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Nobody understands me! The need for empathy: Exploring the mind-set of consumers with medical problems

Omer Topaloglu (Silberman College of Business, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, New Jersey, USA)
Yusuf Erkaya (Department of Management, International Burch University, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing

ISSN: 1750-6123

Article publication date: 6 June 2018

Issue publication date: 9 July 2018

164

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the mind-set of consumers with negative mood states during mundane consumption activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted in-depth interviews with 17 informants who have recently experienced severe yet temporary medical problems.

Findings

Consumers with severe medical problems experience an increased need for empathy during mundane business interactions, and their reaction to service failures is aggravated.

Originality/value

Although previous research has investigated the relationship between empathy and satisfaction in healthcare services, the current research provides a novel perspective by studying the mind-set of customers with medical problems during regular consumption activities. Further, previous research has called for a need for qualitative work in empathy research. This gap is also addressed by the current research.

Keywords

Citation

Topaloglu, O. and Erkaya, Y. (2018), "Nobody understands me! The need for empathy: Exploring the mind-set of consumers with medical problems", International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 146-157. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPHM-05-2017-0022

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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