Comparing Hybrid Services in the United States and China

This paper examines how customers view a set of hybrid services (eleven generic and self-service technologies) in the U.S. and China. The data are collected using questionnaires on location in the U.S. and China and are analyzed using multidimensional scaling. The study indicates that two dimensions, customization/standardization and high/low contact, explain over 80% of the variance in the classifications. Although there are differences when comparing the results of the U.S. and China samples, the results are very consistent between the two countries. Both samples result in two primary dimensions, with minor descriptive differences of the dimensions. The study discusses the significance of the findings for managers and for continuing academic research. The limitations of the study include the nature of the sample and the possible uniqueness of the MDS type utilized. Based on this information, managers are able to see how respondents perceive their service category in relation to other service categories on a cross-cultural basis. Such information may form the basis for further investigation of their service brand in relation to other service brands.