Jane W. Licata

The Customer Orientation of Service Workers: Personality Trait Effects on Self- and Supervisor Performance Ratings

Prior research indicates that market orientation is associated with positive outcomes for firms. For service organizations, a market orientation is implemented largely through individual service workers. The authors investigate the mediational role of customer orientation in a hierarchical model of the influence of personality traits on self-rated and supervisor-rated performance. The results support a partially mediated hierarchical model. Three basic personality traits (emotional stability, agreeability, and the need for activity) account for 39% of the variance in the customer orientation of employees. In turn, the customer orientation measure and conscientiousness account for 26% of the variance in self-rated performance. The customer orientation measure, along with the direct effects of conscientiousness and agreeability, account for 12% of the variance in manager ratings. The authors discuss the results and their implications for marketing researchers and managers.

Customer Self-Efficacy and Response to Service

The customers’ role is significant in the delivery and consumption of many types of services. This study examines customers’ beliefs about their ability to participate in a service (service use self-efficacy) and its effect on response to service. A theoretical model is proposed that explains how self-efficacy affects customers’ perceptions of service value and complaint intentions (“voice”). These factors, in turn, predict exit intentions and positive word of mouth. The model is tested on a sample of 444 members of a group insurance plan. The results of a structural equation model confirm the hypothesized relationships. The findings suggest that service managers should take steps to increase customer service use self-efficacy, such as providing training with feedback, vicarious experiences (e.g., print or video portrayals of successful service experiences), verbal persuasion (e.g., “You can do this”-type coaching), and a low-stress environment. It is also important to develop varied opportunities for customer comments.

On the Trait Antecedents and Outcomes of Service Worker Job Resourcefulness: A Hierarchical Model Approach

In a series of three studies, a four-level hierarchical model of personality was employed to identify the antecedents and three validating criteria of a newly developed trait labeledjob resourcefulness (JR). JR is defined as an enduring disposition to garner scarce resources and overcome obstacles in pursuit of job-related goals. Across three service contexts, JR was shown to predict customer orientation, self-rated performance, and supervisor-rated performance. The results also revealed that the hierarchical model accounted for more variance in performance ratings than one version of the 5-Factor Model of personality. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for selecting high-performing service employees.

The Recycling Cycle: An Empirical Examination of Consumer Waste Recycling and Recycling Shopping Behaviors

The findings of this research indicate that attitude toward recycling has a significant effect on waste recycling and recycling shopping behaviors. In addition, affect, past behavior, and subjective norm explain significant incremental variance in the two types of recycling behaviors. Moderator analyses show that for waste recycling behavior, affect plays a lesser role when the strength of attitude toward recycling is strong, and vice-versa. Finally, the authors find a significant correlation between waste recycling behavior and recycling shopping behavior. The authors discuss managerial and public policy issues based on these findings.

The effects of stake, satisfaction, and switching on true loyalty: a financial services study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the differential influence of three drivers of loyalty on the dimensions of loyalty. The three drivers are stake, satisfaction, and the value of switching service providers. The dimensions of loyalty are behavioral response, commitment to the people providing the service, and commitment to the institution. An additional goal is to determine whether this pattern of influence is affected by the age or depth of the service relationship.Design/methodology/approach – A survey of customers was analyzed to test a model using MANOVAs on the overall sample, and sub‐samples created based on age and depth of a financial service relationship.Findings – Overall, all three drivers exhibited differential influence on the three dimensions of loyalty. The behavioral response dimension was influenced by all three drivers. The commitment to people dimension was influenced by stake and satisfaction. The commitment to the institution dimension was influenced by value of switch...

The consumer's expectation formation process over time

Purpose – This research seeks to examine how the expectation process and its components evolve over time and purchase experience.Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal study was conducted over the period of one year using a sample of university students who were purchasing an undergraduate education. The sample was surveyed three times over the year. Structural equation analyses and regression were used to test various research hypotheses.Findings – Key findings include confirming two significantly different levels of expectations: a lower, predictive “will” level and a higher normative “should” level. Expectation antecedents change in their degree of influence on expectations, weakening over time and service purchase experience.Research limitations/implications – There is a need to extend the results to other service contexts.Practical implications – The consumers expectation formation process changes over service purchase experience, thus indicating a need to segment on experience with the servic...

Value and Satisfaction Evaluations During a Service Relationship

Abstract The research used a sample of credit union customers to determine (a) the relative importance of core and peripheral service attributes on customer evaluations of service value and customer satisfaction, and (b) how the relative importance of these criteria change over the life of the service relationship. For the overall sample, peripheral service attributes accounted for over three-fourths of the variance for service value and customer satisfaction. Dividing the sample into three sub-samples based on age of the customers relationship with the credit union, peripheral service attributes drove evaluations of service value and customer satisfaction for the first stage of the relationship (ten years or less) and the middle stage of the relationship (eleven to nineteen years). Once the relationship aged to twenty or more years, core attributes drove evaluations of service value and customer satisfaction. Findings indicate that relationship strategies for the credit union may need to be customized based on the amount of time customers have had a relationship with a service firm.

An exploratory study of negative option marketing: good, bad or ugly?

Purpose – The purpose of this exploratory research is to determine the consumers perceptions of negative option marketing (NOM) offers regarding the value and equity of the offer and perceived opportunistic behavior inherent in the offer. In addition, the paper seeks to examine how a negative option offer versus a positive option offer influences consumer intentions to acquire a financial service.Design/methodology/approach – Using the customer database of a full‐service American bank, a survey was sent to demand deposit account holders. A survey then determined perceptions of the offer, perceptions of the bank making the offer, and intentions to purchase.Findings – Between the negative and positive option scenario sub‐samples, there were no differences in perceptions of value or equity, except in perceptions of opportunistic behavior – the negative option offers yielded significantly higher perceptions of opportunistic behavior. Perceptions of value, equity, and satisfaction with the offer were the same...