Lazaros Sarigiannidis

Customer satisfaction, loyalty and financial performance: A holistic approach of the Greek banking sector

Purpose – The present paper is an attempt to provide a holistic approach of the Greek banking sector and how it operates. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was carried out in the banking sector of Greece in order to gather information regarding customer satisfaction and loyalty, while the financial data of the banks were attained from their annual financial statements. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses. Findings – It has been found that neither customer satisfaction nor loyalty has a significant impact on the financial performance of banks, while the remaining factors have indicated unprecedented results. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of the study is the economic environment of Greece and the general crisis of the banking sector. Practical implications – The study provides an insight into the Greek banking sector and the interrelationships among the investigated factors, and how customer satisfaction and loyalty could be enhanced through the remaining factors. Originality/value – A new factor, the economics factor, was created and included in the study. Moreover, the tangibles factor was tested as an individual and not as part of service quality. Additionally, the present study is among the few that have incorporated customer satisfaction, loyalty and the financial performance of banks. To take it one step further, some more factors were included to present a more holistic approach of how customer satisfaction and loyalty are enhanced.

Software Development Project Risk Management: A New Conceptual Framework

The frequently observed positive impact of adopting risk management strategies on projects’ overall outcome has led many software development organizations to appreciate its significant role in the pursuit of cost reduction, schedule overruns decrease and, generally, improved performance. In line with this issue, this study investigates a wide range of relevant literature, proposes a new conceptual framework for managing risk in software development projects, introduces new conceptual factors, brings out their interrelation, and suggests new prospects and managerial implications for both practitioners and academics. The conceptual framework has two basic axes. Firstly, the determination of the impact of constructs such as Project Characteristics, Project Risk Management Team, Risk Identification Approaches, and Project Quality on the level of Project Risk. The majority of the items used to measure these constructs are proposed for the first time in the literature. Additionally, the assessment of the impact of Project Risk (and all of the dimensions that compose it), simultaneously with the estimation of the impact of the Residual Performance Risk on the final subjective and objective Project Performance could provide project managers with a better picture of the effectiveness and adequacy of their risk management practices.

Computer acceptance in Greek SMEs

Purpose – Owing to the unique computing needs and different IT adoption patterns of SMEs, research findings concerning larger organisations may not be fully generalisable to offer practical assistance for the successful utilisation of computers. This paper aims to focus on factors affecting personal computer acceptance, using data from 278 employees from Greek SMEs.Design/methodology/approach – An aggregate structural model is developed, based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and incorporating social influence, management support, perceived service quality and computer satisfaction factors, that was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM).Findings – The results indicate that perceived ease of use is more powerful in explaining computer usage and satisfaction, whereas usefulness has a strong impact on intention. Moreover, the findings underline the importance of internal (management) and external support in achieving wider computer acceptance.Research limitations/implications – Factors suc...

Exploring the factors associated with weblog usage acceptance: evidence from Cyprus

In the past many studies have been conducted regarding the internet, yet not enough attention was given on web blogging and the factors that influence users to participate in a weblog. By expanding the theory of reasoned action, an attempt was made to understand the reasons why users take part in a weblog. A survey, involving 102 blog users, was conducted to examine the research model. The results revealed that technology acceptance factors (ease of use and enjoyment) and knowledge sharing (reciprocal benefit) were positively related to attitude towards participating in a blog. On the other hand, social influence factors (community identification and social norm) were positively related to users intention in regard to blog usage. The findings of this study are compared to the results found by Hsu and Lin (2008) in a similar study and also provide implications to practitioners for understanding and promoting blog usage.

The role of firm-specific factors in the strategy-performance relationship: Revisiting the resource-based view of the firm and the VRIO framework

Purpose - This paper aims to attempt to bring together various organisational aspects that have never been collectively investigated before in the strategic management literature. Its main objective is to examine the relationship between “strategic orientation” and “firm performance”, in the light of two firm-specific factors (“distinct manufacturing capabilities” and “organisational structure”). The proposed research model of the present study is built upon the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm and the organisational aspect of the VRIO framework (the “O” from the VRIO model). Design/methodology/approach - The study proposes a newly developed research model that adopts a four-factor approach, while examining a number of direct and indirect effects. The examination of the proposed research model was made with the use of a newly developed structured questionnaire that was distributed on a sample of Greek manufacturing companies. Research hypotheses were tested using the structural equation modelling technique. The present study is explanatory (examines cause and effect relationships), deductive (tests research hypotheses), empirical (collects primary data) and quantitative (analyses quantitative data that were collected using a structured questionnaire). Findings - The empirical results suggest the coexistence of three distinct categories of effects on “firm performance”: strategy or “utility” effects, depending on the content of the implemented strategy; firm-specific effects, depending on the content of the organisational resources and capabilities; and organisational effects, depending on the implemented organisational structure. More specifically, the statistical analysis underlines the significant mediating role of “strategic orientation” and the complementary role of “organisational structure”. Finally, empirical results support the argument that “strategy follows structure”. Research limitations/implications - The use of self-reported scales constitutes an inherent methodological limitation. Moreover, the present study lacks a longitudinal approach because it provides a static picture of the subject under consideration. Finally, the sample size of 130 manufacturing companies could raise some concerns. Despite that, previous empirical studies of the same field, published in respectable journals, were also based on similar samples. Practical implications - When examining the total (direct and indirect) effects on “firm performance”, it seems that the effect of “organisational structure” is, almost, identical to the effect of “distinct manufacturing capabilities”. This implies that “organisational structure” (an imitable capability) has, almost, the same contribution on “firm performance” as the manufacturing capabilities of the organisation (an inimitable capability). Thus, the practical significance of “organisational structure” is being highlighted. Originality/value - There has been little empirical research concerning the bundle of firm-specific factors that enhance the impact of strategy on business performance. Under the context of the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, the present study examines the impact of “organisational structure” on the “strategy-capabilities-performance” relationship, something that has not been thoroughly investigated in the strategic management literature. Also, the present study proposes an alternate measure for capturing the concept of business strategy, the so-called factor of “strategic orientation”. Finally, the study adopts a “reversed view” in the relationship between structure and strategy. More specifically, it postulates that “strategy follows structure” and not the opposite (“structure follows strategy”). Actually, the empirical data supported that (reversed) view, challenging the traditional approach of Chandler (