Automated service quality and its behavioural consequences in CRM Environment: A structural equation modeling and causal loop diagramming approach

Information technology induced communications (ICTs) have revolutionized the operational aspects of service sector and have triggered a perceptual shift in service quality as rapid dis-intermediation has changed the access-mode of services on part of the consumers. ICT-enabled services further stimulated the perception of automated service quality with renewed dimensions and there subsequent significance to influence the behavioural outcomes of the consumers. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has emerged as an offshoot to technological breakthrough as it ensured service-encapsulation by integrating people, process and technology. This paper attempts to explore the relationship between automated service quality and its behavioural consequences in a relatively novel business-philosophy – CRM. The study has been conducted on the largest public sector bank of India - State bank of India (SBI) at Kolkata which has successfully completed its decade-long operational automation in the year 2008. The study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to justify the proposed model construct and causal loop diagramming (CLD) to depict the negative and positive linkages between the variables

The role of effective communication and trustworthiness in determining guests’ loyalty

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.This study investigates the role of trustworthiness and effective communication in the development of guests’ loyalty within the hotel sector. We propose and test a conceptual model that differentiates between two types of loyalty: attitudinal and behavioral. As hotels can control and manage how they communicate their desired characteristics to guests, we posit effective communication and a hotel’s trustworthiness as the key concepts in building loyalty. This study reports on the findings of a study based on 322 hotel guests. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that implementing effective communication methods leads to a trustworthy image, which in turn has a positive impact on attitudinal and behavioral loyalty. This research provides hotel managers with strategic directions for cultivating guest loyalty

Society Exchange Characteristics, Service Quality, and Relationship Quality between Hospital and Its Suppliers

Successful supply chain management provides an enterprise with a new competitive advantage. However, successful supply chain performance is based on a high level of trust and strong commitment among supply chain partners. Studies have indicated that communication, partner’s reputation, perceived benefits, fairness, and relationship tenure that are within the context of social exchange theory have an effect on trust. In the current study, we attempted to integrate two types of theories of social exchange and service quality by proposing an integrated model that influences the factor to trust and commitment. We then applied structural equation modeling to test the model. The study results indicated that a hospital’s trust in its supply chain partner is highly associated with commitment. The study included respondents comprising medical device procurement staff working in hospitals within Taiwan. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed; 316 completed questionnaires were received. The results revealed that communication, partner’s reputation, and perceived benefits had a positive effect on trust. Service quality was also determined to have a positive effect on trust and commitment. This result should provide reference for a hospital and its relationship with suppliers, which helps monitor decision variables in the supply chain management of medical devices

Understanding the factors that derive continuance intention of e-shopping in Saudi Arabia: Age group differences in behaviour

The objective of this study is to clarify the theoretical problem and identify factors that could explain the level of continuance intention of e-shopping in context of Saudi Arabia. The study proposes a revised technology acceptance model that integrates expectation confirmation theory to measure age differences with regard to continuance online shopping intentions in Saudi Arabia. The sample (n=465) consists of 68.8% women and 31.4% men, 348 younger than 35 years old and 117 older than 35. A structural equation model confirms model fit. The research findings confirm that Perceived usefulness, enjoyment, and subjective norms are determinants of online shopping continuance in Saudi Arabia. The structural weights are mostly equivalent between the young and old groups, but the regression path from subjective norms to perceived usefulness is not invariant, with that relationship being stronger for the younger respondents. This research moves beyond online shopping intentions and includes factors affecting online shopping continuance. The model explains 65% of the intention to continue shopping online. The research findings suggest that online strategies cannot ignore either the direct and indirect effects on continuance intentions in Saudi Arabia. The model can be generalized across the three main commercial regions of Saudi Arabia

The Role of Student Trust in Mediating Service Quality and Student Reputation Against E-WOM

The purpose of this research is to examine the study titled The Role of the Quality of Student Trust in Mediating the Quality of Student Services and the University's Reputation on Electronic Word of Mouth among students. This study's sample was chosen utilizing a multi-stage sampling technique, beginning with the selection of private institutions using purposive sampling and ending with the selection of students using incidental sampling. In this survey, there were 255 students who represented five private universities in percentage. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling were employed in the data analysis (SEM). The study's findings revealed that service quality has a positive and significant effect on electronic word of mouth, university reputation has a positive and significant effect on electronic word of mouth, student trust has a positive but not significant effect on electronic word of mouth, student trust can mediate between service quality and electronic word of mouth, and student trust can moderate the influence of university reputation on electronic word of mouth

Customer Trust Model for Malaysian Internet Banking

One of the critical components impacting accomplishment of internet banking services is trust of customers. Obtaining customer trust depends on different factors that internet banking struggle to control. The purpose of this research is to make clear and simplify the particular interrelationships and interaction effects between customer's online trust and other related variables such as satisfaction, loyalty and so on in internet banking. In addition, a model of consumer's trust in internet banking depending on the investigation regarding previous studies has been developed. To examine the model some sort of descriptive survey has been applied. According to a sort of a group’s random choosing skim, the survey sample population consisted of 318 randomly obtained from students in the UTM (University Technology Malaysia) who are user of internet banking service. A significant part of the result discovered trust beliefs relate directly with satisfaction, integrity, benevolence, competency and loyalty. Keywords: Trust, Internet Banking, Critical Factors, Malaysia, Customer

The relationship between interpersonal trust, employee satisfaction, employee commitment, leader support and employee loyalty: A study of the employees in an automotive sector in Malaysia

The Malaysian automotive industry was unable to retain employees who are loyal, hence affecting its competitiveness. The objectives of this study were to determine the relationships among interpersonal trust, employee satisfaction, employee commitment and leader support with employee loyalty. Literature review suggested that trust, satisfaction, commitment and leader support exist in organizations as a dynamic set of factors, influenced by different surroundings and culture. Six hypotheses were then developed. This study utilized a quantitative research design. An established automotive firm in Malaysia was chosen as the target. The respondents of the study were the executives of this automotive firm. The executive register of the chosen firm was used as the base. Using stratified random sampling, the study sample was determined as 800 respondents. The research instrument was the survey questionnaire which was adopted and adapted from past research. The questionnaires were self–administered. From the 800 questionnaires distributed, 361 were returned, giving the study a response rate of 45 percent. For data analysis, the study used multiple regression and correlation methods. The findings of the study had indicated that interpersonal trust influenced leader support; employee satisfaction influenced leader support; employee commitment influenced leader support; and leader support was found to have a significant relationship with employee loyalty. The hypotheses involving the relationships of interpersonal trust, employee satisfaction, employee commitment and employee loyalty were partially supported. One important finding in this study was that leader support did not mediate the relationships between interpersonal trust, employee satisfaction, employee commitment and employee loyalty. This study contributed theoretically, methodologically and practically to academicians, professionals and managers in the automotive organization (as well as other organizations). Limitations in the study were highlighted as opportunities for improvement and recommendations were made to take the research to the next level. It was hoped that this study could further enrich the literature in the related research areas and provide more empirical evidence to support the future efforts of professionals and managers in the effective management of their respective organizations

The factors driving online shopping in Saudi Arabia: Regional and behavioral differences among women

This study proposes a revised technology acceptance model that integrates expectation confirmation theory to measure regional differences with regard to continuance online shopping intentions in Saudi Arabia. The sample consists of 650 female respondents. A structural equation model confirms model fit. Perceived usefulness, enjoyment, and subjective norms are determinants of online shopping continuance in Saudi Arabia. Women in the eastern, western, and central region groups are equivalent. The structural weights are also largely equivalent, but the regression path from perceived usefulness to enjoyment is not invariant between female shoppers in the eastern and western regions or in the eastern and central regions. This research moves beyond online shopping intentions and includes factors affecting online shopping continuance. The research model explains 60% of the intention to continue shopping online. Furthermore, this research suggests that online strategies cannot ignore the influence of either direct or indirect regional differences on continuance intentions; the model can be generalized across Saudi Arabia

Theoretical Basics for Developing Business Information Systems for Jointly Managing Uncertainty, Communication, and Trust in Supply Chains

Uncertainty is a major problem in any supply chain. Inventory and excess capacities used to cope with uncertainty are significant cost drivers. Advanced information systems have been employed to support information exchange along the supply chain and were successful in synchronizing supply and demand and downsizing inventories. However, close cooperation requires mutual trust as a basis. Current information systems do not specifically address this issue. This paper outlines the relation of uncertainty to communication and trust and sketches approaches for information systems to enable integrated process-oriented cooperation and trust management