Purpose Various models and scales exist in the literature to measure retail bank service quality without any attempt at integrating them and the moderators have often been under explored. The purpose of this paper is to integrate the SERVQUAL and BSQ models and moderated the resulting scale with price in order to examine service quality and customer satisfaction with retail bank services in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach The study is quantitative and the survey methodology was used to collect data from 560 retail bank customers. The result was analyzed through structural equation modeling. Findings The study provides an expanded model for measuring retail bank service quality as seven of the eight latent constructs emerged as service quality dimensions when moderated with price. It is significant to also note that five of the constructs – tangibles, reliability, assurance, empathy and price – from the direct relationship emerged as the dimensions of retail bank service quality that positively and significantly predicted customer satisfaction. Practical implications The study provides insight into customer behavior with the quality of retail bank services in Ghana. The resulting broader dimensions provide an integrated and expanded model as well as pointers to bank managers on service quality and customer satisfaction cues to enable them attract, serve and retain customers. Originality/value The study is the first of its kind to integrate two of the popular models to measure retail bank service quality and to use price as a moderator of this relationship. The resulting scale, which comprised of variables from the two models, provides support for the approach used in the current study.

Purpose -The aim of the paper is to explore the theoretical underpinnings of knowledge transfer within developed-developing country based interfirm collaborations and to develop a theoretical model on knowledge transfer in interfirm collaborations.Design/ methodology/approach -The vast literature on knowledge transfer in interfirm collaborations has been reviewed. A synthesis of this prior research has resulted in a theoretical model on knowledge transfer, especially between developed-developing country based firms.Findings -The reviews have resulted in the conceptual framework proposed here. The model distinguishes the sources of knowledge to be transferred and the antecedents to the knowledge transfer from the transfer process. Tentative propositions are also developed that could be explored during empirical investigations.Originality/value -The framework presented provides a deeper understanding of the characteristics of transferors and transferees as well as their interaction and how these influence knowledge transfer across firm borders. Previous papers have failed to clarify this distinction between unique and relationship factors. The model thus advances theory on knowledge transfer between strategic alliances partners and provides practical insights into the management of knowledge within alliances.

The study reports the impact of relationship marketing on customer loyalty in the luxury and first-class hotel industry. A questionnaire derived from the literature review was completed by 300 customers of luxury and first-class hotels in Ghana. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple regression were used to test the impact of six key relationship marketing practices, namely competence, commitment, conflict handling, trust, communication, and relational bonds on customer loyalty. The findings suggest that all six relationship-marketing practices have a significant and positive effect on customer loyalty in the hotel industry in Ghana. Apart from extending knowledge on relationship marketing practices into a domain without much empirical work, the study also provides hotel managers with practical ways of implementing relationship-marketing strategies for achieving customer loyalty in Ghana.

An ability to act upon an entrepreneurial opportunity has been noted to be a major driver of new venture success. However, scholarly knowledge is limited on how and when entrepreneurs' alertness to entrepreneurial opportunities drives new venture success. The current study addresses this gap in the entrepreneurship literature by arguing that variations in new venture performance are a function of levels of entrepreneurial alertness and networking capabilities. Using primary data gathered from 203 new ventures operating in a sub-Saharan African economy, Ghana, the study finds that increases in the levels of entrepreneurial alertness are related to increases in new venture performance. Additionally, the study finds that, under conditions of increased use of social and business networking capabilities, the potency of entrepreneurial alertness as a driver of new venture success is amplified. Theoretical, managerial and policy implications of these findings are discussed.

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