37 research outputs found
Health service quality scale: Brazilian Portuguese translation, reliability and validity
Service quality of private hospitals: The Iranian Patients' perspective
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Highly competitive market in the private hospital industry has caused increasing pressure on them to provide services with higher quality. The aim of this study was to determine the different dimensions of the service quality in the private hospitals of Iran and evaluating the service quality from the patients' perspective.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and November 2010 in Tehran, Iran. The study sample was composed of 983 patients randomly selected from 8 private general hospitals. The study questionnaire was the SERVQUAL questionnaire, consisting of 21 items in service quality dimensions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The result of factor analysis revealed 3 factors, explaining 69% of the total variance. The total mean score of patients' expectation and perception was 4.91(SD = 0.2) and 4.02(SD = 0.6), respectively. The highest expectation and perception related to the tangibles dimension and the lowest expectation and perception related to the empathy dimension. The differences between perception and expectation were significant (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference between the expectations scores based on gender, education level, and previous hospitalization in that same hospital. Also, there was a significant difference between the perception scores based on insurance coverage, average length of stay, and patients' health conditions on discharge.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results showed that SERVQUAL is a valid, reliable, and flexible instrument to monitor and measure the quality of the services in private hospitals of Iran. Our findings clarified the importance of creating a strong relationship between patients and the hospital practitioners/personnel and the need for hospital staff to be responsive, credible, and empathetic when dealing with patients.</p
Determinants of consumersâ intentions to share knowledge and intentions to purchase on s-commerce sites: incorporating attitudes toward persuasion attempts into a social exchange model
This research explores s-commerce usersâ intentions to purchase and to share knowledge by incorporating âattitudes toward persuasion attempts,â âease of use,â and âperceived usefulnessâ into a social exchange theory model. A survey using an on-site purposive sampling technique was used to recruit the respondents, and an interception technique was used to approach the consumers. A total of 471 Korean consumers participated in this research. Based on 471 Korean social-commerce users, our results reveal that social exchange belief factors and a siteâs usability affect user satisfaction, which subsequently affects usersâ intentions to purchase and to share knowledge. In addition, attitudes toward persuasion attempts moderate the effect of satisfaction on usersâ purchase intentions.
Keywords: social exchange theory, attitudes toward persuasion attempts, intention to share knowledge, social exchange belief
On the Importance of Complaint Handling Design : A Multi-Level Analysis of the Impact in Specific Complaint Situations
Given the large investments required for high-quality complaint handling design,
managers need practical guidance in understanding its actual importance for their
particular company. However, while prior research emphasizes the general relevance
of complaint handling design, it fails to provide a more differentiated perspective on
this interesting issue. This study, which is based on an integrative multi-level
framework and a dyadic dataset, addresses this important gap in research. Results
indicate that the impact of a companyâs complaint handling design varies significantly
depending on the characteristics of the complaining customers with which the firm has
to deal. Further, this paper shows that, contingent on these characteristics, a companyâs
complaint handling design can shape complainantsâ fairness perceptions either
considerably or only slightly. Overall, findings suggest that companies should apply
an adaptive approach to complaint handling to avoid misallocation of attention,
energy, and resources
The impact of corporate volunteering on CSR image: a consumer perspective
Received: 29 June 2013 / Accepted: 15 January 2014Abstract Corporate volunteering (CV) is known to be an effective employee engagement initiative. However, despite the prominence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in academia and practice, research is yet to investigate whether and how CV may influence consumer perceptions of CSR image and subsequent consumer behaviour. Data collected using an online survey in Australia show perceived familiarity with a companyâs CV programme to positively impact CSR image and firm image, partially mediated by others-centred attributions. CSR image, in turn, strengthens affective and cognitive loyalty as well as word-of-mouth. Further analysis reveals the moderating effect of perceived leveraging of the corporate volunteering programme, customer status and the value individuals place on CSR. The paper concludes with theoretical and managerial implications, as well as an agenda for future research.Carolin Plewa, Jodie Conduit, Pascale G. Quester, Claire Johnso
On the importance of complaint handling design: a multi-level analysis of the impact in specific complaint situations
Trust in preparation of University-Industry (UI)-Collaboration : Outcomes from a course with focus on developing businesslike capabilities
This paper presents outcomes from a course with focus on developing businesslike capabilities among undergraduate students. The purpose is to explore the need of trust in preparations of UI-collaboration and how outcomes are influencing trust in an education context. Findings indicate that word of mouth is essential to create needed trust. The amount of human resources students represent is found to be an important âqualifierâ, while created trust is the âorder winnerâ in the establishment of UI-collaboration.Godkänd; 2015; 20150116 (andbra
Matching tourism type and destination image perceptions in a country context
Recent upheavals caused in a largely globalized macroeconomic environment have affected places and countries that previously seemed immune to challenge. Country image perceptions are gradually reconsidered while the post-recession status is in a dynamic formulation. Cities, regions and countries strive in order to market themselves professionally in the international arena (van Ham, 2001) and achieve higher levels of market orientation, possibly reinforced by factors such as market turbulence and competition intensity (Denis, Czellar and Graber, 2001). Tourism plays a crucial role in the field of country image since âit allows personal interaction with locals and the host country cultureâ (Dinnie, 2011, p.80). International tourism market comprises of a variety of destinations offering alternative selling propositions to a proliferation of tourism segments. A single country may provide several tourism products (i.e. distinct forms of tourism) and may be âmultiboughtâ by different groups at the same time; hence, âit must be âmultisoldâ, or sold as a product to these segments based on their needâ (Mossberg and Kleppe, 2005, p.9). The question raised relates to the possible effect of country image on the various tourism forms in the destination portfolio