customers’ attitude about the pros and cons of the new technology.Design/methodology/approach – Based on an empirical study including off‐line banking customers that are familiar with the internet, the authors validate a causal model linking the constructs of the proposed services compatibility, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived security and privacy risk, customers’ demographics and IT competences, with customers’ intentions to adopt internet banking services in the future. Partial least squares procedure was used to analyze 212 cases collected from residential customers via personal interviews using a properly desi...

The role of service fairness in the service quality – relationship quality – customer loyalty chain

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to extend the well-established nomological network of service quality-relationship quality-customer loyalty by introducing service fairness – a distinct service evaluation concept. Specifically, the study aims to investigate the impact of service fairness on relationship quality as a complementary to service quality driver, and the direct and indirect effect of service fairness on customer loyalty in the presence of service quality and relationship quality in a no failure/recovery effort service context. Design/methodology/approach – A telephone survey of a random sample of 408 customers of auto repair and maintenance services was implemented using a structured questionnaire with established scales. Data were analyzed with partial least squares path methodology, a structural equation modeling methodology. Findings – Interactional fairness is the most important formative determinant of customers’ overall fairness perception, followed by procedural and distributive fai...

Gaining customer loyalty in the e-tailing marketplace: the role of e-service quality, e-satisfaction and e-trust

In today’s highly competitive environment, the survival/prosperity of e-tailers depends on their ability to provide excellent services to their customers establish successful relationships with them and gain their loyalty. This study empirically tests a model of the determinants of customer loyalty in an e-tailing context. More specifically, e-service quality dimensions and their relationship to e-satisfaction and e-trust, and determine the relevant impact of e-satisfaction and e-trust on e-loyalty are investigated. The analysis of data collected from 451 customers of consumer electronics e-tailers in Greece indicated that: 1) e-loyalty is positively affected by e-satisfaction and e-trust; 2) e-service quality dimensions of reliability/efficiency; privacy/security and ease of use/usability are shown to be antecedents of both e-satisfaction and e-trust; 3) e-satisfaction mediates the relationship between the other three e-service quality dimensions, namely information quality/benefits, responsiveness, and web design and e-trust. Finally, several managerial implications are discussed and further research directions are provided.

Logistics service quality and its effects on customer satisfaction in the manufacturing companies’ supply chains

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to implement a multi-criteria preference disaggregation approach to measure logistics service quality (LSQ) of manufacturing companies’ supply chains. Design/methodology/approach – A total 216 Greek manufacturing companies took part in a survey with the use of a dedicated questionnaire. They were asked to assess the LSQ of their primary supplier regarding a predefined set of criteria and sub-criteria. The data were analysed with the multi-criteria satisfaction analysis method, which represents an ordinal regression based approach used for customer satisfaction measurement. Findings – Weak points of the suppliers as well as dimensions that drive satisfaction were identified. Furthermore, the competitive advantages of the suppliers as well as their priorities for improvement were spotted. Research limitations/implications – The sampling framework, including only the manufacturing companies operating in a specific area of Greece, does not ensure the full generalisation ...

Factors affecting Greek internet users’ intentions to adopt online shopping: the perspective of an extended technology acceptance model

This study develops and validates a model to predict internet users’ intentions to buy online, based on an extended technology acceptance model (TAM). We proposed that in addition to technology’s ease-of-use and usefulness, compatibility with technology, and perceived risk are considered as determinants of customers’ attitude and intentions toward on-line shopping. The data was collected from 931 internet users. Results show that: 1customers’ attitude is determined by compatibility with technology and perception of its usefulness and easiness, and negatively determined by technology’s risk perception 2customer’s perception of usefulness is mainly predicted by compatibility with technology, followed by perceived risk and easiness of technology 3customers’ intention to buy online is positively determined by attitude towards online shopping and beliefs of its usefulness and negatively determined by perceived risk of technology. Finally, several implications of the findings are discussed and directions for fu...

On the relationships between logistics service deliverables, customer satisfaction and loyalty in industrial supply chains

This study aims at identifying the main dimensions of logistics service quality (LSQ) and analysing their effects on satisfaction and loyalty in B2B settings. For this purpose an integrative structural model of logistics service performance impact on satisfaction and loyalty is proposed and tested in a self-built logistics setting. On evidence drawn, through a dedicated research instrument, from 213 companies in Greece, the effects of outcome and process elements of LSQ on satisfaction and loyalty are assessed. Results show that customers’ perception about their suppliers’ LSQ level is shaped by both outcome and process elements while outcome quality is further affected by process quality. Both dimensions impact satisfaction with outcome quality being the main driver. LSQ dimensions and satisfaction directly affect loyalty. Satisfaction’s hypothesised enhancing role on the association between LSQ dimensions and loyalty is confirmed. Finally, several implications of the findings are discussed and further r...

An integrated model of the effects of service evaluation, corporate image, and switching barriers on customer loyalty

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between service evaluation, corporate image, switching barriers, and customers’ intentional loyalty. The proposed model was tested and valuated in the mobile services context. A field survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire about the investigated concepts. To test the proposed hypotheses, a model was constructed and estimated using the method of partial least squares. Findings indicate that service evaluation constructs have both direct and indirect effects, through customer satisfaction and corporate image, on customers’ intentional loyalty. The outcomes suggest that marketers, in their effort to develop more customer-oriented marketing plans, should consider both the pool-in factors, reflecting the value of the provided services, customer satisfaction, and corporate image, and the interactions among them, as well as the push-back factors, as they all impact on customers’ behavioral intentions. The research was limited to one service setting and the proposed model should be cross-validated in other service settings before the relationships among its components are fully clarified. Also, the use of cross-section design reduces inference ability regarding temporal changes in research constructs. This article contributes in adding to the body of the existing knowledge by considering both corporate image and switching barriers, along with service evaluation constructs, as antecedents of consumer’s intentions determination, resulting in a model that has not been investigated thus far.

The role of corporate image and switching barriers in the service evaluation process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to better predict customers’ behavioral intentions (BI) by developing and empirically testing an integrative conceptual framework that allows us to investigate the mediating role of corporate image (CI) and switching barriers (SB) in the interrelationships among service evaluation constructs (i.e. service quality (SQ), perceived value and customer satisfaction (CS)) and customers’ future intentions. These relationships are explored in the mobile telecommunications service context. Design/methodology/approach – Around 1,000 customers of mobile telecommunication services were questioned using a structured questionnaire. To test the proposed hypotheses, a model was constructed and estimated using the method of partial least squares path methodology. Findings – Findings indicate that the provision of high-SQ and the creation of superior value, through the development of reasonable costs, can result in high-CS; enhanced CI, and either directly or indirectly through SB, in...

Symmetric and asymmetric effects of primary healthcare attributes on patient satisfaction: Do they vary across patients?

Perceived quality of primary healthcare services and patient satisfaction are concepts that are increasingly important because of their impact on healthcare results and providers operational expenses’ management. Though there is growing evidence that the relationship between service performance and satisfaction is asymmetric, there are no studies investigating the nature of this relationship in the context of primary healthcare services and how this is affected by patients’ characteristics. The purpose of this study is to exploit the framework of the three-factor theory to distinguish between different types of quality attributes, and then to explore possible deviations from the aggregated quality attributes’ classification pattern for patients with different demographic characteristics. The results of an empirical study, concerning 407 service users, confirmed the asymmetric relationship between identified attributes’ performance and patient satisfaction and revealed three attributes’ classification patterns for different patient characteristics. Implications for practice and directions for future research are then discussed.

Assessing service quality and customer behavioral responses in hospital outpatient services: A formative measurement approach

In contrast to the reflective approach of service quality measurement, this paper aims to propose and validate a parsimonious multidimensional second-order formatively measured model of service quality for primary health-care services provided by hospital outpatient departments. The index’s empirical validity is examined by investigating the strength of its relationship with certain behavioral responses such as patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions.,Data were collected through a stratified random sampling from eight hospital outpatient departments in Greece. Covariance-based structural equation modeling techniques were used to validate the proposed service quality index and further investigate its effect on patient satisfaction and behavioral intention.,The data analysis indicated that the proposed formative index is fully functional with medical care being the factor and mostly contributes to service quality perception, followed by administrative service and staff performance, and facilities condition and nursing care. It, further, confirmed the partial mediating role of satisfaction, as it enhances the high impact of service quality on behavioral intentions.,The relationships among hospital outpatient departments service quality, patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions were validated with data from one country and a health-care system which is state driven and funded.,An understanding of hospital primary health-care service quality formation is important to health-care decision makers because it offers them the opportunity to consider patients’ needs and wants, and takes the appropriate actions for improving the relevant underling procedures in a more efficient manner to achieve favorable behavioral responses.,The paper manages to propose and empirically evaluate a formatively measured approach of service quality and investigate the effects of the proposed index on patient satisfaction and behavioral intention, especially in the hospital outpatient services context in Greece.