CAJ | 학술논문

基于社会化理论，本研究探讨了服务人员一顾客之间关系形成的社会化过程。具体而言，提出了服务人员的关系专用性投资这一社会化策略通过影响顾客关系身份合理性，进而影响关系绩效的关系社会化过程。采用来自保险服务业的配对样本问卷调查研究，研究发现，服务人员的关系专用知识积累和关系专用适应对顾客关系承诺的正面影响，是通过顾客感知的角色身份合理性和个人身份合理性两种中间机制而实现的。本研究为保险服务业以及其他高人际接触服务行业提供了重要的管理建议。
기우사회화이론，본연구탐토료복무인원일고객지간관계형성적사회화과정。구체이언，제출료복무인원적관계전용성투자저일사회화책략통과영향고객관계신빈합이성，진이영향관계적효적관계사회화과정。채용래자보험복무업적배대양본문권조사연구，연구발현，복무인원적관계전용지식적루화관계전용괄응대고객관계승낙적정면영향，시통과고객감지적각색신빈합이성화개인신빈합이성량충중간궤제이실현적。본연구위보험복무업이급기타고인제접촉복무행업제공료중요적관리건의。
In many high-contact service industries such as insurance industry and financial service industry, the relationship between the front-line service employees and customers has a significant impact on the service perform-ance. However,little research has examined how a customer＇ s commitment to the relationship with a service em-ployee is built during the social interaction between the service employee and the customer. Based on socialization theory ,the paper investigates the socialization processes in which the service employee-customer relationship has been established. Specifically ,we propose the relationship socialization processes that service employees＇ relation- ship-specific investments affect their customers＇ relationship commitment through the customers＇ perceived legiti- macy of relationship identity. Acting as an agent of socialization, the service employee exerts social influence on his/her customer. By intro- ducing the concept of relationship-specific investments, the study specifies the forms of relationship-specific invest- ments which are used as the socialization strategies leading the socialized customer to better identify and understand the relationship. To be specific, the effects of two forms of relationship specific-investments, i. e. , relationship-specif-ic knowledge accumulation and relationship-specific adaptation, on the formation of the relationship are exam-ined. Accumulation of relationship-specific knowledge reflects how the service employee has an understanding of the customer＇ s needs, while relationship-specific adaptation illustrates the service employee＇ s intention and ability to a-dapt to the changing needs of the customer. Both relationship-specific knowledge accumulation and relationship-spe-cific adaptation are idiosyncratic and irreversible investments which not just illustrate the employee＇ s genuine desire to build the relationship, but also enhance the customer＇ s understanding of the relationship through their substantial ability to keep harmonious relationship. The study also aims to examine the mediating effect of customers＇ perception of relational identity legitimacy through which relationship-specific investments influence the level of customer relationship commitment. Relational identity not only relates to the objective role expectation,i, e. , role identity, but also involves the perception of rela-tional self associated with the enactment of the role,i, e. , personal identity. Using match-sample questionnaire investigation from insurance industry, the study finds that service employ-ees＇ relationship-specific knowledge accumulation and relationship specific adaptation positively affect customers＇ relationship commitment,and these effects occur through two mechanisms i. e. , customers＇ perceived legitimacy f role identity and personal identity. On the one hand ,the relationship-specific makes improve the customer＇ s understanding of the task and responsibility in investments that the service employee a given role-relationship. On the other hand, the relationship-specific investments also help customers realize that their personal qualities are fit for the re- lationship and thus provide the confirmation of relational identity. Next, the perception of proper relational identities enhances the relational commitment because it helps customers form the stable expectation on the interactive prac-tice in the relationship and maintain positive and favorable relational self concept. The study significantly contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it extends the literature on socialization by identifying and investigating the association among the core concepts such as relationship-specific investments, relational identity and relational commitment which capture the characteristics of the socialization process building a personal relationship. Second, it enhances the literature on relational identity by measuring the perceived legitimacy of role identity and personal identity and empirically demonstrating the mediating mechanism of relational identity. The finding provides vital managerial implications for high-contact service industries. Service organizations should train the service employees to assume their responsibility as the socialization agents and stimulate them to in-teract with customers for building and maintaining the relational identities of customers.