The Impact of Culture on Relationship Marketing in International Services: A Target Group-Specific Analysis in the Context of Banking Services

291 Pages·2009·1.211 MB·English

by  Jan H. Schumann (auth.)

Jan H. Schumann
The Impact of Culture on Relationship Marketing
in International Services
GABLER RESEARCH
Applied Marketing Science /
Angewandte Marketingforschung
Editorial Board:
Prof. Dr. Dieter Ahlert, Universität Münster
Prof. Dr. Heiner Evanschitzky, University of Strathclyde/UK
Dr. Josef Hesse, Schäper Sportgerätebau GmbH
Prof. Dr. Gopalkrishnan R. Iyer, Florida Atlantic University/USA
Prof. Dr. Hartmut H. Holzmüller, Universität Dortmund
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Möller-Hergt, Technische Universität Berlin
Prof. Dr. Lou Pelton, University of North Texas/USA
Prof. Dr. Arun Sharma, University of Miami/USA
Prof. Dr. Florian von Wangenheim, Technische Universität München
Prof. Dr. David Woisetschläger, Universität Dortmund
The book series ”Applied Marketing Science / Angewandte Marketingforschung“
is designated to the transfer of top-end scientific knowledge to interested
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purposes. However, individual volumes may serve as material for marketing
courses, upper-level MBA- or Ph.D.-courses in particular.
Jan H. Schumann

The Impact of Culture
on Relationship Marketing
in International Services
A Target Group-Specific Analysis

in the Context of Banking Services
With a foreword by Prof. Dr. Florian von Wangenheim
RESEARCH
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The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie;
detailed bibliographic data are available in the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.
Dissertation Technische Universität München, 2009
1st Edition 2009
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Foreword
RelationshipMarketinghasbeenoneofthemostoftenusedbuzzwordsinmarketing
research and practice in recent years. Customer acquisition, development, retention,
andrecoveryhavebecomecentralgoalsformarket-orientedcompanies. Thesediffer-
entaspectsarereflectedinthediversityofresearchapproaches,methodsandexisting
resultsforsubdomainsofrelationshipmarketing. Thegrowinginternationalizationof
alotofservicefirmshasincreasedtheawarenessforcross-culturaldifferencesincus-
tomerbehaviorandcognitionsthatalsoimpactthesuccessofservicefirms.Despitethe
increasingpracticalimportanceandheightenedacademicawarenessofserviceinterna-
tionalization,sofartheresearchprogressinthisfieldstilllagsbehindthedevelopments
inanddemandsofinternationalbusiness.
InhisdoctoralthesisJanH.Schumannaddressesthequestionofcross-culturaldiffer-
encesinkeyaspectsofrelationshipmarketingofservicefirms. Theworkisbasedon
theassumptionthatcustomersindifferentculturesdifferinthewaytheydeveloptrust,
theyaremotivatedtoco-produceservices,andthewayinwhichtheyareinfluencedby
word-of-mouthreferral. Bymeansofanempiricalstudyinelevendifferentcountries,
theauthorprovidesafirstlarge-scaleinternationalcomparativestudyonrelationship
marketinginservices. Thus,fromapracticalperspectivethisworkiscriticallyimpor-
tant.Helpingorganizationstounderstandtheeffectsofcultureoncustomertrustforma-
tion,customerco-production,andword-of-moutheffectshasfar-reachingimplications
forfirmsoperatingininternationalservices.
From a theoretical perspective this is also a very important dissertation. The thesis
isstronglyunderpinnedbyabroad-based,inter-disciplinaryliteraturereviewonservice
characteristics,relationshipmarketing,internationalservicemarketing,andrelationship
vi Foreword
marketingincross-culturalservices. Aparticularimportantcontributioninthisrespect
istheclusteringofrecentarticlesoninternationalservices,whichshowthatthefield
appearstobemovingfromafocusoninternationalservicefailurestoanexamination
ofthekeydriversofestablishingandmaintaininglong-termcustomerrelationshipsin
internationalcontexts.Thisshowstherelevanceofhisworktothecurrentstate-of-the-
artininternationalservicesresearch. Withregardtothethreeresearchfoci,thework
firstclarifiesthateachoffourdimensionsofcultureimpactstheeffectofaparticular
trust driver in determining customer trust in their service provider. In addition, cus-
tomersinmorecollectivistculturesareshowntohavehigherlevelsoftrustintheirser-
viceproviderthandocustomersinindividualistcultures.Theauthoralsodemonstrates
significantcross-culturaldifferencesincustomerwillingnesstoengageinserviceco-
production. Third,word-of-mouthrecommendationissignificantlymoreimportantin
countrieswithculturesthatarehigherontheuncertaintyavoidancescale. Finally,Jan
H.Schumannuncoveredsomeinterestingdifferencesintheculturalcharacteristicsof
hissampleascomparedwithHofstede’soriginalresults.
TheworkbyJanH.Schumannbreaksnewgroundsincross-culturalrelationshipmar-
ketingresearch.Basedonprofoundempiricalanalyseswithanexceptionallyextensive
andelaboratelycollecteddatasetJanH.Schumannderivesinsightsforacademicsas
wellasmanagerialpractice.Thecontributionsofthisthesishavealreadybeenawarded
byseveralinternationalacademicorganizationsandhavethepotentialforpublications
inmajormarketingjournals. Ihighlyrecommendthisbooktoanyacademicandprac-
titionerwhoareinterestedininternationalserviceresearch.
Florianv.Wangenheim
Preface
Cross-culturalresearchisagreatexperience. Myoriginalmotivationforthisresearch
wasmyinteresttolearnabouttheimpactofcultureoncustomerbehaviorandcogni-
tionsinthecontextofrelationshipmarketing.Iquicklyrealizedthoughthatmydisser-
tationprojectwouldalsoprovidemewithalotofinterestingcontactsandexperiences
thatmadeithighlyrewarding. Thepublicationofmythesisallowsmetorecapitulate
andtothankallthepeopleandorganizationsthatcontributedtoitssuccessfulcomple-
tion.
Firstofall, IthankmysupervisorProf. Dr. Florianv. Wangenheim. Thisthesisis
theresultofmytimeasaresearchassistantwithhim,firstattheUniversitätDortmund
andlaterattheTechnischeUniversitätMünchen.Iamverygratefulforallhissupport,
adviceandguidance. Hispassionforresearchinspiredmeandprovidedachallenging
andproductiveatmosphere. Heenabledmetoattendacademicconferencesandspend
timeasavisitingresearchscholaratThunderbirdSchoolofGlobalManagement. He
alsointroducedmetoseveralofmyresearchpartnerswithoutwhomthescopeofthis
projectwouldnothavebeenpossible.
Theseresearchpartnersthereforealsodeservemyspecialgratitude. Theysupported
mebydevelopingandtranslatingthesurvey,collectingdataintheircountriesandmost
importantlywiththeirexperienceandknowledgeontheirculture. Theirknowledge-
able and valuable comments on my research further contributed to the development
ofthisthesis. PartnersinvolvedwereDr. VeraBlazevic(MaastrichtUniversity), Dr.
Marcin Komor (University of Economics, Katowice), Fernando Jimenez (Oklahoma
StateUniversity,Stillwater),Dr. SandraPraxmarer(UniversityofWollongong),Prof.
G. Shainesh (Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore), Dr. Randall M. Shannon
viii Preface
(MahidolUniversity,Bangkok),Prof. AnneStringfellow,Ph.D.(ThunderbirdSchool
ofGlobalManagement,Glendale),andProf.ZhilinYang,Ph.D.(CityUniversityHong
Kong). Prof. ZhilinYang,Ph.D.notonlyconductedamajordatacollectioninChina
andHongKong.HealsoservedasagreathostforaresearchvisitattheCityUniversity
HongKongandorganizedaninvitationtotheSouthwesternUniversityofFinanceand
EconomicsinChengdu/China, whichwasagreatexperience, bothacademicallyand
personally.Prof.AnneStringfellow,Ph.D.invitedmetoworkwithheratThunderbird
SchoolofGlobalManagement. Hergreatacademicsupportandthevariouscontacts
andopportunitiessheprovidedmeduringthistimemadeitanunforgettableexperience.
Shealsokindlyagreedtoserveasmysecondadvisorandmadeitpossibletoattend
mydoctoraldefenseinMunich. IalsothankProf. Dr. StefanMichelforinitiatingthis
contactandenrichingmytimeatThunderbirdbysharinghisacademicexperienceand
hisgoodsenseofhumor.
PeoplethatdeservemythankfulnessforsupportingmydatacollectionareProf. Ruth
Bolton,Ph.D.,Prof. AntonyPeloso,Ph.D.,andProf. LonnieOstrom,Ph.D.fromthe
W.P.CareySchoolofBusinessattheArizonaStateUniversity,aswellasDr. Katrin
SchilloandDr.LevNeretin.
Afurtherimportantaspectinthisresearchprojectisthefunding,whichnotonlyallowed
metocollectdata,butalsotovisitresearchpartnersandattendacademicconferencesto
presentanddiscussmyresearch.Myresearchwaspartoftheproject"EXFED-Export
ferngelenkterDienstleistungen"(FKZ:01HQ0553),whichwasfundedbytheGerman
FederalMinistryofEducationandResearchandsupportedbytheGermanAerospace
Center.AsecondsourceoffundingwastheGermanAcademicExchangeService,who
supported my cooperation with Prof. Zhilin Yang, Ph.D. and enabled joint research
meetingsinMunichandHongKong.
Mygratefulnessalsogoestomycolleaguesfortheirgreatsupportduringthetimeofmy
dissertation. MyspecialthanksgotoNancyV.WünderlichandDr. MarcusWübben
withwhomImadethetransitionfromDortmundtoMunichandwhoweregreatpart-
nersformywayintoacademia.NancyV.WünderlichandIcollaboratedontheEXFED
projectandapartfromintenseacademicdebatesanddiscussionsaboutfuturecareerop-
portunitieswehavehadjointfieldtripsandacademicconferencesthatwerenotonlyen-
Preface ix
richingexperiencesbutalsogreatfun.IwouldalsoliketothankSebastianAckermann,
ArminR.Arnold,ChristianHeumann,SabineMayser,AnneScherer,andMarcusZim-
merforbeinggreatcolleaguesandprovidingasupportiveandenjoyableatmospherein
thedepartment. Especiallytheirproofreadingandtheirsupportinthelastphaseofthe
thesiswereofinvaluablehelpinthecompletionofthisthesis,suchasthesupportby
myassistantMaximilianCappel.
MyspecialappreciationgoestomydearparentsandmywifeAngi.Theirgreatencour-
agementandlovingsupportenrichmylifefarbeyondthewritingofthisthesis. This
bookisdedicatedtothem.
JanH.Schumann