Research on Educational Sport

Assessment of Customers’ Perception and Expectation of University’s Sports Facilities Service Quality using SERVQUAL Model (Case study: Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University)

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

  1. Aghamolaei. T, Zare. S, Abedini. S. (2007). The Quality Gap of Educational Services from the Point of View of Students in Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences. Strides Dev Med Educ. 3(2):78-85 (Persian)
  2. Allender S, Cowburn G, Foster C. (2006). Understanding participation in sport and physical activity among children and adults: a review of qualitative studies. Health education research. 21(6):826-35.
  3. Almasi. S, Razavi. SMH, Amirnejhad. S. (2015). Study of customer satisfaction and customer orientation in Mazandaran province's public and private sport facilities. Journal of Sport Management and Action Behavior. 21: 129-38. (Persian)
  4. Arbouni. F, Shoghli. A, Badriposhteh. S, Mohajery. M. (2008). The Gap between Students’ Expectations and Educational Services Provided for them, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, 2007. Strides Dev Med Educ. 5(1):17-25. (Persian)
  5. Chin K-S, Pun K-F. (2002). A proposed framework for implementing TQM in Chinese organizations. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management. 19(3):272-94.
  6. Demouri. D, Zare AhmadAbadi. H, TaheriDamne. M, Mansouri. H. (2011). evaluating qualification of provided services by athletic department of universities; a artificial neural networks approach (case study: yazd university). Olympic Journal. 1(53): 39-53. (Persian)
  7. Donnelly M, Wisniewski M, Dalrymple JF, Curry AC. (1995). Measuring service quality in local government: the SERVQUAL approach. International Journal of Public Sector Management. 8(7):15-20.
  8. Emami. A, Khoshbakhti. J, Keshtidar. M. (2013). The Quality of Recreational Facilities Evaluation in Golestan Province Parks Based on (Gaps) Model. Sport Management Studies. 18: 51-66. (Persian)
  9. Esmaeili. M, Ehsani. M, Kouzechian. H, Honari. H. (2014). A Study of Service Quality Dimensions in Sport Tourism. Sport Management Studies. 6(26): 37-58. (Persian)
  10. Fransi, E. C., Adillon, M. J., Thorsson, A., & Ramon, N. D. (2010). Measuring service quality in sport management: An application of the SERVQUAL scale. Working papers New Trends in Acounting and Management. 3:5-21.
  1. Hemmatinezhad, M.A., Gholizadeh, M.H., Shabani, S. (2015). A survey on service quality of the sport facilities of the physical education and sport sciences faculty of the Guilan University and students needs assessment based on Servqual-Kano model. International Journal of Basic Sciences and Applied Research.4: 28-29.
  1. http://vtour.azaruniv.ac.ir/
  2. Jafari Hajin. A, Shabkhiz. F, Mashhouri. M. (2007). Investigating leisure time activities among female students of the University of Tehran indicating on physical education. Harekat Journal. 27: 103-16.
  3. Kebriaei. A, Roudbari. M. (2005). Quality Gap in Educational Services at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences: Students Viewpoints about Current and Optimal Condition. Iranian Journal of Medical Education. 5(1):53-61. (Persian)
  4. Khatibi. A, Sajjadi. SN, Seifpanahi. J. (2011). Investigating quality of the educational services at the Physical Education Faculty of Tehran University from the perspective of undergraduate students. Sport Management Studies. 9: 77-94. (Persian)
  5. Kontou M, Tzetzis G, Katartzi E. (1999). Exercise and physical activities of women participating in ‘Sport for All’programs. Sport Performance and Health. 1(4):370-82.
  6. Lehtinen U, Lehtinen JR. (1991). Two approaches to service quality dimensions. Service Industries Journal. 11(3):287-303.
  7. Mahdizadeh. R, Andam. R, Rozbehani. Sh. (2013). Barriers to Sport for All promotion in Universities. Research in University Sport. 3: 109-26. (Persian)
  8. Mahmoudi. A. (2011). Exploring the Relationship between Service Quality and Satisfaction with Customer Loyalty in Sport Clubs (Bodybuilding and Aerobic). MA Thesis, University of Tehran. (Persian).
  9. Mazloumi Sovini. F, Jaberi. A, Moradi. M, Khazaei pool. J. (2013). Examining the effect of service quality of sport tourism destinations on mouth to mouth advertisement (Case study of sport tourists in Noshahr). Research in Sport Management. 2(6): 19-38. (Persian)
  10. Moazzen Ahmadi. L. (2006). Exploring service quality and intention to reparticipation in female fitness classes in Khorasane Razavi province. MA Thesis, University of Shomal. (Persian)
  11. Parasuraman A, Zeithaml VA, Berry LL. (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing. 41-50.
  12. Rahmani. A, Bakhshiniya. T, Ghavami. SS. (2005). The role of sport in leisure time of students in takestan azad university. Research in Sport Sciences. 12: 33-50.
  13. Rajabi. M. (2010). The Relationship between Service Quality and customers' Satisfaction in Shahrood private bodybuilding Clubs. MA Thesis, University of Shahroud. (Persian)
  14. Ramezaniyan. MR, Faraji. R, Khoshnevis. F, DaneshSani. K. (2013). A survey on service quality in university sports’ facilities based on SERVQUAL model (Case study: University of Guilan). Journal of Sport Management and Development. 2(1): 65-83. (Persian)
  15. Robinson L. (2006). Customer expectations of sport organisations. European Sport Management Quarterly. 6(1):67-84.
  16. Roux AVD, Evenson KR, McGinn AP, Brown DG, Moore L, Brines S, et al. (2007). Availability of recreational resources and physical activity in adults. American journal of public health. 97(3):493-9.
  17. Sajjadi. SN, Mahmoudi. A, Goudarzi. M, Mizani. M. (2012). A comparison of service quality provided by public and private sport clubs (body building and fitness) in Tehran based on customers’ viewpoints. Contemporary Studies on Sport Management. 1(2): 33-48. (Persian)
  18. Sangdovini. E, Saeidi. AM. (2014). The Relationship between Service Quality and customer loyalty. Golestan Danesh'e Entezami Quarterly. 19: 70-90. (Persian)
  19. Seyed Javadin. SR, Khanlari. A, Estiri. M. (2010). A Model for Evaluating the Effects of Service Quality on loyalty of sporting services customers. Olympic Journal. 4(52): 41-54. (Persian)
  20. Soita PW. (2012). Measuring perceived service quality using SERVQUAL: A case study of the Uganda health and fitness sector. International Journal of Business and Social Science. 3(5):261-71.
  21. Terzoglou M, Papadopoulos P, Koronas V, Matsaridis A. (2012). Quality assessment of private fitness centers in eastern Thessaloniki. Studies in Physical Culture and Tourism. 19(4):196-200.
  22. Theodorakis ND, Alexandris K. (2008). Can service quality predict spectators' behavioral intentions in professional soccer? Managing Leisure. 13(3-4):162-78.

 

Research on Educational Sport
Volume 4, Issue 11
December 2016
Pages 97-114

  • Receive Date 22 January 2016
  • Revise Date 06 December 2016
  • Accept Date 10 April 2016

Home

Publication Ethics

Submit Manuscript

News

Journal Metrics

Contact Us