Customer Participation, Service Orientation and the Role Ambiguity of Service Providers

Abstract

This study aims to explore the influence of customer participation on service employees. The study investigates the influence of perceived customer participation on the role ambiguity and service orientation levels of employees together with the regulatory role of employees’ self-efficacy belief levels in this relationship. The data obtained from 514 service employees were analysed by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) method found that there was a positive relationship between customer participation and the role ambiguity of service employees, and the role ambiguity experienced by the service employees influenced their service orientations negatively. Moreover, self-efficacy perceptions of service employees tended to have a moderating effect on their level of role ambiguity and service orientation. As the self-efficacy perceptions of service employees increased, the negative influence of customer participation on role ambiguity and service orientation tended to decrease. The study has significant theoretical and practical implications. © 2023 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.