The cues that matter: Screening for quality signals in the ex ante phase of buying professional services
| Autor: | Frida Pemer, Tale Skjølsvik |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Marketing
Service quality Signals Knowledge management Interview Ex-ante Service delivery framework business.industry media_common.quotation_subject 05 social sciences Services Service provider Competitive advantage Professional services Screenings Information asymmetry Excellence 0502 economics and business 050211 marketing Business Qualities 050203 business & management media_common |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Business Research |
| ISSN: | 2014-0150 |
| Popis: | Service quality has become a central driver of competitive advantage and value creation. However, due to information asymmetries, many clients find it difficult to assess the service providers' quality ex ante. Nonetheless, this assessment is important to understand, as it affects service provider selection and, thereby, the service delivery. In this paper, we aim to reduce the opacity of service quality by interviewing 51 clients of professional services. Building on an in-depth analysis and a framework of signaling and screening theory, we develop a taxonomy of the dimensions on which professional service quality builds and of the signals clients use to assess quality in the ex ante phase. We also identify two types of signals, qualifying signals and signals of excellence, and develop a conceptual model of the screening process. We conclude the paper by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our results. This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare [grant number 2014-01502]. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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