Why does service inclusion matter? The effect of service exclusion on customer indirect misbehavior. (September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gong, Xiushuang; Wang, Hanwen; Zhang, Xiadan; Tian, Hui
• Is Part Of: Journal of retailing and consumer services. Volume 68(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09
• Subjects: Service inclusion -- Service exclusion -- Customer indirect misbehavior -- Perceived need threat -- Negative reciprocity beliefs; Retail trade -- Periodicals; Service industries -- Periodicals; Customer services -- Periodicals; Commerce de détail -- Périodiques; Service à la clientèle -- Périodiques; Customer services; Retail trade; Periodicals; 658.87
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.103005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0969-6989

Abstract

Abstract: In recent years, there has been much conceptual work calling for research on transformative service, and service inclusion in particular. However, quantitative studies focusing on service inclusion are scant, and little is known about customer responses to the opposite of service inclusion, i.e. service exclusion. Taking a transformative research perspective, this study advances the service inclusion literature by focusing on service exclusion and its downstream consequences. We first build the causal link between service exclusion (vs. inclusion) and customer indirect misbehavior, reveal the underlying mechanism, and further identify negative reciprocity beliefs as a boundary condition. The results of three studies suggest that customers who experience service exclusion (vs. inclusion) are more likely to engage in indirect misbehavior (Study 1), and that this effect is mediated by perceived need threat (Study 2). Moreover, the basic effect holds true only for customers with strong negative reciprocity beliefs (Study 3). The findings of this research not only contribute to the literature on transformative services, service inclusion, and social exclusion, but also have managerial implications for marketing practitioners in terms of creating an inclusive service system.