How do macro-environmental factors impact customer experience? A refined typology, integrative framework, and implications

ABSTRACT

In increasingly turbulent times shaped by macro-environmental shifts, the complexity of customer experience has radically intensified. Augmenting this complexity, myriad contingency factors are involved in customer experience delivery. Therefore, scholars have called for the development of a comprehensive view of the extent to which customer experience literature has viewed and studied the roles of macro-environmental factors, and an integrative understanding of how customer experience can be affected by different macro-environmental factors. To this end, this study (1) differentiates the concept of macro-environmental factors; (2) summarizes extant knowledge by conducting a systematic literature review via qualitative and quantitative analysis to identify relevant research gaps; and (3) grounded in the service-dominant logic service ecosystem perspective, develops an integrative framework that integrates a holistic, novel view and understanding of the dynamic relationship between customer experience and macro-environmental factors while accounting for different contingency factors of lower environmental factors (meso and micro). Using the COVID-19 crisis, we vividly illustrate the real-life applicability of the integrative framework we develop. The study broadens the scope of customer experience research, offers actionable ideas for business managers in a turbulent environment, and puts forth a research agenda identifying key research lines for advancing the customer experience research field.

摘要

面对宏观环境变化影响的动荡市场，客户体验的复杂性愈演愈烈。这意味着客户体验过程中可能涉及无数不可控因素。因此，学者们呼吁要全面了解，综合研究不同宏观环境因素对于客户体验的影响。为此，本研究（1）区分了宏观环境因素的概念； (2) 从定性和定量角度分析，系统地对文献进行了综述，总结现有的知识来确定相关的研究差距； (3) 从服务生态系统视角出发，同时考虑到较低环境因素的不同偶然因素（中观和微观），设计了综合框架。这三个步骤从新颖的观点和角度，赋予客户体验与宏观环境因素之间动态关系。 通过新冠危机，我们生动地展示了综合框架在现实生活中的适用性。更重要的是，该研究拓宽了客户体验研究的范围，为如何在全球震荡环境下实现企业生存与成长提供了一些可行的想法。 同时，为推进客户体验研究领域的发展，提出了一系列研究议程和方向。

KEYWORDS:

• Macro-environmental factors
• customer experience
• market turbulence
• disruption
• service management

关键词:

• 宏观环境因素
• 客户体验
• 市场动荡
• 中断
• 服务管理

Acknowledgements

The authors from the University of Zaragoza are members of the research group Generés (http://generes.unizar.es/en/), and they appreciate the financial support received from the projects PID2020-114874GB-I00 (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación), SS54_20R (Gobierno de Aragón and Fondo Social Europeo), Fundación Ibercaja (IUZ-2021-SOC-08), and Fundación Universitaria Antonio Gargallo.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Defining and categorizing macro-environmental factors did not constitute one of our key research objectives. However, it is an essential preparatory step to move the development of an SLR forward.

2 For more details about these studies, see Appendix A in the Supplementary Document.

3 The step of differentiation conducted in sub-section 2.1 does not per se constitute a theoretical implication. However, it was an essential means of enabling us to further advance the subsequent step of summarization.

4 Full definitions of social, market, customer, and firm spheres are provided in Appendix B.

5 Data collection via WOS was conducted on 8 November 2020. The keywords ‘environment*’ and ‘macro’ were added to the search string separately, rather than jointly. The number of articles identified remained the same.

6 As noted above, defining and categorizing macro-environmental factors per se was not considered as either a key research objective or a theoretical implication. It is simply an essential preparation step to move forward with the development of the SLR.

7 Positive dimensions, representing potential opportunities for the firm, are shaded in blue; negative dimensions, i.e., the emergency signals, are shaded in red. Growing intensity across time is indicated by deeper color shading.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Fundación Universitaria Antonio Gargallo; PID2020-114874GB-I00 (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación); SS54_20R (Gobierno de Aragón and Fondo Social Europeo).