Jeffery S. Smith

An Empirical Examination of the Structural Dimensions of the Service Recovery System

This study identifies the structural dimensions that constitute a service recovery system. We employ a structured scale development process to introduce, define, and operationalize seven distinct first-order constructs (i.e., structural dimensions) of service recovery. Potential constructs and their items are identified from the literature, experts and practitioners are employed to refine scales, and psychometric properties are tested using data from a sample of 158 service providers. Constructs such as those developed here should prove to be useful as researchers strive to incorporate operational notions into service recovery studies and to move toward systematic recovery prescriptions for service providers. Accordingly, the results presented herein can provide a springboard for future research on service recovery while also providing practicing managers with a diagnostic tool against which to benchmark existing recovery systems.

Empirical Profiles of Service Recovery Systems: The Maturity Perspective

This paper presents an important new means of analyzing service recovery efforts from an operational systems maturity perspective. Specifically, seven dimensions that measure the structure of a service recovery system are used to derive a set of service recovery system profiles. The dimensions and profiles are constructed using data obtained from 158 practicing service managers on their organizations’ approaches to correcting service failures. Cluster analysis is used to develop three distinct system profiles: recoverers, followers, and laggards. Additional analyses indicate that significant differences in the utilization of specific recovery practices, recovery outcomes, recovery performance, and organizational characteristics are associated with these groups.The results suggest that the systematic development of service recovery systems may follow a logical path as an organization matures in its approach to dealing with service failures. Additionally, it is apparent that mature firms exhibit a more advanced and integrated system, employ a wider range of techniques for recovery, and demonstrate superior performance. The results also point to a need to more fully understand the relative importance of service recovery structural dimensions to successful firms.

An Integrated Perspective of Service Recovery: A Sociotechnical Systems Approach

This study examines service recovery from an internal, operations-oriented perspective. Specifically, a model grounded in sociotechnical systems (STS) theory is developed and tested to investigate the relationships between service recovery systems, recovery climates, employee abilities and actions, and recovery performance. A sample of 221 general service employees is used to empirically test the proposed model. Results support the STS perspective and suggest that an integrated recovery system is essential in establishing a recovery climate, which in turn enables employee efficacy and reduces avoidance behaviors. Additionally, employee efficacy has a positive effect on performance, while avoidance leads to ineffective failure correction. The results presented herein highlight the need for service practitioners to consider designing and implementing integrated recovery systems in order to enhance the abilities of employees, while heightening the likelihood of failure correction. Furthermore, this study provides an initial step in moving the recovery literature into a more theory-driven direction.

The contingent nature of service recovery system structures

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent the factors of the operating environment influence the structural dimensions and subsequent performance of a firms recovery system.Design/methodology/approach – Using contingency theory and a sample of 158 service firms, this research tests for structural differences in service recovery systems based on Schmenners widely‐cited taxonomy, the service process matrix. To conduct the analysis, both multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) models were tested to assess overall system differences and to detect individual dimensional differences.Findings – The results indicate that differences in the structure of service recovery systems do exist across divergent operating environments. Additionally, differences in performance measures were found only in capability improvements, while customer‐oriented performance did not vary across operating environments.Originality/value – The paper is believed to be the first to e...

Institutional antecedents to research productivity in operations: the US perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the institutional factors that affect the productivity of individuals in the field of operations.Design/methodology/approach – This study identifies a sample of graduates from PhD programs in operations and utilizes a partial least squares analysis to examine the effect of academic origin, academic affiliation, and advisor productivity on each individuals research productivity.Findings – The results of the analysis indicate that the productivity of an individual is directly influenced by the aggregate prestige of the institutions where the individual was employed during article publication and indirectly influenced by the prestige of the institution where the individual received the terminal degree. Additionally, differences were found between groups when the sample was divided by focus (operations management (OM) versus operations research (OR). The OM model held the same relationships as the combined model, while the OR model included significant direct...

The impact of RFID on service organizations: a service profit chain perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of radio frequency identification (RFID) implementation on service performance.Design/methodology/approach – This study utilizes a case study methodology to explain the impact of RFID on performance. The service profit chain is used as the overarching framework to facilitate the discussion. Qualitative methods in the form of in‐depth interviews, observation, and participation are employed for the collection of data.Findings – The results in the paper indicate that RFID implementation has a significant impact on the consumer components (quality, value, satisfaction, and financials) of the service profit chain. The implementation also has an effect on the technical aspects of internal operations (internal quality and productivity) but is limited in how it affects the employee components (satisfaction, capability, and loyalty).Research limitations/implications – The paper denotes the potential impact on performance of RFID implementation through th...

Using an Old Dog for New Tricks A Regulatory Focus Perspective on Consumer Acceptance of RFID Applications

Research on radio frequency identification (RFID) applications has grown significantly as the technology can potentially improve organizational performance and enable new business models. However, actual implementation has been slow to transition from back office operations to front office applications, as many customers have demonstrated concern about the invasion of personal privacy and/or the improper utilization of information. This research aims to explore the customer acceptance issue by examining the factors that potentially enable and inhibit the utilization of RFID-enabled systems. To accomplish this goal, we conducted three studies using information from over 800 consumers, while employing three different methodologies. Results indicate potential usage of RFID systems can be positively impacted by the perceived usefulness (PU) of the technology, while privacy concerns have a negative impact. In particular, the positive impact of PU appears to weigh more heavily on consumers than the negative impact of privacy concerns. Additionally, there are differences in privacy concerns, technology attitudes, and purchase intentions based on how the system is labeled, along with the nature of the privacy statement. Accordingly, firms need to be specific in their privacy statements as this practice yields higher customer purchase intentions. From a managerial perspective, it is imperative that companies present a clear message to customers as to how RFID can benefit them while also being clear and concise about how any information associated with the technology will be used in an ethical manner.

Weaving webs of innovation

Purpose – This research aims to utilize a social network analysis approach to examine the effect of organizational position within a network of strategic partnerships on innovation as measured by perceptions of industry analysts. Specifically, the purpose of the paper is to examine how network characteristics such as degree centrality (being centrally located in a network), between centrality (being positioned as an intermediary), and closeness centrality (having a short average distance to all other firms in the network) affect the innovation ranking of the focal firm.Design/methodology/approach – Data for 563 firms are generated from three distinct data sources (SDC Platinum: Alliances and Joint Ventures, COMPUSTAT, and Fortunes Americas Most Admired Companies) and analyzed via social network analysis and linear regression.Findings – The network characteristics of degree centrality and between centrality positively relate to industry perceptions or innovativeness whereas closeness centrality had no si...

An empirical examination of the impact of tri-dyadic fit on the service experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the customer’s perception of customer-firm, customer-employee, and employee-firm fit and to assess how these fits impact the service experience. Design/methodology/approach – The paper looks at the impact of fit on the service experience and focusses on three specific types of dyadic fit: customer-employee; customer-firm; and employee-firm. A conceptual model is presented, accompanied by a detailed development of the hypotheses. A sample of 447 consumers is used to empirically test the proposed model. Findings – The analysis reveals the importance of fit and suggest a triadic relationship perspective is essential when designing for the service experience. Specifically, employee-firm fit is key to enhancing fit within the other dyads and providing a superior service experience. Research limitations/implications – The main implication is that this paper expands the investigation of fit by examining the interplay of multiple fits while also exploring how ...

Reinventing the Customer Experience: Technology and the Service Marketing Mix

Technology continues to advance at a rapid rate. The challenge for retailers is to determine which technologies are likely to have the biggest disruption on the retail experience and should, therefore, be adopted to remain competitive. Several new technologies are already having a major impact on the customer experience. For example, shoppers can take a picture of a QR (Quick Response) code in a magazine advertisement using their mobile devices and then be forwarded to a website where they can learn more about the product and even purchase it, if so desired. Additionally, mobile devices can accept customized coupons (Groupons) and product recommendations through a loyalty program such as the one provided by Shopkick. Opinions about potential purchases from friends/family in remote locations can be garnered through the utilization of social networking technology such as Magic Mirrors (Buechner et al. 2007). A common element in these examples is that technology has the capability to radically alter the retail experience.