Reflective practice as a determinant of performance outcomes in services

Investigating patient loyalty

Purpose

This research aims to investigate the simultaneous effect of trust, subjective norm, image and perceived risk on patient loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

This research used quantitative research methodology. The authors surveyed the patient of a healthcare service institution in Depok, Indonesia, and 163 of the institution patients participated in the survey. Multiple regressions analysis was performed to analyze the empirical data.

Findings

The findings showed that subjective norm and image have positive influence on patient loyalty. However, this research also found that trust and perceived risk do not have significant impact on patient loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

The author(s) used convenience sampling method, and the sample only involved respondents from a healthcare service institution in Depok, Indonesia. Hence, the findings of this research may not be generalized to the other contexts. Therefore, we recommend further research to replicate this research to examine the stability of this research’s findings.

Practical implications

The research results show that subjective norm and image affect the patient loyalty. Thus, the management of healthcare service institution should consider and manage all of these factors proactively.

Originality/value

This study is believed to be the first to develop and test patient loyalty model that includes trust, subjective norm, image, perceived risk and trust.

Managing performance and learning through reflective practices

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the role of performance management (PM) in the use of reflective work practices.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical evidence was collected during a one-year, action-oriented research project.

Findings

– According to the results, PM can support the use of reflective work practices by affecting and guiding the human behavior in an organization. In this study, five roles of PM are emphasized in order to support reflective practices at work: making reflective work practices visible, supporting reflective dialogue, creating a favorable measurement culture, clarifying the goals at all organizational levels and motivating employees to use reflective work practices by means of compensation and rewards.

Practical implications

– The results of the study can help professionals realize that reflective work practices may benefit organizational performance.

Originality/value

– There is limited research and discussion on how a PM process through the use of reflective practices contributes to human resource management (HRM) and organizational effectiveness. In addition, PM literature has neglected the potential of reflective work practices in achieving performance at different levels (individual, group and organization). Reflective work practices, where individuals learn from their own and from each other’s professional experiences, may be the most important source of professional development and improvement. This paper argues that PM can also support this type of learning, and thus guide and motivate people in attaining business goals.