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A voice for the silent: uncovering service exclusion practices

Sylvia C. Ng (Department of Marketing, Asia School of Business, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Hui Yin Chuah (Department of Economics, Asia School of Business, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Melati Nungsari (Department of Economics, Asia School of Business, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Journal of Services Marketing

ISSN: 0887-6045

Article publication date: 1 August 2022

Issue publication date: 6 September 2022

1323

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an in-depth conceptualization of service exclusion by drawing on our exploratory research as well as thick and rich insights from the authors’ qualitative data.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research was used to explore service exclusion practices against customers experiencing vulnerabilities. A total of 28 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with refugees residing within Malaysia. The Gioia methodology was used for the authors’ data analysis and the findings were validated by an independent moderator.

Findings

The authors’ empirical findings challenge how service exclusion is currently understood, by adding substantial depth and complexity beyond simply describing “the lack of access to services”. The authors also offer rich empirical findings describing 29 forms of exclusion, which were further reduced to seven types of service exclusion practices: discrimination, restriction, cost barriers, language and technology barriers, poor servicing, non-accountability and non-inclusivity.

Originality/value

This study conceptualizes service exclusion from a process perspective, that is, “how” customers experiencing vulnerabilities are being excluded, rather than “what” is excluded.

Keywords

Citation

Ng, S.C., Chuah, H.Y. and Nungsari, M. (2022), "A voice for the silent: uncovering service exclusion practices", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 36 No. 7, pp. 991-1005. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-10-2021-0368

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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