A Systematic Underpinning and Framing of the Servicescape: Reflections on Future Challenges in Healthcare Services

Jieun Han, Hyo-Jin Kang and Gyu Hyun Kwon
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Jieun Han: Graduate School of Technology and Innovation Management, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
Hyo-Jin Kang: Graduate School of Technology and Innovation Management, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
Gyu Hyun Kwon: Graduate School of Technology and Innovation Management, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-24

Abstract: Ever since Bitner defined the term “servicescape” as the physical environment in which the service is assembled, several scholars have attempted to better understand the impact of the built environment in the context of different service settings. While servicescape is a topic of increasing academic interest among scholars and practitioners, most studies in the area are dedicated to understanding the built environment of hedonic service. More studies are needed to examine utilitarian servicescape and in this paper, we have focused on the healthcare environment. This study aims to identify the gap in servicescape and healthscape studies by providing a theoretical structure of the current servicescape literature and comprehend the academic differences between hedonic servicescape and utilitarian healthscape studies. After reviewing 44 selected papers based on rigorous criteria, we: (1) framed the servicescape factors; (2) analyzed the servicescape literature from the perspectives of terminologies, research fields, methodologies, and frameworks; and (3) identified the current paths of healthscape research. Through this work, we highlight the significance of adopting different dimensions and factors to evaluate the distinguished service environment by the servicescape type and propose several research agendas for future studies on healthscapes. The research findings can contribute to a deep understanding of healthscapes and can introduce a new viewpoint for interpreting the servicescape in diversified service settings.

Keywords: servicescape; healthscape; physical environment; built environment; healthcare service; service evaluation; systematic literature review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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