Information Technology Reference
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to happen when the service recovery cannot be
performed promptly and properly. Conversely, for
example, by recording service failure in a data-
base and establishing guidelines and standards,
Chunghwa Telecom performs efficient service
recovery and, consequently, establishes a positive
confirmation of customers.
In fact, good service recovery can create
more trust than if things had gone smoothly in
the first place (Hart, Heskett, & Sasser, 1990).
Additionally, satisfaction with service recovery
markedly enhances the overall customer satisfac-
tion and willingness to recommend the firm and
consequently increases loyalty. Therefore, the
hypothesis is stated as follows.
in gender differences has emerged; namely, that
the connection from customer relationship quality
to loyalty differs across gender.
H6: Gender moderates the influence of relation-
ship quality on loyalty.
A good case for why women and men respond
differently to IT service can be established via
the literature on circumstances analogous to
those involved in IT perception and use (Gefen
& Straub, 1997). For example, extensive work
(Hofstede, 1980) offers insight into the basis of sex
differences in thinking and behavior, suggesting,
in turn, why underlying IT gender differences
may exist. Furthermore, it has been suggested
that, compared to males, females are more likely
to conform (Sistruck & McDavid, 1971), to be
convinced, and to be more influenced by experts
(Aronson, 1972). Worchel and Cooper (1976)
suggested that these differences in conformity
rates may be attributable to gender socialization
processes; while males are taught to be indepen-
dent thinkers and to assert themselves, females
are not similarly encouraged and, consequently,
are influenced by the expertise of a professional
salesperson. Hence, this implies strongly that the
influence from expertise to relationship quality
differs between males and females.
H5: Service recovery positively influences rela-
tionship quality.
gender as a moderator
Customer-perceived value is critical to under-
standing the choices of marketing management
in setting up how to improve relationship quality
and customer loyalty, because relationship qual-
ity may be established via customer perceived
value in the areas of expertise, relational selling
behavior, perceived network quality, and service
recovery. However, customer-perceived value is a
complex element instead of a univariate element,
and it displays significant gender differences (Hall,
Shaw, Lascheit, & Robertson, 2000). Extensive
research (Granzin, 1976; Holbrook, 1986; Palmer
& Bejou, 1995) has investigated the formation of
satisfaction and trust (relationship quality) across
gender during buying processes. Individuals
with stronger feminine or masculine identities
make repeated purchases (regarded as loyalty)
based on different service choices accordingly
(Costa, 1994), as certain services are perceived
to be gender-specific (Hall et al., 2000) and are
satisfactory and trustworthy (regarded as rela-
tionship quality) in different ways sensitively
across gender. Consequently, an important area
H7: Gender moderates the influence of expertise
on relationship quality.
The role of gender in market segment establish-
ment has been well documented. Hofstede (1991)
summarized the general nature of male-female
differences based on previous research. Briefly,
feminine traits reflect care for others, the impor-
tance of relationships (or relational exchanges), as
well as compromise and negotiation with others
for conflict resolution. Fournier (1998) concluded
that females put more emphasis on interpersonal
relationships with service providers than males. In
particular, the theory on prescriptive stereotypes
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