Will aesthetic sensitivity and healthy perfectionism fit enhance service quality? The moderating effect of organizational aesthetics

Abstract

At present, the dominant aesthetic of consumer culture has become a universal standard for design. In the hotel industry, frontline service providers play a key role in incorporating and conveying aesthetic values when providing service. Based on aesthetic theories and the perspective of supplementary fit, the current study investigates the role of the fit between aesthetic sensitivity and the healthy perfectionism of frontline service providers in the enhancement of service quality. We employ organizational aesthetics as our moderator. A total of 296 valid questionnaire sets were collected, representing a valid return ratio of 70%. The results of the hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the path from aesthetic sensitivity and healthy perfectionism to service quality indicated a positive relationship (β = 0.23, p < .01); and the interaction between organizational aesthetics and aesthetic sensitivity and healthy perfectionism fit exhibited a positive correlation with service quality (β = 0.17, p < .01). (1) the aesthetic sensitivity and healthy perfectionism fit is positively related to service quality; (2) high levels of organizational aesthetics among frontline service providers strengthen the positive correlation between aesthetic sensitivity and healthy perfectionism fit and service quality; and (3) low levels of organizational aesthetics among frontline service providers weaken the positive correlation between aesthetic sensitivity and healthy perfectionism fit and service quality. This study contributes to theory and practice with respect to the hotel industry.