Inertia, group conformity and customer loyalty in healthcare in the information age
Journal of Service Theory and Practice
ISSN: 2055-6225
Article publication date: 3 June 2020
Issue publication date: 31 July 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose is to analyse the influence of inertia and group conformity on loyalty in healthcare.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation model developed from the literature and tested with cross-sectional data from a patient online survey.
Findings
Inertia is a significant antecedent of loyalty and has a stronger effect in healthcare than in other service sectors. Group conformity has no significant effect in healthcare.
Research Implications
The strength of the impact of inertia [group conformity] on loyalty depends on the importance of the customer need that the service industry satisfies, in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Where inertia (stability need) is equally or more [less] important than the customer need, the influence of inertia on loyalty should be positive and strong [weak or insignificant]. In services that satisfy needs more [equally or less] important than group conformity (belonging need), there may be an insignificant [significant] influence of group conformity on customer loyalty, even [especially] in credence services.
Practical implications
Healthcare providers can exploit the stronger effect of inertia in healthcare through development of inertia-based loyalty policies. Regulatory authorities should be vigilant to ensure that these policies are not detrimental to patients. ‘Inert’ patients must become responsible for assessing their loyalties. Authorities and reference groups must stimulate customer loyalty assessments, and assist by providing impartial information.
Originality/value
This is the first study to address the influence of inertia and group conformity on loyalty in the healthcare sector and, from the perspective of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, it is the first to do so in any service sector.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are pleased to acknowledge the participation of all survey respondents. The authors would also like to thank the insightful comments from two anonymous referees.Funding: This paper was financed by National Funds of the FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the project UIDB/04007/2020.Disclosure statement: During the research period, one of the authors accumulated his research position at the university with a nurse position at the hospital group where the study was conducted. Another author had a middle management position at a different private health care group.
Citation
Gonçalves, F.M.R.R., Cândido, C.J.F. and Feliciano, I.M.P.L. (2020), "Inertia, group conformity and customer loyalty in healthcare in the information age", Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Vol. 30 No. 3, pp. 307-330. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-08-2019-0184
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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