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Marketing-based tangibilisation for services

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  • David D. C. Tarn

Abstract

This study attempts to explore how to decrease the intangibility of services by marketing-based activities, rather than the conventional perspective based on operational activities. Based on the literature, this study builds a four-element model to circumscribe and define the managerial problems caused by the intangibility of services. Moreover, this study proposes four strategies to raise consumers' sense of tangibility toward services, namely Quantitation/Ranking, Factualisation/Substantialisation, Word-of-Mouth Effect, and Information Frequency . Following this, three services, i.e., cafeteria, extension education, and ophthalmology services, are selected as scenarios to conduct the experiments. The results indicate that the four strategies can improve the tangibility of services sufficiently, especially Quantitation/Ranking . This study also builds a three-construct, nine-item Services Tangibility Scale to measure consumers' perceptions of tangibility toward a particular service. Statistical evidence confirms the reliability, and discriminate and convergent validity of the scale.

Suggested Citation

  • David D. C. Tarn, 2005. "Marketing-based tangibilisation for services," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(6), pages 747-772, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:servic:v:25:y:2005:i:6:p:747-772
    DOI: 10.1080/02642060500103290
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. George, William R. & Berry, Leonard L., 1981. "Guidelines for the advertising of services," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 52-56.
    2. Onkvisit, Sak & Shaw, John J., 1989. "Service marketing: Image, branding, and competition," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 13-18.
    3. Keller, Kevin Lane & Staelin, Richard, 1987. "Effects of Quality and Quantity of Information on Decision Effectiveness," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 14(2), pages 200-213, September.
    4. Van Dierdonck, Roland, 1992. "Success strategies in a service economy," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 365-373, September.
    5. Jacoby, Jacob, 1984. "Perspectives on Information Overload," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 10(4), pages 432-435, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kuo-Kuang Chu & Chi-Hua Li, 2012. "The study of the effects of identity-related judgment, affective identification and continuance commitment on WOM behavior," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 221-236, January.
    2. Radojevic, Tijana & Stanisic, Nemanja & Stanic, Nenad, 2015. "Ensuring positive feedback: Factors that influence customer satisfaction in the contemporary hospitality industry," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 13-21.
    3. Soo-Hyun Jun, 2020. "The Effects of Perceived Risk, Brand Credibility and Past Experience on Purchase Intention in the Airbnb Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, June.

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