Peter Yannopoulos

Service Quality Perceptions and Customer Satisfaction: Evaluating the Role of Culture

The authors examine the influence of culture on the measurement of service quality and satisfaction in dentists’ office settings. Respondents from the United States, Canada, and Japan participated in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment in which the authors manipulated both expectations (high/low) and service performance (high/low) in a series of scenarios. With partial metric invariance, latent mean comparisons revealed that regardless of expectations, Japanese respondents reported lower quality perceptions and satisfaction ratings when performance was high and higher satisfaction ratings when performance was low than did their U.S. and Canadian counterparts. Thus, there is some evidence that Japanese consumers are more conservative in their evaluations of superior service but are less critical (or more forgiving) of inferior service. The authors also discuss managerial implications and future research directions.

Cross-cultural invariance of measures of satisfaction and service quality

Abstract A dental setting is used to test the measurement equivalence of scales for satisfaction and service quality by using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). A 2×2 experimental design used levels of service quality and performance controlled and manipulated. US, English and French–Canadian subjects were chosen to test invariance of these measures. The sample consisted of 499 respondents from midwestern USA, Ontario and Quebec. Using CFA, findings indicate that some measures of satisfaction and service quality can be nonequivalent across cultures. Cultural differences were noted for invariant measures in assessing perceived quality, mostly in situations with high expectations and performance, with English Canadians perceiving lower service quality than US and French–Canadians subjects. In situations where expectations and performance were lower, English–Canadians perceived higher quality than US and French–Canadian respondents. Differences were found between English and French–Canadians in the four experimental settings.

A Cross‐National Study Of Perceived Consumer Risk Towards Online (Internet) Purchasing

Perceived consumer risk is explored in relation to online (Internet) purchasing using a cross‐national sample (N=562) from the United States, Canada and U.K. Objectives of the study are to determine if experience in online purchasing reduces perceived risk, if perceived risk varies across product/service categories and if certain types of risk are more important in purchasing certain products/services. Lastly, does national culture affect perceptions of risk? Results are discussed and suggestions are offered to managers on how to reduce perceived risk, thus increasing online purchasing in the three countries examined.

Benefit segmentation of the near-home tourism market: the case of Upper New York State.

Abstract A benefit segmentation study was carried out of a near-home tourism market with data collected from residents of the Upper New York State Region. On the basis of benefits sought, five segments were identified. These segments were called Intangible amenities, Active materialists, Entertainment and comfort, Cultured materialists and Entertainment and shopping. Demographics, life-style, usage of sources of travel information and frequency of travel are used to describe the five benefit segments. The managerial implications of the study are also discussed.

Defensive strategy framework in global markets

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework for defensive strategy by integrating market entry modes and the typology of firms suggested by Day and Nedungandi, and to attempt to propose how local incumbent firms utilize their mental models in order to react against market entry of new competition in global markets.Design/methodology/approach – The theoretical perspective adopted in the study is how mental models used by incumbent firms influence their reaction to market entry of new competition in developing defensive strategies to defend their markets.Findings – Mental models of incumbent firms, categorized as self‐centered, competitor‐centered, customer‐oriented, and market‐driven firms, impact their reaction and the development of defensive marketing strategies against market entrants using a variety of market entry modes in global markets.Originality/value – The paper presents an extensive review of the defensive marketing and mental models literature and shows how the way...

Impact of market entrant characteristics on incumbent reactions to market entry

This paper attempts to examine the likelihood of incumbent firms taking defensive actions given certain market entrant characteristics. Using conjoint analysis, four market entrant characteristics, market entrant company size, price of market entrants product, innovativeness of market entrants product, and market entrants reputation as a competitor were presented to marketing executives in nine simulated cases. The marketing executives were asked to indicate their likelihood of taking defensive actions before and after new competition enters a market. The relative weights associated with the four market entrant characteristics indicate that market entrants price is the most important factor in influencing incumbent firms to take competitive actions followed by company size, market entrants reputation as a competitor, and innovativeness of market entrants product in both before and after market entry conditions.

Factors impacting the decision to attend soccer games: an exploratory study

Purpose – As an exploratory study, the purpose of this paper is to examine the underlying motivations for attending soccer games. Design/methodology/approach – Attendees at two soccer games in Athens, Greece were surveyed about their frequency of attendance at soccer games and their attitudes toward soccer. In total, 252 people from five randomly selected sections of the stadiums participated in the survey. Findings – The results indicate that there are three major motivations – emotional excitement, socialization, and soccer atmospherics – and two identity salience factors – ardent soccer fans and rational soccer fans – for attending soccer games. The most important factor for attendance is being an ardent soccer fan closely followed by the emotional excitement factor. Among the demographic factors considered, only gender significantly affects soccer game attendance. Originality/value – In contrast to previous studies that are somewhat descriptive, this research explicitly introduces factors related to s...

Underlying Motivations for Attending Soccer Games

As an exploratory study, the goal of this research is to identify the underlying motivations for attending soccer games. Most previous research studies dealt with motivations in attending sports in general whereas we specifically focus and develop scales for attending soccer games. An attempt is also made to predict attendance in soccer games. The results indicate that there are three major motivations, emotional excitement, socialization, and sports environment for attending soccer games.

Barriers to Export and Export Performance for Canadian Firms

This paper examines barriers to export and export support by external organization for 137 firms in Canada. The authors discuss four constructs of export barriers and export support functions as they impact export performance. A structural equation model using the barriers and the export support functions as exogenous variables and export performance as endogenous variable show that the most important barrier to export as perceived by business executives is lack of firm competence followed by fear of not receiving payment from foreign customers, procedural barriers, and lack of government support. Analyses also show that firm size impacts the perception of barriers to export and export performance.