Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

 
DISCUSSION
This study attempted to investigate the relationships among OSQ, CS, and BI (RVI and WOMI) by 
considering the moderating role of personal characteristics (gender and age) in an upscale restaurant setting. The 
results showed that OSQ was a significant antecedent of CS, and CS was a predictor of RVI/WOMI. From the 
analysis of the competing models of the formation of BI, it was demonstrated that OSQ should be conceptualized as 
the antecedent to CS in the upscale restaurant industry. In addition, the Sobel test demonstrated that the indirect 
effect of OSQ on RVI and WOMI through CS was significant. This indicated that improving satisfaction level is 
essential in maximizing the impact of service quality on increasing BI. Accordingly, managers in the restaurant 
industry should try to find and effectively manage the factors (e.g., price, convenience, or availability) that may not 
be strongly related to service quality but strongly related to satisfaction (Cronin and Taylor, 1992), as well as 
enhance service quality to increase CS level and RVI/WOMI (Lee 
et al
., 2000).
This study also extends previous research on the OSQ-CS-BI link by including the moderating effect of 
personal characteristics. Previous research in marketing has largely neglected the issue of the moderating role of 
personal characteristics on this link. With the use of the test for metric invariances, a significant difference was 
found across genders concerning the CS-RVI link. As hypothesized, the link was stronger for women than for men.
Consistent with the social role theory which indicates that different socialization behavior across genders causes 
different behaviors in society (Saad and Gill, 2000; Sarbin and Allen, 1968), male and female customers showed 
dissimilar post-purchase behaviors. Specifically, female customers showed a stronger intention to revisit the 
restaurant when satisfied than did male customers. The results of the test for metric invariance also indicated that 
the OSQ-CS link was significantly different across age groups, which was consistent with Bryant and Cha’s (1996) 

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