Markus Groth

Customers as Good Soldiers: Examining Citizenship Behaviors in Internet Service Deliveries

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) research is extended to the customer domain by examining the role of customer behavior in Internet service deliveries. Based on the OCB framework, it was hypothesized that a conceptual distinction between in-role behaviors (i.e., task performance) and extra-role behaviors (i.e., citizenship behavior) can be extended to customers who participate in service delivery. Survey data show that customers differentiate coproduction behaviors from customer citizenship behaviors. Furthermore, these two behaviors had different sets of predictors. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed from the perspective of OCB theories.

From bad to worse Negative exchange spirals in employee–customer service interactions

Poor employee–customer interactions influence customer satisfaction and employee well-being. In studying these negative exchanges, researchers tend to take either the perspective of the customer (i.e., the problem is service failure) or the employee (i.e., the problem is the difficult customer). We review these two literatures to show that the inputs, processes, and outcomes of these two perspectives are linked in a way that creates a negative exchange spiral. We argue that this is an “open-loop” spiral because the negative service encounter spills over to the experience of subsequent customers and nearby employees. We suggest that future research use an integrated model of the employee–customer negative exchange spiral and dyadic methods to more effectively test and understand these negative exchanges. Finally, we propose how dyadic and contextual characteristics accelerate or break the negative spiral, suggesting research and practical implications.

Following Display Rules in Good or Bad Faith?: Customer Orientation as a Moderator of the Display Rule-Emotional Labor Relationship

Organizational display rules (e.g., “service with a smile”) have had mixed relationships with employee emotional labor—either in the form of “bad faith” surface acting (suppressing or faking expressions) or “good faith” deep acting (modifying inner feelings). We draw on the motivational perspective of emotional labor to argue that individual differences in customer orientation will directly and indirectly relate to these acting strategies in response to display rules. With a survey of more than 500 working adults in customer contact positions, and controlling for affective disposition, we find that customer orientation directly increases “good faith” acting while it moderates the relationship of display rules with “bad faith” acting.

B2B services: linking service loyalty and brand equity

Purpose – A significant way of achieving high profitability is to retain existing customers who contribute to the service providers revenue by continuously purchasing and paying more for products and services and building brand equity to the provider. The main objective of this study is to empirically examine and extend the knowledge underlying the linkage between service loyalty and brand equity performance outcomes in the context of business‐to‐business markets. It aims to develop and empirically test a theoretical model examining the antecedents and the outcomes of service loyalty in a business‐to‐business context. The model also aims to examine the relationship between service loyalty and customer share of wallet and price premium, as well as the links between the proposed antecedents (habitual buying, trust in the service provider, and perceived service quality) and service loyalty.Design/methodology/approach – The theoretical model was empirically tested with a sample of 294 Australian small‐ to me...

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Keep Working Impact of Emotional Labor on Absenteeism

Although absenteeism has been identified in theoretical models as a key long-term consequence of emotional labor, few studies have empirically examined this link. In this article, we investigate the relationship between surface acting and absenteeism and the moderating role of surface acting self-efficacy. Drawing on resource perspectives, we argue and show that when valued resources are threatened or lost as a result of surface acting, employees will actively strive to prevent further resource loss by withdrawing from work. We propose, however, that surface acting self-efficacy can help buffer the resource depleting effects of surface acting leading to withdrawal. Using data from two sources, collected at two points in time, we surveyed 121 nurses and linked these data to absenteeism data collected 12 months postsurvey. Results showed direct effects of surface acting on absenteeism; in addition, higher surface acting self-efficacy minimized the detrimental effects of surface acting on absenteeism. We also found support for the mediating role of affective commitment in explaining this interaction effect. These results suggest that the effects of surface acting on absenteeism are less detrimental for employees with high surface acting self-efficacy as these individuals are less negatively affected by the drain on the motivational resources that keep them feeling attached to their workplace and, in turn, keep them at work. This study extends our understanding of emotional labor processes and provides insights into the active process whereby employees are driven by the motivation to conserve resources and prevent further losses.

Chapter 9 A conceptual model of the effects of emotional labor strategies on customer outcomes

The aim of the research reported in this article was to develop a conceptual model that links emotional labor strategies performed by service employees to a number of relevant antecedents as well as to a variety of customer outcomes. We link emotional labor directly to the customer domain by examining how customers experience and react to emotional displays of service employees. Thus, we expand current emotional labor research which has predominantly focused on employee and organizational outcomes but has offered limited theoretical guidance as to how customers may be directly affected by emotional labor in the service delivery process. Specific research propositions are developed that offer insight into the antecedents and potential impact of emotional labor strategies on customer behavior. Managerial and research implications as well as avenues for future research are discussed from the perspective of emotional labor theory.

Attitudes toward Suicide: German and U.S. Nationals

The Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) was administered to two samples of adult volunteers: 172 Germans and 172 U.S. nationals. An analysis of the results indicated five major findings: 1) statistically significant gender differences in attitudes toward suicide were obtained in both samples. 2) These gender differences showed consistency across the two samples. 3) Statistically significant differences between German and United States samples were obtained on all eight SOQ scales. 4) The differences between countries were significant for both males and females considered separately, with one exception. 5) Finally, four SOQ scales showed significant but modest correlation with age in both samples.

A framework to create more mentally healthy workplaces: A viewpoint:

Mental illness is now the leading cause of long-term sickness absence among Australian workers, with significant costs to the individual, their employers and society more broadly. However, to date, there has been little evidence-informed guidance as to what workplaces should be doing to enhance their employees’ mental health and wellbeing. In this article, we present a framework outlining the key strategies employers can implement to create more mentally healthy workplaces. The five key strategies outlined are as follows: (1) designing work to minimise harm, (2) building organisational resilience through good management, (3) enhancing personal resilience, (4) promoting early help-seeking and (5) supporting recovery and return to work. A narrative review is utilised to outline the theoretical evidence for this framework and to describe the available research evidence for a number of key example interventions for each of the five strategies. While each workplace needs to develop tailored solutions, the five strategy framework proposed in this review will hopefully provide a simple framework for employers and those advising them to use when judging the adequacy of existing services and considering opportunities for further enhancements.

GOAL-DIRECTEDNESS AND PERSONAL IDENTITY AS CORRELATES OF LIFE OUTCOMES

Although much research has been conducted on goal setting, researchers have not examined goal-directedness or propensity to set goals as a stable human characteristic in adults. In this study, a survey was developed and distributed to 104 adult participants to assess their goal-directedness, personal identity, and various life outcomes. A theoretical model was developed and tested using structural equation modeling that proposed that both goal-directedness and personal identity should positively influence important life outcomes. Analysis showed that goal-directedness and personal identity are positively related to personal well-being, salary, and marital satisfaction. Further, personal identity was positively related to job satisfaction but, contrary to related research, goal-directedness did not predict job satisfaction.

Accelerating employee-related scholarship in service management: Research streams, propositions, and commentaries

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to accelerate research related to the employee-facets of service management by summarizing current developments in multiple research streams, providing propositions, and articulating new directions for theory and empirical inquiry. Design/methodology/approach Seven scholars provide short reviews of the core topics and findings from four employee-related research streams – collective turnover, service climate, emotional labor, and occupational stress; and generate propositions to guide future theoretical and empirical work. Four distinguished service scholars – David Bowen, Ray Fisk, Christian Gronroos, and Jochen Wirtz comment upon these research streams and provide future directions for accelerating employee-related research in service management. Findings All four research-streams yield insights that have the potential to advance service management research. Commentaries from the distinguished scholars further integrate this work with key concerns within service management including technology-enablement, transformative services, and service strategy. Originality/value This paper is unique in its scope of coverage of management topics related to service and its aim to promote interdisciplinary dialog between service management scholars and researchers conducting employee-related research relevant to services.