Does empowerment translate into action? An examination of service recovery initiatives

This manuscript investigated the relationships between providers' authority and their willingness to engage in both psychological and tangible service recovery. Therefore, respondents of a professional association were surveyed to gauge their work-related attitudes as well as their propensity to respond to service breakdowns. It was found that: (a) providers empowered but reluctant to engage in recovery reported the highest levels of career commitment and career satisfaction, (b) positive job attitudes were related primarily to providers' perceptions of empowerment, and (c) effective tangible recoverers reported significantly longer organizational tenure than did providers empowered but reluctant to engage in recovery. Regression analysis, conducted to isolate the relative influence of factors that “cause” recovery, found that psychological and tangible actions were predicted by different antecedents. Practical and research implications are offered.