In services in general, customers play critical roles in determining the success of service delivery. Some services (such as education) require an active participation of customers for the successful accomplishment of purchase objectives. Yet, there are few systematic and integrated researches in defining the dimensions of customer’s active participation and in empirically testing the effect of customer’s active participation on customer’s perceived performance (as opposed to the firm’ performance and customer satisfaction). Existing studies have focused mainly on the general concept of customer participation during a service encounter, leaving the specific concept of customer’s active participation in various situations still under-researched. Through this study, we intended to fill this gap in research. Specifically, using college business education as our study context, we first propose the concept of “customer’s active participation (CAP)” as the reflection of customer engagement concept and identify the dimensions of CAP. We then empirically examine the effect of CAP on customer perceptions of performance of their own (CPP). Through the review of literature on the topics of customer participation, customer engagement, employee engagement and focus group interviews, we defined customer’s active participation and identified its dimension as follows. We defined customer’s active participation as “customers' making not only their individual efforts to ensure the successful outcome of the service delivery but also active interacting with service providers, other customers, and others in and outside of the service delivery context to achieve their consumption goal”. We then identified five dimensions of customer’s active participation; in-service-space interaction, 3 kinds of outside-service-space interactions (customer-to-service provider, customer-to-customer, customer-to-others), and individual level participation both in and outside the service space. In order to collect necessary data, we administered a self-administered survey using a questionnaire among undergraduate-level business major students at Yonsei School of Business. As a result of an EFA, we confirmed the uni-dimensionality of each of five determinants and the reliability of the measurement items for each dimension. The CFA result of a different set of data collected from another set of respondents among undergraduate business major students at Yonsei School of Business, we confirmed that the five dimensions well explain the customer’s active participation (CAP). Results also supported that customer’s active participation (CAP) positively influences customer’s perceptions of performance (CPP). This study contributes academically and practically in several ways. First, this study is the first attempt to propose the concept of “customer’s active participation (CAP)”. Second, this study identified the major determinants of CAP and developed a scale in the business education context. Third, this study empirically verified and the importance of the effect of CAP on their perception of own performance. Practically, this study contributes by showing the importance of managing CAP and by proposing the specific dimensions of CAP that should be managed.

• Sooyun Kim(Yonsei University)
• Geebum Park(Yonsei University)
• Sunmee Choi(Yonsei University)