Marketing culture to service climate: the influence of employee control and flexibility

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to explore how firm market orientation, as a culture, affects the service climate that develops in the firm.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical testing is performed at the managerial level and boundary-spanning employee level as part of this multilevel study. The sample includes participants from a US-based firm operating in the hospitality industry.

Findings

Results indicate that a market-oriented firm culture interacts with other elements such as boundary-spanning employee flexibility and control to positively impact the service climate that develops.

Research limitations/implications

This research provides theoretical implications for the development of a service climate within a market-oriented firm culture and the influence of managers on boundary-spanning employees in the development of the climate.

Practical implications

As managers attempt to develop a service climate through a market-oriented firm culture, they will find success by providing boundary-spanning employees with control and hiring employees that possess flexibility as a personality trait.

Originality/value

The framework developed in this research provides insights regarding the multilevel nature of service climate development and the impact of a market-oriented culture.

Citation

R. Morgan, T., Rapp, A., Glenn Richey, Jr., R. and E. Ellinger, A. (2014), "Marketing culture to service climate: the influence of employee control and flexibility", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 28 No. 6, pp. 498-508. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-08-2013-0226