When do you trust your doctor more?

Abstract

This research studies the role of demographic homophily in the medical service context. It suggests that demographic homophily between the customer and the service provider has a positive effect on trust, which then leads to customer loyalty. Meanwhile, there is a mediating effect of clarity of communication and moderating effect of cultural background on the relationship between demographic homophily and trust. For a cross-cultural study, this research compares Korean and German consumers who are clearly distinguished in the aspect of collectivism-individualism and femininity-masculinity of the society. By investigating the significance of demographic homophily and the impact of cultural background, this research contributes to service marketing field both academically and practically.