Academic literature on the topic 'Expectations disconfirmation'

In the retail environment, the salesperson is a strong factor of influence in consumer ´s decision process because a store image and ability to build loyalty can heavily depend on the ability and characteristics of the salesperson (Engel, Blackwell, & Miniard, 1995). A consumer may fully anticipate buying, but this intention may change if the salesperson´s performance is not satisfactory. Engel et al. (1995) indicated that appearance is an important characteristic of the salesperson. Clothing is an essential part of the salesperson´s appearance and it can transmit many meanings, such as identity, mood, and attitude (Stone, 1962). Hawkins, Best, and Coney (1998) indicated that consumers in different age groups have different attitudes, values, and behaviors. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of consumer age and the clothing type of the salesperson in the apparel consumer satisfaction process. Based on the previous literatures, a conceptual model was developed as a framework of the study. This model suggests that consumer age and the clothing type of the salesperson influence consumer attitude toward the salesperson, which in turn influences consumer expectation and evaluation of the salesperson´s performance. Consumer expectation and evaluation of the salesperson´s performance, and expectancy disconfirmation (i.e., the confirmation/ disconfirmation between consumer expectation and evaluation of the salesperson´s performance) are three factors that influence consumer satisfaction with the salesperson´s performance. Six hypotheses were generated to test this model. A 2 x 2 between-subjects factorial design was used with two age groups (adolescents and the elderly) and two clothing types of the salesperson (formal and informal). Two questionnaires with the same scenario, but two pictures of the salesperson with the different clothing types, were developed as the measurement of instrument. The participants were 120 adolescent males 16 to 19 years old and 120 elderly males 65 years and older. Results indicated that a significant interaction existed between consumer age and the clothing type of the salesperson in consumer attitude toward the salesperson. Adolescent participants had a more positive attitude toward the salesperson with an informal clothing type. On the other hand, elderly participants had a significantly more positive attitude toward the salesperson with a formal clothing type. Significantly positive relationships were found between consumer attitude toward the salesperson and consumer expectation and evaluation of the salesperson´s performance. These results indicated that a more positive attitude toward the salesperson was related to a higher expectation and evaluation of the salesperson´s performance. Significantly positive relationships were also found between consumer expectation and consumer satisfaction, and consumer evaluation and consumer satisfaction. A higher expectation and evaluation of the salesperson´s performance was related to a higher satisfaction with the salesperson´s performance. When the relationship between expectancy confirmation/disconfirmation and consumer satisfaction was examined, results indicated that participants were more satisfied with the salesperson´s performance when their evaluations of the salesperson´s performance were equal or better than their expectations, than when their evaluations were worse than their expectations. The results of this study suggest that consumer age and the clothing type of the salesperson influences consumer satisfaction with the salesperson. Several marketing applications were discussed and recommendation was given for the future study.<br>Master of Science

Doutoramento em Marketing e Estratégia<br>The online travel sales represent a considerable market share and a continued growth is predicted in the coming years. With the evolution of information and communication technologies, the online platforms emerge as important information sources for an increasingly informed and demanding tourist. Actually, the number of tourists who prefer and trust in websites with amateur reviews is growing. Giving the emergence of this social interaction process nowadays part of the power of marketing lies in consumers. Social media and the new digital form of word-of-mouth (eWOM) are receiving a significant attention by researchers, especially in the context of the tourism sector. However, there is a need to further explore the subject, trying to understand how the online reviews influence the choice of a given hotel, and find the best way to use social media to interact with actual and potential customers. On the other hand, website quality and customer satisfaction emerge as critical business concerns, especially in an e-commerce perspective, due to the low percentage of website visitors that purchase from it. Accordingly, there is a lack of research on the assessment and satisfaction degree of tourists regarding websites targeted for booking accommodation online. This research aims to increase knowledge concerning these subjects. The study develops the ReWebility framework that explores the website’s quality and the credibility of online reviews, and their influence on tourist’s decision-making process, especially tourist’s loyalty to those websites. In this research we follow a quantitative approach, resorting to an online questionnaire. The sample consists of 351 internet users who have already booked accommodation through online platforms. Initially we proceeded to a descriptive analysis using SPSS software, followed by a confirmatory factor analysis and a structural equation model (SEM). The results confirm that tourists read online reviews before choosing a hotel, and consider them as trusted, credible and accurate. The proposed model suggests a chain between online reviews credibility, company reputation, e-satisfaction and e-loyalty, which might be the basis for further investigations related to consumer behaviour in online settings. The perceived value of the hotel reviewed and booked is the most influential determinant for a satisfactory online booking experience. In order to induce tourists to book online the website should ensure the best price, but not necessary the lowest one. At the end we will discuss the theoretical contributions and the practical implications, some suggestions, and future research lines.<br>As vendas de viagens online representam uma quota de mercado considerável e um crescimento continuado está previsto para os próximos anos. Com a evolução das tecnologias de informação e comunicação, as plataformas online surgem como importantes fontes de informação para um turista cada vez mais informado e exigente. Na verdade, o número de turistas que preferem e confiam em sites com comentários amadores está a aumentar. Com o surgimento deste processo de interação social, hoje em dia parte do poder do marketing encontra-se nos consumidores. As mídias sociais e o novo formato digital de passa-a-palavra estão a receber uma atenção significativa dos investigadores, especialmente no contexto do setor turístico. No entanto, há necessidade de explorar melhor o assunto, tentando entender como as opiniões online influenciam a escolha de um determinado hotel, e encontrar a melhor forma de usar as mídias sociais para interagir com os clientes atuais e potenciais. Por outro lado a qualidade do website e a satisfação do cliente surgem como preocupações críticas para o negócio, especialmente no âmbito do comércio eletrónico, devido à baixa percentagem de visitantes do website que compram a partir do mesmo. Neste sentido, constatou-se haver uma carência de pesquisas sobre o grau de avaliação e satisfação dos turistas em relação a sites de reserva de alojamento. A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo aumentar o conhecimento a respeito destes assuntos. O estudo desenvolve o modelo ReWebility para explorar a qualidade do site e a credibilidade das opiniões online, e a influência destes aspetos no processo decisório dos turista, nomeadamente a fidelidade destes para com o website. Nesta pesquisa usámos uma abordagem quantitativa, com o recurso a um questionário online. A amostra é constituída por 351 usuários da internet que já efetuaram reservas de alojamento através de plataformas online. Inicialmente procedeu-se a uma análise descritiva utilizando o software SPSS, seguida de uma análise fatorial confirmatória e do modelo de equações estruturais. Os resultados confirmam que os turistas leem comentários online antes de reservar um hotel, considerando-os como confiáveis, credíveis e precisos. O modelo proposto sugere uma cadeia entre a credibilidade das opiniões online, a reputação da empresa, e-satisfação e e-lealdade, que pode ser a base para futuras investigações no âmbito do comportamento do consumidor em contexto online. A perceção de valor relativamente ao hotel analisado e reservado é o determinante mais influente para uma experiência de reserva online satisfatória. Para induzir os turistas a reservar online o site deve garantir o melhor preço, mas não necessariamente o mais baixo. No final vamos apresentar as contribuições teóricas e as implicações práticas, bem como algumas sugestões e linhas de investigação futuras.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.<br>Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-06, Section: A, page: 2557. Adviser: William P. Stewart. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-100) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

In the areas of Service Failure Recovery and Expectancy-Disconfirmation, the extant literature contains studies of predictive expectations conducted in a consumer services setting, which show how a customer believes a seller would respond during a service failure situation. However, a focus on the expectations of enterprise managers and purchasing decision-makers for how a provider should respond in such a situation has not been explored. In addition, the literature contains studies that support the influence of service criticality and failure severity on recovery satisfaction, but the mechanisms by which these variables impact recovery satisfaction has not been extensively discussed. In order to contribute to this discussion, the current study adds to the current Recovery Disconfirmation model by illustrating how service criticality and failure severity influences customers’ normative recovery expectations, which in turn affect customer disconfirmation and recovery satisfaction. This research contributes to the marketing and information technology literature by applying the expectancy disconfirmation model to managers and purchasing decision-makers in an enterprise Internet services setting. Practical implications of this research include helping information technology services providers to understand how customers establish expectations of their provider, and how to design recovery responses to optimize customer satisfaction after a service failure.