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Variability in health care services: the role of service employee flexibility

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  • Vredenburg, Jessica
  • Bell, Simon J.

Abstract

Researchers in services marketing in general, and health services in particular, are increasingly recognising the need for strategies to manage customer variability in the service encounter. The focus of theory and practice to date has been on managing or reducing variability through means such as customer education and tightly controlled service protocols. Growing recognition of the value of co-creation in health care raises the prospect of providers embracing rather than reducing the variability in the service encounter. In this study we investigate how flexibility on the part of service employees can help manage customer variability, and whether this employee flexibility results in favourable outcomes for the patient and the organisation. First, a qualitative study was undertaken to determine the extent of patient variability experienced and how this variability is perceived and managed. Second, a quantitative study, informed by the qualitative phase, was undertaken to test the impact of employee flexibility in a health care service encounter on performance outcomes, namely patient perceived value and patient satisfaction. The results provide support for the conceptual framework, with employee flexibility having a positive relationship with patient satisfaction, partially mediated through the creation of patient perceived value. Managerial and theoretical implications of our findings are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Vredenburg, Jessica & Bell, Simon J., 2014. "Variability in health care services: the role of service employee flexibility," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 168-178.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:aumajo:v:22:y:2014:i:3:p:168-178
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ausmj.2014.08.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Maria V. Ciasullo & Orlando Troisi & Silvia Cosimato & Alex Douglas, 2018. "Defining Health Service Eco-System “Infection”: A Critical Analysis of Patient Surveys," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(9), pages 118-118, August.
    2. Erim Ergene & Bruce Skaggs & Inigo Echeveste, 2021. "Service production in high captivity service firms," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 15(1), pages 19-43, March.
    3. Pradeep Kumar & Sasadhar Bera & Tanusree Dutta & Shibashish Chakraborty, 2018. "Auxiliary Flexibility in Healthcare Delivery System: An Integrative Framework and Implications," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 19(2), pages 173-186, June.

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