Understanding service quality: insights from the literature

Gyan Prakash

Journal of Advances in Management Research, 2018, vol. 16, issue 1, 64-90

Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to review the service quality (SQ) literature in order to understand issues involved in its conceptualization and operationalization. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses systematic literature review method. The unit of analysis is peer-reviewed journal articles published during 1984 to 2017. Findings - Findings suggest manufacturing, banking, information technology, higher education, healthcare are the top sectors contributing to the SQ literature. More than 60 models of the SQ have been identified. Service-driven capabilities may be structured along adaptation with strategic drivers and imperatives, learning and alignment, and problem structuring. In doing so the SQ literature is evolving across overlapping phases of conceptualization, expansion, re-conceptualization and integration. Research limitations/implications - The paper contributes to the body of knowledge by presenting a unified synthesis of more than 814 articles published in the last three decades. Practical implications - Insights from the paper will help practitioners in understanding customers’ expectations and accordingly configuring effective service delivery systems, setting standards and communicating value to end-customers. This in turn helps them in developing service-based competencies and achievement of competitive advantage. Social implications - Insights from the paper may help in conceptualizing and delivering SQ-driven public services. Originality/value - The paper synthesizes and presents various facets of the SQ as a unified body of knowledge.

Keywords: Literature review; Service quality; Competitive advantage; Service delivery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.110 ... d&utm_campaign=repec (text/html)
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.110 ... d&utm_campaign=repec (application/pdf)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:jamrpp:jamr-01-2018-0008

DOI: 10.1108/JAMR-01-2018-0008

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Advances in Management Research is currently edited by Prof Ravi Shankar and Prof Surendra Yadav

More articles in Journal of Advances in Management Research from Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Emerald Support ().