Title: Customer social norm attribute of services: why does it matter and how do we deal with it?

Authors: Qinhai Ma, Ruping Liu, Zhengdan Liu

Addresses: School of Business Administration, Northeastern University, No. 11, Lane 3, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110004, P.R. China. ' School of Business Administration, Northeastern University, No. 11, Lane 3, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110004, P.R. China. ' School of Business Administration, Northeastern University, No. 11, Lane 3, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110004, P.R. China

Abstract: Customer participation, a distinctive feature of services, has been recognised but less regard is given to understand the involved customer behaviours, which have the property of following or breaking social norms. This paper seeks to highlight the customer social norm attribute of services and foster in-depth concern in both research community and businesses with the social issue in service design and delivery. It explains the effects of the attribute on service itself and service delivery, and provides service design and execution strategies for firms to enhance the customers| cognition of social norms and their norms compatible behaviours in service settings.

Keywords: social issues; services; customer social norms; social norm attributes; service experience; China.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2009.025233

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2009 Vol.12 No.2, pp.175 - 191

Published online: 17 May 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article