Journal article
Digital transformation for crisis preparedness: Service employees’ perspective
Journal of Services Marketing, Vol.37(3), pp.351-370
2023
Abstract
Purpose
Digital transformation (DT) has had a profound impact on how services are delivered, but its effects on service frontline employees in crisis have yet to be examined. Using conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this study is to empirically test the overall effects of DT within service organisations on service employees’ beliefs with respect to crisis preparedness, life satisfaction and customer orientation. It also examines the moderating effects of crisis-related anxiety and job experience on these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
This study’s hypotheses were tested quantitatively with an online survey of N = 592 frontline service employees working in hospitality and retail services organisation during the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. A post-hoc study of customer-facing supervisors (N = 268) was conducted to validate the study findings and establish generalisability.
Findings
DT predicts service employees’ beliefs regarding crisis preparedness. In turn, crisis preparedness increases life satisfaction and customer orientation. Moreover, crisis-related anxiety negatively moderates the relationship between DT and crisis preparedness. Post hoc analyses validate the results derived from service employees’ data. Surprisingly, there is no significant relationship between crisis preparedness and life satisfaction for supervisors/managers with low job experience.
Originality/value
This study makes an empirical contribution to the service management literature by examining the impact of DT on service employees’ beliefs with respect to crisis preparedness that subsequently influences their life satisfaction and ability to remain customer oriented during a crisis. It highlights an important intersection between technology and service work in terms of a transformative impact of DT on service employee outcomes during crises.
Details
- Title
- Digital transformation for crisis preparedness: Service employees’ perspective
- Authors/Creators
- W.W.C. Leo (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityG. Laud (Author/Creator) - University of TasmaniaC.Y. Chou (Author/Creator) - National Taiwan Normal University
- Publication Details
- Journal of Services Marketing, Vol.37(3), pp.351-370
- Publisher
- Emerald Publishing Limited
- Identifiers
- 991005540669807891
- Copyright
- © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Do not use- Former Murdoch Business School
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
Metrics
157 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Citation topics
- 6 Social Sciences
- 6.3 Management
- 6.3.48 Organizational Behavior
- Web Of Science research areas
- Business
- ESI research areas
- Economics & Business