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1 – 10 of 17Bedman Narteh and Mahama Braimah
Even though scholars have proposed multiple dimensions to measure corporate reputation, the relationship between these dimensions and service provider selection has received a…
Abstract
Purpose
Even though scholars have proposed multiple dimensions to measure corporate reputation, the relationship between these dimensions and service provider selection has received a dearth of research. Moreover, the moderating role of brand image on this relationship has hardly been considered. The purpose of this paper is to fill these gaps in the literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a quantitative approach, collecting data from 540 retail bank customers using surveys. Results were analyzed using structural equation modelling in AMOS.
Findings
The study found out that emotional engagement, corporate performance, customer centricism and service quality directly predicted customer selection of retail banks in Ghana. The results further indicated that brand image moderates the relationship between social and ethical engagement, which was not directly significant and bank selection.
Practical implications
The findings of the study indicate that some of the dimensions of corporate reputation have a direct impact on bank selection by customers, and that brand image could also be used to improve social and ethical dimension of corporate reputation to ensure bank selection by retail customers. The study thus provides practical guidelines for managing corporate reputation to achieve retail bank selection in Ghana.
Originality/value
The paper provides support to some of the prior studies on corporate reputation in the retail banking sector. Thus, the study provides useful insights into how corporate reputation can be managed to ensure service provider selection by retail bank customers.
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Various models and scales exist in the literature to measure retail bank service quality without any attempt at integrating them and the moderators have often been under explored…
Abstract
Purpose
Various models and scales exist in the literature to measure retail bank service quality without any attempt at integrating them and the moderators have often been under explored. The purpose of this paper is to integrate the SERVQUAL and BSQ models and moderated the resulting scale with price in order to examine service quality and customer satisfaction with retail bank services in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is quantitative and the survey methodology was used to collect data from 560 retail bank customers. The result was analyzed through structural equation modeling.
Findings
The study provides an expanded model for measuring retail bank service quality as seven of the eight latent constructs emerged as service quality dimensions when moderated with price. It is significant to also note that five of the constructs – tangibles, reliability, assurance, empathy and price – from the direct relationship emerged as the dimensions of retail bank service quality that positively and significantly predicted customer satisfaction.
Practical implications
The study provides insight into customer behavior with the quality of retail bank services in Ghana. The resulting broader dimensions provide an integrated and expanded model as well as pointers to bank managers on service quality and customer satisfaction cues to enable them attract, serve and retain customers.
Originality/value
The study is the first of its kind to integrate two of the popular models to measure retail bank service quality and to use price as a moderator of this relationship. The resulting scale, which comprised of variables from the two models, provides support for the approach used in the current study.
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Raphael Odoom, Bedman Narteh and Richard Boateng
Given the significant contributions of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across several economies, calls for investigations into their branding strategies are burgeoning…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the significant contributions of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across several economies, calls for investigations into their branding strategies are burgeoning. However, the literature is unclear, scattered and relatively scanty. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the existing literature on branding with a focus on SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a systematic review by identifying and evaluating peer-reviewed journal publications focusing on branding within the context of SMEs. The systematic design is based on papers published within the period of 2004-2014.
Findings
The review shows that significant progress is being made in the area under discussion. With several gaps in issues and empirical evidence, as well as in theoretical and methodological approaches, the paper signals promising lines of inquiry for both empirical and theoretical research.
Research limitations/implications
By highlighting the research issues, as well as providing some pertinent research questions across various themes, the paper aims at directing future research efforts to critical areas which require immediate attention. The implications of the review are discussed in the paper.
Originality/value
The study identifies and describes the state of research issues and evidence in branding literature within the context of SMEs over a 10-year period, prompting insightful avenues to the academic and practitioner communities.
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Bedman Narteh and George Acheampong
The purpose of this paper is to establish the relationship between foreign participation in enterprises in Africa, their internationalization intensity and the associated…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to establish the relationship between foreign participation in enterprises in Africa, their internationalization intensity and the associated moderating conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized data from the World Bank enterprise surveys in 46 African countries across seven years. The hypothesized relationships are estimated using the Heckman two-stage pooled cross-sectional model to correct for selection bias.
Findings
The findings show that foreign participation in enterprises has a positive effect on internationalization intensity in Africa. While we observe this positive effect, we also found that there is a lot of heterogeneity that accompanies this effect based on enterprise size, financial performance and local market competition.
Research limitations/implications
The study contributes to the internationalization literature by showing that foreign participation in local enterprises can have a positive effect on the internationalization propensities of these enterprises. It also shows that the main effect is heterogeneous as it is moderated by other enterprise and environmental factors.
Practical implications
Enterprises should recognize the positive effect that foreign participation in them can have on internationalization intensity. Managers of African enterprises need to look beyond the investments into enterprises that foreign owners offer and take advantage of their foreign market knowledge and legitimacy. Discrimination in local markets could be considered as a push factor to internationalize.
Originality/value
While the study is not the first to explore the relationship between foreign ownership and internationalizing behavior, it is one of the earliest to show that the relationship is heterogeneous, and it provides some key moderators.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between brand equity and financial performance and the moderation role of brand likeability retail banking sector.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between brand equity and financial performance and the moderation role of brand likeability retail banking sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is quantitative and employed the survey methodology to sample the views of 550 retail bank customers. Data were analyzed though the structuring equation modeling using AMOS.
Findings
The study found out that service quality, brand association, brand loyalty, and brand relevance positively and significantly predicted financial performance of the retail banks. In addition, brand likeability also moderates the relationship between brand equity and financial performance.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the ongoing research in examining the linkage between brand equity and financial performance. The study has also shown the value of brand likeability as a moderator of the brand equity-financial performance linkage. The strategic implication of the results are discussed in the paper.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of students’ loyalty in retail banks in Ghana.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of students’ loyalty in retail banks in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of the literature identified four determinants of customer loyalty which were used to survey 624 students from five universities in Ghana. Data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression.
Findings
The study found satisfaction with bank services, image of the bank, availability of electronic bank services and perceived service quality as the determinants of students’ bank loyalty. Perceived service quality was, however, not significant in predicting students’ loyalty to their banks.
Practical implications
The study highlights the importance of understanding students’ behavior with regard to banking services. The three factors identified as significant predictors of students’ loyalty could be used by retail banks to design effective marketing strategies to attract and retain the student cohort in Ghana.
Originality/value
The study was the first of its kind that investigates students’ loyalty in retail banks in sub‐Saharan Africa. The study provides practical leverage to enable bank marketers to identify students’ financial needs in order to design an appropriate value proposition to satisfy them.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between service fairness and behavioural intention and the moderating role of demographic variables among retail banking…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between service fairness and behavioural intention and the moderating role of demographic variables among retail banking customers.
Design/methodology/approach
A four-factor structure consisting of price, procedural, interaction and outcome fairness gleaned from the literature was adopted for the current study. This was used to survey 381 customers of 15 retail banks in Ghana. Exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical regression were used to analyse the hypothesized relationships among the factors.
Findings
The paper found support for the existence of the four-factor structure of service fairness in the retail banking industry. The study also found that price, interaction, procedure and outcome fairness in order of importance significantly predict customer’s behavioural intention. In addition, age, education and income of customers were found to moderate the relationship between the dependent and independent variables.
Practical implications
The focus of the study on Ghana and in the banking industry limits the generalizability of the findings. However, the four-factor structure identified could be replicated in other countries, thereby setting the stage for cross-country studies on service fairness in the retail banking industry.
Originality/value
The paper extends the domain of the application of the four-factor structure of service fairness from restaurants to the retail banking industry. As such, it provides bank managers with a plausible framework on service fairness for managing relationship with customers in retail banks.
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The aim of the paper is to explore the theoretical underpinnings of knowledge transfer within developed‐developing country based interfirm collaborations and to develop a…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of the paper is to explore the theoretical underpinnings of knowledge transfer within developed‐developing country based interfirm collaborations and to develop a theoretical model on knowledge transfer in interfirm collaborations.
Design/ methodology/approach
The vast literature on knowledge transfer in interfirm collaborations has been reviewed. A synthesis of this prior research has resulted in a theoretical model on knowledge transfer, especially between developed‐developing country based firms.
Findings
The reviews have resulted in the conceptual framework proposed here. The model distinguishes the sources of knowledge to be transferred and the antecedents to the knowledge transfer from the transfer process. Tentative propositions are also developed that could be explored during empirical investigations.
Originality/value
The framework presented provides a deeper understanding of the characteristics of transferors and transferees as well as their interaction and how these influence knowledge transfer across firm borders. Previous papers have failed to clarify this distinction between unique and relationship factors. The model thus advances theory on knowledge transfer between strategic alliances partners and provides practical insights into the management of knowledge within alliances.
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The purpose of this paper is to propose and investigate the dimensions of automated teller machine (ATM) service quality and their relationship with customer satisfaction in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose and investigate the dimensions of automated teller machine (ATM) service quality and their relationship with customer satisfaction in the retail banking sector.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire gleaned from the literature was used to collect data from 530 ATM customers of 15 banks in Ghana. Descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis were used to identify the dimensions of ATM service quality and their relationship with customer satisfaction.
Findings
The study found convenience, reliability, ease of use, privacy and security, responsiveness and fulfillment to be the major dimensions of ATM service quality. Apart from security and privacy, these dimensions are significantly related to customer satisfaction.
Practical implications
The ATM quality dimensions found in this study provide practical guidelines for bank managers to improve customer experience with ATMs. The relative importance of the factors identified in the study also provide managers with a sense of what issues to focus on in order to improve service delivery through the ATMs.
Originality/value
The ATM service quality dimensions found in this study have enriched knowledge in electronic banking usage in developing countries such as Ghana. In addition, the study also provides bank managers with insights into how to improve customer satisfaction in retail banking through the usage of ATMs.
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– The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors that influence retail bank switching in the Ghanaian banking sector.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors that influence retail bank switching in the Ghanaian banking sector.
Design/methodology/approach
A detailed review of the extant literature and focus group discussions was used to identify 31 variables which were used to survey 419 customers of 18 retail banks in Ghana. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were used to identify the main retail bank switching factors.
Findings
The result of the study indicates that service encounter failures, pricing failures, electronic banking failures, service recovery failures and core service failures accounted for retail bank customer's decision to switch banks in Ghana.
Research limitations/implications
The focus of the study on Ghana limits the generaliseability of the findings. Moreover, the five factor structure identified in the study could be replicated in other countries, thereby setting the stage for cross-country studies on retail bank switching.
Originality/value
The study concludes that factors that account for retail bank switching in developed economies are not essentially different from the factors accounting for retail bank switching in Ghana. The study is thus significant especially to foreign banks entering the Ghanaian banking industry as it provides insight into how to satisfy and retain customers.
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