The antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction for firms

Anderson, Eugene W.; Sullivan, Mary W.

doi:10.1287/mksc.12.2.125

Cited by 4,610Customer Service Quality and LoyaltyConsumer Behavior and Marketing InfluenceConsumer Market Behavior and Pricing

The antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction for firms

Anderson, Eugene W., Sullivan, Mary W.·1993·Marketing Science

DOI 10.1287/mksc.12.2.125

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Abstract

This research investigates the antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction. We develop a model to link explicitly the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction in a utility-oriented framework. We estimate and test the model against alternative hypotheses from the satisfaction literature. In the process, a unique database is analyzed: a nationally representative survey of 22,300 customers of a variety of major products and services in Sweden in 1989–1990. Several well-known experimental findings of satisfaction research are tested in a field setting of national scope. For example, we find that satisfaction is best specified as a function of perceived quality and “disconfirmation”—the extent to which perceived quality fails to match prepurchase expectations. Surprisingly, expectations do not directly affect satisfaction, as is often suggested in the satisfaction literature. In addition, we find quality which falls short of expectations has a greater impact on satisfaction and repurchase intentions than quality which exceeds expectations. Moreover, we find that disconfirmation is more likely to occur when quality is easy to evaluate. Finally, in terms of systematic variation across firms, we find the elasticity of repurchase intentions with respect to satisfaction to be lower for firms that provide high satisfaction. This implies a long-run reputation effect insulating firms which consistently provide high satisfaction.

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Previous studies have mostly drawn on the customer satisfaction model to explore online learning satisfaction.
“While previous studies have mostly drawn on the customer satisfaction model to explore online learning satisfaction (Anderson and Sullivan, 1993)”
From Exploring the factors influencing college students’ learning satisfaction in generative AI-supported MOOCs learning environment: a learning experience framework perspective (2025) · cites this paper as Anderson and Sullivan, 1993

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Authors: Anderson, E. W., & Sullivan, M. W.
Affiliations: University of Michigan (US)
University of Chicago (US)
Venue: Marketing Science
Publisher: Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)
Published: 1993-05
Volume: 12
Issue: 2
Pages: 125-143
ISSN: 0732-2399 (ISSN-L)
1526-548X
DOI: 10.1287/mksc.12.2.125
OpenAlex: W1983364918
Cited by: 4,610
References: 3
Citations by year: 2026: 88 · 2025: 108 · 2024: 115 · 2023: 158 · 2022: 165 · 2021: 186 · 2020: 212 · 2019: 199 · 2018: 176 · 2017: 202 · 2016: 180 · 2015: 252 · 2014: 288 · 2013: 249 · 2012: 269
FWCI: 24.41
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Marketing Science (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Customer Service Quality and Loyalty
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Consumer Behavior and Marketing Influence
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Consumer Market Behavior and Pricing
Keywords: customer satisfaction, antecedents of satisfaction, perceived quality, disconfirmation, repurchase intention, quality assessment, corporate reputation

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The antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction for firms

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