The professionalism effects of uniform

• Main Authors: Shu-Hui Hsieh, 謝淑惠
• Other Authors: An-Tien Hsieh, Ph. D
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/88540610109544700888

博士 === 中國文化大學 === 國際企業管理研究所 === 98 === In recent times, employee uniforms have become prevalent in medium and large corpo-rations. Many corporations devoted considerable capital to producing the uniforms, and many uniform manufacturers assert that uniforms can make clients feel that employees are professional, which is then beneficial to sales. Some studies shows that uniforms can make others feel that one is capable, trustworthy, and safe. Other studies shows that uniforms can make one deduce the wearer’s abilities. From these studies about uniforms, it is reasonable to suspect that uniforms seem to have the effect of elevating the percep-tion of other people about the wearer’s professional ability. Thus, the first objective of this study is to explore the correlation between uniforms and the perception of service provider’s professionalism by consumers. Since there may be significant effects caused by service provider’s abilities on expected service quality, level of perceived risk, and the subordination relationships (power and dependence), the second objective of this study is to explore the mediating effect of the subordinate relationships, expected ser-vice quality, and level of perceived risk between perceptions of professionalism and purchase intentions. Additionally, since consumers show significant differences in con-sumption behavior depending on high and low levels of service professionalism, the third objective of this study is to explore the moderating effect of services with different levels of professionalism on the professionalizing effect of uniforms. This study uses convenience sampling with a quasi-experimental method to engage in empirical study. 615 questionnaires were distributed, 579 were valid, 36 were invalid. Of which, 240 questionnaires involved uniforms, and 339 did not. Results of this study show: First. Service provider who wear uniforms can significantly elevate the perception of profes-sionalism by consumers than service provider who do not wear uniforms. Second. Per-ception of service provider’s professionalism, elevated by uniforms, can be used to in-crease consumer’s purchase intention through expected service quality and dependence. Third. The level of service professionalism moderate the relationship between “percep-tion of service provider’s professionalism and dependence” and “perception of service provider’s professionalism and level of perceived risk.”