Identifying Optimal Rapport-Building Behaviors In Inducing Patrons' Emotional Attachment In Luxury Restaurants

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to (a) identify optimal rapport-building behaviors for inducing patrons' emotional attachment to a service provider in the luxury restaurant context, (b) investigate the moderating role of patrons' motivational orientation in the emotional attachment formation process, and (c) examine the ways in which patrons' emotional attachment induces dedicational behaviors in the luxury restaurant industry. Based on the existing theoretical backgrounds, five rapport-building behaviors and three dedicational behaviors were derived. The theoretical relationships between the proposed concepts were also developed via literature review, which resulted in the development of a conceptual model. The proposed conceptual model was empirically tested via structural equation modeling analysis using data collected from 379 luxury restaurant patrons. Based on data analysis, it was found that five types of rapport development behaviors are crucial factors in the formation of patrons' emotional attachment. During the attachment development process, motivational orientation plays a moderating function. Furthermore, patrons' emotional attachment toward service employees induces patrons' dedicational behaviors. The critical theoretical/managerial implications of these findings are then discussed in the article.