Service customer commitment and response

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the role of three forms of customer commitment (normative, affective, and continuance) on a variety of loyalty-related customer responses. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from two distinct sampling frames, which yielded a combined metrically invariant sample of 348 consumers. A three-dimensional conceptualization of commitment is used to analyze impacts on one focal (i.e. repurchase intentions) and two discretionary customer responses. Findings - Results of structural equation modeling analyses indicate that affective commitment is the primary driver of the customer responses and mediates the effects of normative and continuance commitments. These effects are contingent upon the type of service. Research limitation/implications - This research emphasizes the primacy of affective commitment in predicting loyalty-like customer responses. Practical implications - Managers need to focus primarily on generating affective commitment, but be mindful that normative and continuance commitment also play a role in generating desirable consumer responses. Originality/value - The paper builds on and overcomes several deficiencies in prior commitment research. A more accurate and useful representation of affective, normative, and continuance commitment roles in generating focal and discretionary behaviors is provided.