Service Quality is a field of marketing, which stimulated numerous scholars to do theoretical and empirical research on. The SERVQUAL concept first was amongst concepts like The Nordic Model by Grönroos (1984) and The Three-Component Model by Rust and Oliver (1994) and SERVPERF by Cronin and Taylor (1992). After there has been a major debate which role expectations should play for service quality, which primary dimensions should be used to conceptualize and measure it and how service quality has to be integrated in existing marketing theory, newer approaches concentrate either on the depth of these dimensions, further optimization of the integration of service quality into marketing theory or specific factors which might play a role on distinct settings. In a multilevel approach, primary dimensions can be understood as direct antecedents of service quality. Subdimensions are antecedents of the primary dimensions of service quality.
This paper deals with the issue, how customer perceived service quality (CPSQ) is supposed to be conceptualized and measured. In order to do this, the first section begins simply with several ideas that came up in literature what factors might influence service quality and how it can be defined. Then the paper illustrates why generality of theories is useful in Marketing Research and how it can be achieved. Moreover, an adequate framework to justify or reject particular concepts and measurements of service quality is provided. In the third section, the paper continues with the introduction of concepts and measurements of service quality. Attention is given to broader approaches as well as specific approaches of service quality. The paper combines these approaches in the fourth section with the help of the diagnostic framework provided before in order to achieve a concept of CPSQ with an optimal degree of generality. Thereafter the paper closes with a conclusion that gives a résumé on the results of this work.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Conceptualization and Measurement of Service Quality
2.1 Definition of Service Quality
2.2 Importance of Generality in Marketing Research
3 Current Concepts and Measurements of Perceived Service Quality
3.1 SERVQUAL
3.2 SERVPERF
3.3 Distribution Channel Approaches
4 Deriving a General Concept of Customer Perceived Service Quality
5 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Focus Areas
This paper aims to synthesize existing theoretical approaches regarding the conceptualization and measurement of customer perceived service quality (CPSQ). It investigates how various literature-based models can be integrated into a robust, generalized framework that accounts for both service expectations and performance perceptions across diverse distribution channels.
- Theoretical evolution of Service Quality models (SERVQUAL, SERVPERF).
- The role of customer expectations versus performance perceptions.
- Methodological debates in measuring perceived service quality.
- The impact of multi-channel distribution on service quality perception.
- Development of a comprehensive, multi-leveled diagnostic framework.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 SERVQUAL
The SERVQUAL concept and scale was initially developed by PZB (1988) and has its source in PZB (1985). Several scholars engaged in research on SERVQUAL, namely Carman (1990), PZB (1991), CT (1992, 1994), Boulding, Kalra, Staelin and Zeithaml (hereafter BKSZ) (1993), Teas (1993), PZB (1994), CT (1994) and Brady and Cronin (hereafter BC) (2001).
SERVQUAL conceptualizes and measures service quality as the difference between perceptions and expectations concerning service encounters. PZB (1994) discuss that expectations in conjunction with service quality have to be understood as desired service (should expectations), while their meaning in customer satisfaction research is an acceptable level of service (will expectations). BKSZ (1993) found strong evidence for will expectations having positive influence on perceptions of overall service quality of a firm over time, while should expectations have a negative influence. Perceptions of overall service quality of a firm in turn have a positive influence on behavioral intentions like loyalty, word of mouth, etc.. They find out that measuring differences for examining CPSQ in a dynamic perspective is inappropriate (BKSZ, 1993, p. 24). Thus, the disconfirmation paradigm only holds for a transaction based perspective of CPSQ.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the field of service quality and outlines the research objective to define a generalized concept for measuring customer perceived service quality.
2 Conceptualization and Measurement of Service Quality: Defines service quality as an attitude and discusses the importance of theoretical generality and diagnostic value in marketing research.
3 Current Concepts and Measurements of Perceived Service Quality: Analyzes established models including SERVQUAL, SERVPERF, and emerging distribution channel approaches like e-SQ.
4 Deriving a General Concept of Customer Perceived Service Quality: Integrates findings from previous sections to propose a refined, multi-leveled diagnostic framework for assessing service quality.
5 Conclusion: Summarizes the study’s findings and reflects on the practical applicability and theoretical value of the proposed framework.
Key Terms
Service Quality, CPSQ, SERVQUAL, SERVPERF, Disconfirmation Paradigm, Customer Satisfaction, Behavioral Intentions, Multi-channel Distribution, e-SQ, Performance Perceptions, Expectations, Marketing Research, Diagnostic Framework, Multilevel Approach, Integration Quality
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the conceptualization and measurement of customer perceived service quality (CPSQ), examining how various theoretical frameworks can be used to understand and quantify this phenomenon.
What are the central thematic fields covered in the text?
The core themes include the definition of service quality, the comparison between SERVQUAL and SERVPERF models, the role of multi-channel service delivery, and the integration of these concepts into a general marketing theory.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The goal is to derive a generalized concept of customer perceived service quality by evaluating existing models and identifying how they can be synthesized for better theoretical precision and diagnostic value.
Which scientific methods are primarily utilized?
The paper employs a comprehensive literature review and comparative analysis of existing empirical studies, frameworks, and structural equation models used in service quality research.
What is addressed in the main body of the paper?
The main body examines historical concepts like SERVQUAL, debates surrounding the inclusion of expectations, the shift towards SERVPERF, and the impact of modern distribution channels like web-based services on customer perceptions.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Service Quality, CPSQ, SERVQUAL, SERVPERF, Multi-channel Distribution, and behavioral intentions.
How does the author distinguish between 'should' and 'will' expectations?
The author highlights that 'should' expectations represent desired service levels, while 'will' expectations reflect what a customer expects as an acceptable level, noting that these influence perceptions of service quality differently over time.
Why does the author argue that 'multilevel' approaches are significant?
Multilevel approaches are considered significant because they allow primary dimensions of service quality to be understood as direct antecedents, providing a more granular and precise diagnostic view of service delivery.
- Quote paper
- Tim Ebner (Author), 2011, Services Management: Conceptualizing and Measuring Customer Perceived Service Quality, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/209412
