Investigating the Effect of Perceived Professional Ethics on Customer Loyalty Considering the Mediating Role of Perceived Reputation and Trust (Case Study: Asia-Pharma Manufacturing and Trading Company in Herat Province)

Abstract

Researchers are recently paying attention to maintaining and strengthening customer loyalty and examining its influential factors, given that customers are the key to success and competitive advantages in today’s competitive and unpredictable market. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of perceived professional ethics on customer loyalty with the mediating role of perceived reputation and trust. Customers of Asia-Pharma Company in Afghanistan were the statistical population of the study, and the data collection tool was a standard questionnaire, the reliability of which was above 0.7 on average for all research variables based on Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data analysis and examination of research hypotheses were performed using descriptive and inferential statistics, structural equation method, and path analysis by partial least squares, along with SPSS and Smart PLS software. The research findings confirmed the hypotheses. Accordingly, professional ethics affected customer loyalty positively and significantly with the moderating role of perceived trust and reputation.