On the Front Lines: Stress, Conflict, and the Customer Service Provider

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
James S. Boles, Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: Previous marketing research examines role stress (role conflict and role ambiguity) as an antecedent of job satisfaction across a range of professional marketing contexts. Recently, research has begun to address the impact of nonwork factors on employee job satisfaction. For the most part, however, this research ignores the front line service providers who, given their key role in building customer satisfaction and relationships, are immensely important in many business settings. In this study, a model is developed and tested that posits work-family conflict as a partial mediator of the role stress-job satisfaction relationship. Empirical results suggest that increased role conflict and role ambiguity diminish job satisfaction both directly and indirectly, such that the true effect of these important role constructs may not be understood without a consideration of work/family conflict. Results are contrasted with those from other work domains, and implications for marketing managers are discussed.

Additional Information

Publication
Journal of Business Research 37 (September, 1996), 41-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(96)00025-2
Language: English
Date: 1996
Keywords
role stress, marketing, job satisfaction, work-family conflict

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