Consumer action in response to ethical violations by service operations firms

Purpose: The objective of this study is to examine whether individual demographic and socio-cultural factors impact upon actions taken by consumers in relation to ethical violations and failure (or perceived ethical violations and failure) by service operations firms. Design/methodology/approach: Data are obtained from a survey of 3155 respondents from 19 countries. Data analysis is undertaken using hierarchical multilevel linear (HLM) modelling and post-hoc log-linear modelling. Findings: The findings suggest that although both individual demographic factors (age and gender) and societal differences do impact upon ethical actions taken by service consumers, inter-societal cluster variations have a more significant impact upon ethical action than individual demographic differences do. Originality/value: For service operations firms, the study findings offer evidence on the need for constant readjustment of service attributes in line with the ethical dispositions of the different demographic and socio-cultural clusters within the consumer base.