Evaluating Group Differences in Gender During the Formation of Relationship Quality and Loyalty in ISP Service - End User Computing Challenges and Technologies: Emerging Tools and Applications - page 244

(Deaux & Kite, 1993) suggests that because fe-
males valuing strong social relationships are more
friendly to others than males (Eagly, 1987), they
may be expected to emerge with a more sensitive
response toward relationship quality to a greater
extent than males, given that the level of their
perceived relational selling behavior is similar to
that of males. Consequently, the previous review
indicates that the influence from relational selling
behavior to relationship quality may differ across
gender, given that females rate interpersonal
aspects more highly than males during services
provided.

covery to relationship quality may differ across
gender.

H9: Gender moderates the influence of perceived
network quality on relationship quality.
H10: Gender moderates the influence of service
recovery on relationship quality.

In conclusion, gender may moderate the re-
lationships between relationship quality and its
antecedents based on the previous review and in-
ferences. Given this, determining the differences
between male and female users in ISP services
is important, although little research has been
undertaken to explore such moderating effects
in ISP service. More importantly, the differences
in terms of gender may suggest alternative ways
to effectively achieve high customer loyalty with
the ISP.

H8: Gender moderates the influence of rela-
tional selling behavior on relationship quality.

While females rate interpersonal aspects
highly during services provided, a strong pattern
is found in males rating material advancement
and success highly (Hofstede, 1980). Therefore,
male traits reflecting advancement and success
lead to a more sensitive response (caused by net-
work quality) on relationship quality, given that
good network quality represents certain techni-
cal advancement. Accordingly, males, who are
more impatient, also are more likely to respond
sensitively to relationship quality, whenever the
issue of service recovery arises. More specifi-
cally, people consider qualities such as patient,
kind, understanding, considerate, and thoughtful
to others as more typical of females than males
(De Beauvoir, 1952; Flax, 1983). This other focus
typically is associated with an understanding of
the situations of service recovery performed by
others during service failure and exemplified by
feminine stereotypes (De Beauvoir, 1952; Flax,
1983). Consequently, females being more patient
and more thoughtful to the situations of others
(Bridges, 1989) suggests that the response (caused
by service recovery) on relationship quality may
be less sensitive than that of males. The previous
review consequently indicates that the influences
from perceived network quality and service re-

researCh methods

subjects

The general approach used for empirically test-
ing the relationships implied by the research
model and research hypotheses is a field study
using a survey methodology for data collection.
Data were obtained from a large cross-sectional
sample of ADSL customers of Taiwan's largest
ISP, Chunghwa Telecom. Nowadays, Taiwan has
more than 29 ISPs offering a variety of network
services, such as ADSL, cable modem, and so
forth. Despite Taiwan having a population of only
22 million, there are already approximately 8.59
million Internet users in Taiwan (Institute for In-
formation Industry, 2002). The Internet broadband
market penetration rate of Taiwan ranks second
internationally, trailing South Korea (Institute for
Information Industry, 2002). Among these ISPs,
the network service provided by Chunghwa Tele-
com occupies a market share of more than 60%
countrywide. Using the sample from a developed