Title: The effect of unethical marketing behaviour on customer punitive intentions in the context of services industry: the moderating role of switching intention

Authors: Kareem Ahmed Ragab; Ahmed Elsetouhi; Diaa Elhak Abdulraheem

Addresses: Faculty of Business Administration, Deraya University, New Minia City 61111, Egypt ' Business Administration Department, Jouf University, Saudi Arabia; Faculty of Commerce, Mansoura University, Egypt ' Faculty of Business Administration, Deraya University, New Minia City 61111, Egypt; Faculty of Commerce, Assiut University, Egypt

Abstract: In the mobile service market, which is characterised by intense competition and increasing alternatives availability, firms' unethical behaviours are becoming a decisive factor in formulating customers' reactions. This study aims to investigate the influence of unethical marketing behaviour of services providers on customer punitive intentions. It also endeavours to uncover the moderating role of switching intention in the research model. Data were collected from 453 customers of mobile service providers in Egypt. Path analysis is employed to test the research hypotheses using WarpPLS 7.0. The findings reveal that the perceived unethical marketing behaviours in 4Ps (i.e., product, price, place and promotion) positively influence customer punitive intentions. With respect to the moderating role of switching intention, it enhances the influence that unethical marketing behaviour has on customer punitive intentions. The paper provides managerial implications for services corporates and suggestions for future research.

Keywords: unethical marketing behaviour; customer punitive intentions; switching intention; mobile service providers; Egypt.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2024.141415

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2024 Vol.49 No.1, pp.111 - 136

Received: 13 Sep 2021
Accepted: 01 Jul 2022
Published online: 12 Sep 2024 *

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