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Enhancing sustainability with improved cook stoves: an analysis of product quality, consumer satisfaction and word-of-mouth through expectancy disconfirmation theory

Pushpa Mahat (VIT Business School, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India)
Suraj Kushe Shekhar (VIT Business School, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India)

International Journal of Energy Sector Management

ISSN: 1750-6220

Article publication date: 19 December 2024

78

Abstract

Purpose

Anchoring on expectancy disconfirmation theory, this study aims to investigate the influence of product quality, customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth (WOM) on improved cook stoves (ICSs). The study also examines customer satisfaction as a mediator and explores a case-specific analysis of the interrelationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were elicited using a structured survey conducted during February 2024 across rural, semirural and urban areas in Nepal. A purposive sampling method was used, distributing 300 questionnaires and obtaining 222 valid responses, reflecting a response rate of 74%. Respondents included 70 females and 152 males, with an average age of 32.42 years, and 48.2% of the population from rural areas. Hypotheses tested included product quality affecting WOM, product quality impacting customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction mediating the relationship between product quality and WOM. PLS-SEM was used for hypothesis testing.

Findings

The results reveal that product quality significantly enhances WOM and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, customer satisfaction mediates the relationship between product quality and WOM, emphasizing the importance of satisfaction as a driver of positive WOM.

Research limitations/implications

The study focuses on ICS adoption in a specific region. Future research should explore these dynamics across different cultural and geographic contexts to validate and generalize the findings.

Originality/value

This research provides a novel perspective on the role of product quality and customer satisfaction in driving WOM for ICSs. It highlights how consumer satisfaction mediates these relationships, offering actionable insights for improving ICS adoption strategies.

Keywords

Citation

Mahat, P. and Shekhar, S.K. (2024), "Enhancing sustainability with improved cook stoves: an analysis of product quality, consumer satisfaction and word-of-mouth through expectancy disconfirmation theory", International Journal of Energy Sector Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJESM-09-2024-0037

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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