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The paper seeks to provide a theoretical and empirical investigation of the relationship between consumer expectations and consumer perceptions of service quality.

The theory of cognitive reference points, adaptation‐level theory, and assimilation‐contrast theory are used to formulate hypotheses concerning the relationships between perceived service quality, consumer expectations, and perceptions. These hypotheses were empirically investigated through an experiment that manipulated expectations and perceptions while measuring perceived service quality.

The principal finding is that consumer expectations are positive predictors of perceived service quality (i.e. higher expectations lead to higher perceptions of quality). Another finding is that the relationship between expectations and perceived service quality is much stronger than prior literature suggests.

The practical implication of this study is that practitioners should seek to actively manage their customers' expectations to increase those expectations.

This paper is valuable to practitioners who are seeking to use expectations to achieve higher perceptions of quality among their customers. It is also valuable to researchers who are seeking to understand the relationship between expectations and quality perceptions.

This study aims to investigates customer satisfaction from the use of bank chatbots and the effect of perceived trust in chatbots and banks' reputation on customer satisfaction.

A survey is conducted in Turkey involving 240 customers who experienced banking transactions using a chatbot. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to investigate the relationships between the variables. The data were analyzed using SPSS 21 and SmartPLS programs.

Perceived performance, perceived trust and corporate reputation significantly affect customer satisfaction with chatbot use. Customer expectations and confirmation of customer expectations have no direct impact on customer satisfaction, but customer expectations positively affect perceived performance. Customer expectations exert an indirect influence on customer satisfaction through perceived performance. Perceived performance has a positive impact on the confirmation of customer expectations, but customer expectations do not significantly impact the confirmation of customer expectations.

This study relies on a limited number of participants. Moreover, its sample is not representative of the target population due to the convenience sampling technique. Even if the results may not be generalized to the entire population of Turkey, they reflect the reality of emerging markets with relatively high technology sensitivity and a young population.

The results provide new insights regarding banking service delivery channels, which may be of interest to professionals, academics, banks' top management, product development teams, design teams and customer satisfaction units.

This study is believed to help the community make their lives easier by providing them with knowledge and awareness about chatbots.

This study extends expectations confirmation theory's predictions to chatbot use in banking.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of perceived transformative human resource (HR) practices and employee task performance. Drawing on evidence-based approach, the transformative HR practices intend to transform employees’ behavior to cope with organizational change. This study intends to answer how does the perceived transformative HR practices influence employees’ behavioral capability to enhance their task performance. This investigation proposes that the perceived transformative HR practices positively affect employees task performance, however, employee adaptivity mediates the relationship between them.

The authors used a random sample of 224 employees, from a large high-tech company in China, to test the hypotheses. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to determine the perceived transformative HR practices in the context of a high-tech firm. The authors performed multiple linear regression analysis to examine the proposed model.

The results of this study indicate that the perceived transformative HR practices positively influence employee adaptivity and task performance. Furthermore, employee adaptivity mediates the relationship between the perceived transformative HR practices and employee task performance. Therefore, employee adaptivity illuminates and explains the underlying mechanism of how the perceived transformative HR practices lead to employee task performance.

Data collected from single firm may limit the generalizability of the findings and cross-sectional research design may raise the concern of common method bias. Future studies should test and validate the operationalization of the perceived transformative HR practices in different research contexts and with larger sample size. Organizations should design and implement transformative HR practices to cope with change. Furthermore, organizational managers should encourage and facilitate employee adaptivity to achieve better performance.

This study contributes to change management and the HR literature by identifying and operationalizing the perceived transformative HR practices as a predictor of employee adaptivity and task performance. Through the underlying mechanism of employee adaptivity between the perceived transformative HR practices and employee task performance, this study provides a new perspective to look at the HR-performance relationship in the change process.

Based on the analysis of the dissipative structure of the retail service supply chain (RSSC), this paper divides the system into two internal and external dissipative mechanisms, including the internal performance dissipation mechanism and the perceived quality dissipation mechanism outside the system. Based on the prediction of RSSC performance, this paper aims to discuss the application of Hidden Markov Model (HMM) in this field and puts forward a set of complete process of forecasting the service supply chain (SSC) performance based on HMM model.

Based on the theory of dissipative structure, this paper selects the RSSC as the research object, analyzes the system characteristics of the dissipation structure of RSSC from three aspects, such as system opening type, distance from equilibrium state and nonlinear order and describes the quality fluctuation process of RSSC as a Hidden Markov process. Taking the RSSC of J Company as an example, this paper makes use of the observed state value of customer perceived service quality from 1997 to 2016, predicts the performance status of the enterprise's RSSC.

The research results show that: RSSC is a dissipative structure system, and its performance is the internal entropy flow of the system, and the customer perceived service quality is external, their interaction determines the dynamic evolution of the system dissipation structure, and the Markov property between supply chain performance and perceived service quality. There is a Markov property between supply chain performance and perceived service quality. Using the perceived service quality observation state data of the external consumers of the system can effectively predict the implicit state of RSSC performance. Based on this prediction result, the strategy adjustment and optimization of the action mechanism of internal and external entropy flow in the dissipative structure system can be carried out to promote the sustainable development of the RSSC.

This paper thinks that RSSC is a dissipative structure system and the SSC performance and customer perceived service quality are the internal and external entropy flow of the system, which determines the dynamic evolution of the system dissipation structure. There is a Markov property between supply chain performance and perceived service quality. The hidden state of SSC performance can be predicted effectively by using a hidden Markov model and observing state data of perceived service quality from consumers outside the system.

To examine the association between talent management (TM) and perceived subsidiary performance. Focus is given to the development of one key talent group – line managers – in subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs). Specifically, the paper examines: whether there is a positive relationship between Management Development (MD) and perceived subsidiary performance; and whether national context mediates any link between MD and perceived subsidiary performance.

A multi‐respondent survey was undertaken generating a sample of 143 UK‐owned MNCs. For each organisation, interviews were completed with the Head of HR at corporate Head Quarters; the HR Manager/Specialist and a line manager in both the domestic and foreign subsidiaries of the sample organisation. A total of 5 respondents per organisation is used in the analysis.

The link between the MD variables and perceived subsidiary performance is consistently positive and robust in all of the models estimated. HR having a strategic role in the organisation is positively associated with perceived subsidiary performance; the interaction between strategic HR and the level and extent of MD and perceived subsidiary performance is also highly significant and positive. National context significantly mediates the relationship between MD and perceived subsidiary performance.

Investing in talent management, specifically the development of the key talent group of line managers, is positively associated with perceived subsidiary performance. The national context in which this investment is undertaken is found to affect the associated returns. The sample analysed is for UK owned MNCs only and, thus, the potential for “country of origin” effects is not examined.

In previous economic downturns, training and development budgets have often been drastically reduced. While any such slashing in MD budgets will reduce expenditure – given the positive association found in this analysis between the level and extent of MD and perceived subsidiary performance – this approach is likely to only have short‐run benefits and could jeopardise future competitive advantage. Continued investment in talent is likely to be pivotal for sustained competitive advantage.

The multi‐respondent and multi‐location methodology used is highly original and the findings contribute to the expanding literature on the relationship between MD and performance/perceived performance of organisations.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how a product‐related variable like digitalization and a market‐related variable like price dispersion might differentially influence consumer search intentions across offline versus online shopping interfaces, and how this relationship might be mediated by consumers' perceived risks. Prior research findings are extended and examines how the perceived risk – search intention relationship might be different in online contexts. The distinction is drawn between perceived performance risk versus perceived transaction risk and examines how each of these risks would differentially influence search intentions across the two shopping interfaces (offline versus online).

Two experimental studies are conducted.

Study 1 shows that under conditions when perceived performance risks are enhanced, such as for non‐digitalized (versus digitalized) products, consumers' search intentions are enhanced, with the effects getting magnified in online shopping interfaces. In Study 2, the effects of a condition are examined when instead of performance risks, transaction risks are enhanced by a market‐related variable – price dispersion. The results of Study 2 show that when there is higher price dispersion in the marketplace, in the offline environment, participants have higher search intentions, while in the online environment, participants have lower search intentions. In addition, the effects of price dispersion on search intention in the online environment are mediated by perceived transaction risk.

Limitations of the studies suggest that future research may extend these findings to include non‐student samples, differential search costs, customer‐related factors like trust and involvement, other types of risks like social and psychological, social networking sites, and multichannel search behaviors.

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between an individual investor’s personality trait and his perceived investment performance. It proposes a novel conceptual framework that integrates social influence (as a moderating construct) and outlines the role of personality in determining the perceived investment performance during the investment decision-making process.

A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to collect responses from 396 individual investors through stratified and quota sampling approach. The collected data were then analysed using both hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation modelling to evaluate the strength of the relationship between the constructs, namely, personality trait, perceived investment performance and social influence.

This study suggests that social influence positively moderates the relationship between extraversion-perceived investment performance, whereas it negatively moderates the relationship between agreeability-perceived investment performance.

This study has certain limitations. First, this work follows a modelling approach which is more centred towards the prediction of relationships. Second, because of choosing a research approach (since the study has been conducted in one country, i.e. India), the results of the study may lack generalisability. Therefore, further studies could be encouraged to test the proposed hypotheses.

Insights from this study suggest that investors should look in for their personality traits while making an investment decision. In fact, psychologically modified portfolios should be developed as per the personality traits of the investors.

The study, perhaps, is the only study to apply social influence in a framework using Big Five personality traits as a possible factor to understand the individual differences in terms of perceived investment performance.

This paper aims to explain voter perceptions and voting behaviour in the 2010 UK General Election on the basis of this theory, by evaluating the differential impact of government performance on key political issues defined as hierarchical voter satisfaction factor types. The validity of the three-factor theory of satisfaction in explaining consumer decision-making for products and services is well-established.

British Election Survey (2010) data are used to test the relative influence of hierarchical voter satisfaction factor types in predicting the perceived overall performance of the former Labour government and actual voting behaviour. Sequential and multinomial logistic regression models are used in the perceived overall performance of the former Labour government and actual voting behaviour, respectively.

“Basic” factors explain more of the variance in perceived overall government performance and voting behaviour than “performance” factors. There are significant positive main and interaction effects on Conservative and Liberal Democrat party votes from Labour’s underperformance on the “basic” factors. The results have important implications for political marketing and voting behaviour research.

The study establishes the relevance of the three-factor theory of satisfaction within a political marketing context. It demonstrates that, controlling for party loyalty, perceived government performance on the hierarchical voter satisfaction factors explains voter perceptions and voting behaviour to a significant degree. In particular, it highlights the criticality for voting behaviour of both the direct and indirect impacts of “basic” factor underperformance.

Information and communications technology (ICT) offers enormous opportunities for individuals, businesses and society. The application of ICT is equally important to economic and non-economic activities. Researchers have increasingly focused on the adoption and use of ICT by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as the economic development of a country is largely dependent on them. Following the success of ICT utilisation in SMEs in developed countries, many developing countries are looking to utilise the potential of the technology to develop SMEs. Past studies have shown that the contribution of ICT to the performance of SMEs is not clear and certain. Thus, it is crucial to determine the effectiveness of ICT in generating firm performance since this has implications for SMEs’ expenditure on the technology. This research examines the diffusion of ICT among SMEs with respect to the typical stages from innovation adoption to post-adoption, by analysing the actual usage of ICT and value creation. The mediating effects of integration and utilisation on SME performance are also studied. Grounded in the innovation diffusion literature, institutional theory and resource-based theory, this study has developed a comprehensive integrated research model focused on the research objectives. Following a positivist research paradigm, this study employs a mixed-method research approach. A preliminary conceptual framework is developed through an extensive literature review and is refined by results from an in-depth field study. During the field study, a total of 11 SME owners or decision-makers were interviewed. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using NVivo 10 to refine the model to develop the research hypotheses. The final research model is composed of 30 first-order and five higher-order constructs which involve both reflective and formative measures. Partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is employed to test the theoretical model with a cross-sectional data set of 282 SMEs in Bangladesh. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire issued to SMEs selected by applying a stratified random sampling technique. The structural equation modelling utilises a two-step procedure of data analysis. Prior to estimating the structural model, the measurement model is examined for construct validity of the study variables (i.e. convergent and discriminant validity).

The estimates show cognitive evaluation as an important antecedent for expectation which is shaped primarily by the entrepreneurs’ beliefs (perception) and also influenced by the owners’ innovativeness and culture. Culture further influences expectation. The study finds that facilitating condition, environmental pressure and country readiness are important antecedents of expectation and ICT use. The results also reveal that integration and the degree of ICT utilisation significantly affect SMEs’ performance. Surprisingly, the findings do not reveal any significant impact of ICT usage on performance which apparently suggests the possibility of the ICT productivity paradox. However, the analysis finally proves the non-existence of the paradox by demonstrating the mediating role of ICT integration and degree of utilisation explain the influence of information technology (IT) usage on firm performance which is consistent with the resource-based theory. The results suggest that the use of ICT can enhance SMEs’ performance if the technology is integrated and properly utilised. SME owners or managers, interested stakeholders and policy makers may follow the study’s outcomes and focus on ICT integration and degree of utilisation with a view to attaining superior organisational performance.

This study urges concerned business enterprises and government to look at the environmental and cultural factors with a view to achieving ICT usage success in terms of enhanced firm performance. In particular, improving organisational practices and procedures by eliminating the traditional power distance inside organisations and implementing necessary rules and regulations are important actions for managing environmental and cultural uncertainties. The application of a Bengali user interface may help to ensure the productivity of ICT use by SMEs in Bangladesh. Establishing a favourable national technology infrastructure and legal environment may contribute positively to improving the overall situation. This study also suggests some changes and modifications in the country’s existing policies and strategies. The government and policy makers should undertake mass promotional programs to disseminate information about the various uses of computers and their contribution in developing better organisational performance. Organising specialised training programs for SME capacity building may succeed in attaining the motivation for SMEs to use ICT. Ensuring easy access to the technology by providing loans, grants and subsidies is important. Various stakeholders, partners and related organisations should come forward to support government policies and priorities in order to ensure the productive use of ICT among SMEs which finally will help to foster Bangladesh’s economic development.

Consumer satisfaction towards a brand is one of a firm’s important performance outcomes. However, building a strong green brand to foster consumers’ satisfaction is often challenging for firms. Drawing on the dynamic capability and mechanism-enabling perspectives of ambidexterity. The purpose of this research is to explore mechanisms of perceived brand performance and green trust through which green brand ambidexterity acts as a facilitator of consumer satisfaction.

The hypothesized relationships were tested by both partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM; symmetric approach) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA; asymmetric approach) with data collected from a green consumer questionnaire survey in Hong Kong.

The results from PLS-SEM indicate that green brand ambidexterity affects consumer satisfaction through multiple mediating paths of perceived brand performance, green trust-consumer and the sequential integration of perceived brand performance and green trust. Results from fsQCA further reinforced these findings.

The present research provides a nuanced understanding of how ambidexterity enhances consumer satisfaction in the context of a green brand by identifying multiple mechanisms.

There is a lack of research on how green brand ambidexterity affects green brand outcomes from the perspective of value creation for consumers. The present research fills this gap by providing more comprehensive explanations of mechanisms for green brand ambidexterity to facilitate consumer satisfaction. It also offers a better understanding of how the effects of green brand ambidexterity are viewed on a path-dependency that is aligned with the dynamic capability perspective of ambidexterity and how green trust forms a critical path to enable green brand ambidexterity and perceived brand performance to enhance consumer satisfaction.