Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joseann Knight Author-X-Name-First: Joseann Author-X-Name-Last: Knight Author-Name: Donley Carrington Author-X-Name-First: Donley Author-X-Name-Last: Carrington Title: Bill prioritisation and bill payment orientation in the developing country context Abstract: Adverse economic conditions often result in bill payment default by consumers and compromised accounts receivable for service providers. Default is especially problematic in developing countries where the average consumer has less spending power. Yet, international service brands know very little about the debt attitudes of developing country consumers. Using Maslow's hierarchy of needs framework, this paper examines whether consumers adopt a hedonic or a utilitarian approach to bill prioritisation activity. Knowing the relative importance of one's service better equips the service provider to develop compelling communications to support or to enhance consumers' perceptions if need be. The study also introduces service bill payment orientation (SBPO) which measures how consumers view bill payments in general, thereby contributing to the newly emerging literature on the debt attitudes of developing country consumers. The findings of the study point to a utilitarian bill payment approach and suggest that SBPO may be more a consequence of national culture than of demographic differences between consumers. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 1-22 Issue: 1 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: services; bill payments; service bill payment orientation; SBPO; accounts receivable; hedonism; utilitarianism; bill prioritisation; subscriptions; Maslow's hierarchy of needs. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=98918 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:1:p:1-22 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hasnan Baber Author-X-Name-First: Hasnan Author-X-Name-Last: Baber Title: Service quality gap - a tale of two companies Abstract: The study is aimed to explore the service quality gap of two automobile companies in India. A structured 25-item questionnaire was used to collect primary data from 1,320 customers from two companies by stratified sampling of selected states. Data was statistically analysed through reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, paired sample t-test and confirmed factor analysis. The findings revealed a significant gap in service quality of both companies. Only tangibility and empathy factor has expected level lower than the perceived service quality level. Also in both companies SERVQUAL model has a constructive and significant impact on customer satisfaction. The findings will help in comparing service quality levels of two companies and improving the same. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 23-33 Issue: 1 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: quality; service; gap model; customer satisfaction; automobile; Toyota; Ford; India. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=98926 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:1:p:23-33 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Benny J. Godwin Author-X-Name-First: Benny J. Author-X-Name-Last: Godwin Author-Name: Rowena Wright Author-X-Name-First: Rowena Author-X-Name-Last: Wright Title: Understanding the antecedents of service decisions: an integration of service promiscuity and customer citizenship behaviour Abstract: Promiscuity being casual and unrestrained towards any kind of service, the purpose of this article is to contribute to service literature by investigating the influence of customer citizenship behaviour and service promiscuity in the decision-making process in the context of public house services. This paper empirically draws a historic sum-up on the roots of service promiscuity towards the decision-making process. A questionnaire was administered to 1,509 pub customers using retrospective experience sampling technique. The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling. Results from this research yielded novel insights into the dual antecedents extending to customer decision making process through customer citizenship behaviour and service promiscuity. The findings have implications for the ongoing argumentation on the practicality of customer promiscuity, thereby broadening the theoretical understanding of 'why customers' decision-making process establishes such an efficacious effect in the service environment? Further, these new and interesting results enlighten the insights of consumer behaviour and more importantly contribute substantially to the existing knowledge of service marketing literature. The results provide managers with specific decision-making process variables and substantial service strategies. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 34-54 Issue: 1 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: customer citizenship behaviour; service promiscuity; psychodynamics; decision making process; public house (pub) services. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=98927 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:1:p:34-54 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Min Zhu Author-X-Name-First: Min Author-X-Name-Last: Zhu Author-Name: Huaqing Wang Author-X-Name-First: Huaqing Author-X-Name-Last: Wang Title: Social loafing with group development Abstract: We inspect thoroughly the literature in social loafing and group development. We address the connection of group development to social loafing and distinguish perceived social loafing from actual social loafing. By making such distinction, we clarify the goal of establishing a connection between group members' perception of social loafing with their perception of the group progress. The possible future directions of research in this field are discussed. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 55-67 Issue: 1 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: social loafing; group development; teams. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=98937 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:1:p:55-67 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ping Li Author-X-Name-First: Ping Author-X-Name-Last: Li Author-Name: Mohan Menon Author-X-Name-First: Mohan Author-X-Name-Last: Menon Author-Name: Zuoming Liu Author-X-Name-First: Zuoming Author-X-Name-Last: Liu Title: Green innovation under uncertainty - a dynamic perspective Abstract: Increasing concerns regarding environment and sustainability drive firms to devote resources to green product development to satisfy customers' preference and gain competitive advantage. Organisations require an effective learning orientation (LO) along with a market-based orientation in order to tackle sustainability challenges to gain competitive advantage. The study proposes a conceptual framework to analyse the effects of learning orientation and market orientation in improving a firm's green innovation. More importantly, the framework describes how the orientation impacts innovation under different environmental settings. Data from 231 China-based companies were used in the study and the results indicate the nature of the linkages between a firm's green innovation and its learning and market orientation. Guidelines for practitioners on managing environmental uncertainties and improving green innovation are discussed. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 68-88 Issue: 1 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: green innovation; learning orientation; environmental uncertainty; market orientation. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=98939 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:1:p:68-88 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: N. Thamaraiselvan Author-X-Name-First: N. Author-X-Name-Last: Thamaraiselvan Author-Name: S. Thanigai Arul Author-X-Name-First: S. Thanigai Author-X-Name-Last: Arul Author-Name: Dharun Kasilingam Author-X-Name-First: Dharun Author-X-Name-Last: Kasilingam Title: Understanding the intention to use self service technologies in the airline industry Abstract: Self service technologies (SST) in the airline industry are becoming more common nowadays in the developing countries. This research seeks to understand the factors that affect the travellers' intention to use such technologies. Literature reveals that tech readiness, perceived ease of use and perceived reliability (PR) towards technologies play a role in the intention to use them. In order to test the hypotheses, data was collected from 552 travellers at Chennai Airport. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. Results indicate that perceived reliability and tech readiness are significant predictors of the intention to use SSTs. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 89-109 Issue: 2 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: tech readiness; perceived ease of use; perceived reliability; self service technologies; SST; airlines. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=100918 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:2:p:89-109 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kunofiwa Tsaurai Author-X-Name-First: Kunofiwa Author-X-Name-Last: Tsaurai Author-Name: Charles Nyoka Author-X-Name-First: Charles Author-X-Name-Last: Nyoka Title: Financial development-income inequality nexus in South Eastern European countries: does the relationship vary with the level of inflation? Abstract: The study investigated two aspects using panel data analysis methods: 1) the impact of financial development on income inequality; 2) the role of inflation in the financial development-income inequality nexus in the case of South Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia). Without interaction term, fixed effects approach shows that financial development increased income inequality whereas pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) indicates that income inequality was narrowed down by financial development. Using fixed effects, the interaction term between inflation and financial development reduced income inequality. Employing pooled OLS approach, the interaction term between inflation and financial development increased income inequality. The study therefore urges South Eastern European countries to implement policies targeted at reducing inflation in order to enhance financial development's ability to reduce income inequality. South Eastern European countries should also implement policies aimed at deepening their financial markets in order to reduce income inequality. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 110-125 Issue: 2 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: inflation; financial development; South East Europe; income inequality. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=100921 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:2:p:110-125 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lifang Wu Author-X-Name-First: Lifang Author-X-Name-Last: Wu Title: Assessing and improving performance for a small contact centre Abstract: Contact centres are an increasingly important part of today's economy and most of the contact centres in the USA are small ones employing less than 100 agents. This paper provides a case study of applying quantitative techniques to improve operations performance for a small contact centre affiliated with a water plant in the USA. By establishing a regression-adjusted queuing model-based virtual benchmarking contact centre, the research focuses on investigating efficiency losses the small contact centre was facing. The study suggests that the overwhelming majority of the efficiency loss at the small contact centre was related to agent shrinkage (unavailable while logged-in or did not log-in). Surprisingly, forecasting and scheduling errors only resulted in a fairly small portion of the overall efficiency loss, which contradicts the traditional belief of 'scheduling dominating call centre performance'. The article offers managerial insights catering to these small contact centres which can help them eliminate waste, reduce operating costs and improve service quality. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 126-145 Issue: 2 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: small contact centre; quality; efficiency; performance; modelling; benchmarking; service. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=100934 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:2:p:126-145 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Olfa Bouhlel Author-X-Name-First: Olfa Author-X-Name-Last: Bouhlel Title: An exploratory study on the morphology and measurement of teleshopping trust: a scale development Abstract: Trust in teleshopping requires more attention from researchers, especially as there is no instrument measuring it. The purpose of this study is the development of a quantitative instrument, the TTS. After a literature review about trust and teleshopping, the stages of Churchill's paradigm have been applied. The research design included three stages: a set of items generated on the basis of a qualitative exploratory study, a scale development, and an assessment of TTS psychometric properties. TTS was developed using a convenience national sample of 380 TV shoppers. Data has been collected via face-to-face interviews. Factor analysis has been used to uncover the underlying dimensions of TTS. The 19-item scale, scored by seven-point Likert-type response options, is a multidimensional construct. TTS shows robust psychometric properties and is expected to be useful for academics and practitioners alike. It can be beneficial to identify trust characteristics that can be used in teleshopping activity. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 146-176 Issue: 2 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: in-home shopping; TV home shopping; television shopping programs; trust; scale development. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=100939 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:2:p:146-176 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Aris Insan Waluya Author-X-Name-First: Aris Insan Author-X-Name-Last: Waluya Author-Name: M. Ali Iqbal Author-X-Name-First: M. Ali Author-X-Name-Last: Iqbal Author-Name: Rhian Indradewa Author-X-Name-First: Rhian Author-X-Name-Last: Indradewa Title: How product quality, brand image, and customer satisfaction affect the purchase decisions of Indonesian automotive customers Abstract: This research aims to examine product quality and brand image mediated by customer satisfaction that affect the purchase decisions of Indonesian automotive customers. The method of data collection is using primary data from 200 respondents, who are automotive customers, through questionnaires, direct observation of the object under study and literature review. The method of analysis is using quantitative data with the path analysis method using SPSS 23 to test the level of significance of product quality and brand image to the purchase decisions, mediated by customer satisfaction, of Indonesian automotive customers. Overall, the results showed that product quality and brand image have an effect on customer satisfaction. Product quality and brand image have a direct influence on the purchase decision process. Additionally, product quality and brand image have an effect on the purchase decisions, mediated by customer satisfaction, of Indonesian automotive customers. The practical implications are that the automotive industry should manage its brand image as the most important factor influencing purchasing decisions. Mediated by customer satisfaction, brand image also is the greatest factor influencing the purchase decision. The other managerial implication is that the automotive industry should manage product quality and communicate that aspect to customers. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 177-193 Issue: 2 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: product quality; brand image; customer satisfaction; purchase decision. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=100944 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:2:p:177-193 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Franziska Willenbuecher Author-X-Name-First: Franziska Author-X-Name-Last: Willenbuecher Author-Name: Marc Anthony Fusaro Author-X-Name-First: Marc Anthony Author-X-Name-Last: Fusaro Title: Could financial trouble be avoided by cooking at home? An analysis of checking account records Abstract: While the pricing of fast food and the social implications of the payday loan industry have been investigated individually, this study answers the question whether a cycle of debt could be avoided by cooking at home. While no statistical correlation between food spending and loan amounts was found, the results show that households could have saved on average 36.14% of the average loan amount, had they omitted fast food and restaurant meals for 30 days. Specifically, more than 23% of households could have saved 30% or more while almost 9% could have saved 70% or more of their loan amount if they had cooked at home. The findings of this research demonstrate that fast food, and food spending in general, are part of a larger spending pattern that could best be addressed through financial literacy curricula and public policy in the area of payday loans. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 195-207 Issue: 3 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: restaurant meals; household finance; household spending; fast food; cooking at home; payday loans; financial literacy; food spending; financial trouble; cycle of debt. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=103168 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:3:p:195-207 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Wei He Author-X-Name-First: Wei Author-X-Name-Last: He Author-Name: Tantatape Brahmasrene Author-X-Name-First: Tantatape Author-X-Name-Last: Brahmasrene Title: Examining strategic group membership and firm performance in the global hotel industry Abstract: The increasing complexity of global competitive environment requires a comprehensive approach that integrates business practices and strategic management theory to investigate firms' performance. Following strategic group and competitive advantage theory, content analysis is adopted as a fundamental tool to investigate and categorise the competitive methods employed by multinational hotel firms in the new millennium era. The resulted differentiation-based strategic groups are further examined to explore the strategic sources of intra-industry performance differences in the global hotel industry. The results suggest that strategic group membership is an important predictor of hotel firms' performance. The patterns of commitment to strategic group membership have significant impacts on multinational hotel firms' business performance. These findings advance the current research on strategic group-performance relationship through discovering the important role played by strategic group commitment in the context of a globalised service industry. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 208-228 Issue: 3 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: competitive advantage; strategic planning; competitive method; strategic group; strategic group membership; SGM; strategic group commitment; firm performance. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=103169 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:3:p:208-228 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hung V. Nguyen Author-X-Name-First: Hung V. Author-X-Name-Last: Nguyen Author-Name: Thang V. Nguyen Author-X-Name-First: Thang V. Author-X-Name-Last: Nguyen Author-Name: Cuong H. Nguyen Author-X-Name-First: Cuong H. Author-X-Name-Last: Nguyen Author-Name: Anh T. Ha Author-X-Name-First: Anh T. Author-X-Name-Last: Ha Title: Impacts of decentralisation on quality and satisfaction: evidence from city bus service in Vietnam Abstract: Decentralisation has been attributed to fruitful outcomes for public services. However, by employing agency theory in this paper we argue that full decentralisation of all dimensions may not help, at least in the public bus service. Instead, better quality and satisfaction can only be achieved in a more fiscal but less administrative and political decentralisation. Data from two municipalities in the emerging economy of Vietnam is used to provide the empirical evidence. This paper thus is contributed to the literature of decentralisation and the emerging one of quality and satisfaction in public services. Limitations of the study are also discussed. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 229-247 Issue: 3 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: public services; transport economics; decentralisation; quality; satisfaction; public policy. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=103171 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:3:p:229-247 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sougata Ray Author-X-Name-First: Sougata Author-X-Name-Last: Ray Author-Name: Sushanta Kumar Mahapatra Author-X-Name-First: Sushanta Kumar Author-X-Name-Last: Mahapatra Title: Asset quality and performance: an empirical study of Indian microfinance institutions Abstract: The objective of the study is to analyse the impact of the asset quality on the financial performance of the Indian microfinance institutions. Using the financial data of 76 'for-profit' Indian MFIs from the microfinance information exchange database for the period 2006 to 2013, we observe that the quality of asset deteriorated significantly during the period of study and it has impacted the performance of the MFIs negatively. The commercialisation of the MFIs resulted in predatory lending and unfair debt collection practices ensuring better repayment rates. These practices, however, resulted in client defaults and an increase in both portfolio-at-risk and write-off ratio. The study, therefore, suggests that the MFIs need to re-examine and realign their operations so that social parameters are given due importance in every aspect of lending activity. This will ensure that MFIs achieve their social objective as well as ensure higher repayment rates. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 248-265 Issue: 3 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: microfinance; financial performance; asset quality; panel regression; India. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=103173 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:3:p:248-265 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: R. Ganesh Author-X-Name-First: R. Author-X-Name-Last: Ganesh Author-Name: Abdullah Haslinda Author-X-Name-First: Abdullah Author-X-Name-Last: Haslinda Title: Evaluation of students' satisfaction with perceived performance value projection in Malaysian private higher education institutions Abstract: Drawing from the perceived performance theory to justify students' satisfaction is the primary focus of this study for education institutions image brand building. The strength in service delivery quality performance is an essential factor for students' long-term loyalty. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between service delivery quality dimensions on student satisfaction. The variables used are administrative support, career placement and employability, academic staff support, institutional factors and information systems with satisfaction among undergraduate students from Malaysian private higher education institutions. This empirical study focused with probability stratified random sampling with the final sample size of 309 students. With the theoretical contribution, this study able to recognise and achieve adjusted R<SUP align="right"><SMALL>2</SMALL></SUP> .852 indicating that, the model explains 85% of the variance in students satisfaction level with the service delivery quality dimensions used with perceived performance concentration. Journal: Int. J. of Services, Economics and Management Pages: 266-287 Issue: 3 Volume: 10 Year: 2019 Keywords: students' satisfaction; perceived performance; career placement; employability; administrative support; academic staff support; institutional factors; information systems. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=103183 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:injsem:v:10:y:2019:i:3:p:266-287