Cross-border comparative studies of service quality and consumer satisfaction: some empirical results

Abstract

This paper proposes a research framework to conduct comparative studies of service quality and consumer satisfaction between two bordering cities. Through interviewing one city’s consumers about their consumption experiences in some selected services in both cities, we use the structural equation modeling approach to analyze and compare the patterns of service quality and consumer satisfaction in the two cities. We present some empirical comparative study results between Hong Kong and Shenzhen and between Macao and Zhuhai, two pairs of important bordering cities in South China with different social-economic systems and development levels. The research contributes to marketing theory by modifying and validating consumer satisfaction measurements and models in a cross-border context and to strategy formation for Hong Kong and Shenzhen and for Macao and Zhuhai to improve consumer satisfaction with the quality of services provided.