Margareta Friman

Frequency of Negative Critical Incidents and Satisfaction with Public Transport Services. II

A substantial amount of research has in recent years investigated consumer satisfaction. One could argue that in a frequently used and standardised service such as public transport cumulative satisfaction is likely to be based on evaluations of several encounters with the service. Hence, a relationship should exist between encounter satisfaction and cumulative satisfaction. Only scarce empirical evidence supports however this causal hypothesis. This study focuses on critical incidents. A critical incident is an encounter that in some respects differs, negatively or positively, from what is expected. In several previous studies the frequency of critical incidents has been used as an indicator of overall cumulative satisfaction with a service. An aim of the present study is to examine if this is a valid practice. For the covering abstract of the conference see ITRD E205613.

An analysis of international business-to-business relationships based on the Commitment–Trust theory

Abstract Business-to-business relationships are characterized by an exchange between two or more parties. Research has identified several factors that enhance marketing and management in business relationships, mainly with a focus on large manufacturing firms. However, less is known about how service firms develop and maintain international relations during the establishment of a business. To analyze the relevance of the key mediating variable (KMV) model [J. Mark. 58 (1994) 20–38.], which maintains that business-to-business relationship requires commitment and trust, interviews were conducted with five different service entrepreneurs in Sweden, Australia and the UK. The findings demonstrate the importance of commitment, trust, relation termination costs and benefits, shared values and communication between the exchange partners.

The measurement of core affect: A Swedish self-report measure derived from the affect circumplex.

Three studies were conducted with the aim of developing a new Swedish self-report measure of core affect (the Swedish Core Affect Scale or SCAS). In Study 1,122 participants rated their current mood on 24 unipolar adjective scales. A revised set of 12 bipolar adjective scales was evaluated in Study 2 employing 96 participants who rated their current mood before and after a mood-inducing naturally occurring event. A slightly revised set of adjective scales was used in Study 3, in which another 96 participants rated several induced moods. The results showed that the adjective scale ratings could be aggregated as reliable measures of the independent valence and activation dimensions proposed in the affect circumplex, and that the aggregated measures discriminated mood differences within and between individuals.

Soft Transport Policy Measures: Gaps in Knowledge

ABSTRACT A review of implementations of soft transport policy measures (Richter et al. 2010) demonstrates their effectiveness in motivating car users to voluntarily switch travel mode. This paper review research that addresses questions of when and why these measures are effective. Long-term effects, synergies between soft and hard policy measures, assessments of individual differences, differences in determinants of participation and of changes in travel, generalizability, and nonquantified benefits are gaps in knowledge. Knowledge is also lacking about the cost-effectiveness of techniques such as providing motivational support to set change goals, requesting plans for how to change, and providing customized information.

Service Supply and Customer Satisfaction in Public Transportation : The Quality Paradox

Satisfaction measures obtained from citizens are frequently used in performancebased contracts due to their presumed link with company performance. However, few studies have actually examined the l ...

Implementing Quality Improvements in Public Transport

Abstract The present study addresses two questions: (1) what effect do quality improvements have on satisfaction with public transport services? (2) What effect do quality improvements have on passengers perceived frequency of negative critical incidents? A representative sample of persons aged 16-75 years old in the thirteen regions in Sweden conducting quality improvements in public transport were used. Data were collected before it started and also after the improvements had been completed (n=2797). The pre-and post samples consisted of independent groups of respondents. The response rate was 54%. The main conclusion of the study is that the satisfaction people experience when using public transport services is influenced by quality improvements only to a limited extent. Furthermore, the effect was directionally opposite in that the respondents reported less satisfaction and higher frequencies of negative critical incidents after the quality improvements had been implemented

A content analysis of complaints and compliments

The research question focused on in this study is whether complaint and compliment contain different service quality attributes. A sample of 236 complaints and 69 compliments collected by a public transport company were analyzed by means of the critical incident technique. The results of previous research were confirmed and showed that perceived service quality attributes in public transport involve employee behavior, reliability, simplicity and design. It was further concluded that reliability of service causes frequently more complaints than compliments. How customers are treated by the employees was found to be more frequent in compliments.

The structure of affective reactions to critical incidents

Abstract The present study examines affective reactions to positive and negative critical incidents in public transport and their impact on satisfaction. Forty-one respondents who used public transport rather frequently read descriptions of four positive critical incidents, four negative critical incidents, and four neutral incidents. They were asked to rate how they would feel if the incidents happened to them. The ratings were obtained on 12 bipolar affect adjective scales and three satisfaction scales. The results showed that the critical incidents varied in both unpleasantness–pleasantness and deactivation–activation. Satisfaction with public transport was, however, only accounted for by unpleasantness–pleasantness.

Fresh perspectives on customer experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide directions for future research on: broadening the role of customers in customer experience; taking a practice-based approach to customer experience; and recognizing the holistic, dynamic nature of customer experience across all touch points and over time. Design/methodology/approach – The approach is conceptual identifying current gaps in research on customer experience. Findings – The findings include a set of research questions and research agenda for future research on customer experience. Originality/value – This research suggests fresh perspectives for understanding the customer experience which can inspire future research and advance theory and managerial practice.

Are Effects of Travel Feedback Programs Correctly Assessed

It has been claimed that travel feedback programs (TFPs) are effective in reducing levels of car-use related congestion, noise, and air pollution. This article examines this claim, noting that many evaluation studies have employed less than optimal research designs. Demonstrating the use of meta-analysis, the results of 15 Japanese TFPs show that the effect sizes estimated for the frequently used research design lacking adequate control groups differ from the effect sizes estimated for research designs including adequate control groups. In addition, estimates of the homogeneity of treatment effects appear to differ, thus suggesting that inferences of causes of the effectiveness of a TFP vary with research design.