IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/aumajo/v21y2013i3p187-197.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Firms’ strategic response to service uncertainty: An empirical signaling study

Author

Listed:
  • Mishra, Debi P.

Abstract

Managing uncertainty is critical for the survival, growth, and profitability of service firms. Despite its importance, the extant literature largely ignores how firms respond to service uncertainty. To address this gap, this study develops and tests a conceptual model of uncertainty by integrating the literature on signaling and organization theories. The conceptual model identifies two salient sources of uncertainty in the firm-customer interface, i.e., (i) performance ambiguity, and (ii) input uncertainty. Given performance ambiguity, customers face an adverse selection problem because they cannot judge service quality ex-ante. Signaling theory suggests that firms may deploy signals such as certification and customer bonds to mitigate adverse selection. Managers also need to minimize the negative effects of input uncertainty engendered by the variable nature of customer demand. Based on the organization theory literature, formalized procedures and routines represent the general solution to input uncertainty. I empirically investigate whether managers’ responses are congruent with the hypothesized model by analyzing data collected from 287 managers in automotive service organizations via a mail survey procedure. Overall, results of empirical tests conducted via the Latent Variable Structural Equations (LVSE) method provide unequivocal support for the hypothesized consequences of customer uncertainty. I discuss the implications of this study for services research and outline future research directions.

Suggested Citation

  • Mishra, Debi P., 2013. "Firms’ strategic response to service uncertainty: An empirical signaling study," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 187-197.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:aumajo:v:21:y:2013:i:3:p:187-197
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ausmj.2013.07.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1441358213000207
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ausmj.2013.07.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Caren Siehl & David E. Bowen & Christine M. Pearson, 1992. "Service Encounters as Rites of Integration: An Information Processing Model," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(4), pages 537-555, November.
    2. Steven D. Levitt & Chad Syverson, 2008. "Market Distortions When Agents Are Better Informed: The Value of Information in Real Estate Transactions," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 90(4), pages 599-611, November.
    3. Asher Wolinsky, 1993. "Competition in a Market for Informed Experts' Services," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 24(3), pages 380-398, Autumn.
    4. Milgrom, Paul & Roberts, John, 1986. "Price and Advertising Signals of Product Quality," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(4), pages 796-821, August.
    5. Sendil K. Ethiraj & Prashant Kale & M. S. Krishnan & Jitendra V. Singh, 2005. "Where do capabilities come from and how do they matter? A study in the software services industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 25-45, January.
    6. Hubbard, Thomas N, 2002. "How Do Consumers Motivate Experts? Reputational Incentives in an Auto Repair Market," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 45(2), pages 437-468, October.
    7. Akshay R. Rao & Humaira Mahi, 2003. "The Price of Launching a New Product: Empirical Evidence on Factors Affecting the Relative Magnitude of Slotting Allowances," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(2), pages 246-268, January.
    8. Forrest Briscoe, 2007. "From Iron Cage to Iron Shield? How Bureaucracy Enables Temporal Flexibility for Professional Service Workers," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(2), pages 297-314, April.
    9. Nelson, Phillip, 1970. "Information and Consumer Behavior," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 78(2), pages 311-329, March-Apr.
    10. Desai Preyas S & Padmanabhan Paddy, 2004. "Durable Good, Extended Warranty and Channel Coordination," Review of Marketing Science, De Gruyter, vol. 2(1), pages 1-25, January.
    11. Klein, Benjamin & Leffler, Keith B, 1981. "The Role of Market Forces in Assuring Contractual Performance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(4), pages 615-641, August.
    12. Naresh K. Malhotra & Sung S. Kim & Ashutosh Patil, 2006. "Common Method Variance in IS Research: A Comparison of Alternative Approaches and a Reanalysis of Past Research," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(12), pages 1865-1883, December.
    13. Thomas N. Hubbard, 1998. "An Empirical Examination of Moral Hazard in the Vehicle Inspection Market," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 29(2), pages 406-426, Summer.
    14. Jack A. Nickerson & Barton H. Hamilton & Tetsuo Wada, 2001. "Market position, resource profile, and governance: linking Porter and Williamson in the context of international courier and small package services in Japan," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 251-273, March.
    15. Beatty, Randolph P. & Ritter, Jay R., 1986. "Investment banking, reputation, and the underpricing of initial public offerings," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1-2), pages 213-232.
    16. Williamson, Oliver E, 1984. "Credible Commitments: Further Remarks," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 74(3), pages 488-490, June.
    17. Darby, Michael R & Karni, Edi, 1973. "Free Competition and the Optimal Amount of Fraud," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 16(1), pages 67-88, April.
    18. Preyas S. Desai, 2000. "Multiple Messages to Retain Retailers: Signaling New Product Demand," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(4), pages 381-389, August.
    19. Klein, Benjamin & Crawford, Robert G & Alchian, Armen A, 1978. "Vertical Integration, Appropriable Rents, and the Competitive Contracting Process," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 21(2), pages 297-326, October.
    20. Bruce C. Skaggs & Mark Youndt, 2004. "Strategic positioning, human capital, and performance in service organizations: a customer interaction approach," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 85-99, January.
    21. Wesley D. Sine & Robert J. David & Hitoshi Mitsuhashi, 2007. "From Plan to Plant: Effects of Certification on Operational Start-up in the Emergent Independent Power Sector," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(4), pages 578-594, August.
    22. Telser, L G, 1980. "A Theory of Self-enforcing Agreements," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 53(1), pages 27-44, January.
    23. Williamson, Oliver E, 1983. "Credible Commitments: Using Hostages to Support Exchange," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 73(4), pages 519-540, September.
    24. Desai Preyas S & Padmanabhan Paddy, 2004. "Durable Good, Extended Warranty and Channel Coordination," Review of Marketing Science, De Gruyter, vol. 2(1), pages 1-25, January.
    25. George A. Akerlof, 1970. "The Market for "Lemons": Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 84(3), pages 488-500.
    26. Jones, Gareth R., 1990. "Governing customer-service organization exchange," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 23-29, January.
    27. Ke-Hai Yuan & Peter Bentler & Wai Chan, 2004. "Structural equation modeling with heavy tailed distributions," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 69(3), pages 421-436, September.
    28. Sandy D. Jap & Erin Anderson, 2003. "Safeguarding Interorganizational Performance and Continuity Under Ex Post Opportunism," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(12), pages 1684-1701, December.
    29. Michael Spence, 1973. "Job Market Signaling," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 87(3), pages 355-374.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lamar Pierce & Michael W. Toffel, 2013. "The Role of Organizational Scope and Governance in Strengthening Private Monitoring," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(5), pages 1558-1584, October.
    2. Chen, Yong & Mak, Barry & Li, Zhou, 2013. "Quality deterioration in package tours: The interplay of asymmetric information and reputation," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 43-54.
    3. Ernst, Holger & Wickede, Anje, 1999. "Einflußfaktoren auf die Glaubwürdigkeit kundenorientierter Produkt-Vorankündigungen: Ein signaltheoretischer Ansatz," Manuskripte aus den Instituten für Betriebswirtschaftslehre der Universität Kiel 515, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre.
    4. Lamar Pierce & Michael W. Toffel, 2010. "The Role of Organizational Scope and Governance in Strengthening Private Monitoring," Harvard Business School Working Papers 11-004, Harvard Business School, revised Feb 2012.
    5. James Jr., Harvey S., 2002. "The trust paradox: a survey of economic inquiries into the nature of trust and trustworthiness," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 291-307, March.
    6. Kloyer, Martin & Scholderer, Joachim, 2012. "Effective incomplete contracts and milestones in market-distant R&D collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 346-357.
    7. Bartke, Stephan, 2015. "The economic role of valuers in real property markets," UFZ Discussion Papers 13/2015, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    8. Giovanni Anania & Rosanna Nisticò, 2004. "Public Regulation as a Substitute for Trust in Quality Food Markets: What if the Trust Substitute cannot be Fully Trusted?," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 160(4), pages 681-701, December.
    9. Steinrücken, Torsten, 2001. "Der Markt für politische Zitronen," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 20, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    10. Darby, Michael R. & Lott, John Jr., 1989. "Qualitative information, reputation, and monopolistic competition," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 87-103, June.
    11. Eckardt, Martina, 2007. "Does signaling work in markets for information services? An empirical investigation for insurance intermediaries in Germany," Thuenen-Series of Applied Economic Theory 77, University of Rostock, Institute of Economics.
    12. Uwe Dulleck & Rudolf Kerschbamer & Matthias Sutter, 2009. "The Economics of Credence Goods: On the Role of Liability, Verifiability, Reputation and Competition," Working Papers 2009-03, Faculty of Economics and Statistics, Universität Innsbruck.
    13. Vincze, János, 2010. "Miért és mitől védjük a fogyasztókat?. Aszimmetrikus információ és/vagy korlátozott racionalitás [Asymmetric information and/or bounded rationality: why are consumers protected and from what?]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(9), pages 725-752.
    14. Xue, Jinjie & Yuan, Hongping & Shi, Benshan, 2016. "Investigating partners' opportunistic behavior in joint ventures in China: The role of transaction costs and relational exchanges," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 6067-6078.
    15. Manuel Gonzalez-Diaz & Marta Fernandez Barcala & Benito Arrunada, 2003. "Quality assurance mechanisms in agrifood: the case of the Spanish fresh meat sector," International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 2(3/4), pages 361-382.
    16. Crespi, John M. & Marette, Stephan, 2003. "Some Economic Implications Of Public Labeling," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 34(3), pages 1-12, November.
    17. Welling, Michael & Krebs, Alexander & Graefe, Gernot, 2006. "Pandora's Box: Does Electronic Commerce Increase the Optimal Amount of Fraud," 99th Seminar, February 8-10, 2006, Bonn, Germany 7762, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    18. Franklin G. Mixon & Chandini Sankaran & Kamal P. Upadhyaya, 2019. "Is Political Ideology Stable? Evidence from Long-Serving Members of the United States Congress," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-19, May.
    19. Harvey James, 2002. "The Trust Paradox: A Survey of Economic Inquiries Into the Nature of Trust and Trustworthiness," Microeconomics 0202001, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Belleflamme,Paul & Peitz,Martin, 2015. "Industrial Organization," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107687899.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:aumajo:v:21:y:2013:i:3:p:187-197. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/australasian-marketing-journal/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.