Role of moderators in the relationship of gratitude and customer satisfaction

Abstract

The present research is aimed to investigate the role of moderators (personality, consumption emotions, and subjective well-being) in the relationship of gratitude and customer satisfaction. The sample for the study comprised of restaurant customers in the age ranging from 30-45 years. Married (30-45 years of age), working in the private sector of middle and upper-middle socioeconomic strata who periodically visit quick service or casual dining restaurants were included in the research. A sample of 300 was taken for the current study which is derived through cluster sampling technique from which it was randomly selected. The sample was further divided into three groups namely a sample of Chandigarh, a sample of Jammu, and a sample of Pathankot (100 customers in each group i.e., 50 males and 50 females). The sample was administered the Satisfaction with life scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin, 1985), The Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) (Watson, Clark, and Tellegen, 1988), NEO Five-Factor Inventory (Costa and McCrae, 1992), Gratitude Resentment Appreciation test (Watkins, Woodword, Stone, and Kolts, 2003), Emotional Experiences Scale (Han and Jeong, 2013) and Overall Satisfaction Scale (Fazal-e-Hasan, 2013). Correlation analysis, hierarchical moderated regression analysis, 2×3 ANOVA, and Tukey s HSD test were used for and#61692; statistical analysis. Personality, consumption emotions, and subjective well-being emerged as moderators in the relationship between gratitude and customer satisfaction in different groups. The findings of the present research hold important implications for the restaurant industry and marketers as these moderators influence the relationship between gratitude and customer satisfaction. newline