Literature review of service quality concepts, models and scales

Abstract

This research is a literature review of service quality concepts, models, and their organisation based on service quality measurement scales and operationalisation techniques. Services marketing literature is reviewed from 1938 to 2018; important service quality concepts and models are classified into major groups for better understanding of service quality measurement scales and operationalisation techniques. The study identified five important developments in the service quality literature: disconfirmation theory, gaps model of service quality, normative expectations-differential scale, ideal expectations-differential scale, and performance-only scale. Subsequently, based on measurement scales and operationalisation techniques, the literature is classified into six distinctive groups: industry/function specific scales, multiple gaps scales, hierarchical scales, internal and external scales, conceptual differentiation, and other approaches to service quality. These six groups are recommended to be used for classifying any research involving measurement and operationalisation of service quality. The study contributes to better understanding of service quality conceptualisation centred around measurement scales and operationalisation techniques.