Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University
Abstract
Analysis of service quality enables management not only to prevent quality decline but also allocate the limited financial resources to more important areas. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the quality of services in the Sports facilities of Azerbaijan Shahid Madani University using SERVQUAL model. This survey was descriptive which 327 users of the university facility (students, staff and teachers) participated in it as sample. Data were collected using 22-items SERVQUAL questionnaire that measures five dimensions of service quality (Tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy) in perception and expectation sections. Analyzing using statistical tests of Wilcoxon and Friedman indicated that in the perception section (existing situation), Assurance dimension (4.59±1.38) was at the best situation followed by responsiveness, reliability, empathy and tangibles in order of priority. In the expectation section, also, Assurance dimension (6.15±0.98) was in first rank of responders’ emphasis. After that the dimensions of empathy, responsiveness, reliability and tangibles, were highlighted respectively. Moreover, the results showed that there are negative significant gaps between existing and desired situations in all five dimensions of service quality of the university’s sport facilities (P<0.05). Maximum negative quality gap (-2.00) were observed in empathy and the minimum (-1.88) were in assurance dimensions. Negative quality gaps in all dimensions seems to be a demonstration of some problems in quality of the university’s sport facilities’ services and needs to pay attention in order to remove barriers and improve the services. Improving identified weak points in present research can be followed by users’ satisfaction, return and finally increasing in their sport participation.
Keywords
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