Determinants of Customer-Focused Voice and Related Performance Outcomes–Model Inventory

Abstract

The Determinants of Customer-Focused Voice and Related Performance Outcomes—Model (Gazzoli et al., 2023) is a proprietary inventory and questionnaire designed to comprehensively assess the organizational and intrapersonal determinants influencing proactive advocacy behavior among Frontline Employees. This model was developed as part of a detailed study exploring the relative impact of social support structures (supervisors vs. coworkers) and the role of intrinsic factors, such as Perspective Taking Self-Efficacy, on an employee’s willingness to speak up on behalf of customers. The instrument integrates newly developed items with established measures adapted from prior research (e.g., Vinokur et al., 1987; Morrison et al., 2011; Grant & Berry, 2011).

The scale underwent rigorous validation procedures using two independent samples of frontline workers collected in Brazil. The survey was administered in Portuguese, necessitating a stringent English-Portuguese back-translation process (Brislin, 1986) to ensure linguistic and semantic equivalence. The measurement model’s factor structure, reliability, and validity were confirmed through psychometric analyses across both samples.

Keywords

Coworker Relationship Quality, Customer Orientation, Customer-Focused Voice, Employee Performance, Patient Compliments, Perspective Taking Self-Efficacy, Psychological Safety, Supervisor Support.

Authors

Gazzoli, Gabriel, Shabazz, Siddeeq M., Arnold, Todd J., Kim, Peter B.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of this measurement model is to provide researchers and practitioners with a validated tool to assess the key antecedents of Customer-Focused Voice and evaluate its subsequent impact on relevant organizational outcomes, specifically Employee Performance, among individuals working in frontline service roles.

The inventory aims to distinguish between the motivational power derived from organizational support (supervisor support) and peer support (coworker relationship quality) and to understand how these external factors interact with internal psychological states, such as Psychological Safety, to predict advocacy behavior.

Construct

The inventory measures a comprehensive nomological network centered on factors influencing proactive employee behavior. The core psychological construct is Customer-Focused Voice—the voluntary communication of suggestions or concerns intended to improve customer experiences.

The scale encompasses several key determinants and outcomes:

• Organizational Determinants: Measures of **Supervisor Support** and **Coworker Relationship Quality** assess the perceived safety and encouragement derived from organizational relationships.

• Intrapersonal Determinants: Measures of **Perspective Taking Self-Efficacy** (an employee’s belief in their ability to understand and advocate for customers) and **Psychological Safety** (the belief that one will not be punished for speaking up).

• Performance Outcomes: Measures of **Employee Performance**, including specific metrics like **Patient Compliments** and overall **Customer Orientation**.

Validity

The validity of the model was rigorously tested using standard psychometric methods, focusing primarily on convergent validity to establish that items measuring the same construct are highly related.

Convergent Validity: Convergent Validity was established successfully, with the Average Variances Extracted (**AVE**) for all latent constructs consistently exceeding the recommended threshold of 0.50. This finding is consistent with established guidelines for structural equation modeling provided by Fornell & Larcker (1981) and Gerbing & Anderson (1988), confirming that the items adequately capture the underlying constructs.

Reliability

The scale exhibits strong internal consistency, confirming the stability and coherence of the measured constructs across the samples.

Internal Consistency: The internal consistency of all constructs was assessed and found to be high. Both **Cronbach’s alpha** coefficients and **Composite Reliabilities** (CR) were reported above the generally accepted psychometric standard of 0.80. These high values suggest that the items within each subscale reliably measure the intended underlying dimension.

Factor Analysis

Factor analysis confirmed the hypothesized structure of the measurement model and addressed potential methodological concerns related to self-report data.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (**CFA**) was employed to test the fit of the specified measurement model to the empirical data. Results across two separate samples indicated a good model fit, adhering to the strict criteria set by Hu & Bentler (1999).

• Sample 1 Fit Indices: The results were χ² = 241 (142 d.f., p < .01); Comparative Fit Index (**CFI**) = 0.93; Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (**SRMR**) = 0.07; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (**RMSEA**) = 0.07.

• Sample 2 Fit Indices (Replication): The structure was successfully replicated, yielding favorable results: χ² = 471 (df = 349, p < .01); **CFI** = 0.95; **SRMR** = 0.05; **RMSEA** = 0.05.

Common Method Bias: The possibility of common method bias, often a concern in self-report surveys, was assessed by integrating “hope” as a method factor into the CFA. The inclusion of this factor did not produce a meaningful change in the overall measurement model, thus effectively mitigating concerns regarding significant common method effects.

Instrument

Test Type: Original Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: Items are rated using 5-point scales.

Language Available: English, Portuguese

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older)

Population Details:

• Location: Brazil

• Respondents: Frontline Employees

Test Methodology: Test Validity, Convergent Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Measurement Model.

Keywords

Coworker Relationship Quality, Customer Orientation, Customer-Focused Voice, Employee Performance, Patient Compliments, Perspective Taking Self-Efficacy, Psychological Safety, Supervisor Support.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier:

• Kim, Peter B.: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1063-5264

Affiliation:

• Gazzoli, Gabriel: Georgia Southern University Parker College of Business

• Shabazz, Siddeeq M.: New Mexico State University College of Business, Department of Marketing

• Arnold, Todd J.: Oklahoma State University School of Marketing & International Business

• Kim, Peter B.: Auckland University of Technology School of Hospitality & Tourism

Affiliation Email addresses:

• Gazzoli, Gabriel: [email protected]

Correspondence Address:

• Gazzoli, Gabriel: Georgia Southern University, Parker College of Business, Statesboro, Georgia, United States, 30460, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author

Commercial: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

References

Gazzoli, G., Shabazz, S. M., Arnold, T. J., & Kim, P. B. (2023). Why do frontline employees speak up on behalf of customers? The influence of supervisors versus coworkers and the role of intrapersonal factors. Journal of Business Research, 156, Article 113514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113514

Brislin, R. W. (1986). The wording and translation of research instruments. In W. J. Lonner & J. W. Berry (Eds.), Field methods in cross-cultural research (pp. 137–164). Sage Publications.

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50.

Gerbing, D. W., & Anderson, J. C. (1988). An updated paradigm for scale development incorporating unidimensionality and its assessment. Journal of Marketing Research, 25(2), 186–192.

Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(1), 1–55.

Schaffer, B. S., & Riordan, C. M. (2003). A review of cross-cultural methodologies in organizational research: A guide to best practices. Organizational Research Methods, 6(2), 169–215.

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Items of the Determinants of Customer-Focused Voice and Related Performance Outcomes–Model Inventory

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

No data is Available