Title: Antecedents and consequences of customer loyalty in Qatar

Authors: Shahid N. Bhuian; Maha Al Balushi; Irfan Butt

Addresses: Aborton Limited, Dental & Medical Instruments Trading, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh ' College of Economics & Political Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Musca, 123, Oman ' Faculty of Business Administration, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, P7B 5E1, Canada

Abstract: Drawing insights from the customer value-based theory, the study hypothesises and examines the relationships in the antecedents-customer loyalty-consequences process in a unique context, Qatar. Five divergent and salient antecedents and two important outcomes are incorporated in a single comprehensive study. The antecedents are innovation (a novel one), service quality, trust, satisfaction and switching cost, while the consequences are word-of-mouth communication and repeat purchase. An analysis of a sample of mobile internet subscribers reveals that the five antecedents impact customer loyalty, which, in turn, influences the two outcomes. The study extends customer loyalty theory to a region marked by unique Islamic values and beliefs. Also, the study suggests that in addition to paying attention to a number of traditional drivers of customer loyalty simultaneously, marketers seeking to build and sustain customer loyalty in the Gulf region should also focus on innovation. Implications are discussed.

Keywords: customer loyalty; innovation; service quality; trust; word-of-mouth communication; Qatar; Gulf Cooperation Council region.

DOI: 10.1504/JGBA.2018.093167

Journal for Global Business Advancement, 2018 Vol.11 No.1, pp.41 - 63

Received: 23 Apr 2016
Accepted: 24 Apr 2016
Published online: 13 Jul 2018 *

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