Title:	INSTITUTIONAL PRESSURES IN AUSTRALIAN INTERNET INDUSTRY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON FUNCTIONAL SERVICE QUALITY PRACTICES OF VERY LARGE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
Author(s):	Karthik Vilapakkam Nagarajan
ISBN:	978-972-8939-77-9
Editors:	Piet Kommers, Tomayess Issa and Pedro Isaías
Year:	2012
Edition:	Single
Keywords:	Institutional pressures, Functional service quality, Internet service provider, Regulatory pressures, TCP code.
Type:	Full Paper
First Page:	43
Last Page:	52
Language:	English
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Full Contents:	click to dowload
Paper Abstract:	Functional service quality (FSQ) characteristics such as customer service (CS), complaints handling (CH) are increasingly becoming important for Australian very large Internet service providers (vLISPs) to retain existing customers and attract new customers in a highly competitive and demanding ISP market. The purpose of this study is to understand the role of institutional pressures (regulatory, mimetic and normative) in influencing FSQ practices of vLISPs. The research adopted a qualitative research methodology using semi-structured interviews for data collection and captured ISP industry stakeholders’ perspective on the role of institutional pressures in influencing the FSQ practices of the industry. Senior executives from the relevant stakeholder organizations were interviewed. The study findings along with the literature review found that the poor FSQ performance of the vLISPs particularly over the last three years (2009-2011) ignited heated debate among various stakeholders on the effectiveness of the existing co-regulatory arrangements to deal with systemic issues involving CS and CH. This led to ministerial intervention, ombudsman campaigns, regulatory inquiry on FSQ practices and a real threat of tighter regulation by the regulator eventuated. The regulatory pressures combined with customer and competitive pressures played a pivotal role in bringing various stakeholders together during the TCP (Telecommunications Consumer Protection) code review in 2010-2011 to address FSQ concerns and revise FSQ practices. Increased collaboration, interaction between very vLISPs and other industry stakeholders occurred to modify FSQ practices in the TCP code with a view to improve FSQ performance of the industry and achieve better FSQ outcomes for ISP customers. The main contribution of this study is that it links and integrates the FSQ literature, institutional pressures and ISP industry by examining multi-stakeholder perspective on the role of institutional pressures in influencing FSQ practices of vLISPs.
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