The relationship between customer participation level and satisfaction degree thein product innovation based on high-complexity products

Abstract

Abstract: More and more enterprises invite customers to participate in their product innovation in order to improve customer satisfaction degree. Past research has proved that customer involvement is positively related to satisfaction degree in low-complexity product innovation. However, in high-complexity product innovation, it is found that the relationship between customer participation level and satisfaction degree is not simple linear, and is moderated by some factors. The concept of customer knowledge in high-complexity product innovation is proposed, the research differentiates two dimensions of customer participation level, that is, as an information resource or as a co-developer and two dimensions of customer satisfaction degree, that is, during product innovation or after product innovation, and explores the moderating effects of customer knowledge in the relationship between customer participation level and satisfaction degree. Empirical results show that in the high-complexity product innovation, no matter customer participation as an information resource or as a co-developer, customers with high knowledge levels get more satisfaction than that with low knowledge levels at the same participation level. What is more, due to the moderative effects of customer knowledge, the customer involvement is not always positively related to satisfaction. When the customer with low knowledge levels acts as a co-developer, the deeper customer participation level is, the less satisfaction degree is. The results provide specific guidelines as to how to attract customer participation in order to improve customer satisfaction.

Key words: high-complexity product innovation, customer participation level, customer satisfaction degree, customer knowledge

CLC Number:

F713.5

Wang Li, Luo Jinlian. The relationship between customer participation level and satisfaction degree thein product innovation based on high-complexity products[J]. Science Research Management, 2012, 33(12): 1-9.

References

[1] Ives, B., Olson, M.H. User involvement and MIS success: a review of research [J] Management Sciences, 1984, 30: 586-603.
[2] Chang, C-C., Chen, H-Y., Huang, I-C. The interplay between customer participation and difficulty of design examples in the online designing process and its effect on customer satisfaction: mediational analyses [J]. Cybersychology & Behavior, 2009, 12(2): 147-154.
[3] 王晶, 程丽娟, 宋庆美. 基于顾客参与的定制满意度研究 [J]. 管理学报, 2008, 5(3): 391-395.
[4] Dong, B., Evans, K. R., Zou, S. The effects of customer participation in co-created service recovery [J]. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 2008, 36(1): 123-137.
[5] 汪涛, 望海军. 顾客参与一定会导致顾客满意吗——顾客自律倾向及参与方式的一致性对满意度的影响 [J]. 南开管理评论, 2008, 11(3): 4-11.
[6] Hill, R W. The nature of industrial buying decisions [J]. Industrial Marketing Management, 1972,2: 45-55.
[7] Novak, S., Eppinger, S.D. Sourcing by design: product complexity and the supply chain [J]. Management Science, 2001, 47: 189 204.
[8] Andaleeb, S. S., Basu, A. K. Technical complexity and consumer knowledge as moderators of service quality evaluation in the automobile service industry [J]. Journal of Retailing, 1994, 74(4): 367-381.
[9] Fang, E. Customer participation and the trade-off between new product innovativeness and speed to market [J]. Journal of Marketing, 2008, 72: 90 104.
[10] Nambisan, S. Designing virtual customer environments for new product development: toward a theory [J]. Academy of Management Review, 2002, 27 (3): 392-413.
[11] 徐伟青. 顾客资产的最新研究进展和未来研究展望 [J]. 科研管理, 2008, 29 (2): 172-178.
[12] 王莉, 王方华, 张朋柱. 基于TAM-VCE模型的客户网上参与产品开发意愿 [J]. 管理科学学报, 2008(1): 49-58.
[13] Oliver, R. L. Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective on the Consumer [M]. New York: Irwin, 1997.
[14] Mills, P. K. Managing Service Industries. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger, 1986.
[15] Burroughs, J. E., Mick, D. G. Exploring antecedents and consequences of consumer creativity in a problem-solving context [J]. Journal of Consumer Research, 2004, 31: 402-411.
[16] Tait, P., Vessey, I. The effect of user involvement on system success: a contingency approach [J]. MIS Quarterly, 1988, 12: 91-108.
[17] Chiou, J. S., Droge, C., Hanvanich S. Does customer knowledge affect how loyalty is formed [J]. Journal of Service Research, 2002, 5 (2): 113-124.
[18] Klemperer, P. Markets with consumer switching costs [J]. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 1987, 102: 375 394.
[19] Keller, K. L., Staelin, R. Effects of quality and quantity of information on decision effectiveness [J]. Journal of Consumer Research, 1987, 14: 200-213.
[20] Fiske, S. T., Taylor, S. E. Social Cognition [M]. New York: Addison Wesley, 1984.
[21] Hofstede, G. Asian management in the 21st century [J]. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 2007, 24 (4): 411-420.
[22] Reimann, M., L nemann, U. F., Chase, R. B. Uncertainty avoidance as a moderator of the relationship between perceived service quality and customer satisfaction [J]. Journal of Service Research, 2008, 11: 63-73.
[23] Bitner, B. J. , Faranda, W. T., Hubbert, A. R., Zeithaml, V. A. Customer contributions and roles in service delivery [J]. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 1997, 8(3): 193-205.
[24] 黄璘. 新房入住第一步--入住准备 [J]. 江苏楼市, 2005(7): 48-51.
[25] 张新安, 何惠, 顾锋. 家长式领导行为对团队绩效的影响: 团队冲突管理方式的中介作用 [J]. 管理世界, 2009(3): 121-133.
[26] Gruner, K. E., Homburg, C. Does customer interaction enhance new product success [J]. Journal of Business Research, 2000, 49(1): 1-14.
[27] Suh, J. C., Yi, Y. When brand attitudes affect the customer satisfaction-loyalty relation the moderating role of product involvement [J]. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2006, 16(2): 145 155.
[28] Alba, J. W., Hutchinson, J. W. Dimensions of consumer expertise [J]. Journal of Consumer Research, 1987, 13: 411-454.
[29] Farh, J-L., Earle, C., Lin, S.C. Impetus for action: a cultural analysis justice and organizational in citizenship behavior Chinese society [J]. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1997, 42: 421-444.
[30] Sirgy, M. J. Using self-congruity and ideal congruity to predict purchase motivation [J]. Journal of Business Research, 1985, 13: 195 206.
[31] Sirgy, M. J., Grewal, D., Manglegurg, T. F., Park, J-O, Chon, K-S., Claiborne, C.B., Johar, J.S., Berkman, H. Assessing the predictive validity of two methods of measuring self-image congruence [J]. Academy of Marketing Science Journal, 1997, 25: 229-241.
[32] Baron, R. M., Kenny, D. A. The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations [J]. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1986, 51(6): 1173-1182.
[33] Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S. G., Aiken, L. S. Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003.
[34] 赵小惠, 孙林岩. 支持产品创新的供应商管理[M]. 北京: 清华大学出版社, 2005.