Damodar Suar

Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, and Customer Loyalty in Indian Commercial Banks

This article examines whether service quality of Indian commercial banks increases customer satisfaction that fosters customer loyalty. Data were collected from 350 valued customers of scheduled commercial bank branches in Orissa (India). A questionnaire elicited information on socio–demographic variables along with human, technical, and tangible aspects of service quality, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. Results suggest that better human, technical and tangible aspects of service quality of the bank branches increase customer satisfaction. Human aspects of service quality were found to influence customer satisfaction more than the technical and tangible aspects. Customer satisfaction furthers customer loyalty. Increase in service quality of the banks can satisfy and retain customers. In the Indian banking sector, human aspects are more important than technical and tangible aspects of service quality that influence customer satisfaction and promote and enhance customer loyalty.

Antecedents, work-related consequences, and buffers of job burnout among Indian software developers

This study examines the antecedents, consequences, and buffers of job burnout among software developers using job demands resources theory. Data were collected from 372 software developers in India using questionnaires. Results reveal that software developers experiencing more role ambiguity, role conflict, schedule pressure, irregular shifts, group noncooperation, psychological contract violation, and work–family conflict are at a greater risk of job burnout. The most important antecedent of job burnout was found to be work–family conflict. Job burnout increased job performance but decreased organizational commitment and interpersonal relationships. Subjective well-being and practicing yoga and meditation were inversely related to burnout-linked job performance. Subjective well-being, social support, and practicing yoga and meditation were also found to decrease the adverse association of job burnout with organizational commitment and interpersonal relationships. In the context of work-related consequences, job burnout had the biggest adverse association with organizational commitment, and practicing yoga and meditation was found to be the most influential buffer to counter the adverse consequences of job burnout.

Do stakeholder management strategy and salience influence corporate social responsibility in Indian companies

Purpose - This study aims to examine whether strategy towards primary stakeholders and their salience influence corporate social responsibility towards the corresponding stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected through a questionnaire from 150 senior level managers including CEOs. The stakeholder management strategy, salience, and corporate social responsibility were assessed in the context of employees, customers, investors, community, natural environment, and suppliers. Findings - The favorable strategy towards stakeholders increases the corresponding corporate social responsibility towards them. The salience of all stakeholder groups also enhances the corresponding corporate social responsibility. When salience and strategy are considered, the salience of a particular stakeholder group suppresses the effect of strategy fully or partially on corporate social responsibility. Research limitations/implications - The salience of a stakeholder is a potent antecedent of corporate social responsibility compared with strategy towards that stakeholder. Originality/value - A questionnaire is developed to assess corporate social responsibility in the Indian context, and the link between strategy, salience, and corporate social responsibility is established.

Impact of managerial communication styles on employees’ attitudes and behaviours

Purpose – Through the lens of social exchange theory and organisation support theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine the passive, aggressive, and assertive styles of managers/supervisors that influence perceived supervisory support and to test whether the support increases employees’ satisfaction with the communication of supervisors and their organisation‐based self‐esteem. It also assesses whether employees’ communication satisfaction and their self‐esteem influence employees’ performance, commitment and absenteeism.Design/methodology/approach – In total, 400 employees from ten manufacturing firms in India were studied through questionnaire survey. Standard instruments were used to assess the constructs. A scale was developed to measure the communication style of managers and a single item to assess absenteeism.Findings – Results revealed that assertive style of communication lends maximum support to employees. Perceived supervisory support at the workplace enhances employees’ satisfaction with...

Do Lessons People Learn Determine Disaster Cognition and Preparedness

The study examines whether disaster experience and education through risk perception initiate flood and heat wave preparedness. Data were collected from 300 people, each of flood-prone and heat wave affected areas in Orissa. Results reveal that people having disaster experience and education are more prepared for flood and heat wave. More the people have prior disaster experience and education, more they perceive the risk of flood and heat wave. While increase in perceived risk of the disaster initiates flood preparedness, it does not further heat wave preparedness. Risk perception is only found to be a mediator between disaster experience, disaster-related education and flood preparedness.

Soft and Hard Aspects of Quality Management Practices Influencing Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in Manufacturing-oriented Services

This review rationalizes that quality management practices have been adopted as a marketing strategy in the post-liberalized economy. Evaluating the literature and theories of quality management, differences are found in the implementation of quality management practices in manufacturing and service sectors. A critical assessment of literature and a comparison of various quality management models divulge the variables that are proposed to influence service quality and customer satisfaction in manufacturing-oriented services. These variables are categorized as ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ aspects of quality management. The soft aspects include transformational leadership, workplace spirituality, service climate, human resource management practices, employees’ affective commitment and job satisfaction. The hard aspects incorporate the management information system and physical evidence. It is rationalized that the adoption of soft and hard aspects of quality management is essential to achieve service quality and customer satisfaction.

Side Bias and Accidents: Are They Related?

This study purports to examine the role of different forms of side bias, handedness, footedness, eyedness, and earedness, in eliciting accident-proneness in individuals. A representative sample (N= 150) was administered a Side Bias Questionnaire (Handedness: 22 items, footedness: 5 items, eyedness: 5 items, earedness: 5 items) to ascertain their preferential bias. The questionnaire also required subjects to report the number of accidents committed during their lifetime while performing activities like sports, driving, household work, etc., that required attention of medical professionals. Regression analysis of data indicated that accident-prone behavior was significantly predicted from handedness. Analysis of variance, 3 (Accident groups: low, moderate, high) × 4 (Side bias: hand, foot, eye, ear), indicated that ‘mixed’ handers committed more accidents as compared with clear handers. The other forms of side bias, foot, ear, and eye were unrelated to frequency of accidents.

Lifespan trends of side bias in India

This study examines the (a) lifespan trends, (b) theoretical propositions, (c) factor structure, and (d) congruency among different forms of side bias in an Indian sample (N=3474) using the preference measure of handedness, footedness, eyedness, and earedness. An increase in dextral preference was found in all indices of side bias with increasing age. There were no left-handers among the oldest adults. This trend was not found for footedness, eyedness, and earedness. Females were more right sided than males on all indices of side bias except handedness. The preferential use of limbs stabilised during young adulthood but eye and ear preference did not. Three factors were underlying the formation and maintenance of four forms of side bias. Handedness and footedness constituted one factor, and eyedness and earedness were independent separate factors. The first two had highest association and the last two had lowest congruency.

Subordinates’ Perception of Leadership Styles and Their Work Behaviour:

The study examines subordinates’ perception of leadership styles and their work behaviour in the Indian Air Force. A self–reported questionnaire was used to collect data from 287 airmen and 75 officers. The results revealed that the leaders of airmen had a predominantly authoritarian style and the leaders of officers had a nurturant–task style. Regarding work behaviour, officers were more committed and satisfied with the job than airmen. Officers accepted challenging tasks, showed better performance, achieved targets on time and expressed less desire to quit the defence services compared to airmen. Airmen and officers’ commitment to the organisation and job satisfaction decreased, and stress effect and intention to quit the services increased under an authoritarian leader. Conversely, airmen and officers felt committed, satisfied with the job, accepted challenging tasks, showed higher job performance, and expressed unwillingness to quit the organisation under nurturant–task and participative leaders.

Role of Burnout in the Relationship between Job Demands and Job Outcomes among Indian Nurses

Burnout is a severe psychological strain that occurs in response to prolonged exposure to stress at work and has adverse individual and organizational consequences. It has reached a critical stage among todays workforce with a high occurrence among human service professionals. Although avid studies on burnout have been made worldwide, the same among the nursing profession still needs more attention. The goals of this study are to understand how various nursing specific job demands have impact on nurses� burnout and to see if burnout has a role in their job commitment and intentions to turnover. Through a structured questionnaire, data were collected from 862 nurses working in 24 private and public hospitals across six cities in India. Descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analyses, path analyses, and mediator analyses tested the hypotheses. The results reveal the following: Workplace demands such as role conflict, role ambiguity, work load, work-home conflict, shift work attitudes, job complexity, physical environment, and organizational politics are positively associated with emotional exhaustion. While role ambiguity, organizational politics, and job complexity are important predictors of depersonalization, role ambiguity and organizational politics have lowered personal accomplishment. While perception of organizational politics is found to be the most important predictor of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, role ambiguity is the most important predictor of reduced personal accomplishment. While emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment are responsible for decreased commitment, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization initiate the intentions to turnover. Finding of the study provided empirical evidence that tri-components of burnout mediate the relationships between job demand and outcome variables. Emotional exhaustion is the most important mediator between job demand and outcome variables. In the context of the nursing profession, the above-mentioned job demands can be minimized. Also, early screening for burnout components can help in mitigating their adverse impacts on commitment and turnover of nurses through targeted strategies.