Sample size practices and guidelines in services marketing survey research

Abstract

This study investigates how sample size is determined and justified in quantitative survey research published in six leading services marketing and management journals–Journal of Service Management, Journal of Services Marketing, Service Industries Journal, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Services Business, and Journal of Service Research–between 2020 and 2024. A total of 551 articles were systematically reviewed. Findings reveal that less than 15% of studies provided explicit or context-specific justifications for their sample sizes, exposing a significant gap in methodological rigor and transparency. This paper synthesizes existing rules, tables, and statistical guidelines to propose a consolidated framework for selecting and justifying sample sizes in services research. By addressing the widespread absence of reporting standards, this study contributes to improving theoretical rigor, replicability, and credibility in services scholarship and offers practical guidance for researchers, editors, and reviewers seeking to enhance methodological reporting across the field.