A meta-analytic review of service recovery: developing a comprehensive stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) model

Purpose This study aims to synthesize the extant service recovery literature using a meta-analytic approach and proposes a comprehensive stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) framework to examine the relationships among key service recovery constructs. In addition, this study conducts moderation analyses to explain inconsistencies in prior empirical findings. Design/methodology/approach A meta-analysis of 186 effect size observations from 161 service recovery studies was conducted using psychometric meta-analytic techniques, including bivariate, multivariate and moderation analyses. Findings The proposed S–O–R model demonstrates that both core and digital service recovery stimuli trigger customers’ affective and cognitive responses, which, in turn, enhance positive word of mouth and revisit intention, thereby reducing switching behavior. The results further indicate that contextual and methodological factors significantly moderate the relationships in the model. Research limitations/implications This meta-analysis was limited to quantitative studies published in English, which may have introduced potential language and publication bias. Practical implications The findings offer actionable insights for marketers and service managers by highlighting the importance of designing effective service recovery strategies that integrate core and digital recovery stimuli to shape favorable customer responses following service failures. Originality/value This study extends the S–O–R framework by developing a comprehensive, theory-driven service recovery model and systematically demonstrating how contextual and methodological moderators influence service recovery outcomes.