African Journal of
Business Management

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Bus. Manage.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1993-8233
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJBM
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 4194

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of physical attractiveness and customer perceived service quality in the cosmetology industry

Ching-Sung Lee1, Yen-Cheng Chen2,3*, Tung-Han Yu3 and Pei-Ling Tsui4,5    
1Department of Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management, Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taiwan. 2Department of Cosmetic Science and Management, Mackay Medicine Nursing and Management College, Taiwan. 3Graduate Institute of Business Administration, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan. 4Department of Hospitality Management, National Taitung College, Taiwan. 5Graduate Institute of Technological and Vocational Education, National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan.    
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 22 September 2011
  •  Published: 18 April 2012

Abstract

Many literatures studied the effects of attractiveness of advertising stars or models to consumers. However, few studied attractiveness of hair stylists. Attractiveness is common in marketing researches, along with genders and ages. Businesses can provide customized service to particular customers according to the information. This study aims to discover effects of stylist attractiveness to perceived service quality of customers with varying genders and ages under proper or improper service circumstances. This study uses questionnaires to test subjects with different demographic variables. Totally 470 effective samples are recovered. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to analyze the data. Results showed that attractive stylists lead to higher perceived service quality whether a proper or improper service was provided. Meanwhile, genders and ages of customers receive different impacts from stylist attractiveness to perceived service quality. The results have reference value to service industry, cosmetology industry or businesses with similar service circumstances.

 

Key words: Stylist, physical attractiveness, perceived service quality, cosmetology industry.