PurposeThis study examines service “complainers” and “non‐complainers” on the basis of four personality characteristics (perceived control, Machiavellianism, self‐efficacy, self‐monitoring) and attitude toward complaining.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a quantitative methodology. Data were gathered via self‐report survey to a sample of 200 university students.FindingsThe results indicate that attitude toward complaining, perceived control and self‐monitoring were significant discriminating variables between “complainers” and “non‐complainers”. Other variables tested such as self‐efficacy and Machiavellianism were not significant.Research limitations/implicationsThe use of a student sample limits the findings beyond this group, however, student samples do tend to be representative of the general buying public. Therefore, it is suggested that the variables studied here should be further examined using a more diverse consumer sample. In addition, the relationship between attitude toward complaining and complaint behavior warrants further investigation, as it appears that this relationship may deviate from the expected attitude‐behavior relationship, particularly where “non‐complainers” are concerned.Practical implicationsWhile the importance of encouraging customer complaints cannot be overstated, it appears, from the findings of this study, that personality traits and attitudes may, in some cases, prohibit customers from engaging in complaint behavior. Therefore, it is imperative that service firms analyse their service provision and complaint processes so that the likelihood of customers complaining in the event of service failure is maximized. Such strategies may well include feedback surveys or service provider/employee evaluation forms, toll free numbers and customer service calls.Originality/valueThis paper makes a significant contribution to our understanding of complaint behavior through the exploration of consumer characteristics that have not before been examined within this realm.

Although not specifically designed for this purpose, the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) continues to be used as a proxy for student satisfaction. This may be due to a lack of appropriate alternative measures, or a clear understanding of the relationship between quality and satisfaction. This study, therefore, examines the CEQ dimensions (good teaching, clear goal setting, appropriate workload, appropriate assessment and generic skills development) in conjunction with a global student satisfaction measure (developed for this study). In addition, the constructs of interest are conceptualised into a pattern of relationships that delineates antecedent and outcome variables in order to examine relationships. Data were collected via survey instrument from a sample of 164 Australian students attending one thirdyear capstone course of a Bachelor degree in business. The results indicate that good teaching and clear goal setting have a direct influence on outcome variables (i.e. generic skills efficacy and overall satisfaction), whereas appropriate assessment and appropriate workload do not have a direct effect on the either of the outcome variables. However, the strongest influence in the hypothesised model was that exerted by generic skills efficacy on overall satisfaction. The structural model was further examined across male and female responses. While the male model replicated the findings of the overall model, the female model was quite different i.e. the antecedent variables directly influenced generic skills development but there was no direct influence on overall satisfaction.

No abstract

This study examines the influence of four personality characteristics (self‐efficacy, Machiavellianism, perceived control, and risk‐taking) on consumer attitude toward complaining and propensity to complain. The proposed model is tested on two groups of consumers classified as “complainers” and “non‐complainers.” The findings reveal that the two groups differ distinctly on the pattern of relationships among the variables. The implications of these differences are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to explore the role knowledge sharing plays in both firm-sponsored (FS) and user-generated (UG) Online Brand Communities (OBCs) on Facebook. Branding through online mediums is an under-researched area that is slowly gaining attention in the literature. In some ways, action has come first as theory struggles to catch up with technological advances. Given that social sharing behaviours (i.e. online social networking) are arguably driving the strategic direction of marketers, it is important to understand the discourse that is being communicated. One such avenue is through participation in an OBC. While it is apparent that research is growing in the OBC area, there are still areas of interest that have gained little attention. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using netnography, an appropriate yet under-applied methodological technique used to investigate the consumer behaviour of cultures and communities present on the Internet. Specifically, Facebook Pages relating to five OBCs based on the cruise-liner P & O Australia have been chosen for this case study. Findings – Results indicate that in both the FS and UG OBCs, knowledge-sharing was seen to have an important influence on pre-purchase decision-making. It also acted as a mechanism for trust building and sharing brand experiences and as an important encouragement to developing a sense of community among community members. A particularly interesting outcome of this research was the way in which consumers have taken on an active role in co-creating brand identity, which seemingly illuminates the role of brand management in social media. Practical implications – Given that this research was conducted with a real brand, with real customers, in a real OBC, the findings also point to some important practical applications. This study has found that the role of brands in their online forums is paramount, and as such, highlights the importance of effective brand governance. The rise of technology brings increased opportunities for a brand to reach out to their consumers. This study makes a further contribution by providing insights into how the consumer–brand relationship is shaped by the communication that occurs between consumers. To this end, consumers see it as the brand’s responsibility to monitor such online platforms, thus indicating the management of OBCs needs to be at the forefront of brand management practices. Originality/value – This study represents one of the earliest investigations of brand communities facilitated by social media, specifically focusing on Facebook as the communication platform. Importantly, this study increases our knowledge of consumer interaction in social media, with an emphasis towards the role that knowledge sharing contributes to OBCs and the differences prevalent between FS and UG online communities.