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Consumer satisfaction is a central topic in marketing. In the literature, a variety of conceptual models have been developed to capture the satisfaction formation process, with the dominant framework being the disconfirmation paradigm. However, despite its widespread acceptance and support, there is still a lack of clarity, especially regarding the role and relative importance of perceived performance in determining satisfaction. It has been suggested that satisfaction research has advanced into a stage where potential moderator variables need to be examined in order to explain previous mixed findings. The current research proposes a contingency model of the satisfaction formation process, which posits that the nature of the relationships between satisfaction and its two key antecedents (i.e., perceived performance and disconfirmation) is contingent on one situational moderator (ambiguity) and two individual moderators (experience and involvement). Empirical testing of the model is in the form of a cross-sectional survey in China's mobile phone services industry using a convenience student sample obtained from one Chinese university. The results show that both disconfirmation and perceived performance have a direct impact on satisfaction under conditions of low experience or high involvement, whereas satisfaction is solely determined by perceived performance in situations of high experience or low involvement. In addition, the results also support a joint moderator influence of ambiguity and experience on the relationships between satisfaction and its antecedents, which is especially true in the case of high ambiguity and low experience.

In today???s highly competitive business environment, client perceived value has become increasingly important to practitioners and business researchers as it is believed to be central to client decision-making, satisfaction and client retention. However, there are few insights as to what constitutes client perceived value and what are its antecedents, especially in the context of international, professional business-to-business (B2B) services. This study thus addressed two key questions: (i) what are the antecedents of client perceived value in an international, professional B2B service setting?; and (ii) how do these determinants influence client perceived performance and value under different contingency conditions (e.g., perceptions of country-oforigin (COO) and client experience)? The research was undertaken in two phases: Phase 1 included a literature review covering services marketing, international marketing, resource-based theory, contingency theory as well as an exploratory research amongst eight dyadic case studies. The objectives were to identify the key variables that contribute to client perceived performance and value; to fine tune the key constructs adopted from the literature; and to verify the linkage between the resource-based view (RBV) of a firm and client perceived value. By drawing on the theories mentioned above, and the results from the exploratory research, a conceptual model and a series of hypotheses were developed. The data used to test the model in Phase 2 was collected from 218 client firms in both Malaysia and Thailand. The data was collected through a mail survey with a net response rate of 32.9%, and was analysed via structural equation modelling, regression analysis and subgroup analysis. The results show that the key antecedents of perceived performance which in turn drives client value, included technical skills, customer orientation, innovation and firm reputation. The findings also suggest that COO moderates the relationships between these antecedents and perceived performance, while client experience moderates the association between perceived performance and value. The results provide a better understanding of value perceived by the B2B clients in an international setting. The academic contributions of this thesis are: the linkage of RBV and the services paradigm in an international context; the understanding of client perceived value and its antecedents; and the establishment of metric equivalence of measures employed across two countries (Malaysia and Thailand). Finally, the managerial contributions include guidance for exporting firms in terms of resource allocation to achieve competitive advantage; utilising the COO effect in promotion; and managing client value perceptions in international markets.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Arizona State University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [99]-109).

Thesis (M. Hous. M.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Dissertation, Technishce Universitat München, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Carleton University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 60-63). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.Com.(Tourism Management)) -- University of Pretoria, 2007. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2003. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-147).