Rationality is service receiver’s trait

Abstract

Purpose: The article constitutes the expansion of authorial research on rationality from a service provider point of view. This time, it is from a service receiver's standpoint. The research's main goal is to identify factors that positively affect a rational choice of healthcare or transport services and allow a consumer to evince a trait of rationality. Design/Methodology/Approach: Chi-square tests and empirical significance level tests in statistics were performed. It was verified whether there is a correlation between a social group and the proportion of answers. A cross-functional analysis was done in different social groups. Findings: A statistically significant test result indicated that particular social groups differed in terms of the frequency of pointing out a given answer. The research results that are presented cover the situations in which a consumer evinces rational behavior. The findings also highlight factors that influence a consumer's decision while buying a service. They clearly show that, in both service categories, high quality and efficiency are the factors that decide while making a final decision. Moreover, employed people and students stress the importance of an office in healthcare or the appearance of a service provider in transportation. Retired people appreciate the convenient location of a service facility in both categories. Practical implications: the analysis of the variable distribution showed that it was possible to create a list of service providers' recommendations. Thanks to recognizing factors that determine the choices of service receivers, the providers will be able to arrange a service offer better – adequately to market needs. Originality/Value: Rationality, from a service perspective, is a scarce subject. Raising it is original and makes the research unique, attested by the opinion comparison between three social groups – students, employed people, and pensioners. The analysis processes enabled the creation of action strategies for service receivers with regard to the future of selected service categories.