Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T05:59:48.819Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Service Climate as a Mediator of Organizational Empowerment in Customer-Service Employees

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 February 2014

Maria Isabel Mendoza-Sierra ,
Alejandro Orgambídez-Ramos ,
Ana María Carrasco-González  and
José Carlos León-Jariego
Maria Isabel Mendoza-Sierra
Affiliation:
Universidad de Huelva (Spain)
Alejandro Orgambídez-Ramos*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Huelva (Spain)
Ana María Carrasco-González
Affiliation:
Universidad de Huelva (Spain)
José Carlos León-Jariego
Affiliation:
Universidad de Huelva (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Alejandro Orgambídez-Ramos. Departamento Psicología Clínica, Experimental y Social. Universidad de Huelva. Avda. Fuerzas Armadas s/n 21071. Huelva (Spain). Phone: +34–959219221. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of the service climate between organizational empowerment (i.e., dynamic structural framework, control of workplace decisions, fluidity in information sharing) and service quality (functional and relational). 428 contact employees from 46 hotels participated in the survey. Correlations demonstrated that dynamic structural framework, control decisions, and fluidity in information sharing are related to both functional and relational service quality. Regression analyses and Sobel tests revealed that service climate totally mediated the relationship between all three dimensions of organizational empowerment and relational service quality. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Keywords

organizational empowermentservice qualityservice climatecontact employees
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 17 , 2014 , E4
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173 Google Scholar
Bowen, D., & Lawler, E. (1992). The empowerment of service workers: What, why, how, and when? Sloan Management Review, 33, 31–39.Google Scholar
Bowen, D., & Schneider, B. (1988). Services marketing and management: Implications for organizational behavior. Research in Organizational Behavior, 10, 43–80.Google Scholar
Burke, M. J., Borucki, C. C., & Hurley, A. E. (1992). Reconceptualizing psychological climate in a retail service environment: A multiple-stakeholder perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77, 717–729. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.77.5.717 Google Scholar
Burke, M., Rapinski, M., Dunlap, E., & Davison, H. (1996). Do situational variables act as substantive causes of relationships between individual difference variables? Two large scale tests of common cause models. Personnel Psychology, 49, 573–598. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1996.tb01585.x Google Scholar
Coelho, F. J., Augusto, M. G., Coelho, A. F., & Sá, P. M. (2010). Climate perceptions and the customer orientation of frontline service employees. The Service Industries Journal, 30, 1343–1357. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642060802613525 Google Scholar
Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S. G., & Aiken, L. S. (2003). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis (3 rd Ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Conger, J. A., & Kanungo, R. N. (1988). The empowerment process: Integrating theory and practice. Academy of Management Review, 13, 471–482. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/258093 Google Scholar
Dimitriades, Z. S., & Maroudas, T. (2007). Internal service climate and psychological empowerment among public employees: An exploratory study in Greece. Transforming Government: People, Process, and Policy, 1, 377–400. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/17506160710839196 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gracia, F., Cifre, E., & Grau, R. (2010). Service quality: The key role of service climate and service behavior of boundary employee suits. Group & Organization Management, 35, 276–298. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1059601110370783 Google Scholar
Hartline, M. D., & Ferrell, O. C. (1996). The management of customer-contact service employees: An empirical investigation. Journal of Marketing, 60, 52–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1251901 Google Scholar
Hoyle, R. H., & Kenny, D. A. (1999). Sample size, reliability, and test of statistical mediation. In Hoyle, R. H. (Ed.), Statistical strategies for small sample research (pp. 195–222). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Lawler, E. (1992). The ultimate advantage: Creating the high-involvement organization. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Martínez-Tur, V., Tordera, N., Peiró, J. M., & Potocnik, K. (2011). Linking service climate and disconfirmation of expectations as predictors of customer satisfaction: A cross-level study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 41, 1189–1213. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2011.00753.x CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matthews, R. A., Diaz, W. M., & Cole, S. G. (2003). The organizational empowerment scale. Personnel Review, 32, 297–318. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00483480310467624 Google Scholar
Mendoza, M. I., León, J. C., Orgambídez, A., & Borrego, Y. (2009). Evidencias de validez de la Adaptación Española de la Organizational Empowerment Scale [Validity evidence of the Spanish adaptation of the Organizational Empowerment Scale]. Revista de Psicología del Trabajo y de las Organizaciones, 25, 17–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1576-59622009000100003 Google Scholar
Menon, S. (2001). Employee empowerment: An integrative psychological approach. Applied psychology, 50, 153–180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00052 Google Scholar
Moliner, C., Carrasco, H., Martínez-Tur, V., & Marzo, J. C. (2004). Diferencias en clima de servicio y conductas extra-rol hacia el cliente: Una aproximación contextual en hoteles [Climate for service and extra-role customer service differences: A contextual approach in hotels]. Revista de Psicología Social Aplicada, 14, 73–85.Google Scholar
Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). Servqual: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64, 12–40.Google Scholar
Peiró, J. M., Martínez-Tur, V., & Ramos, J. (1999). El triángulo de la calidad de servicio: Una aproximación psicosocial [The service quality triangle: A psychological approach]. Papeles del Psicólogo, 74, 1–12.Google Scholar
Peiró, J. M., Martínez-Tur, V., & Ramos, J. (2005). Employees’ overestimation of functional and relational service quality: A gap analysis. Service Industries Journal, 25, 773–788. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642060500103324 Google Scholar
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of applied psychology, 88, 879–903. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879 Google Scholar
Podsakoff, P. M., & Organ, D. W. (1986). Self-reports in organizational research: Problems and prospects. Journal of management, 12, 531–544. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/014920638601200408 Google Scholar
Potocnik, K., Tordera, N., Martínez-Tur, V., Peiró, J. M., & Ramos, J. (2011). Is service climate strength beneficial or detrimental for service quality delivery? European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 20, 681–699. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2010.496649 Google Scholar
Preacher, K. J., & Leonardelli, G. J. (2003). Calculation for the Sobel test: An interactive calculation tool for mediation tests. Retrieved from http://quantpsy.org/sobel/sobel.htm Google Scholar
Quinn, R. E., & Spreitzer, G. M. (1997). The road to empowerment: Seven questions every leader should consider. Organizational Dynamics, 26, 37–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0090-2616(97)90004-8 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rafiq, M., & Ahmed, P. K. (1998). A customer-oriented framework for empowering service employees. Journal of Services Marketing, 12, 379–396. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/08876049810235423 Google Scholar
Rust, R. T., & Zahorik, A. J. (1993). Customer satisfaction, customer retention, and market share. Journal of retailing, 69, 193–215. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0022-4359(93)90003-2 Google Scholar
Salanova, M., Agut, S., & Peiro, J. M. (2005). Linking organizational resources and work engagement to employee performance and customer loyalty: The mediation of service climate. Journal of Applied Psychology; Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 1217–1227. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.90.6.1217 Google Scholar
Sánchez-Hernández, R. M., Martínez-Tur, V., González-Morales, M. G., Ramos, J., & Peiró, J. M. (2009). Un análisis transnivel de las relaciones de la calidad de servicio y la confirmación de expectativas con la satisfacción de los usuarios [Cross level analysis of the relationships of the service quality and confirmation of expectations with user satisfaction]. Psicothema, 21, 421–426.Google Scholar
Sánchez-Hernández, R. M., Martínez-Tur, V., Peiró, J. M., & Ramos, J. (2009). Testing a hierarchical and integrated model of quality in the service sector: Functional, relational, and tangible dimensions. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 20, 1173–1188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14783360903247577 Google Scholar
Schneider, B. (1994). HRM-a service perspective: Towards a customer-focused HRM. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 5, 64–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09564239410051911 Google Scholar
Schneider, B., Ashworth, S., Higgs, A., & Carr, L. (1996). Design, validity, and use of strategically focused employee attitude surveys. Personnel Psychology, 49, 695–705. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1996.tb01591.x Google Scholar
Schneider, B., & Bowen, D. E. (1985). Employee and customer perceptions of service in banks: Replication and extension. Journal of Applied Psychology, 70, 423–433. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.70.3.423 Google Scholar
Schneider, B., Ehrhart, M. G., Mayer, D. M., Saltz, J. L., & Niles-Jolly, K. (2005). Understanding organization-customer links in service settings. The Academy of Management Journal, 48, 1017–1032. http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2005.19573107 Google Scholar
Schneider, B., Salvaggio, A. N., & Subirats, M. (2002). Climate strength: A new direction for climate research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 220–229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0021-9010.87.2.220 Google Scholar
Schneider, B., & White, S. S. (2004). Service quality: Research perspective. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Schneider, B., White, S. S., & Paul, M. C. (1998). Linking service climate and customer perceptions of service quality: Test of a causal model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83, 150–163. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.83.2.150 Google Scholar
Siegall, M., & Gardner, S. (2000). Contextual factors of psychological empowerment. Personnel Review, 29, 703–722. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00483480010296474 Google Scholar
Smith, A. C., & Mouly, V. S. (1998). Empowerment in New Zealand firms: Insights from two cases. Empowerment in Organizations: An International Journal, 6, 69–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14634449810210814 Google Scholar
Sobel, M. E. (1982). Asymptotic confidence intervals for indirect effects in structural equations models. In Leinhart, S. (Ed.), Sociological methodology (pp. 290–312). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Sowinski, D. R., Fortmann, K. A., & Lezotte, D. V. (2008). Climate for service and the moderating effects of climate strength on customer satisfaction, voluntary turnover, and profitability. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 17, 73–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13594320701473065 Google Scholar
Sparks, B. A., Bradley, G. L., & Callan, V. J. (1997). The impact of staff empowerment and communication style on customer evaluations: The special case of service failure. Psychology & Marketing, 14, 475–493. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6793(199708)14:5<475::AID-MAR3>3.3.CO;2-C Google Scholar
Spreitzer, G. M. (1995). Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement, and validation. Academy of Management Journal, 38, 1442–1465. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/256865 Google Scholar
Storbacka, K., Strandvik, T., & Grönroos, C. (1994). Managing customer relationships for profit: The dynamics of relationship quality. International journal of service industry management, 5, 21–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09564239410074358 Google Scholar
Thomas, K. W., & Velthouse, B. A. (1990). Cognitive elements of empowerment: An interpretative model of intrinsic task motivation. Academy of Management, 15, 666–681. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/258687 Google Scholar
Tordera, N., González-Romá, V., & Peiró, J. M. (2008). The moderator effect of psychological climate on the relationship between leader - member exchange (LMX) quality and role overload. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 17, 55–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13594320701392059 Google Scholar
Wa, K., & Lam, W. (2011). The trade-off of servicing empowerment on employees’ service performance: Examining the underlying motivation and workload mechanism. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 39, 609–628. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11747-011-0250-9 Google Scholar
Wallace, J. C., Johnson, P. D., Mathe, K., & Paul, J. (2011). Structural and psychological empowerment climates, performance, and the moderating role of shared felt accountability: A managerial perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96, 840–850. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0022227 Google Scholar
Wei, F., Yuan, X., & Di, Y. (2010). Effects of transactional leadership, psychological empowerment and empowerment climate on creative performance of subordinates: A cross-level study. Frontiers of Business Research in China, 4, 29–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11782-010-0002-6 Google Scholar
Wilkinson, A. (1998). Empowerment: Theory and practice. Personnel Review, 27, 40–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00483489810368549 Google Scholar
Yagil, D., & Gal, I. (2002). The role of organizational service climate in generating control and empowerment among workers and customers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 9, 215–226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0969-6989(01)00033-9 Google Scholar