Estructuras de Interactividad en las aulas 37

The antecedents of employee commitment to the customer can be divided into seven main variables (discussed below) from the study of job characteristics by Hackman and Oldman (1976), related to employee knowledge and competence, and empowerment

22 and resource availability, which are more likely to impact an individuals‘ capacity to engage continuous development, and effectively respond to customer expectation. The essential principle for the influence of job characteristics is presented as a motivational force that inspires employees to improve, and apply more effort in the performance of their tasks (Gardner & Cummings 1988; Singh 1998).

 Understanding of Customer Service

This variable refers to understanding what high quality of service entails, and how to provide the best service quality (Peccei & Rosenthal 1997).

Employees who have a strong understanding of customer service are expected to have stronger values related to providing high service quality to customers, and have a better understanding of the relationship requirements to customers (Peccei & Rosenthal 2001). Singh (1998) finds that a high level of understanding of customer service is positively correlated to high levels of job satisfaction and commitment.

 Job Competence

Under expectancy theory and the basic goal setting argument, job competence refers to ―the extent to which individuals perceive that they have the necessary training, skills and competence to do their job well and cope with any unexpected problems in their work‖ (Peccei & Rosenthal 1997 p.72). A strong sense of job competence can impact to increase individual confidence and the ability to provide a high quality of service to customers (Peccei & Rosenthal 1997), job satisfaction (Hackman & Oldman 1976; Singh 1998), and commitment (Singh 1998).

Therefore, a clear understanding of the customer service performance requirement and of job competence can improve individual performance, and increase the ability to provide a greater quality of service. Both variables are hypothesized to have a positive impact on commitment to the customer (Peccei & Rosenthal 1997; 2001).

 Supervisory Support

Employees receiving adequate support from their supervisor are viewed as receiving organisational support (Susskind et al. 2003). The relationship between employee and

23 employer appears to be a dynamic, with employees monitoring and responding to changes in the organisation‘s apparent commitment. Because employees personify the organisation; they consider unfavourable or favourable treatment from the organisation as indicative of the organisation‘s orientation toward them (Rhoades et al. 2001). Employees who receive favourable treatment will increase their level of commitment and performance (Rhoades et al. 2001). However, Susskind et al. (2003) points out that a high level of supervisor support results in an increasing level of customer orientation.

 Job Autonomy

In the job design paradigm, job autonomy refers to allowing employees to have the power to act directly in the environment. Job autonomy is defined as employees having the freedom to make decisions, and to be required to control their own work discretion (Swanepoel et al. 1998).

Hackman and Oldman (1980) identified that in the job characteristics model, autonomy is a significant measurement contributing to job satisfaction, which in turn increases the level of employee motivation and commitment. The relationship between autonomy, job satisfaction and commitment is supported by several scholars such as Fried and Ferris (1987), Singh (1989), and Brown and Peterson (1993).

Moreover, later studies have provided evidence that autonomy and empowerment result in the development of performance (Leach et al. 2003). Consequently, job autonomy is a significant dimension of empowerment (Peccei & Rosenthal 2001).

 Job Routinisation

Job routinisation refers to the degree to which the work task is perceived to be repetitive. To avoid monotonous jobs the employees‘ routine should be influenced by motivation to perform well, while a challenging job enhances motivation itself (Kreitner et al. 1999).

Repetitive jobs lead to the enhancement of job dissatisfaction, poor mental health and personal growth (Melamed et al. 1995). Moreover, it could lead to an increasing

24 number of employees who leave their jobs. Under the empowerment argument, supportive supervision and job autonomy are hypothesized to have a positive effect on commitment to customer service (Peccei & Rosenthal 1997; 2001).

 Resource Adequacy

Resource adequacy refers to the extent to which the individual employee feels that their department is sufficiently well staffed to enable them to do their job well (Peccei & Rosenthal 1997). Demerouti et al. (2001) also find that employees will experience disengagement when job resources are lacking.

Lower levels of staffing will lead to increasingly high workloads of individual employees. Moreover, it also follows that employees will be less able to reach their goals, and stress will be increased that is negatively relating to job satisfaction, organisational commitment and performance (Demerouti et al. 2001).

 Job Pressure

Job pressure refers to the degree employees perceive their job to be pressurized both in terms of workloads and the pace of work (Peccei & Rosenthal 1997). Additionally, job pressure also defines physical, organisational or social aspects of the job that require sustained physical or mental effort by employees (Demerouti et al. 2001). A high level of pressure can create a high level of stress including employee overload, and an overworked and uncertain feeling (Netemeyer et al. 1995). Stress can produce harmful physiological outcomes and negatively relates to job satisfaction, organisational commitment and performance (Demerouti et al. 2001).

Consequently, job pressure is expected to have a negative impact on commitment to customer service, whereas resource adequacy has a positive effect on commitment to customers (Peccei & Rosenthal 1997; 2001).

Therefore, employee knowledge and competence, empowerment and resource availability may be thought of as the employees‘ capacity and opportunity to engage in

25 employee commitment to customers of the organisation. These seven variables (above) can be a driver to force employee commitment to customers in the hospitality industry.