Service orientation: the derivation of underlying constructs and measures

Pedro Oliveira; Aleda V. Roth

doi:10.1108/01443571211208614

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International Journal of Operations & Production Management

ISSN: 0144-3577

Online from: 1980

Subject Area: Operations and Logistics Management

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Service orientation: the derivation of underlying constructs and measures

Document Information:
Title:	Service orientation: the derivation of underlying constructs and measures
Author(s):	Pedro Oliveira, (CATÓLICA-LISBON School of Business and Economics, Lisboa, Portugal), Aleda V. Roth, (College of Business and Behavioral Science, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA)
Citation:	Pedro Oliveira, Aleda V. Roth, (2012) "Service orientation: the derivation of underlying constructs and measures", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 32 Iss: 2, pp.156 - 190
Keywords:	B2B electronic services, Business-to-business marketing, Electronic commerce, Empirical research, Multi-item measurement scale development, Operations management, Service operations strategy, Service orientation
Article type:	Research paper
DOI:	10.1108/01443571211208614 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Abstract:	Purpose – This paper coins the construct of Service Orientation (SO) and empirically develops its measurement in the context of business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce. SO is operationally defined as the business' overall propensity for delivering service excellence. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that multi-item measurement scales have sufficient psychometric properties of validity and reliability to be useful for theory building and testing. Design/methodology/approach – The authors followed Menor and Roth's two-phased approach to develop new multi-item measurement scales. First, the authors reviewed the literature, held structured interviews with managers and performed six independent rounds of item-sorting analyses to obtain insights for the initial measurement model specification. Second, survey research procedures were employed to develop and refine a questionnaire to collect data on a sample of senior managers of 181 US businesses that implemented B2B e-services. The psychometric properties of the SO dimensions were confirmed using structural equations modeling. Findings – The authors empirically confirm the nomological network of SO as a third-order latent variable comprised of five combinative service competency bundles: service climate; market focus; process management; human resource policy; and metrics and standards. Together these bundles provide a holistic and integrative representation of the general operating environment's orientation towards customers and a business' general propensity to deliver service excellence. Importantly, the measurement structure of service orientation was found to be invariant for both goods producing and service firms. Practical implications – The proposed metrics are a useful benchmarking tool for practitioners from both manufacturing and service firms to use to monitor and improve their business's SO. Originality/value – The paper is believed to be the first to operationally define and measure SO in the context of B2B e-commerce.