Merce Bernardo

Functional quality and hedonic quality: A study of the dimensions of e-service quality in online travel agencies

We attempted to clarify the dimensions of e-service quality and their role in producing perceived value and loyalty among customers of e-commerce websites. We particularly examined whether e-quality consisted of two groups of dimensions: (i) functional; or (ii) hedonic quality. Based on a survey of 1201 online customers of Spanish travel agencies, we used structural equation modelling to show that both types of quality are distinct dimensions of e-quality and that both have positive and significant influence on perceived value. In addition, perceived value was shown to have a significant impact on loyalty, thus validating the chain from service quality-to-perceived value-to-loyalty in the context of e-commerce. The implication for e-service managers is that they must be aware of the importance of hedonic quality in seeking to attract and retain customers.

ISO 9001 diffusion analysis according to activity sectors

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the evolution of the world‐wide diffusion, according to industrial sectors of activity, of the ISO 9000 family of quality standards.Design/methodology/approach – Using data provided by the ISO itself, the evolution of the world‐wide diffusion of the ISO 9000 family of standards from 1998 to 2008 is studied. Using two indices of instability, these data are then analysed in terms of individual industrial sectors to assess the heterogeneity of diffusion across different sectors of activity.Findings – The results show that the diffusion of ISO 9001 follows a logistic curve in all sectors, although the current stage of diffusion (in terms of initial stage, expansion stage, and saturation stage) differs between different sectors of activity. The sectors have been classified into three groups according to their possible future evolution.Research limitations/implications – Because the analysis of prediction is based on mathematical models, the validity of the data...

Integration of standardized management systems: does the implementation order matter?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether the order or the strategy of management system standards (MSSs) implementation in an organization determines the level of integration of its standardized MSSs.Design/methodology/approach – Groups of organizations that follow different implementation sequences have been obtained descriptively using a sample of 435 Spanish organizations, registered to two MSSs (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001) at the minimum. Differences with respect to the size of the organizations are also studied.Findings – The results obtained show six different groups of organizations that follow different sequences of implementation and that have different levels of integration of their MSSs. Among the more interesting findings, organizations that had implemented quality and environmental MSSs simultaneously and have 50 employees or less achieve higher levels of integration compared to other organizations in the sample.Originality/value – The paper analyses those sequences of management...

Diffusion of quality standards in the hospitality sector

Purpose – The aim of this study is to compare the diffusion of certifications under two quality management systems (QMSs) in the tourism sector in Spain: the generic ISO 9001 international standard; and the Spanish industry‐specific “Q” standard.Design/methodology/approach – The study pursues this objective by comparing the logistic curves of dissemination of certifications under the two standards using data obtained from official sources. This analysis is complemented with qualitative data from several case studies of Spanish hotels and restaurants.Findings – The results show that the two standards are at different stages of diffusion: certification under the Spanish “Q” standard is increasing, while the ISO 9001 international standard seems to have reached saturation point, despite the fact that a lower number of certifications have been registered under ISO 9001 than under the “Q” standard.Originality/value – The main contribution of this study is that it is one of the first to analyse the disseminatio...

The balance of the impact of quality and recovery on satisfaction: the case of e-travel

The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of a service failure on customer satisfaction in the online context. Specifically, the objectives are to examine the impact of e-service quality and recovery on satisfaction, and to analyse the impact of satisfaction on loyalty in the services of e-travel agencies. A questionnaire conducted by telephone was used to study the services offered by online travel agencies in Spain. A total of 1201 valid responses were obtained and 91 participants declared that they had experienced quality failures during a particular service. The findings show that providing e-quality has a greater influence on satisfaction (and, therefore, on loyalty) than responding well when a failure has occurred (recovery), thus confirming that providing quality service the first time around is a better strategy than applying recovery strategies. E-retailers should take into account this finding in order to improve the service offered and gain loyal customers.

Building loyalty through functional and hedonic quality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose and test an e-quality model for leisure products purchased online. Two dimensions are considered in order to configure the scale: functional quality and hedonic quality. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a survey conducted on a sample of 1,109 online customers who had bought travel leisure products, the model and hypotheses were validated using structural equation modeling analysis. Findings – The results reveal that both quality dimensions, through an e-quality second order dimension, are critical to obtaining loyalty through perceived value. In terms of functional quality, however, privacy is not significant for consumers because security programs have improved. Moreover, the e-quality – perceived value – loyalty service chain has been confirmed. In addition, a partial mediating effect of perceived value between e-quality and loyalty has been detected. Practical implications – e-Service managers must be aware of the importance of hedonic quality in ...

Campus information systems for students: classification in Spain

Purpose – First, this article seeks to establish a conceptual model for campus information systems for students, in order to make their comparison possible for strategic management purposes. Second, it seeks to test this conceptual model in a fieldwork on Spanish higher education institutions, in order to relate information systems characteristics with other organizational features.Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual model was based on socio‐technical information systems and knowledge management literature. A holistic vision of higher education students information needs was kept into account. Data about Spanish universities were gathered by means of structured visits to institutional websites and structured interviews with undergraduate students. Data were analyzed with multivariate statistical techniques.Findings – From multivariate analysis, a classification was obtained for Spanish universities into three clusters with homogeneous characteristics, in the sense of informational and organizat...

Strategic alliances: an analysis of Catalan hospitals

OBJECTIVE To analyze the strategic alliances that Catalan hospitals form with other health care entities and other types of institutions to foster technological and organizational innovation. METHODS Qualitative case studies were conducted at a sample of 16 public hospitals in Catalonia, Spain. The sample was limited to three (Level 1-3) of Catalonias four levels of hospitals (classified according to the complexity of the diagnoses and treatments they provide), but Level 4 hospitals were considered as part of the network in the analysis of the alliances. At each hospital, interviews were conducted with the manager, the medical director, and the service director, using a questionnaire that gathered information on strategic alliances with a focus on telemedicine. Qualitative data processing was applied to identify patterns of alliances between hospitals and other institutions. RESULTS Catalan hospitals interact with other health care agents through three main types of associations: alliances with other hospitals (the most frequent type); alliances with primary care centers (reported mostly by Level 2 hospitals); and alliances with other institutions (e.g., local government, medical companies, and universities). Human resource-sharing (staff mobility) and training were reported most frequently as reasons for creating the alliances. CONCLUSIONS Strategic alliances are formed between hospitals and other health care agents to help improve performance, competitiveness, and services provided to users. These results may help health care system managers promote strategic alliances as a means of optimizing system efficiency without reducing user satisfaction-a key challenge within the context of the current economic situation.

Relating open innovation, innovation and management systems integration

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of the level of integration of management systems (IMS) over product and process innovation capabilities (IC), by considering the role of open innovation (OI) activities as a moderating effect of those relationships. Design/methodology/approach A longitudinal empirical study was performed on an existing Spanish panel database that contains information related to innovation, where 9,765 companies were selected for the panel analysis. A logit approach with random effects was considered. Findings The level of IMS positively influences process and product IC. Moreover, external cooperation, and using it to a high extent not only positively moderates the effects of the level of IMS over process IC, but also of process over product IC, where it becomes indispensable for its effect to be positive. Finally, investing in external knowledge is a positive moderator of the effects of the level of IMS over both: process and product IC. Originality/value This is one of the first studies on empirically finding evidence of the impact of the level of IMS on process and product IC, and of the moderating effect of performing OI activities in order to achieve higher process and product IC through the IMS.

Organisational innovations in Catalan hospitals: the case of telemedicine

The aim of this study is to analyse the organisational innovations in hospitals, focusing on telemedicine, as a way to improve organisations efficiency and to offer more and better services to its users. The methodology applied is qualitative, analysing the case studies of a sample of 16 Catalan hospitals. Findings show that telemedicine between hospitals has been implemented in the majority of the organisations, with very good results. Alliances have a significant relationship with telemedicine. Telemedicine has impact on different aspects of hospitals management; although some work need to be done, such in telecare development.