Service orientation in transitional economies : analysis of critical service factors in two Slowenian banks compared to the USA

Service quality, and the service-oriented practices that create that quality, have been shown to yield competitive advantage to firms in developed and mature markets. The role that service-driven practices play in transitional economies, however, has not been tested. In this study, the SERVOR scale, a measure of organizational service-orientation, was analyzed from 105 employees in two Slovenian banks-one which is a newly established private bank and the other which is a large, older previous state-supported bank. Results indicate that the private bank is more service-oriented in its approach to the marketplace.