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Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to empirically test a new industry-specific scale, HEdPERF (Higher Education PERFormance) to capture the authentic determinants of service quality within higher education sector.
Design/methodology/approach - The primary goal of this research was to test and compare the relative efficacy of HEdPERF against SERVPERF in order to determine which instrument had the superior measuring capability.
Findings - In terms of unidimensionality, reliability, and validity, HEdPERF explained variance within the higher education setting better in comparison to SERVPERF.
Research limitations/implications - Since this study only examined the respective utilities of each instrument within a single industry, in only one national setting, any suggestion that the HEdPERF is generally superior would still be premature.
Practical implications - The current findings do provide some important insights into how the instruments of service quality compare with one another, in a typical higher education context.
Originality/value - An attempt is made in the paper, to develop critical insights into comparative evaluation of service quality measurement instruments.
Keywords Service quality assurance, Higher education, Performance measurement (quality)
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Service industries are playing an increasingly important role in the overall economy of many nations. In today's world of global competition, rendering quality service is a key for survival and success, and many experts concur that the most powerful competitive trend currently shaping marketing and business strategy is service quality (Zeithaml et al., 1996). Since 1980s service quality has been linked with increased profitability, and it is seen as providing an important competitive advantage by generating repeat sales, positive word-of-mouth feedback, customer loyalty, and competitive product differentiation. As Zeithaml and Bitner (1996, p. 76) point out, ".. .the issue of highest priority today involves understanding the impact of service quality on profit and other financial outcomes of the organisation".
Service quality has since emerged as a pervasive strategic force and a key strategic issue on management's agenda (Bowers, 1997). It is no surprise that practitioners and academics alike are keen on accurately measuring service quality in order to better understand its essential antecedents and consequences, and ultimately, establish methods for improving quality to achieve competitive advantage and build customer loyalty (Bitner, 1993). The pressures driving successful organisations toward top quality...