Abstract
In the services management literature, marketers, operations management researchers and organisational behaviorists emphasise the importance of the internal dynamics of the organisation in terms of a network of customers and suppliers interacting together to satisfy customers. Although the relevance of the so-called “internal customers” within the context of the service delivery process is frequently referred to in that literature, there is in fact, a somewhat surprising paucity of published research on the topic. Why is it very difficult to find a publications providing scientific evidence on the operationalisation of the internal customer concept? Why it has not been researched enough? Which are the methodological implications involved in doing research on internal service dynamics inside organisations? This paper attempts to provide information aiming to understand and explain such questions.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Davis, T.R.V. (1991): Internal Service Operations. Strategies for Increasing Their Effectiveness and Controlling Their Cost, in: Organisational Dynamics, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 5–22.
Davis, T.R.V. (1992): Satisfying Intemal Customers. The Link to External Customer Satisfaction, in: Planning Review, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 34–37.
Davis, T.R.V. (1993): Managing Internal Service Delivery in Organizations, in: Advances in Services Marketing and Management, Vol. 2, Greenwich, London, pp. 301–321.
Gremler, D.D., Bitner, M.J., Evans, K.R. (1994): The Internal Service Encounter, in: International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 34–56.
Goodman, P.S., Ravlin, E., Schminke, M. (1987): Understanding Groups in Organisations, in: Cummings, L.L., Staw, B.M. (eds): Research in Organisational Behaviour, Vol. 9, Greenwich, pp. 121–173.
Mohr-Jackson, I. (1991): Broadening The Market Orientation: An Added Focus on Internal Customers, in: Human Resource Management, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 455–467.
Moores, B., Reynoso, J.F. (1993): Exploring Interdepartmental Relationships in the Service Delivery Process. A Case Study in the Hospitality Industry, in: Proceedings of the Workshop on Quality Management in Services III, Helsinki School of Economics, Helsinki, Vol. 3, pp. 375–395.
Pettersen, I.J. (1993): Hospitals as Service Producers: An Empirical study of Organisation and Performance in Norwegian Intensive Care Units, paper presented to The British Academy of Management Annual Conference, Milton Keynes.
Pfau, B., Detzel, D., Geller, A. (1991): Satisfy Your Internal Customers, in: Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 12, No. 6, pp. 9–13.
Reynoso, J.F. (1993): Internal Organisational Dynamics in the Service Delivery Process, in: Proceedings of the British Academy of Management Annual Conference, Milton Keynes, pp. 447–448.
Reynoso, J.F. (1994): Development of a Multiple-item scale for Measuring Internal Service Quality in Hospitals, in: Conference Proceedings of the 3rd International Research Seminar in Service Management, La Londe Les Maures, pp. 623–644.
Reynoso, J.F. (1996): Internal Service Operations: How Well Are They Serving Each Other?, in: Edvardsson, B., Brown, S., Johnston, R., Scheuing, E. (eds): Advancing Service Quality. A Global Perspective, New York, pp. 77–86.
Reynoso J.F., Moores, B. (1995): Towards the Measurement of Internal Service Quality, in: International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 6, No 3, pp. 64–83.
Reynoso J.F., Moores, B. (1996): Internal Relationships, in: Buttle, F. (ed.): Relationship Marketing. Principles and Practice, London, pp. 55–73.
Reynoso J.F., Moores, B. (1997): Operationalising The Quality of Internal Support Operations in Service Organisations, in: Advances in Services Marketing and Management, Vol. 6, pp. 147–170.
Shortell, S.M., Rousseau, D.M., Gillies, R.R., Devers, K.J., Simons, T.L. (1991): Organisational Assessment in Intensive Care Units (ICUs): Construct Development, Reliability and Validity of the ICU Nurse-Physician Questionnaire, Medical Care, Vol. 29, No. 8, pp. 709726.
Vandermerwe, S., Gilbert, D. (1989): Making Internal Services Market Driven, in: Business Horizons, Vol. 32, No. 6, pp. 83–89.
Vandermerwe, S., Gilbert, D. (1991): Internal Services. Gaps in Needs, Performance and Prescriptions for Effectiveness, in: International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 50–60.
Van de Ven, A.H., Walker, G., Liston J.S. (1979): Coordination Patterns Within and Inter-organisational Network, in: Human Relations, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 19–36.
Zeithaml, V., Parasuraman, A., Berry, L.L. (1990): Delivering Quality Service. Balancing Customer Perceptions and Expectations, New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1999 Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Reynoso, J. (1999). Methodological Implications in Measuring Internal Service Quality. In: Bruhn, M. (eds) Internes Marketing. Wissenschaft & Praxis. Gabler Verlag, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-663-05973-8_22
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-663-05973-8_22
Publisher Name: Gabler Verlag, Wiesbaden
Print ISBN: 978-3-663-05974-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-663-05973-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive