LEFT OR RIGHT: DISENTANGLING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICAL IDEOLOGY AND SERVICE QUALITY EXPECTATIONS

Author

Nasim Nouhzadehmalekshah, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

8-1-2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Business Administration

First Advisor

Clark, Terry

Abstract

Customers’ service quality expectation is an important antecedent of their satisfaction, loyalty, and brand perception. Despite their importance, there is limited empirical research on the factors influencing these expectations. This dissertation attempts to address this important gap by exploring the role of political ideology on service quality expectations. This research proposes and examines political ideology, for which fairly accurate and objective data can be obtained, as a novel predictor of customers’ service quality expectations. Across three studies conducted in various settings, I consistently found that political ideology significantly influences service quality expectations. Specifically, the findings show that conservatives generally have higher expectations for service quality compared to liberals. Moreover, the specific dimensions of service quality expectations (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) are impacted differently by political ideology depending on the service context. Furthermore, the research identifies three key mediators, entitlement, industriousness, and optimism, through which political ideology influences service quality expectations. The manuscript concludes by discussing the contributions of these findings, their practical implications for managers and practitioners, and potential directions for future research.