The Servicescape Model: Hypotheses?

2.3 The servicescape model: hypotheses In this section, the proposed eight servicescape factors will be discussed explicating the conceptual rational of each component. Moreover, the research hypotheses will be presented.

2.3.1 Music Studies on the element of music suggest that “music has become a major component of consumer marketing, both at the point of purchase and in advertising” (Brunner, 1990, p. 94). Retailing and foodservice literature reveals that the music played in a servicescape is capable of stimulating consumers emotions, mood states and also impacting on their purchasing behaviour (see Yalch and Spangenberg, 1990; Chebat et al., 1993; Areni and Kim, 1993; Dube et al., 1995; Harris and Ezeh, 2008). For instance,
The importance of cleanliness within the service environment has been highlighted extensively in the literature (e.g. Fitzsimmons, 2003; Berta, 2005). For instance, Wakefield and Blodgett (1996) explain that many consumers completely correlate cleanliness with the quality of the servicescape and the perceived quality of the service facility. In fact, cleanliness has been found to exert a strong influence on consumers’ perceptions of retail stores and service environments (Garry and Sansolo, 1993; Miller, 1993). Additionally, Stern and Stern (2000) highlight the importance of cleanliness as they directly link cleanliness to customers’ evaluation of the servicescape, and hence their future behaviour. Therefore, it is hypothesized
Kurtich and Eakin, 1993). Likewise, environmental psychology reveals that people’s perceptions of light influence their perceptions of the environment (Stone and Irvine, 1994; Kim, 1998). For instance, Kurtich and Eakin (1993) argue that the type of lighting in a servicescape directly influences an individual’s perception of the definition and quality of the space, and thus influencing his or her awareness of physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the space. Environments in which lighting is designed to harmonize with furniture and accessories are perceived as more pleasant than environments in which lighting does not harmonize with other elements of the place (Steffy, 1990). Additionally, light influences the perceptions of form, colour, texture, and enclosure (Ching, 1996). Light may also indicate the level of service expected, for instance, in restaurants subdued, warm, and comfortable lighting symbolically conveys full service and relatively high prices, whereas bright lighting may symbolise quick service and lower prices (Ryu and Jang, 2007). Thus, it is proposed