Exploring the drivers of service quality perceptions in the tertiary education sector

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meena Chavan ◽  
Jana Bowden-Everson ◽  
Erik Lundmark ◽  
Jan Zwar
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Social Benefits ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
Quality Perceptions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to identify similarities and differences between domestic and international student’s expectations of their tertiary experience, as well as the way in which they evaluate the quality of the service that they receive from their tertiary provider. The paper develops an augmented model of service quality which is adapted to suit the tertiary education context. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted a qualitative research approach. A total of six focus groups were conducted with a total of 36 International students and domestic students. All students were enrolled in the third year of an undergraduate degree at one large metropolitan university in Australia. The data were analyzed using qualitative analytic techniques and coded using NVIVO. Findings – First, the study found that there are significant challenges with regard to the use of student expectations as the foundation for assessing students’ service quality evaluations. This is because students were found to have vague expectations, and limited prior experience of the service from which to shape their expectations. In addition students were found to form their expectations as they consumed the service, throughout their degree program which often spanned three to four years. Second, the study found that traditional dimensions of service quality were not sufficient to capture the depth of international and domestic students’ service evaluations. The study proposed the inclusion of an additional two service quality constructs, namely, social benefits and co-creation/participation. Originality/value – Two new dimensions of service quality emerged from this study, “Social benefits” and “Co-creation/Participation”. The study therefore suggests that the tertiary experience should be enhanced through the provision of additional opportunities for student to staff and student to student interactions. In addition, tertiary institutions should also enhance opportunities for engagement within both the academic and industry environment.

Service journey quality: conceptualization, measurement and customer outcomes

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Elina Jaakkola ◽  
Harri Terho
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Critical Determinant ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe quality of the customer journey has become a critical determinant of successful service delivery in contemporary business. Extant journey research focuses on the customer path to purchase, but pays less attention to the touchpoints related to service delivery and consumption that are key for understanding customer experiences in service-intensive contexts. The purpose of this study is to conceptualize service journey quality (SJQ), develop measures for the construct and study its key outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a discovery-oriented research approach to conceptualize SJQ by synthesizing theory and field-based insights from customer focus group discussions. Next, using consumer survey data (N = 278) from the financial services context, the authors develop measures for the SJQ. Finally, based on an additional survey dataset (N = 239), the authors test the nomological validity and predictive relevance of the SJQ.FindingsSJQ comprises of three dimensions: (1) journey seamlessness, (2) journey personalization and (3) journey coherence. This study demonstrates that SJQ is a critical driver of service quality and customer loyalty in contemporary business. This study finds that the loyalty link is partially mediated through service quality, indicating that SJQ explains loyalty above and beyond service quality.Research limitations/implicationsSince service quality only partially mediates the link between service journey quality and customer loyalty, future studies should examine alternative mediators, such as customer experience, for a more comprehensive understanding of the performance effects.Practical implicationsThe study offers concrete tools for service managers who wish to understand and develop the quality of service journeys.Originality/valueThis study advances the service journey concept, demonstrates that the quality of the service journey is a critical driver of customer performance and provides rigorous journey constructs for future service research.

Evaluating the total quality and its role in measuring consumer satisfaction with e-healthcare services using the 5Qs model: a structure equation modeling approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Prachi Verma ◽  
Satinder Kumar ◽  
Sanjeev K. Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Consumer Satisfaction ◽  
Healthcare Service ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Perceptions

PurposeThis article initially aims to explore the factors of every quality construct of the 5Qs model of service quality and, second, identify the significant factors affecting the total quality of e-healthcare services and its association with consumer satisfaction using a multidimensional hierarchical 5Qs model of e-healthcare service quality.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaire-oriented research was performed at three public hospitals of Punjab and Chandigarh. In total, 53 variables were covered in all quality constructs for data collection from the designated public hospitals. The respondents who agreed to have knowledge regarding e-Healthcare services and were availing these services were included in the study. The analysis comprised structural equation modeling technique using AMOS 21.FindingsThe outcomes suggest that the 5Qs model is more comprehensive and can be used to evaluate service quality perceptions using e-Healthcare services. The research identified 11 sub-dimensions for the five quality constructs of the 5Qs model, representing total quality, which is primary to consumer satisfaction. “Overall objectivity” and “technical objectivity” defined the quality of object. The quality of process of e-Healthcare services was characterized by “functionality,” “timeliness” and “responsiveness.” Quality of infrastructure was defined by “technical infrastructure,” “physical infrastructure,” “manpower skills” and “organizational infrastructure.” “Manner of interaction” and “timely interaction” defined the quality of interaction. The atmosphere was represented by only one factor. The results also suggest that quality of infrastructure, quality of interaction and quality of atmosphere play the most significant role in total quality leading to consumer satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsTheoretical implications: The multidimensional hierarchical model will help the researchers study the e-Healthcare service quality in a more organized manner, and the outcomes of this study can be linked with that of future studies for more generalized application in other public hospitals. The sub-dimensions of each quality construct of the 5Qs model can be applied in private hospitals, and the hierarchical model can be tested in different industries to measure service quality perceptions of the consumerPractical implicationsThe outcomes of the study can be applied in various public sector hospitals to redesign the e-Healthcare services based on consumers' perception for better consumer satisfaction and quality services. This paper identifies the role of each quality construct in e-Healthcare services for improvement in the total quality, which in turn will lead to higher satisfaction for the consumers.Originality/valueIn this study, the original 5Qs model has been used for the first time in a new instrument to understand better and design quality e-Healthcare services. The paper explores the sub-factors of each quality construct and its significance in measuring the total quality.

scholarly journals Student's expectations of service quality in tertiary education: A comparison between prospective and current students

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. De Jager ◽  
A. T. Du Plooy
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Dropout Rates ◽  
Competitive Environment ◽  
Prospective Students ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
Academic Reputation ◽  
Buying Decisions

The competition for quality students in a highly competitive environment between newly formed tertiary institutions necessitates the employment of managerial techniques to improve the efficiency and quality of their provisions. By examining the factors that influence the buying decisions of prospective and existing students, the most important service quality variables are determined to enable an institution to attract quality prospective students and reduce dropout rates. The overall objective of the article is to determine the most important service quality variables for predegree and degree students when deciding on an educational institution. The most important identified factors that influenced buying decisions among prospective and existing students, in order of importance, were security on campus, computer and library facilities, academic reputation of the institution and reasonable class fees

ISO 9001 and the public service: an investigation of the effect of the QMS on the quality of public service organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Armando López-Lemus
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Public Services ◽  
The State ◽  
Iso 9001 ◽  
Knowledge Generation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the influence exerted by a quality management system (QMS) under ISO 9001: 2015 on the quality of public services organizations in Mexico. Design/methodology/approach The methodological design was quantitative, explanatory, observational and transversal, for which a sample of 461 public servants from the state of Guanajuato, Mexico was obtained. To test the hypotheses, a structural equation model (SEM) was developed through the statistical software Amos v.21. For the analysis of the data, software SPSS v.21 was used. Regarding the goodness and adjustment indices of the SEM (χ2 = 720.09, df = 320, CFI = 0.933, TLI = 0.926 and RMSEA = 0.05) which, therefore, proved to be acceptable. Findings According to the results obtained through the SEM model, the QMS under ISO 9001: 2015 is positively and significantly influenced tangible aspects (β1 = 0.79, p < 0.01), reliability (β2 = 0.90, p < 0.01), related to response quality (β3 = 0.93, p < 0.01), guarantees (β4 = 0.91, p < 0.01) and empathy (β5 = 0.88, p < 0.01) of the quality related to public services in Mexico. The study’s key contribution is that it discovered that implementing a QMS in accordance with the ISO 9001: 2015 standard has an impact on the quality of public services, with the most influential quality of response. Similarly, the assurance and dependability of service quality turned out to be important in providing public service quality. Research limitations/implications In this paper, the QMS was only evaluated as a variable that intervenes in the process of obtaining quality in public service under the ISO 9001 standard in its 2015 version. In this regard, the results’ trustworthiness is limited to the extent that the findings may be generalized in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico’s public service. As a result, the scientific community is left primarily focused on service quality to promote new future research. Practical implications The ISO 9001: 2015 standard’s QMS is one of the tools for success in both the commercial and government sectors. However, there are practical limitations, which focus on the time during which managers exercise their vision in the public sector: first, the dynamics that managers play in public policy; second, the length of time they have served in public office; and third, the interest of directors of public institutions to improve the quality of service provided by the government. Other practical consequences concern organizational culture and identity, public servant commitment, senior management or secretaries of government, as well as work and training. Originality/value The findings of this paper are important and valuable because they foster knowledge generation in the public sector through the ISO 9000 quality area. A model that permits the adoption and implementation of a QMS based on the ISO 9001: 2015 standard in public organizations that seek to provide quality in their services offered to the user is also presented to the literature. Similarly, the paper is important because there is currently insufficient research focusing on the variables examined in the context of public service in Mexico.

Identifying the gaps between customer expectations and perceptions on service quality dimensions of Islamic banks in Malaysia

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 424-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafikul Islam ◽  
Selim Ahmed ◽  
Dzuljastri Abdul Razak
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Expectations ◽  
Banking Service ◽  
Significant Difference

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the gaps and differences between customer expectations and perceptions on service quality of Islamic banks in Malaysia based on six dimensions of service quality, namely, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, tangibles and Islamic Shari’ah compliance. Design/methodology/approach – This study surveyed 179 customers who have first-hand experience with Islamic banking services in Malaysia. The research data were analysed using reliability analysis, independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance. Findings – The results indicated that customers’ perceptions failed to meet their expectations on the service quality of Islamic banks in Malaysia. The results also indicated that those customers (respondents) aged below 30 years have higher expectations on empathy from the Islamic banking service compared to other age groups. However, there is no significant difference between customer expectations and perceptions of Islamic banking service quality based on educational background and occupation. Research limitations/implications – This research focused solely on Islamic banks in Malaysia and thus the results might not be applicable for other conventional banks. Originality/value – The findings are expected to provide guidelines for enhancing the satisfaction level of clients of the Islamic banking system in Malaysia and other countries.

scholarly journals STUDI EMPIRIS KUALITAS PELAYANAN MELALUI MODEL SERVQUAL (Service Quality) DAN IPA (Important Performance Analysis) PADA MAHASISWA JURUSAN TARBIYAH STAIN GAJAH PUTIH ACEH

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Farid Fauzi ◽  
Ansor Nasution
Keyword(s):  
Performance Analysis ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Random Sampling ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Low Expectations ◽  
Sequential Explanatory

Penelitian ini mengkaji kualitas pelayanan dengan menggunakan Model SERVQUAL dan IPA (Important Performance Analysis) pada Jurusan Tarbiyah STAIN Gajah Putih. Dimensi pelayanan yang digunakan yaitu : Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy. Pendekatan penelitian yang digunakan adalah Mixed Method dengan Model Sequential Explanatory, jumlah populasi dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 1576 mahasiswa dengan teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan Simple Random Sampling menggunakan Rumus Slovin dengan jumlah sampel berjumlah 94 mahasiswa. Data yang digunakan adalah data primer dengan menggunakan Skala Likert. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian terdapat tiga atribut layanan yang mempunyai kategori yang harus mendapatkan perhatian khusus, sembilan atribut layanan yang berkategori layanan yang baik tetapi mempunyai tingkat prioritas yang rendah, sepuluh atribut layanan yang berkategori atribut layanan yang mempunyai harapan dan persepsi yang rendah serta empat atribut layanan yang mempunyai kategori kinerja yang baik  dan telah melampui harapan dari para mahasiswa. Kata Kunci : Kualitas Pelayanan, SERVQUAThis study examines the quality of service using the SERVQUAL and IPA Models (Important Performance Analysis) at the STAIN Gajah Putih Tarbiyah Department. The dimensions of the services used are: Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy. The research approach used was Mix Method with Model Sequential Explanatory, the number of population in this study amounted to 1576 students with sampling techniques using Simple Random Sampling using Slovin Formula with a total sample of 94 students. The data used are primary data using a Likert Scale. Based on the results of the study there are three service attributes that have special attention categories, nine service categories that are categorized as good but have a low priority level, ten service attribute categories that have low expectations and perceptions and four service attributes has a good performance category and has exceeded the expectations of the students.Keywords : Service Quality, SERVQUAL And IPA

The effect of employee ability, hospital’s ethic and leadership on job satisfaction through employee commitment

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ria Mardiana Yusuf
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Employee Commitment ◽  
Type A ◽  
Survey Instrument ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to confirm the direct and indirect effect of employee ability, perceived ethic, and leadership and leadership to service quality through employee commitment. Design/methodology/approach A survey instrument is using to collect the data and to measure the effect of employee ability, perceived ethic, and leadership directly to the quality of inpatient health care services was developed. This study also used the self-perception, leadership evaluation and customer evaluation questionnaires. The effects among variables were also analysed by using the structural equation modelling method. Findings The results of the analysis show that the survey instrument was reliable and valid; the implementation of hospital ethic was more emphasised on the nurses (as a front liners); the study proved that there is a direct and indirect effect among variables of employee ability, hospital’s ethic, and leadership to the service quality through the employee commitment; the direct effect of employee commitment variables against the service quality was significantly negative. Research limitations/implications Analyses are developed within the context of a government single hospital of Type A. According to the time sequence of study, this field of study research considered for purpose only (one time study), and was not conducted for experimental study. Originality/value This paper’s main contribution is to propose and empirically test a set of constructs that complement the effect of employee ability, hospital’s perceived ethic, leadership on the service quality of inpatient health care through the employee commitment direct and indirectly in the Type A hospital.

Hotel customer segmentation according to eco-service quality perception: the case of Russian tourists

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akin Aksu ◽  
Tahir Albayrak ◽  
Meltem Caber
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Customer Segmentation ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Theoretical Point ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hotel Managers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hotel Customers

PurposeThis study aims to explore the components of eco-service quality at hotels and to cluster hotel customers based on their eco-service quality perceptions.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research approach was adapted, and a survey study was performed on Russian tourists staying at the hotels located in Antalya, Turkey. Factor analysis results showed that the eco-service quality variable contains the dimensions of equipment, practice and staff and food. These factors were used to cluster hotel customers, and two groups were obtained as sensitive customers to eco-services and apathetic customers to eco-services. Cluster-based differences were identified by a series of cross-tabulations and regression analyses.FindingsSome socio-demographic and travel choice-related differences were obtained between the customer groups. The results of regression analyses showed that the most important determinant of sensitive customers' overall satisfaction was equipment, which was followed by staff and food and practice. The only significant determinant of apathetic customers' overall satisfaction was equipment.Practical implicationsHotel customers, who have different socio-demographic characteristics, are identified to have also distinct perceptions on the quality of eco-friendly equipment or services. Hence, hotel managers are suggested to develop proactive and value-generating environmentally friendly practices that appeal to different market segments. However, hotel managers should decide on prior areas and prefer low-cost options when “going green”, as some customer-groups do not notice such efforts.Originality/valueFrom the theoretical point of view, this study is original in showing the dimensional structure of the eco-service quality construct and the impact of each dimension on hotel customers' overall satisfaction. Both theoretically and practically, the findings offer valuable implications about the behavioural tendencies of Russian tourists towards eco-hotel practices.

Accommodating ethnic minority consumers during service encounters: the fine line

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Mady ◽  
John B. Ford ◽  
Tarek Mady
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Perceptions ◽  
Language And Ethnicity ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to examine the effect of intercultural accommodation efforts on service quality perceptions among ethnic minority consumers. Specifically, the paper postulates that during an intercultural service encounter, the impact of the service provider’s language and ethnicity on the consumer’s service quality perceptions is moderated by the level of service involvement, consumer acculturation and perceived discrimination, which, in turn, influence purchase intent. Design/methodology/approach A 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design with an online nationwide consumer panel of Hispanic consumers was conducted where 377 participants were randomly assigned to a series of service encounter scenarios in the banking service context to manipulate accommodation efforts (yes vs no) and the level of involvement with the service (high vs low). Findings When such language and ethnicity accommodations were offered, highly acculturated minority consumers regarded the service encounter less favorably than low acculturated minority consumers. Moreover, during low-involvement service encounters, intercultural accommodations positively impacted consumer’s service quality perceptions compared to situations involving high-involvement services. Also, minority consumers with perceptions of past discrimination had less favorable evaluations of the service quality than when such perceptions were nonexistent when intercultural accommodation efforts were made by the service provider. Research limitations/implications The findings add to the sparse literature that examines the effectiveness of intercultural accommodation and focuses on the combined use of service provider’s language and ethnicity as a means to enhance service quality. Practical implications The study delivers cautions for service firms not to generalize the receptivity of intercultural accommodation efforts. Given the increasingly sizable segments of minority customers, this study offers insights for service providers to develop suitable recruitment strategies and training programs when devising effective ethnic targeting strategies. Originality/value This research is among the first to explain why the effect of target marketing is not homogenous by expanding the research on intercultural accommodations toward a new context considering service involvement levels among varied minority consumer groups.

The correlation analysis between the service quality of intelligent library and the behavioral intention of users

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Chen ◽  
Chien-wen Shen
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Behavioral Intention ◽  
User Behavior ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Service Mode

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of innovative service mode of intelligent library on improving the service quality and a series of impacts on user behavior. With the rapid development of information technology, internet of things has become an important carrier of people’s “intelligent life”. The emergence of intelligent library will no longer be limited by space; it is affecting people’s lives and work imperceptibly. This new service mode was studied here, and the relationship between the service quality of intelligent library and users’ behavior was analyzed from the perspective of user acceptance and use behavior of intelligent library. Moreover, this study explores how to optimize the service quality to let users accept this technology and service mode and thus realize the original idea. Design/methodology/approach Through 800 questionnaires issued to the users in the Zhejiang Provincial AI Library, the authors obtained the study data. Among the received questionnaires, 676 copies are valid, and 124 responses are either incomplete or not answered, and so, the efficient rate is 84.5 per cent. Findings There is a significantly positive correlation between service innovation and service quality. There is a significantly positive correlation between service quality and behavioral intention. There is a significantly positive correlation between service innovation and behavioral intention. Originality/value From the point of view of innovative service, this paper analyzes the effect of innovative service mode of intelligent library on improving the service quality and a series of impacts on user behavior. This study confirms that intelligent library is a relatively new service innovation. Users’ curiosity and exploration will make them access some relevant information. As a result, a reasonably innovative service is an important factor in users’ acceptance behavior.

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