The Expectation–Performance Paradox in Indian Railway Catering: Predicting Service Failure Through Demographic and Service Gap Analysis
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Abstract
Purpose: This research investigates the "cost-performance paradox" within the Indian railway catering industry, where technological modernization is paradoxically synonymous with an increase in passenger dissatisfaction. By integrating the expectation-disconfirmation theory (EDT), the study identifies demographic risk factors and operational factors that predict total service failure.
Design/methodology/approach: Using cross-sectional responses of 350 passengers from the Western Indian Railways, a multi-stage analytical framework was used. Phase 1 used pairs-sample t tests to quantify service gaps in six quality dimensions. Phase 2 applied binary logistic regression to model the probability of failure based on demographic and quality drivers. Phase 3 uses the partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) with the reflection-reflective HOC model to assess the structural impact of gaps on behavioral outcomes.
Findings: The outcomes ratify significant negative disconfirmation across all dimensions (p < .001), with Sensory Quality and Information Transparency revealing the largest gaps. Logistic modeling reveals that travel class is the primary demographic antecedent of failure; premium-class passengers exhibit a failure risk factor 6.6 times higher than budget travelers (Exp(B) = 6.60). Furthermore, structural analysis validates a partial mediation framework, proving that service gaps exert both an indirect effect on loyalty through satisfaction and a significant direct "erosive" effect on loyalty.
Practical implications: The study recommends that railway administrators (IRCTCs) move from the universal service protocol to the Segmented Service Recovery (SSR). Since sensory and hygiene deficiencies are the primary predictors of failure, quality audits should be redistributed to “organoleptic sensory profile" to mitigate the immediate brand turbulence in premium segments.
Originality/value: This research contributes to service science by moving beyond descriptive satisfaction scores to predictive modelling of foodservice failures. The identification of a direct erosion path from the service gap to loyalty challenges the traditional models of complete mediation and highlights the "zero tolerance" nature of biological needs in prison transport environments.
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