Comparative cross-cultural service quality: an assessment of research methodology

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the methodological approaches adopted in cross-cultural service quality (CCSQ) research and the extent to which these approaches have adhered to the general principles of established cross-cultural research methodology. Design/methodology/approach - A search was conducted to identify CCSQ papers published between 1995 and 2009. The authors searched four well-known online databases: ABI Inform (Proquest Direct), Emerald Library, ScienceDirect, and EBSCOhost. This search identified 40 studies, which were examined according to three broad groups of methodological issues: research design, instrumentation and data collection, and data analysis and measurement. Findings - Despite the acknowledged contributions that these selected studies have made to the services-marketing field, it is evident from this review that researchers have frequently overlooked many important aspects of cross-cultural research methodology. These methodological deficiencies are discussed and various remedies are suggested. Originality/value - There has been a growing research interest in comparative cross-cultural service-quality in recent decades. As this relatively new branch of service-quality research becomes more prominent, it seems opportune to examine the methodological approaches adopted in these studies and the extent to which these approaches have adhered to the general principles of established cross-cultural research methodology. This is the first work to examine such a large number of CCSQ studies.