An empirical investigation of the effects of quality of work life (QWL) and organizational citizen behavior (OCB) on service quality (SERVQUAL)

This study proposed a model to investigate the relationship between employee perceptions of quality of work life and their organizational citizen behaviors and customer perceptions of organizational service quality. Service and relationship management, based on equity and social exchange theory, was used to demonstrate how organizations could influence long-term customer perception of service quality. Attribution theory was used to explain how employees, supervisors, and customers arrive at their respective perceptions.; Employees and their direct supervisors were surveyed using the Quality of Work Life (QWL) and Organizational Citizens Behavior (OCB) scales respectively. Customer-patients were surveyed using the SERVQUAL scale (Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry, 1994) to measure their perceptions of unit and hospital service quality. Linear Regression was used to test the model. Data was analyzed from five similar units in six different hospitals in the Kentucky-Indiana-Illinois Tri-State Region. Analysis was conducted on unit level, on management type, and bed-size to measure the effects of the independent variables, quality of work life and organizational citizen behavior, on the dependent variable, customer perception of service quality. The analysis also investigated the possible interrelationship between the QWL and OCB measures.; The study aimed at understanding whether relationships between a firm and their employees affect customer perceptions of organizational service quality.; The study explored the strategic challenges facing service organizations in a rapidly changing environment. The study found that employee perceptions of quality of work life are influenced by hospital size, unit and management type. Customer-patient perceptions of organizational service quality and employee extra-role behaviors are also affected by the same factors. Customers' perceptions of service quality were found to vary suggesting that customers were able to differentiate between certain units and also between different types of hospital management. Employee perceptions of quality of work life were found to vary significantly between different units. Further, the findings suggest that the linkage between an employee and his/her supervisor is crucial in understanding the development of trust and commitment and fulfilling personal needs within the organizational work setting. This finding suggests that trust and commitment may be related internally and the nature of the relationship may be based on the one-to-one relationship between employee and supervisor. The findings of this study offer a means by which firms can develop an alternative strategic response to the changing demands of internal and external service environments. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...