The Combined Effects of Service Offering and Service Employees on the Perceived Corporate Reputation

Abstract

The present study contributes to the understanding of the role of two major components of the service production and delivery system in reinforcing the perceived corporate reputation. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to assess the combined effects of service offering and service employees on customers’ perception of corporate reputation. A hierarchical multiple regression with interaction analysis was performed on data collected from customers of a banking institution to assess the main effect of service offering and service employees, as well as their interactive effect on customers’ perception of corporate reputation. A significant interaction between service offering and service employees in their influence on corporate reputation was found. This results suggest that service employees intervene as a moderator variable in the relationship between service offering and corporate reputation. Furthermore, service organizations should focus on the crucial role of the service offering during the service encounter and recognize the importance of service employees in such way to reinforce customers' perception of corporate reputation. The study has limited generalization given the convenience sample and the great variety of service industries. The efficacy of the direct measures and the hierarchical multiple regression must be considered. It would be helpful to realize similar studies in other service settings and to explore the exact nature of the interaction between service offering and service employees