An investigation of factors affecting internal customer perception of service quality delivery : the case of indigenous small hospitality enterprises in Ghana

Evans, M

Abstract

It has been established in the job satisfaction, employee organisational commitment and leadership literature, particularly, established in the West, the fortuitous benefits that satisfied and committed employees can bring to an organisation through external service value provided to consumers. Recent research has emphasized the need for academics to explore the role national culture has on internal service quality practices and its effects, for example, on employee retention and productivity which ultimately affects service delivery levels. In addition, there have been calls to increasingly conduct empirical work in developing countries such as Sub Saharan Africa with burgeoning populations, a region that possesses distinct cultural traits from the Western world that may influence leadership style, employee commitment, job satisfaction, and ultimately service quality delivery.
The focus of this research was to critically examine the central role national culture has on internal service dynamics with respect to leadership, employee commitment and job satisfaction in small hospitality enterprises. Furthermore, the study explores the case of small indigenous hospitality enterprises in Ghana (hotels with no more than 10 employees or 20 rooms and are locally run). A multi case study approach was employed comprising four small hotels of similar characteristics. In-depth interviews were conducted with five employees from each establishment totalling 20 participants. A within-case and cross-case approach was conducted using thematic analyses.
Empirical data revealed that employees’ job satisfaction and organizational commitment were predominantly influenced by Ghanaian cultural values. In addition, the paternalistic and humanistic cultural values prevalent in Ghana strongly influence leadership, which in turn, shapes employee organizational commitment and job satisfaction.
It is imperative that firms committed to the development of a strong service culture must recognise the critical role national culture plays in shaping employee behaviour as internal customers.

Citation

Evans, M. (in press). An investigation of factors affecting internal customer perception of service quality delivery : the case of indigenous small hospitality enterprises in Ghana. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Acceptance Date: Jun 29, 2018
• Deposit Date: Sep 25, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 25, 2018