Service Quality Construct Research Articles

Analyzing Public Bus Services in Dubai: Insights from Passengers’ Perspectives

ABSTRACT Dubai’s tourism popularity and growing economy have resulted in transportation congestion and negative impacts on business and the environment. This study proposed customer-based solutions to reduce traffic through improving public bus services, leading to increased satisfaction and ridership. The research tested the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction, mediated by corporate image and perceived value. Structure equation modeling has been applied, and AMOS is used for the data analysis. A higher-order service quality model was first identified and tested, and then this higher-order service quality construct was used in the main model to test multiple mediation of corporate image and perceived value. Results showed that corporate image and perceived value have a mediating role in the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction. The findings have academic, managerial and social significance.

Service quality in cloud gaming: instrument development and validation

PurposeThe global market for cloud gaming is growing rapidly. How gamers evaluate the service quality of this emerging form of cloud service has become a critical issue for both researchers and practitioners. Building on the literature on service quality and software as a service, this study develops and validates a gamer-centric measurement instrument for cloud gaming service quality.Design/methodology/approachA three-step measurement instrument development process, including item generation, scale development and instrument testing, was adopted to conceptualize and operationalize cloud gaming service quality.FindingsCloud gaming service quality consists of two second-order constructs of support service quality and technical service quality with seven first-order dimensions, namely rapport, responsiveness, reliability, compatibility, ubiquity, smoothness and comprehensiveness. The instrument exhibits desirable psychometric properties.Practical implicationsPractitioners can use this new measurement instrument to evaluate gamers' perceptions toward their service and to identify areas for improvement.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the service quality literature by utilizing qualitative and quantitative approaches to develop and validate a new measurement instrument of service quality in the context of cloud gaming and by identifying new dimensions (compatibility, ubiquity, smoothness and comprehensiveness) specific to it.

DEVELOPING A MEASUREMENT SCALE FOR PERCEIVED SERVICE QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Education plays a pivotal role in the peace and economic growth of the nation. Consequently, it is essential to provide every student with a high-quality education. A person’s life is significantly impacted by the level of education. As a result, students are highly concerned about the quality of education especially when selecting a higher educational institute. The purpose of the study is to develop a measurement scale to evaluate the service quality provided by higher education. The study applied a positivism research philosophy by adopting a deductive research approach. The quantitative research method was applied, and data were collected through a questionnaire from 225 respondents who are pursuing a Higher National Diploma in Management (HNDM) and Business Administration (HNDBA) courses in SLIATE, ATI - Dehiwala. A stratified random sampling technique was adopted to select the respondents from each course. The researcher applied the SERVQUAL model using its five dimensions tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy to evaluate the level of service quality in higher education. Cronbach Alpha was used to measure the reliability and the value of 0.816 indicates that the questionnaire used to gather data on the service quality construct is highly reliable. Based on the result, composite reliability (CR) values for all constructs are above 0.70 and the AVE values are within 0.523 and 0.935 which confirmed the internal consistency in scale items. The validity of the measurements was performed through convergent and discriminant validity using the Fornell and Larcker (1981) test. The finding of the test shows that the average variance extracted (AVE) value of all the constructs is higher than 0.5 and the AVE square root in the diagonal was greater than the squared correlation with other constructs in off-diagonal which confirmed convergent and discriminant validity. Initially, 20 items were developed using five dimensions of the SERVQUAL model. After conducting the test, 20 items were reduced to 14 items, and 6 items that didn’t meet the necessary criteria were removed. Finally, a new scale was developed to measure the service quality with 5 dimensions responsiveness, reliability, tangible, assurance, and empathy for higher education.

Measuring the Benefits of the Skill Academy’s Online Training Platform

The research purpose is to prove the truth of an internal survey of 96,406 users of the Academy Skills platform. The results of the survey stated that after participating in the training the user felt an increase in skills. Verification of the correctness of the survey uses a combination of the Delone and McClean (DM) models and the Technology-to-Performance Chain (TPC) model which has 5 constructs: System quality, information quality, service quality, task-Technology Fit, and Net Benefit. The method used in this study is a quantitative method through the development of identified constructs. Quantitative data was obtained from a questionnaire distributed to 96 respondents using the Skill Academy platform. The result of this study is that the constructs of system quality, information quality, and service quality have a positive effect on task-technology fit, and the task-technology fit construct has a positive effect on net benefits. In other words, the skills academy platform has quality systems, information, and services that allow tasks to be accommodated so that the impact is beneficial for users.

Testing the Validity, Reliability and Independence of the Constructs in the SERVQUAL Tool for Measuring Student Satisfaction in Universities in Uganda

The service quality (SERVQUAL) tool is a tool used to measure customer satisfaction (CS) in general and student satisfaction (SS) in particular. It consists of five constructs: tangibles (T), reliability (Rel), responsiveness (Res), assurance (A) and empathy (E). Although it has been widely used in a number of CS/SS studies, it has attracted a lot of criticism, one of which relates to the validity, reliability and independence of its constructs. In this paper we adapted the SERVQUAL tool for measuring SS in universities in Uganda and then tested the validity, reliability and independence of its constructs. Our focus was on two objectives: (i) to establish the validity and reliability of each of the five constructs of SERVQUAL; and (ii) to test if the five constructs were independent. We analysed our data using: (i) confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach’s alpha (α); and (ii) the Pearson linear correlation. Our findings were to the effect that: (i) Except for the “A” which was valid without dropping any items, the other constructs (T, Rel, Res, and E) were valid only after we dropped some of their items. We also established that the reliabilities of the five constructs of SERVQUAL were high. (ii) The constructs (T, Rel, Res, A and E) of SERVQUAL were interrelated. The SERVQUAL tool is a good measure of student satisfaction (SS). We recommend the SERVQUAL tool for continuous testing in other contexts with the objective of improving it.

The ADEPT service quality model and distinct perceived value for strategic marketing management: the moderating effect of knowledge-learning experience

PurposeThe first purpose of this study is to identify the suitability of a framework that includes ADEPT (i.e. ambience, delivery, environment, product and technology) service quality constructs, distinct perceived value and customer satisfaction. The second purpose is to not only observe specified connectivity in a comprehensive and complex structural model but also reveal key mediators for better linkages. The third purpose is to detect any moderating effects of the knowledge-learning experience between ADEPT constructs and satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThe causal relationships, mediating effects and moderating effects were analyzed using partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsBased on the ADEPT value-added framework, the higher the ADEPT service quality constructs, the more satisfied the general attendees are through the distinct mediating role of perceived value. Moreover, the influence of service delivery on satisfaction is strengthened with high-level knowledge-learning experiences.Originality/valueThe optimized fit of the ADEPT service quality constructs that are significantly linked to distinct perceived value was theoretically conceptualized and empirically identified in this work. The complex connections and degrees of significant influence throughout the entire process of the ADEPT constructs, distinct perceived value and satisfaction serve here as the basis (i.e. framework) for establishing strategic marketing management in exhibitions. Furthermore, the knowledge-learning experience acts as a key moderator to further increase satisfaction.

Comparative Analysis of Factor-Based and Composite-Based Structural Equation Models: Factors Affecting Word-Of-Mouth of Tourists in Khung Bangkrachao

Structural Equation Models (SEMs) are commonly categorized into two main types: factor-based SEM and composite-based SEM. Each type is suitable for analyzing different forms of hypothetical constructs. Factor-based SEM is well-suited for analyzing factors, while composite-based SEM is tailored for analyzing composites. However, the majority of past research has favored composite-based SEM, particularly Partial Least Squares (PLS), for analyzing factors. Such practices can introduce biases into the analysis.
 This article provides an illustrative example from the tourism and hotel management domain by analyzing hypothetical constructs in two scenarios: one where the constructs are treated as factors and another where they are treated as composites. The study includes six constructs: service quality, atmosphere, perceived value, satisfaction, revisit intentions, and word-of-mouth. In the first scenario, the research objective is theory testing, while in the second scenario, the research aims to assess the model’s predictive capabilities when applied to datasets beyond those used for the analysis.
 The constructs of service quality, atmosphere, and perceived value are assumed to influence satisfaction, while satisfaction and service quality are hypothesized to impact revisit intentions. Perceived value, satisfaction, and revisit intentions are further assumed to trigger word-of-mouth.

Improving Municipal Billing System and Revenue Generating Strategy : Chivi Rural District Council Case Study

Municipalities, in general, experience difficulties in own revenue generation. However, this problem is most severe among rural district councils as they tend to have relatively smaller revenue bases, a culture of non-payment on the part of ratepayers, poor service delivery, inefficient billing systems, poor planning and poor debtor’s management. As a result, rural district councils in Zimbabwe including the Chivi Rural District Council (CRDC) are facing self-sustainability concerns due to financial difficulties. There is overwhelming evidence in research to support the notion that properly planned billing systems have a positive impact on revenue generation among municipalities. On the other hand, poorly planned billing systemswill lead to financial difficulties. A case study approach is designed. Secondary data wasgathered in addition to primary data was collected through questionnaires withCRDC employees and ratepayers. Secondary data was collected through existing CRDC and government reports and documents, and the relevant Acts of Parliament. This found that customers had neutral perceptions of the service quality subconstructs of assurance, reliability, empathy and tangiblesat the CRDC. Further, customers had merely high neutrality almost negative perception of the service quality construct of responsiveness. A statistically significant neutral relationship was found between assurance, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, and tangibles with overall customer satisfaction. The reliability had the highest influence on customer satisfaction, followed by tangibles, responsiveness, empathy, and assurance, respectively. In practical perspective, the study recommends better ways of revenue collection to the municipality. Further the study adds to the debate in literature in Pecking Order Theory.

Empirical Investigation into ICT Services Evaluation Within a Public Institution

The aim of the paper is to investigate the quality of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services provided to employees in a public administration organization. The Region of Central Macedonia (RCM) was chosen as the examined enterprise/organization. The provider of these services is exclusively the Department for Transparency and eGovernment (DTeG). After a presentation of the theory behind service quality measurement in general and in ICTs specifically, a quantitative research was carried out, utilizing a SERVPERF-derived, ICT-adapted, short form 13-item/4-dimension instrument approach. This research indicated that RCM employees value both the quality of the ICT services, as well as the satisfaction from them, as provided by DTeG, highly. The adapted SERVPERF instrument exhibited high internal consistency values, as well as strong correlation between its items and the overall perceived quality and satisfaction. Dimensionality tests indicated that two dimensions of the service quality constructs are measured: a combined “reliability”, “responsiveness” and “assurance” dimension and an “empathy” one. the findings can be used by the targeted organization to improve the quality of ICT services and better meet the needs of their users.

Unboxing the Complex between Job Satisfaction and Intangible Service Quality: A Perspective of Sustainability in the Hotel Industry

The quality of service is one of the key assumptions of a sustainable and profitable business in the hotel industry. On the other hand, employees as direct providers of hotel services have a direct impact on the perceived quality of service. Establishing a relationship between job satisfaction and perceived intangible service quality is of great importance for customer relationship management and sustainable competitive advantage. For the collection of primary data, questionnaires were distributed to two groups of respondents, namely hotel employees and guests. Thus, 456 paired questionnaires were obtained. The testing of defined hypotheses and relations between constructs and latent variables was completed using the PLS-SEM approach. The results of the study showed that all validated constructs, namely pay, promotion, supervision, fringe benefits, contingent rewards, coworkers, communication, and the nature of work, contribute positively to job satisfaction. A positive relationship between job satisfaction and intangible service quality constructs was confirmed for reliability, assurance, and responsiveness but not for empathy. The study confirmed that perceived intangible service quality can be influenced by increasing job satisfaction and that payment and communication can achieve the most significant influence.

Investigating and Comprehending the Value of Effective E-WOM for Improving E-retailer Services in India

This study aims to comprehend and explore the beneficial electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM) for enhancing e-retailerservices in India. It looks into the elements that affect consumers' e-women and e-satisfaction with online store services.One aspect of e-wom that distinguishes it from conventional marketing communication is the mechanism for the positivefeedback. This study investigates why e-wom will be a strategic choice for Indian e-retailers by looking at current researchon the service quality construct and e-satisfaction. With the positive benefits of e-women in mind, this research will helpmarketers devise a plan to enhance the services offered by online merchants. The insights can help online retailers andother marketers grow their companies.

Rasch 모형을 이용한 헤어미용전문가의 인적서비스품질 측정도구 개발 및 타당화

This study attempted to develop hairstylists’ human service quality-measuring instruments and verify their validity. It has reached the following conclusions through a series of research procedures: First, in research 1, inductive contents analysis was performed with open-ended questions in order to develop a human service quality construct for hairstylists. As a result, 6 categories were derived: professionalism, intimacy, appearance, reliability, consequence, empathy. Second, in research 2, 6 factors and 70 questions were developed based on the human service quality construct. After statistical analysis, 6 factors and 25 questions were obtained. Third, in research 3, according to analysis of the validity of the human service quality-measuring instruments, the construct was confirmed valid. After a series of the above procedures (researches 1-3), this study developed a human service quality scale perceived by consumers and verified its validity.

The Impact of Digital Service Quality Toward Customer Engagement: A Case Study of Telemedicine in Thailand

Purpose: The aims of this study are to examine the effect of digital service quality on customer engagement with telemedicine systems and to investigate how such effects change depending on a variety of socioeconomic characteristics. Design/methodology/approach: The survey research with online questionnaire was conducted with 405 telemedicine experienced samples. The proposed hypotheses were tested using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method. Findings: The results revealed that digital service quality significantly influences customer engagement. A second-order confirmatory factor analysis of the digital service quality (DSQ) construct revealed that the efficiency dimension best explained DSQ, followed by the responsiveness and interaction dimensions. The study of moderation revealed that the effect of DSQ on CE was greater in younger age groups than in older age groups. In addition, those with a higher level of formal education appear to have higher levels of CE than those with a lesser level of formal education. Research, Practical & Social implications: The study will help practitioners create telemedicine services that are more efficient and effective so that patients are more engaged and loyal to the telemedicine service providers. Originality/value: The value of the study is that it is one of the rare attempts to clarify the consequences of digital service quality from the perspective of the consumer, and it proposes several implications and recommendations.

The role of user experience and co-creation in measuring the success of digital services in higher education

ABSTRACT Despite the growth in the number of digital services in higher education, a comprehensive success model is still lacking. DeLone and McLean‘s information system success model, one of the most widespread ones, does not specifically encompass concepts that recently gained much attention: user experience (UX) and co-creation. The goal of the study was to develop and validate a broader model fit for measuring the success of digital services in higher education. Based on the feedback from over 550 end-users, the analysis confirms the importance of UX and co-creation as success factors of digital services in higher education. In that, higher-order construct analysis provided a means to examine the digital service quality construct comprehensively and bring forth the much-needed multi-dimensional perspective on the topic. More specifically, the influence of co-creation on the higher level of perceived benefits of digital services adds to the body of knowledge that promotes the evolution of service-dominant logic.

Service quality, satisfaction and behavioural intentions in sport child camps: participants and parents' perspectives

PurposeThis study aims to assess service quality in sport child camps among both participants and parents and its effects on satisfaction and behavioural intentions.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from participants (n = 258) and parents (n = 226) of a sport child camp. A confirmatory factor analysis analysed the psychometric properties of the constructs, and a subsequent structural equation model examined the effects of service quality on satisfaction and behavioural intentions.FindingsThe results indicate a multi-dimensional construct of service quality that influences satisfaction and behavioural intentions differently among parents and participants. For participants, Service Failures and Recovery, Safety and Food influenced satisfaction, while Service Failures and Recovery and Fun influenced Behavioural Intentions. For parents, Management Commitment to Service Quality, Staff, Food and Contact with Physical Environmental influenced satisfaction, while Management Commitment to Service Quality and Staff influenced Behavioural intentions.Research limitations/implicationsBoth parents and participants' perceptions of service quality in sport child camps were captured and its effects on satisfaction and behavioural intentions. The study provides sport child camp managers with critical information about service delivery and its outcomes among the two key consumers (participants and parents).Originality/valueThis study offers new ideas to advance knowledge on sport child camps by capturing the perceptions of two key stakeholders and providing useful insights into how different attributes of service quality influence the levels of satisfaction and behavioural intentions among parents and participants.

Towards a model of service excellence at a community college in Trinidad and Tobago

PurposeUnless higher education institutions ensure that first-rate academic programme offerings are supported with the provision of high-quality services, student satisfaction, retention, enrolment and ultimately, viability of the institutions will be adversely affected (Canic and McCarthy, 2000). The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the quality of selected administrative and academic support services by a community college in Trinidad and Tobago using a performance-only model of service quality (SERVPERF). This also informed the development of a service quality construct unique to the particular educational setting.Design/methodology/approachA multi-method approach was adopted where qualitative data from focus groups and two routine institutional surveys were triangulated with quantitative data from a slightly modified SERVPERF survey administered to separate random samples of students. Principal component analysis was also used to examine the unique service quality dimensions in this setting.FindingsResults indicated that students had major issues with the timeliness of responses and staff not taking time to understand their needs. They also placed a high value on knowledge and courtesy of staff. Three separable dimensions of service quality (effectiveness and efficiency; professional and personal touch; and tangibles) emerged from the analysis.Originality/valueThis research demonstrated an appropriate approach which could be used to evaluate overall service quality as well as develop an instrument to routinely monitor, assess and inform improvements to service quality at similar types of tertiary-level educational institutions.

Factors affecting satisfaction with the postal delivery service

The delivery service industry is boosting too much under the influence of e-commerce. So, there is a need to reform the delivery of the postal sector to meet the needs of consumers. Most of the postal offices have been served via government to government (G2G), and in recent years, due to e-commerce and corona disease, they have been developing business to consumer services (B2C), business to business (B2B), and direct to customer (D2C). The study examines how service quality affects customer trust, consumer satisfaction, and customer loyalty in the postal delivery service. It aims to provide information to delivery service companies and foreign investment companies in making strategic decisions. All structures are measured on a seven-point Likert scale. A total of 290 valid responses were used out of 358 distributed surveys, excluding 68 responses with irrelevant and incomplete data. These were analyzed using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 20.0 statistic package programs. The outcome of the analysis showed that the four components of service quality constructs of delivery service have no significant effect on trust. However, they affect satisfaction, while tangibility and empathy have not shown such trustworthy effects on customer fulfillment.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SERVICE QUALITY BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS, USING SERVQUAL MODEL: A CASE STUDY OF PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN

Health care industry is the integration and combination of various sectors offering quality and services to treat patients with preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care. The healthcare system of Pakistan faces the challenges in providing quality as well as services as a whole, which is still supposed to be relatively poor to deliver satisfactory health care service to its citizens. Keeping in the view the nature of study, the researcher applied the quantitative method approach for obtaining the appropriate results, furthermore one sample T-test was performed to get the precise consequences of the data. For the particular purpose the SERVQUAL model which consists of five different service quality dimensions distinctively empathy, tangibility, assurance, timeliness, and responsiveness was applied. utilize to determine the local people/patients actual perception about the health care quality delivered by public and private sector hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan. A convenient based sample (n=150) was embraced from five hospital (3 public and 2 private) located in Peshawar. The results of the study identified the quality gaps in the service quality in various dimensions of SERVQUAL model. The result reveals that private hospitals are far better in term of empathy, tangibility, timeliness, and responsiveness, showing big difference between both hospitals. However, there is very little difference between the mean values of the service quality construct ‘assurance’ among the private having mean value (M=3.67; SD=.5258) and public (M=3.10; SD=7415) hospitals. It is because of qualified doctors with high expertise in the field of medicines/surgery and generally serving public hospitals as a permanent employees. Thus the study concluded that private hospitals are far away better from each perspective than the public due to the increasing trend of the resources availability. Since, majority of respondents who avail health care’s from the private hospitals were found satisfied in term of assurance, tangibility, timelines, responsiveness and tangibility as compared to the patients of public hospitals in Peshawar city. Finally the study recommends that, the public hospitals should implement feedback mechanism of its customers to get the actual picture of service quality and any deficiency in service quality should be serious considered for better outcomes. Furthermore government should also introduce value added rewards and facilities for the workforce of public hospitals to motivate them to better health service quality as for the sustainable development and betterment of public sectors

Determining Customer Satisfaction on Service Quality Constructs using SERVQUAL Model: Evidence from India’s Rural Banks

The present research paper aims to determine customers' satisfaction with services offered by rural banks in India. The study has considered a total of 400 customers directly associated with the banks, i.e., at least having one account with the banks using the purposive sampling method. The respondents’ opinion on the selected variables indicating satisfaction/dissatisfaction level was measured on a Likert scale. The data have been analyzed through statistical techniques such as descriptive statistics, correlations analysis, and regression analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study indicates that there are interrelationships between the factors, namely intangible infrastructure, reliability, assurance, responsiveness, and empathy, and also validates the variables exhibited a linear relationship relating the constructs to each other. The research also reveals that tangible infrastructure, reliability, and empathy are significant predictors of customers’ satisfaction, at the same time, assurance and responsiveness are not appropriate predictors of customers’ satisfaction levels.

ANALYSIS OF IMPORTANCE AND PERFORMANCE STUDENT SATISFACTION, STUDENT LOYALTY, AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES

This study examines and evaluates the constructs of service quality, website quality, institutional image, marketing mix, student satisfaction, student loyalty and competitive advantage based on structural equation modeling. This research model illustrates that each construct has a performance value and importance to competitive advantage. The test of this model uses a sample of 932 active student respondents at private universities with a non-probability sampling method with a purposive sampling technique. Data analysis using structural equation modeling and importance-performance map analysis, test analysis tool with SmartPLS. Based on the results of the analysis, it was found that the quality of the website has a low importance and performance value on competitive advantage compared to other variables.