PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) (i.e. human capital, structural capital, relational capital) and service quality (SQ) within the Egyptian mobile telecommunications setting.Design/methodology/approachA valid research instrument was utilized to conduct a survey of 384 top- middle- and supervisory level managers from three Egyptian mobile telecommunications companies.FindingsHypotheses related to the relationship of human, structural and relational capital and their influence on SQ were tested. Results show that Egyptian mobile telecommunications companies have mostly emphasized the use of structural capital to boost their SQ.Research limitations/implicationsThis is an empirical research applied in the Egyptian telecommunications setting. Its relationships need further investigation in other settings and countries. Also, the traditional limitations of a cross-sectional study apply with respect to the attribution of causality and the time lag effects.Practical implicationsThe optimal procedure for the Egyptian mobile telecommunications companies is to focus their efforts on managing all three components of IC in order to improve their SQ and performance.Originality/valueThis is one of the very few researches to study the relationship between intellectual capital and service quality and the first to investigate these relationships in the Arab Region within the mobile telecommunications setting.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the mediating effect of service quality (SQ) in the relationship between relational capital (RC) and organizational performance (OP) within the Egyptian mobile telecommunication setting.Design/methodology/approachA valid research instrument was utilized to conduct a survey of 384 top- middle- and supervisory- level managers from three Egyptian mobile telecommunications companies. The hypothesized direct relationships were tested through multiple linear regression, and the mediating effect was tested using a structural equation modeling technique.FindingsThe results revealed that the firm's “customer and supplier relations” and “marketing capability” positively affect both OP and SQ, “customer knowledge” positively affects SQ only, while “strategic alliances, licensing and agreements” do not have an association with SQ or OP. Moreover, SQ was found fully mediating the effect of RC on OP.Research limitations/implicationsThis is an empirical research applied in the Egyptian telecommunication setting. Its results need further investigation in other settings and countries. Also, traditional limitations of a cross-sectional study apply with respect to the attribution of causality and the time lag effects.Practical implicationsThe optimal procedure for the Egyptian telecommunications companies is to focus their efforts on leveraging all four components of RC in order to improve SQ and consequently enhance their OP. The telecommunications companies must do all they can to connect the unconnected. As the current COVID-19 pandemic crisis has shown, connectivity is a public good.Originality/valueThis is the first research that merges the concepts of RC, SQ and OP in an integrated model, and tests this model empirically in the Egyptian mobile telecommunications setting.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the service quality (SQ) models established in various empirical studies conducted across the world specifically applied to telecommunications services. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines different SQ models reported in the literature applicable to the telecommunications sector. The selected 29 studies were limited to empirical English studies based on survey data and statistical methods of analysis and having the SQ construct defined from the customers’ perspective. Findings The review of various SQ models in telecommunications revealed that the meaning of SQ may have some universal aspects, as demonstrated by the similarities in the underlying dimensions as proposed in different studies. This paper lends support to the contention that the dimensions of the telecommunications SQ construct and their importance vary with the cultural and country context. A proposed model for measuring telecommunications SQ was presented as a trial to extract the best of previous models. Research limitations/implications This paper reviews only empirical studies based on survey data and statistical methods of analysis from 2001 to 2019. Practical implications The paper indicates that a generic instrument for measurement of SQ or even one specifically developed for telecommunications may not be applicable in its original form for all cultural contexts. The development of a customized scale, such as a modified SERVQUAL for measuring the SQ for a particular cultural or country context at that particular time, is warranted. Originality/value The reported study describes and contrasts a large number of SQ measurement constructs and highlights the usage of dimensions.

Purpose This study aims to empirically explore telecommunications service quality (SQ) and its impact on the customer loyalty (CL) through a mediating impact of customer satisfaction (CS) during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted involving 384 customers of telecommunications service providers in Egypt. The hypothesized direct relationships were tested through regression analysis, and the mediating effect was tested using structural equation modeling technique. Findings The results reveal a strong positive relationship of SQ dimensions, CS and CL. Reliability, privacy and security and convenience, respectively, proved to increase CS and CL more than the other SQ dimensions, particularly during COVID-19. Moreover, CS was found to significantly and fully mediate the effect of SQ on CL. Research limitations/implications This is an empirical research applied in the Egyptian telecommunications setting. Its relationships need further investigation in other settings and countries. Also, traditional limitations of a cross-sectional study apply with respect to the attribution of causality and the time lag effects. Practical implications In strategic planning of telecommunications services and the associated consumer behavior, the results of this study can be helpful for policymakers. In case of similar epidemics and natural calamities, consumers may depict similar behavior as shown during the lockdown and social distancing during COVID-19; hence, this study can help regulatory bodies in preparing their safety roadmap. Originality/value This study contributes to the body of knowledge in enhancing the understanding on the impact of telecommunications SQ on CS and loyalty, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.