Jos van Iwaarden

Applying SERVQUAL to Web sites: an exploratory study

In an effort to identify the quality factors perceived to be most important in relation to the use of Web sites, a survey was undertaken. The questionnaire utilized was based on the SERVQUAL instrument that identifies five quality dimensions in service environments. The results indicate that the quality dimensions found applicable in the service sector are also applicable to Web sites. The items that have been identified as most important in relation to the quality of Web sites are tangibles (the appearance of the Web site, navigation, search options, and structure), reliability (the ability to judge the trustworthiness of the offered service and the organization performing the service), responsiveness (the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service), assurance (the ability of the Web site to convey trust and confidence in the organisation behind it with respect to security and privacy), and empathy (the provision of caring, individualized attention to customers, including user recognition and customization).

Perceptions about the quality of web sites: a survey amongst students at Northeastern University and Erasmus University

A survey was undertaken to identify the quality aspects perceived to be most important in the design and use of web sites. The questionnaire utilized was based on preliminary research by Cox and Dale who had previously developed a model for assessing the quality of web sites. The results were compared to the SERVQUAL dimensions as developed by Zeithaml, Parasuraman, and Berry for bricks-and-mortar service environments. Our results indicated that the quality dimensions found applicable in the service sector are also applicable to web sites. No major differences have been found between the attitudes of students at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) and those at Northeastern University (NEU), Boston on web quality aspects. Minor differences can be explained by age, gender and field of study. Overall, NEU students make more use of the Internet than EUR students.

Perceptions About The ISO 9000 (2000) Quality System Standard Revision And Its Value: The Dutch Experience

The aim of the research reported in this paper is to assess the relative value of the 2000 version of the ISO 9000 series of quality management system standards in comparison to the 1994 version. 773 organisations in the Netherlands which have all been certified to the ISO 9000 standard were surveyed (a response rate of 21.4%) and of these only 22 had not yet converted to the 2000 version of the standard. Amongst the major findings are an overall positive perception of the value of the ISO 9000 (2000) quality system standard and a consistently higher appreciation of the 2000 version compared to the 1994 version.

Charities: how important is performance to donors?

Purpose – This paper seeks to develop insights into the charity selection criteria used by individual donors, and the information that charities provide to individual donors.Design/methodology/approach – Charities are defined as organizations involved in health, international aid, wellbeing, and nature and environment. In this paper the main focus is on one type of charity stakeholder; the individual donor. The research is undertaken through an internet survey among Dutch donors and through interviews at eight case studies of Dutch charities.Findings – Based on the internet survey it can be concluded that effectiveness is seen as important, but not as the major criterion in the selection of a charity. The case studies show that charities do not have standardized reporting systems in order to inform their donors on their performancesPractical implications – Based on this research it can be concluded that there is a need for management of charities to develop both measures of internal efficiency and of exte...

Moving from product‐based to service‐based business strategies: Services categorisation schemes for the automotive industry

Purpose – This paper aims to propose a framework that can be used for analysing services in the automotive industry.Design/methodology/approach – Existing categorisation schemes for services are investigated and evaluated in terms of their applicability to services in the automotive industry.Findings – Services categorisation schemes are grouped under eight service paradigms, expressing the understanding that various authors had about services in different times and contexts.Research limitations/implications – The remarks are limited to the automotive industry.Practical implications – The paper suggests services classification schemes, which can be effectively applied to automotive services in order to generate valuable managerial insights.Originality/value – This paper provides an overview over multiple services categorisation schemes existing in the literature.

Service improvement in a sports environment: a study of spectator attendance

Purpose – To measure service quality perceptions among spectators of a sports event.Design/methodology/approach – This paper reports the main findings of a 290 respondent questionnaire survey carried out “live” among home spectators at a sports fixture. This methodology of distributing and collecting questionnaires to and from home spectators is novel and can be used by other researchers. Also reported in the paper are follow‐up discussions at a shopping precinct with lapsed fans.Findings – The paper identifies the main factors that influence attendance and the initiatives to attract new or lapsed supporters. Amongst the main findings is that those spectators who make regular contributions to the club through a range of schemes and are members of its independent supporters Association rate club and players public profiles higher and perceive season tickets and ground entrance prices better value than non‐members, and are also more likely to visit the club shop to purchase merchandise.Originality/value – T...

TQM: Why it will again become a top management issue

Although total quality management might be defined as a passing fad there are three key reasons why it will remain (or return as) an important issue on the agenda for top management. First, there is growing pressure because of the use of the Internet to create excellence at the operational level, combined with the fact that it has been shown in the past that a level of excellence in the operational processes can never be reached without support from top management. Second, there is a trend towards stronger demand for improved measures of the performance of companies and total quality management has a role to play in relation to this. Third, there is an increasing number of networked organisations, and we will show that total quality management again is a major factor in this trend. Each of these three scenarios reinforces the importance of total quality management for top management and most companies will be touched by these scenarios.

Quality Management: The New Challenges

Abstract This paper puts forward the argument that there are two kinds of quality management – ‘old’ or classical quality management and ‘new’ quality management. The aim of classical quality management was to analyse errors and eliminate their causes and associated variation by improved product and process design. In recent times a number of major changes have taken place resulting in increased volatility in key areas of a business, which ‘old’ quality management has difficulty in addressing. These changes are being driven by competitive pressure, the need for improved results from the financial market and increasing shrinkage of buying points. This has lead to pressure on prices, performance and innovation and the need for increased flexibility, agility and economics of scale, with a concentration on core competencies within the business. This situation demands a ‘new’ form of quality management. The paper examines the main problems caused by these changes in terms of improved longer term relationships, softer influences on customer satisfaction, growing importance of software, and closer cooperation between internal functions and externally between supply chain partners.

The importance of user-generated content: the case of hotels

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop understanding about the quality of user generated content (UGC) on web sites from the point of view of the customer. This is an area not yet explored, while the use of UGC is expanding on many web sites and its importance is rapidly growing.Design/methodology/approach – The research undertaken is a pilot amongst a small number of interviewees who have been asked to judge the quality of UGC on hotel web sites.Findings – The findings of the research show that three types of information are needed by the person using UGC on hotel web sites: objective information about the hotel; information about the reviewers qualifications; and information about the reviewers beliefs and expectations.Research limitations/implications – Because of the small number of interviewees this research is limited and can be defined as explorative. The outcomes can be used to develop a survey instrument in relation to further research on user generated content.Originality/value – Th...

A comparison of five modern improvement approaches

This paper examines the improvement approaches of Total Quality Management (TQM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Business Process Reengineering (BPR), Six Sigma and Lean, and undertakes comparative analysis in relation to the two broad types of change processes involved. The argument is made that approaches such as TQM and TPM tend to brand the desired end state, whereas BPR and Six Sigma lay more emphasis on what an organisation must do to achieve the desired end state. It is also pointed out that many of the principles, tools and techniques in each of the approaches is timeless and that all approaches are useful but need to be treated with caution. Also that the replacement improvement approach theory advocated by a few management consultants and academics are wasteful of an organisations resources and fails to build on the synergy of past experiences.