An examination of students’ perceptions of service quality in higher education

Abstract

In the competitive environment, delivering outstanding quality and ensuring customer satisfaction are seen as a major impetus in nurturing an organisation's long-term survival (Parasuraman et al., 1988). The competition to attract students to the higher education sector has become intensive as the higher education sector in New Zealand has entered a mature stage (New Zealand Annual Review of Education, 1996). As a consequence, a more thorough understanding of the principal target market (students) being served by tertiary institutions is a critical step toward developing a comprehensive marketing plan for competing effectively in the marketplace. Tertiary institutions such as universities must also become more knowledgeable about the marketplace in order to deliver high quality education that will satisfy students (Bell and Shieff, 1990).

The objective of this research is to examine students' perceptions of educational service quality. The study uses Gronroos' (1982) Perceived Service Quality Model with two service quality dimensions, technical and functional quality. Four hypotheses were formulated about the relationships between service quality dimensions and perceived service quality, and the differing impacts that varied student demographic characteristics have on evaluative service quality dimensions. Data were collected from 200 useable questionnaires from students of Lincoln University, Christchurch, in 1998 in order to test the four hypotheses. Regression analysis, ANOVA and t-tests were used to test the four hypotheses and to identify factors that influence students' perception of Lincoln University's service quality.

The results of the study indicate that both technical quality and functional quality are important dimensions that shape students' perceptions of the University's service quality. Although both of these dimensions are important, this study found that the quality of education, campus facilities and the environment which are part of the technical quality dimension impact significantly on students' perceptions of the University's service quality. The study findings furthermore show that students by their age, courses of study and ethnicity have different perceptions of service quality as delivered by the University.

This research makes a contribution to the service quality literature by providing an empirically based insight into the service quality construct in the New Zealand higher education sector. From the theoretical perspective, the research is an attempt to measure students' perceptions of the service quality and its evaluative dimensions. From the practical perspective, this research will assist higher education marketers and practitioners to develop and implement services marketing strategies for achieving a high quality of service, and enhancing student satisfaction. Finally, this research offers a platform for future research into service quality in the higher education sector in New Zealand.