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enhanced model for measuring service quality

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Date Issued:
1996
Summary:
Three models have been proposed to measure service quality in the marketing literature. These models are: (1) Perception minus Expectations (P-E) Model, (2) Ideal Point (IP) Model, and (3) Performance-based (P-based) model. Underlying the models are two types of attributes: (a) vector point attributes (in the P-E and P-based models), and (b) ideal point attributes (in the IP model). With vector point attributes, increasing performance levels produce increased levels of favorable evaluation by customers. With ideal point attributes, increased levels of performance produces favorable evaluation up to the ideal, but beyond the ideal further performance is unfavorably evaluated. This research extends the attribute typology by introducing a third type called the "threshold point attribute." Threshold point attributes are those where customers' evaluation are posited to be favorable when performance increases up to a threshold point. Beyond the threshold point increases in performance are not accompanied by incremental increases in favorable evaluation (as with vector attributes), nor do they turn negative (as with ideal point attributes). That is, the marginal change in evaluation (whether an increase or decrease) is zero after the threshold level. In addition to extending the attribute typology, this research also proposes an enhanced model which subsumes vector, ideal and threshold point attributes. Because of its inclusiveness, the enhanced model is hypothesized to better represent the construct of service quality than the P-E, IP, and P-based models. A survey was mailed to 4,975 customers of an internationally known service firm. Results of a piecewise regression analysis on the data show that threshold point attributes exist in services. The enhanced model, however, does not perform better than other models in criterion and construct validity tests. One significant implication for managers is that they can avoid expenditures on features that customers do not desire beyond a threshold level. The most important direction for future research is to develop and test a contingency theory of customers' attribute classifications.
Title: An enhanced model for measuring service quality.
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Name(s): Jagannathan, Venkatakrishnan.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Shaw, Eric H., Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Issued: 1996
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 173 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Three models have been proposed to measure service quality in the marketing literature. These models are: (1) Perception minus Expectations (P-E) Model, (2) Ideal Point (IP) Model, and (3) Performance-based (P-based) model. Underlying the models are two types of attributes: (a) vector point attributes (in the P-E and P-based models), and (b) ideal point attributes (in the IP model). With vector point attributes, increasing performance levels produce increased levels of favorable evaluation by customers. With ideal point attributes, increased levels of performance produces favorable evaluation up to the ideal, but beyond the ideal further performance is unfavorably evaluated. This research extends the attribute typology by introducing a third type called the "threshold point attribute." Threshold point attributes are those where customers' evaluation are posited to be favorable when performance increases up to a threshold point. Beyond the threshold point increases in performance are not accompanied by incremental increases in favorable evaluation (as with vector attributes), nor do they turn negative (as with ideal point attributes). That is, the marginal change in evaluation (whether an increase or decrease) is zero after the threshold level. In addition to extending the attribute typology, this research also proposes an enhanced model which subsumes vector, ideal and threshold point attributes. Because of its inclusiveness, the enhanced model is hypothesized to better represent the construct of service quality than the P-E, IP, and P-based models. A survey was mailed to 4,975 customers of an internationally known service firm. Results of a piecewise regression analysis on the data show that threshold point attributes exist in services. The enhanced model, however, does not perform better than other models in criterion and construct validity tests. One significant implication for managers is that they can avoid expenditures on features that customers do not desire beyond a threshold level. The most important direction for future research is to develop and test a contingency theory of customers' attribute classifications.
Identifier: 9780591147186 (isbn), 12486 (digitool), FADT12486 (IID), fau:9378 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): College of Business
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1996.
Subject(s): Customer services--Research
Marketing research
Consumer behavior--Research
Quality assurance
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12486
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.