Service orientation discrepancy between managers and employees and its impact on the affective reactions of employees: a case study of casual restaurant segment

This study attempted to relate service orientation discrepancy between employees and managers to employees’ affective reactions in the restaurant industry. To fulfill this purpose, this study developed a new model and tested it by conducting an empirical analysis of restaurant employees. Specifically, this study examined the relationships among service orientation discrepancy (SOD), service employees’ role conflict (RC), role ambiguity (RA), job satisfaction (JS), and organizational commitment (OC). In addition, using path analysis, this study further scrutinized the causal relationships among the above variables. The key findings of this study indicate that there is an SOD between managers and employees. Employees saw themselves as more enthusiastic and less bureaucratic than managers and this SOD was correlated with employee outcomes such as RC, RA, JS, and OC. When the proposed model of the study was tested, the results indicated that SOD had a positive, direct effect on RC and direct, negative effects on JS and OC. SOD also had negative, indirect effects on JS and OC through RC and RA. RC had a negative, direct effect on JS and a negative, indirect effect on OC. RA had a negative, direct effect on JS. Finally, JS had a negative, direct effect on OC. The contribution of this study lies in attempting to explore the possibility of synthesizing service management and organizational behavior literature in the restaurant industry setting. By introducing the concept of SOD, this study showed the relationship between SOD and its impact on affective reactions of restaurant employees. Further, this study contributed to the existing literature by demonstrating the causal relationships among the variables examined. With these efforts, this study also laid the foundation for future empirical research. From the industry point of view, the findings of this study will provide substantive information that restaurant chains can use to design training, communication, and motivational programs and other human resource management programs for their employees. The study holds promise for reducing employee turnover and for improving customer service in the hospitality industry.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Hospitality and Tourism Management

Department dc:contributor.department

Hospitality and Tourism Management

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1995

Author dc:creator

• Cha, Suk-Bin

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Khan, Mahmood A.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Murrmann, Suzanne K.
• Minish, Roberta M.
• Chon, Kye-Sung
• Evans, Michael R.

• job satisfaction
• role ambiguity
• role conflict
• organizational commitment

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-06062008-162354

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/38184