The moderating effect of gender on relationship quality and loyalty toward Internet service providers

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Abstract

Relationship quality – based on Commitment–Trust theory – can explain and predict the success of a relationship between an ISP and its customers, measured in terms of loyalty. We proposed a model to express the relationship and included gender as a moderator in the relationship. We then developed a questionnaire to test the model empirically and used a sample in Spain to check its validity and reliability. Analysis provided strong support for our hypotheses that gender exerted a significant moderating role on our model relationships. The influence of trust on commitment and of commitment on loyalty was significantly stronger for females than males, while the effects of satisfaction on commitment and of trust on loyalty were significantly stronger for males. Implications were drawn for practitioners.

Introduction

Individual factors, particularly gender, play a major role in the acceptance and use of IT and online services. Nevertheless, the relative importance of gender is a recent topic: little mention is traditionally made of the differences between the attitudes of males and females. We initiated our study in part to fill this gap.

Firstly, the essence of commercial practice should be the development of long-term, high-value relationships with customers. The promotion of relationship quality and customer loyalty, in a virtual, competitive, global commercial environment, is crucial to both companies and their economic sectors. For instance, every customer of e-commerce sites must choose an ISP for Internet access and the ISP must find ways to satisfy and retain the customer [2].

Secondly, research shows that feelings of males about IT have traditionally been more favourable than that of females [13], [26]. Females tend to show greater risk aversion and less trust in the use of the Internet. Males score more highly for attitude and intention to use and for their instrumental motivation for acceptance of the Internet.

Section snippets

Relationship quality and loyalty

Given the benefits to an organisation of the promotion of genuine customer loyalty, it is useful to analyse its background. Genuine customer loyalty is a composite concept combining both relationship quality and loyalty. On the one hand, loyalty has been defined as the behavioural intentions to keep on using the brand (or company) in the future [30]. On the other hand, relationship quality depends on the interaction between the firm and its customers; and is based on the assumption that users’

Survey development and pilot study

A self-administered questionnaire was designed to use in collecting opinions about satisfaction, trust, commitment and loyalty; socio-demographic data; and self-efficacy levels in the Internet domain.

Satisfaction was assessed by adapting the scale proposed by Bhattacherjee [1] for the electronic context. The affective commitment scale of Geyskens et al. [9] was used, adapted for the online service being analysed. The trust scale of McKnight et al. [20] was followed. The proposed scale includes

Results

A PLS model is analysed and interpreted in two stages: the assessment of the reliability and validity of the measurement model, and the assessment of the structural model.

Discussion and limitations

Previous research showed that individual differences would influence the relationship between the company and the customer, since not every customer is prone to be loyal per se. A relevant question then, was whether the influences of relationship quality on behavioural intentions are equal for both males and females.

Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to the Chief-Editor, Edgar H. Sibley, for providing constructive comments and editing the paper thoroughly.

Manuel J. Sanchez-Franco is professor in e-Business Management and Advertising Communication at the University of Seville (Spain). His current research interests are in the areas of electronic markets and online consumer behaviour. His recent works have been published – or forthcoming – in Computers & Education, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Behaviour & Information Technology, Internet Research, Service Industries Journal, Journal of Product and Brand Management, Revista Española de

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    Manuel J. Sanchez-Franco is professor in e-Business Management and Advertising Communication at the University of Seville (Spain). His current research interests are in the areas of electronic markets and online consumer behaviour. His recent works have been published – or forthcoming – in Computers & Education, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Behaviour & Information Technology, Internet Research, Service Industries Journal, Journal of Product and Brand Management, Revista Española de Investigación de Marketing, among others.

    Angel Francisco Villarejo-Ramos is professor in Marketing at the University of Seville (Spain). His research interests include acceptance and use of Information Systems, and customer equity management. His recent work has been published – or forthcoming – in Journal of Brand Management, Journal of Product and Brand Management, Services Industries Journal, Commercium Journal, Revista Española de Pedagogía, and communications in international conferences.

    Felix Antonio Martin-Velicia is professor in Market Research at the University of Seville (Spain). He has published papers on online consumer behaviour and political marketing. His recent works – or forthcoming – have appeared in Computers & Education, Revista Española de Investigación de Marketing, and Revista Española de Pedagogía. He has developed research projects with diverse companies and public administrations.

    This work was supported by grant no. P06-SEJ-01975/PO6-SEJ-01994 of Andalusian Regional Government, Spain.

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