bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
International sport marketing: practical and future research implications
Authors: Ratten Vanessa , Ratten Hamish 
Published: October 2011

PurposeSport is a global product and service that many people around the world enjoy playing, watching and participating in. Whilst there has been an abundance of global media attention on sporting events such as the Olympics and World Football Cup, there seems to be a lack of integration between the sports marketing and international business disciplines both from a practical and also academic standpoint. This paper aims to discuss international sport marketing and why it is an important attribute of business‐to‐business marketing.Design/methodology/approachThe aim of the paper is to provide practical implications and research avenues for those seeking to further investigate international sport marketing as a unique area of academic research. The introduction to the paper focuses on the importance of sport to the global economy and how entrepreneurship is ingrained in many sport businesses and organizations. Next, different areas of international business management that relate to entrepreneurial sport marketing ventures are discussed in terms of future research directions and practical implications. These include how entrepreneurial sport ventures affect internationalization, branding, corporate social responsibility, tourism, regional development, marketing and action sports.FindingsThe paper concludes by finding that there are numerous research avenues for future research on international sport marketing that combine different areas of marketing together with the sport marketing and international business literature. In addition, there is enormous potential for linking the sports marketing and international business literature through focusing on entrepreneurial sport ventures that occur worldwide.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors demonstrate the need to take an international perspective of sports marketing and business‐to‐business relationships.Practical implicationsThe paper discusses how and why sport firms interact in the international marketplace and how future competition will benefit from more sport‐based business‐to‐business partnerships.Originality/valueThe paper examines the important area of international sports marketing and how businesses that are both profit and non‐profit orientated collaborate. The paper explores the concept of international sports marketing, and discusses the practical and future research implications of this exciting new field of marketing research.
Service with personality: a note on generalizing personality across services contexts
Authors: Spielmann Nathalie , Babin Barry J. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to address the generalizability of the services personality concept and to propose a way of operationalizing personality across service contexts, not just retail/services brands. Interpersonal services seem especially relevant for analyzing using the personality concept because of the importance of human interaction within these contexts and because personality itself is socially molded. The personality‐based image perception can thus be useful in establishing branding strategies.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical study using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis provides analytical results based on a sample of over 600 respondents' personality perceptions across three different services categories. A multi‐group SEM approach then tests the resulting measurement theory and examines its generalizability across three different interpersonal service contexts.FindingsThe results suggest that the services personality scale: displays strong construct validity; meets criteria for metric invariance across multiple contexts; offers a more complete explanation of service expectations relative to alternative measures; and potentially offers a dynamic explanation of consumers' expectations of the services brand.Practical implicationsManagerially, the services personality measure provides a tool for services retailers potentially useful in evaluating their respective service environments and thereby better understanding their relative market positioning. The approach may prove useful for perceptual mapping and competitive analysis.Originality/valueDistinct from the current research that very often concentrates on a single service type using attribute‐based evaluations, this research validates the use of a personality‐based services approach across multiple interpersonal services contexts. Four services personality dimensions are validated which display good generalizability across contexts and good predictive validity as well.
Achieving customer satisfaction in services firms via branding capability and customer empowerment
Authors: O'Cass Aron , Viet Ngo Liem 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe goal of this paper is to investigate how market sensing (market orientation) and customer linking capabilities (service branding and customer empowerment capabilities) enable firms to achieve superiority in customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve this goal, a conceptual model was developed, specifying the mediating role of branding and customer empowerment capabilities in the relationship between market orientation and customer satisfaction. The model was tested using partial least squares, on 266 responses obtained via an online survey conducted amongst executives of services firms in Australia.FindingsThe findings show that possessing a strong service branding capability and co‐opting customer involvement through customer empowerment in the marketing effort is essential for services firms to realize the potential value of market orientation. This is important if the firm wants to translate the understanding gained from market intelligence (via market orientation as the “know‐what” capability) into superior customer satisfaction.Practical implicationsThrough interaction activities that centre on utilizing market intelligence and shared sense of brand meaning, customer empowerment practices help institutionalize market orientation and service firms branding capability.Originality/valueThis study offers a greater understanding of the underlying processes (i.e. service branding and customer empowerment capabilities) which market orientation works through to contribute to customer satisfaction.
The influence of the employer brand on employee attitudes relevant for service branding: an empirical investigation
Authors: Schlager Tobias , Bodderas Mareike , Maas Peter , Luc Cachelin Joël 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThere is scientific consensus that employees' attitudes have a fundamental impact on customers' experiences. This paper seeks to focus on how to create favourable employee attitudes that are relevant for the creation of the service brand. In this context, the aim is to develop a framework that combines the concept of the perceived employer brand with employee outcomes that are relevant for service branding.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical data were collected from a sample (n=2,189) of a worldwide operating insurance company. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modelling.FindingsFirst, the findings underpin the idea of a relationship between the perceived employer brand and service branding. Second, the influence of particular drivers for employee attitudes is determined.Research limitations/implicationsResearch is based on data from only one company. Furthermore, customer outcomes are not investigated directly. Thus, research needs to be taken further by investigating the creation of a service brand, simultaneously exploring employees' attitudes and customers' experiences.Practical implicationsInfluencing customer experiences is a complex process that involves interactions among several stakeholder groups. In order to raise efficiency, it is proposed that companies focus on creating a strong employer brand as this constitutes an efficient way of service branding.Originality/valueThis paper highlights the influence of the perceived employer brand on employees' attitudes, which is especially important in service settings. The investigation of customer‐relevant employee attitudes emphasises the significance of creating a strong employer brand. Furthermore, long‐term effects are considered by investigating the influence of the perceived employer brand on potential employees' identification.
Re‐examining the effect of service recovery: the moderating role of brand equity
Authors: Huang Min‐Hsin 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the role of brand equity in handling service failure and examine the effects of brand equity on service recovery.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework is proposed which includes that satisfaction, as a mediator, accounts for the relationship between service recovery attributes (distributive, procedural, and interactional justice) and post‐recovery behavior (repatronage intentions and word‐of‐mouth behavior). More importantly, brand equity is used to serve as the moderator in the hypothesized research model. Structural equation modeling techniques are applied to data collected from a field study in Taiwan to test the framework.FindingsResults from the current field study found that strong brand equity provides an overall advantage over weak brands in increasing service recovery satisfaction and behavior intentions (repatronage intentions and word‐of‐mouth behavior).Research limitations/implicationsThe data used in this study were collected in a single metropolitan area in Taiwan. Future research might be conducted in a variety of countries.Practical implicationsService recovery strategies in responding to service failures are part of the critical task for service managers. This paper suggests that building brand equity is a means by which post‐failure satisfaction and behavioral intentions may be enhanced.Originality/valueThis is the first study to completely compare the high brand equity with low brand equity in the effect of service recovery.
How brand innovativeness and quality impact attitude toward new service line extensions: the moderating role of consumer involvement
Authors: Boisvert Jean , Ashill Nick J. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this study is twofold: first, to assess the impact of extension innovativeness on attitude towards service line extension and the mediating role played by extension quality (in relation to the parent brand); second, to examine the effect of consumer involvement as a moderator of the relationship between extension quality (in relation to the parent brand) and attitude towards the extension.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical investigation using a survey methodology was conducted with a sample of 664 respondents. The structural model was assessed using partial least squares (PLS graph).FindingsThe results suggest that in launching a new service line extension perceived quality of the extension (in relation to the parent brand) has a direct impact on attitude towards the service line extension and mediates the effect of perceived extension innovativeness on extension attitude. The findings also suggest that consumer involvement in the extension moderates the relationship between extension quality (in relation to the parent brand) and attitude towards the extension.Research limitations/implicationsLine extensions of other types of services and consumer goods could be investigated in futures studies. Involvement is a multidimensional construct. Other dimensions of involvement could be tested in similar contexts.Practical implicationsThis study is important for managers of newly created service branches. In launching a new service line extension, marketers must be careful in developing the quality of the service as well as managing its innovation as both factors influence attitude and behavioral intention outcomes. Also, the moderating role of involvement indicates that managers must attempt to reduce risk perceptions during launch.Originality/valueThe paper makes an important contribution to the emerging service line extension literature.
Understanding service firms brand value creation: a multilevel perspective including the overarching role of service brand marketing capability
Authors: Sok Phyra , O'Cass Aron 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis study seeks to extend the existing literature on value creation by specifically focusing on service brand value creation (SBVC) and the role of brand marketing.Design/methodology/approachThe authors first develop a model of SBVC and simultaneously investigate SBVC from the firm perspective (service brand value offering – SBVO) and from the customer perspective (service brand perceive value‐in use – SBPVI). Subsequently, they investigate the effects of SBVO on SBPVI and integrate the moderation role of service brand marketing capability (SBMC) on the relationship between SBVO‐SBPVI outcomes. SBVO is viewed as the firms' interpretation of and responsiveness to customer requirements via the delivery of superior performance the value offering through the service brand and SBPVI customers' perceived value from the firms' service brand. The contributions of SBVC to customer‐based performance outcomes are then investigated. Hypotheses were tested using a sample of the senior managers of service firms in Cambodia and their customers. A survey was used to gather data via a drop‐and‐collect approach.FindingsResults indicated that SBVO is positively related to SBPVI and SBPVI is positively related to customer‐based performance. Noticeably, the results revealed that SBMC enhances the positive relationship between the firm SBVO and the customers SBPVI.Originality/valueThe paper extends the previous literature on value creation to capture SBVC. More significantly, the premise of the theoretical framework provides a breakthrough in the current SBVC literature which has so far neglected to take into account the dyadic approach (firm‐customer) in understanding value creation and more specifically SBVC. The model is expanded by looking at the contingency role of SBMC in communicating value to customers.
Reducing queues: demand and capacity variations
Authors: Eriksson Henrik , Bergbrant Ing‐Marie , Berrum Ingela , Mörck Boel 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to investigate how waiting lists or queues could be reduced without adding more resources; and to describe what factors sustain reduced waiting‐times.Design/methodology/approachCases were selected according to successful and sustained queue reduction. The approach in this study is action research.FindingsAccessibility improved as out‐patient waiting lists for two clinics were reduced. The main success was working towards matching demand and capacity. It has been possible to sustain the improvements.Research limitations/implicationsResults should be viewed cautiously. Transferring and generalizing outcomes from this study is for readers to consider. However, accessible healthcare may be possible by paying more attention to existing solutions.Practical implicationsThe study indicates that queue reduction activities should include acquiring knowledge about theories and methods to improve accessibility, finding ways to monitor varying demand and capacity, and to improve patient processing by reducing variations.Originality/valueAccessibility is considered an important dimension when measuring service quality. However, there are few articles on how clinic staff sustain reduces waiting lists. This paper contributes accessible knowledge to the field.
Improving maternal healthcare utilisation in sub‐Saharan Africa through micro‐finance
Authors: Abekah‐Nkrumah Gordon , Aseweh Abor Patience , Abor Joshua , Adjasi Charles K.D. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to examine links between women's access to micro‐finance and how they use maternal healthcare services in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA).Design/methodology/approachThe authors use theoretical and empirical literature to propose a framework to sustain and improve women's access to maternal healthcare services through micro‐financing.FindingsIt is found that improved access to micro‐finance by women, combined with education may enhance maternal health service uptake.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper does not consider empirical data in the analysis. The authors advocate empirically testing the framework proposed in other SSA countries.Social implicationsIt is important to empower women by facilitating their access to education and micro‐finance. This has implications for improving maternal healthcare utilization in SSA.Originality/valueThe paper moves beyond poor access to maternal health services in SSA and proposes a framework for providing sustainable solutions.
Professional involvement in the design of accreditation manuals
Authors: Reyes‐Alcázar Víctor , Sotillos‐González Belén , Valverde Jose A. , Torres‐Olivera Antonio 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to describe the participation of health professionals as key agents for the successful definition of skills manuals supporting professional accreditation in Andalusia (Spain).Design/methodology/approachThe increasing extent to which different stakeholders are recognized reflects the importance they hold in all decision‐making processes. The Andalusian Agency for Healthcare Quality's commitment to this process has facilitated the healthcare professionals' participation when professional skills manuals are designed for their respective specialities.FindingsThe process involved over 400 healthcare professionals from 58 disciplines between March 2005 and January 2008. Results were conditioned by several factors, some acting as drivers while others represented a barrier.Research limitations/implicationsThe experience relates to a specific geographical context. Healthcare professionals eligible to participate had to be in active employment and working for the Andalusian Public Health Service. There was an overrepresentation of members from scientific associations.Practical implicationsCo‐operation based on mutual trust is the essential ingredient accounting for the success of participative involvement.Originality/valueThe paper incorporates all categories of personnel and specialities in a regional healthcare system that covers eight million inhabitants and employs over 90,000 professionals, includes 33 public hospitals, more than 1,500 primary care centres and other healthcare units.
Chronic respiratory patient control by multivariate charts
Authors: Correia Florbela , Nêveda Rui , Oliveira Pedro 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis article seeks to explain how to monitor the chronic obstructive disease patient and control any complications so that timely treatment can be applied.Design/methodology/approachControl charts and statistical process control (SPC) theory were used on chronic respiratory patient follow‐up and control. Controlling several variables simultaneously, using univariate charts, can be misleading, more so when there are correlated variables, so multivariate and univariate control charts were studied.FindingsOne‐sided control charts are preferable when the aim is to detect changes in the mean solely in one direction. Thus, one‐sided, univariate and multivariate charts were built, which identified previously undetected out‐of‐control events.Research limitations/implicationsThe study's main limitation is its retrospective nature. However, following‐up individual patients can highlight medical therapy effects.Practical implicationsThe article concludes that control charts, in particular one‐sided ones, are a valuable tool for monitoring chronic respiratory patients, thus contributing to medical decision making.Originality/valueThe article highlights control chart application to chronic respiratory patient follow‐up, permitting a global view of patient evolution over time.
ISO 9001 in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
Authors: Vitner Gad , Nadir Erez , Feldman Michael , Yurman Shmuel 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to present the process for approving and certifying a neonatal intensive care unit to ISO 9001 standards.Design/methodology/approachThe process started with the department head's decision to improve services quality before deciding to achieve ISO 9001 certification. Department processes were mapped and quality management mechanisms were developed. Process control and performance measurements were defined and implemented to monitor the daily work. A service satisfaction review was conducted to get feedback from families.FindingsIn total, 28 processes and related work instructions were defined. Process yields showed service improvements. Family satisfaction improved.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is based on preparing only one neonatal intensive care unit to the ISO 9001 standard.Practical implicationsThe case study should act as an incentive for hospital managers aiming to improve service quality based on the ISO 9001 standard.Originality/valueISO 9001 is becoming a recommended tool to improve clinical service quality.
Measuring, evaluating and improving hospital quality parameters/dimensions – an integrated healthcare quality approach
Authors: Zineldin Mosad , Camgöz‐Akdağ Hatice , Vasicheva Valiantsina 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the major factors affecting cumulative summation, to empirically examine the major factors affecting satisfaction and to address the question whether patients in Kazakhstan evaluate healthcare similarly or differently from patients in Egypt and Jordan.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire, adapted from previous research, was distributed to Kazakhstan inpatients. The questionnaire contained 39 attributes about five newly‐developed quality dimensions (5Qs), which were identified to be the most relevant attributes for hospitals. The questionnaire was translated into Russian to increase the response rate and improve data quality. Almost 200 usable questionnaires were returned. Frequency distribution, factor analysis and reliability checks were used to analyze the data.FindingsThe three biggest concerns for Kazakhstan patients are: infrastructure; atmosphere; and interaction. Hospital staff's concern for patients' needs, parking facilities for visitors, waiting time and food temperature were all common specific attributes, which were perceived as concerns. These were shortcomings in all three countries. Improving health service quality by applying total relationship management and the 5Qs model together with a customer‐orientation strategy is recommended.Practical implicationsResults can be used by hospital staff to reengineer and redesign creatively their quality management processes and help move towards more effective healthcare quality strategies.Social implicationsPatients in three countries have similar concerns and quality perceptions.Originality/valueThe paper describes a new instrument and method. The study assures relevance, validity and reliability, while being explicitly change‐oriented. The authors argue that patient satisfaction is a cumulative construct, summing satisfaction as five different qualities (5Qs): object; processes; infrastructure; interaction and atmosphere.