Service Locus of Control and Customer Coproduction

Abstract

Customer coproduction is highly relevant for service firms and has attracted significant academic attention. Whereas prior research has addressed several drivers of customer coproduction behavior, such as motivation, ability, or knowledge, it has hardly addressed the role of customer control beliefs or their drivers. This research proposes that specific beliefs about the service locus of control (SLOC) influence coproduction behaviors and that SLOC beliefs themselves depend on customers' prior comparable reinforcement experiences and the socialization activities of the service provider. The test of the proposed model includes 2,679 customers of a service firm that provides health-related strength training, a context that relies heavily on coproduction. The results show that SLOC beliefs, especially customers' internal SLOC, drive coproduction. Service providers can influence internal SLOC with organizational socialization activities, particularly when the customer possesses prior experience with the service provider. Prior comparable reinforcement experiences are less relevant drivers though, which emphasizes the importance of proactive, repeated socialization activities by service providers.