Terje Slåtten

What are the Drivers for Innovative Behavior in Frontline Jobs? A Study of the Hospitality Industry in Norway

Studying innovation in the service industry has become an important research area in the past years. However, there is still a lack of research related to innovation on the individual level in a specific work role. In this study the researchers focus on innovation at the individual level, which is referred to as innovative behavior. The aim of the researchers in this study is to identify and examine the drivers to innovative behavior in frontline jobs in the hospitality sector. A conceptual model of drivers to innovative behavior was developed and tested based on a survey in which 158 hotel frontline employees in Norway participated. The hypothesised relationships were tested using partial least-squares as the approach to structural-equation modelling. The findings revealed that employee creativity is a key driver to employee innovative behavior. To understand more fully the factors driving employee innovative behavior, the researchers in this study also examined three antecedents to employee creativity. The results show that, from the greatest to the least effect, company-empowerment practices, familiarity with company vision, and employee commitment are all significantly related to employee creativity. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are also provided.

A DIP‐construct of perceived justice in negative service encounters and complaint handling in the Norwegian tourism industry

A DIP-Construct of Perceived Justice in Negative Service Encounters and Complaint Handling in the Norwegian Tourism Industry

Antecedents and effects of emotional satisfaction on employee‐perceived service quality

Purpose – The aim of this paper has been to study the relationships among: four role stressors (“role ambiguity”, “role overload”, “role conflict”, and “work‐family conflict”); emotional satisfaction among employees; and employee‐perceived service quality.Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual model of the aforementioned relationships has been presented. Hypotheses regarding these relationships were proposed, and data were then collected by a cross‐sectional field study of employees in six post offices in Norway. These data have been analysed to test the hypotheses.Findings – The study has found that “emotional satisfaction” is positively related to “employee‐perceived service quality”. Three role stressors (“role overload”, “role conflict”, and “work‐family conflict”) were negatively related to emotional satisfaction.Research limitations/implications – The findings indicate that role stressors have a direct effect on the emotional satisfaction of employees and an indirect effect on employee‐perceived...

An assessment of the empirical characteristics of top journals in services marketing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the “empirical characteristics” of the “top” journals in services marketing by assessing selected journals with respect to: the proportion of “empirical” versus “non-empirical” contributions; the proportion of national versus international research data; the geographical origin of research data; and the geographical affiliations of the authors whose articles are published. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of “top” journals in services marketing is selected on the basis of expert opinion. The selection includes the International Journal of Service Industry Management (IJSIM), the Journal of Services Marketing (JSM), the Journal of Service Research (JSR), Managing Service Quality (MSQ), and the Service Industries Journal (SIJ). The study considers all contributions (a total of 1,189) published in these journals over a six-year period from 2000 to 2005, with particular emphasis on the “empirical” studies (a subtotal of 870). Findings – The authors contend that there is in part a troublesome and challenging “ethnocentricity” in some of the examined journals. Research limitations/implications – This is the first assessment of the “empirical characteristics” of “top” journals in services marketing. Practical implications – The study provides valuable insights into the nature of academic publishing in the area of services marketing. Originality/value – Scholars will benefit from insights into the “empirical characteristics” of the “top” journals in services marketing. In particular, scholars can note the particular features of individual journals. Further studies of the “empirical characteristics” of individual research journals are required in other sub-disciplines of marketing.

The Effects of Transformational Leadership and Perceived Creativity on Innovation Behavior in the Hospitality Industry

Determinants of creative or innovative behavior among frontline employees have been examined rarely in the literature, which is unfortunate as such information may help managers to benefit from their employees’ potentials. This study first identifies conceptually transformational leadership and employee-perceived creativity as two salient determinants of innovative behavior, and then tests this using data collected from a sample of 345 hospitality frontline employees. Moreover, it is then examined whether the relationship between these two determinants and innovative behavior may be moderated by the employees’ length of time at the workplace. The results of the study indicate that both transformational leadership and employee service creativity influence innovative behavior significantly. However, as this study proposes, these effects are indeed moderated by time in that despite initially different magnitudes, they approach each other over time. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are also provided.

The effect of managerial practice on employee‐perceived service quality

Purpose – The aim of this study is to study the relationships among: two types of managerial practices (“reward” and “support”), two types of emotional satisfaction (“positive” and “negative”), and employee‐perceived service quality.Design/methodology/approach – The study presents a conceptual model of the aforementioned relationships. It proposed hypotheses regarding these relationships and collected data with a survey study of 1,076 frontline employees in service organizations. An analysis of the testing of the hypotheses follows.Findings – The study has found that managerial reward and managerial support are both directly related to positive and negative emotions and to employee‐perceived service quality. In particular, positive and negative emotions appear directly related to employee‐perceived service quality. Moreover, it was found that emotional satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between managerial (reward and support) practices and employee‐perceived service quality.Research limitati...

Scientific identity in top journals of services marketing: review and evaluation

Purpose – The objective of the paper is to describe the “scientific identity” of the “top” journals in services marketing by reviewing and evaluating the methodological approaches and the geographical affiliations of authors published in selected journals. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of “top” journals in services marketing is selected on the basis of expert opinion. The selection includes the International Journal of Service Industry Management (IJSIM), the Journal of Services Marketing (JSM), the Journal of Service Research (JSR), Managing Service Quality (MSQ), and the Service Industries Journal (SIJ). The review and evaluation considers all papers (a total of 1,107) published in these journals over a six-year period from 2000 to 2005. The papers are categorized and the geographical affiliations of the authors are noted. The compiled results are analyzed for patterns that reveal the “scientific identity” of each of the selected journals. Findings – The “scientific identities” of JSM and JSR are revealed as being built upon quantitative research designs and the North American paradigm of research values. MSQ and SIJ are found to be largely based upon a mix of empirical research designs and the European paradigm of research values. IJSIM is found to be based on a mix of empirical research designs and a mix of European and North American research values. However, no journal is found to be narrowly focused, and the variety of “scientific identities” among the journals studied here bodes well for ongoing scientific enquiry in services marketing. Research limitations/implications – Further studies of the “scientific identity” of individual research journals are required in other sub-disciplines of marketing. Practical implications – Scholars will benefit from insights into the “scientific identities” of the “top” journals in services marketing. In particular, scholars can note the particular features of individual journals while acknowledging the paradigmatic flexibility and richness of research designs that are present in all of these journals. Originality/value – This is the first review and evaluation of the “scientific identity” of “top” service-marketing journals in terms of categories of papers published and geographical affiliation of published authors. The study provides valuable insights into the nature of academic publishing in the burgeoning area of services marketing.

Determinants and effects of employee’s creative self-efficacy on innovative activities

Purpose – This paper aims to identify factors that could be related to creative self-efficacy. Specifically, this article examines three different levels of factors as determinants to creative self-efficacy: leader-related, self-related and job-related. After careful consideration, this study selected one determinant to represent each of the three factors. Transformational leadership represented the leader-related factors, learning orientation represented the self-related factors and autonomy represented the job-related factors of creative self-efficacy. This article also aims to examine the effect of creative self-efficacy on what is called innovative activities. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing from theory the study presents a conceptual model of the aforementioned relationships. The data collection is based on a survey with a sample of employees in hospitality organizations. Findings – The findings reveal that the job-related factors (autonomy) were the most influential determinants to creative se...

“Scientific identity” and “ethnocentricity” in top journals of logistics management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the “scientific identity” and “ethnocentricity” in the “top” journals of logistics management by studying the categories of papers published and the geographical affiliations of authors, editorial review boards, and editors in selected journals.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of “top” scholarly journals in logistics management is selected on the basis of previous research, expert opinion, and journal ranking lists. The selection includes the International Journal of Logistics Management (IJLM), the International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management (IJPDLM), and the Journal of Business Logistics (JBL). The study considers all available papers (a total of 657) published in these journals over an eight‐year period from 2000 to 2007. The compiled results are analyzed for patterns that reveal the “scientific identity” and “ethnocentricity” of each of the selected journals.Findings – There is a range of different categories of papers ...

“Empirical characteristics” and “geocentricity” in “top” journals of logistics management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe selected journals in logistics management in terms of: the proportion of different “empirical” contributions; the proportion of national versus in ...