Modified SERVPERF and Normalized SERVQUAL Models in Estimation of Service Quality in Higher Educational Institutes

• Main Authors: Mykola Sydorov, Svitlana Salnikova, Yuriy Savelyev, Oksana Oliinyk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University 2020-06-01
• Series: Соціологічні студії
• Subjects: hei; quality of education; sociological research; servperf; servqual
• Online Access: https://sociostudios.eenu.edu.ua/index.php/socio/article/view/298

The purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically substantiate modification of SERVPERF instrument. We demonstrate difference in practical realization of SERVQUAL (Perceptions-Minus-Expectations) and modified SERVPERF (Performance-Minus-Expectation) based on qualitative and two quantitative methodological studies carried out at the Faculty of Sociology of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. We used questionnaire adaptation for higher educational institutes (HEI).The sample size of the quantitative studies (10 persons of 2nd year of education, 10 persons of 3nd year of education, 10 persons of 4th year of Bachelor degree program and 5 persons of 2nd year of Master degree program; every 4th student of each year of education) complies with the used statistical test and the sample size requirements for focus groups. To compare the instruments we used nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test imple­men­ted in the statistical programming package R. Our finding is that modified SERVPERF is more convenient for students, smaller and more useful for online surveys. So, the difference in mean values of answer’s levels is mo­re significant between modified SERVPERF and normalized SERVQUAL than between modified SERVPERF and perceptions in SERVQUAL. Although the research has limitation – it is reconnaissance one and made as a one of steps for adaptation and validation of models for service quality measuring in Ukrainian HEI based on survey of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv students, however, the results of this methodological study allow other researchers to conduct representative studies using an adapted questionnaire of SERVQUAL at their universities. This result is important for service quality estimation which is needed for universities to monitor and improve the quality of their services and elaborate marketing strategy now.