Investigating gender's impact on the relationship between generation Y consumer cultural values and service quality expectations

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to examine gender's influence on the relationship between Generation Y consumers’ individual levels of cultural values and service quality expectations. Cultural values were measured regarding variables of power distance, collectivism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation. Service quality was measured from SERVQUAL scale. This paper is descriptive in nature and data have been collected using questionnaire and an empirical method. Sampling was conducted among Generation Y of Islamic Azad University, Tehran Science and Research Branch. Exploiting stratified random sampling proportional to size method, 412 acceptable samples were collected. Data were analyzed using covariance matrix and multiple regressions. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to verify the factor structures of both constructs while structural equation modeling was employed to examine the measures for cultural values and service quality dimensions. Based on results, service quality expectations have a significant direct relationship with uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation but not with masculinity. Collectivism is directly related to responsiveness, reliability, and empathy; power distance is directly related to responsiveness; and conversely related to reliability and empathy. In addition, gender's impact was not found to be significant on the relationship between individual-level cultural values and service quality dimensions. Key words: Power distance, collectivism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, gender, responsiveness, reliability, assurance, empathy, tangibles.