Abstract
This paper examined the behaviour of a relationship quality (hereafter referred to as RQ) model within the service context of an emerging economy. Specifically, the purpose of this paper was two-fold. First was to examine the determinants of RQ and second, to ascertain the impact of those determinants on word-of-mouth behaviour through RQ. A quantitative approach was used to sample 384 customers of telecom services. SEM-PLS analysis was used to ascertain the structural behaviour and, by implication, the research hypotheses. Findings showed support for all the hypothesized relationships. Specifically, service communication and perceived value were found to be positively significant to RQ and RQ, on the other hand, is a significant predictor of word-of-mouth behaviour. The model explains over 40 percent of variance on word-of-mouth behaviour which was attributed by the combined efforts of other predictors. Thus, the research model is modest. Implications and future research agenda were outlined.
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Chukwunonso Oraedu is a Procurement Specialist and an Academic Researcher in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. He bagged a First Class Honours in B.Sc and M.Sc. degree in Marketing, from the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki Nigeria. At the moment, he is a doctoral student at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus and serves as a Member of the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria (ISMN) and the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM). Chukwunonso's research output has featured in a couple of highly ranked journals and he has equally reviewed for a couple of journals including the International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management. His research interest falls within the behavioural aspect of marketing, with emphasis on customers' experience, electronic commerce and relationship quality within the retail sector.
Ernest Emeka Izogo is a Lecturer in Marketing at the Ebonyi State University, Nigeria. He earned his PhD in Marketing from the University of Hull, UK. His articles have previously appeared in the Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, Journal of Strategic Marketing, among others. Ernest has a research interest focused mainly in the general area of consumer psychology with a specific focus on why consumers behave the way they do in the virtual market place.
Johnson Ubaka Ozo is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria, and a Member of the Nigeria Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN). He holds a B.Sc (Marketing), PGD (Education), MBA (Management) and PhD (Marketing). He had previously worked as a Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, Nigeria, from where he transferred to the Ebonyi State University. He has held several posts in within the University as Head of Department (2007-2012), Coordinator Postgraduate Programme (2013-2014), Coordinator Marketing Programme (2015-2017) and presently, he is the Sub-Dean in the Faculty of Management Sciences, Ebonyi State University. Dr Ozo has authored and co-authored many research papers in highly revered journals. He has also published five text-books in Marketing.
Ama Aka Udu holds a PhD in Management. He is a Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of Entrepreneurship Development Studies, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. He has published widely in both local and international journals. Dr Udu is a Member of a couple of professional academic bodies including the Nigeria Institute of Management.
Aja Ebeke Egele holds a PhD in Marketing. He is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing, Ebonyi State Univeristy, Abakaliki, Nigeria, and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer to the Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State, Nigeria. Dr Egele is a Chartered Marketer and a Member of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and Institute of Industrial Administration. He has published research articles, presented papers in conferences and book in chapters in these areas of marketing: service marketing/consumer behaviour, strategic marketing/marketing theory.
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Oraedu, C., Izogo, E.E., Ozo, J.U. et al. Empirical Study of Relationship Quality in a Service Setting of an Emerging Economy: The Nigerian Experience. J Serv Sci Res 10, 117–143 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12927-018-0004-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12927-018-0004-z