AN ANALYSIS OF SERVICE QUALITY MEASUREMENTS IN TERTIARY COLLEGES IN GHANA

ABSTRACT Ghana Technology University College is one of the leading private tertiary educational providers in Ghana. There has been an urgent need to measure service quality recently due to increased students complains on service delivery even with the existence of a very nicely articulated customer service charter. The aim of this study was to measure service quality in tertiary educational institutions in Ghana. A case study of Ghana Technology University College was conducted. The study highlighted the students’ expectations about the quality of tertiary educational services they are receiving at Ghana Technology University College. The study was carried out on the basis that the sampled students were able and willing to make an evaluation and assessment of services received. Descriptive statistics was used for final analysis and results. The researcher found out that there was an 85.5% students’ expectations’ on service quality, with 62.5% of services offered being below what students expected in terms of service quality. There was negative 2.41/7 deviation in service quality from the students’ service quality expectations. The study showed that service quality measurement can be used to position a tertiary educational institutions strategically in the market. Students’ perceptions of the quality of services experienced against actual service received should be assessed. In a competitive higher education market place, the quality of services delivered separates an institution from its competitors. As a way of positioning the university in Ghana and Africa, it is recommended that steps be taken to improve service quality in the school.
CHAPTER ONE .............................................................................................................................. 9 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Background of the Study ....................................................................................................... 9 1.2 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................... 12 1.3 Objectives of the Study ........................................................................................................ 12 1.4 Research Questions .............................................................................................................. 13 1.5 Significance of the Study...................................................................................................... 14 1.6 Scope of the Study ................................................................................................................ 15 1.7 Organization of the Study .................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER TWO........................................................................................................................... 16 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................. 16 2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 16 2 .2 Quality ................................................................................................................................. 16 2.2 Service .................................................................................................................................. 17 2.3 Satisfaction and Service Quality .......................................................................................... 18 2.4 Quality as a Strategy ............................................................................................................ 22 2.5 Service Quality ..................................................................................................................... 24 2.6 Service Quality vs. Customer Expectation and Perception ................................................ 25 2.7 Dimensions of Quality in Tertiary Education ..................................................................... 27 2.9 The Service Quality Models ................................................................................................. 31 2.9.1 The Nordic Model ......................................................................................................... 31 2.9.2 The Gap Model .............................................................................................................. 32 2.10 Measuring Service Quality in Tertiary Educational Institutions ..................................... 34 2.11 Gaps to be filled by this Study ........................................................................................... 39 2.12 Conceptual framework ...................................................................................................... 40 2.13.1 Service Expectation Gap ............................................................................................. 41 2.13.2 Service Quality Specification Gap .............................................................................. 41 2.13.3 Service Delivery Gap ................................................................................................... 42 2.13.4 External Communication Gap .................................................................................... 42 2.13.5 Perceived Service Gap ................................................................................................. 42 CHAPTER THREE....................................................................................................................... 43 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................. 43 3.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 43 3.1 Research Design ................................................................................................................... 43 5 | P a g e EMMANUEL ENO | COVENTRY UNIVERSITY 3.2 Target Population ................................................................................................................ 43 3.3 Sample and Sampling Techniques. ...................................................................................... 44 3.3.1 Sample Size .................................................................................................................... 44 3.4 Data Collection..................................................................................................................... 46 3.4.1 The Instruments ............................................................................................................ 46 3.4.2 Administration of the Questionnaire ............................................................................ 47 3.5 Data Collection Procedure ................................................................................................... 48 3.5.1 Primary Data ................................................................................................................. 48 3.6 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 48 3.8 Ethical Considerations ......................................................................................................... 49 CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................................... 50 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA .......................................................................... 50 Overview .................................................................................................................................... 50 4.1 Section A: Demographic Data ............................................................................................. 50 4.1.1 Characteristics of Respondents in the Sample ............................................................. 50 4.1.2 Purpose of Enrolling ..................................................................................................... 51 4.1.3 The Respondents’ mode of study. ................................................................................. 52 4.1.4 The Respondents’ mode of Payment............................................................................. 52 ANALYSIS OF MAIN DATA ....................................................................................................... 53 4.2 Students Expectations on Service Quality at Ghana Technology University College ........ 53 4.2.1 Reliability ...................................................................................................................... 54 4.3 Assurance of Ghana Technology University College Services ............................................ 56 4.3.1 Staff friendliness and Courtesy ..................................................................................... 56 4.3.2 Students’ Expectation in Staff to Solve their Problems ............................................... 57 4.3.3 Security Measures to Protect Students at the College .................................................. 58 4.4 Tangibility of Services ......................................................................................................... 60 4.4.1 Institution Cleanliness ................................................................................................... 60 4.4.2 Ghana Technology University College’s Quality of Facilities and Equipment............ 61 4.4.3 Ghana Technology University College’s Quality of Teaching ..................................... 63 4.5 Empathy of Ghana Technology University College’s Services ........................................... 64 4.5.1 Ghana Technology University College’s Staff and Individualized attention given to Students .................................................................................................................................. 64 4.5.2 Students’ Expectations in Assessing College Facilities and Classes ............................. 66 4.6 Responsiveness of Ghana Technology University College Services .................................... 67 4.6.1 Staff Readiness to Assist Students ................................................................................ 67 4.6.2 Ghana Technology University College Staff Availability to Serve Students ............... 68 6 | P a g e EMMANUEL ENO | COVENTRY UNIVERSITY 4.6.3 Response Speed in Regard to Students’ Issues ............................................................. 70 4.7. Satisfaction Gap across Service Delivery Dimensions ....................................................... 73 4.8 Hypothesis Test .................................................................................................................... 78 4.8.1 Chi-Square Formulae: .................................................................................................. 79 4.8.2 Calculation for X2 .......................................................................................................... 80 CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................... 83 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................. 83 5.0 Overview .............................................................................................................................. 83 5.1 Summary of the Findings .................................................................................................... 83 5.2 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 87 5.2.1. Students’ Expectations on the Quality of Tertiary Education Services at.................. 87 Ghana Technology University College .................................................................................. 87 5.2.2 Current Service Quality Level at Ghana Technology University College ................... 87 5.2.3. Service Quality Gap ..................................................................................................... 88 5.2.4 Customer Service Training Requirements for the Service Providers.......................... 88 5.3 Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 89 5.3.1 Meeting Students’ Expectations on Service Quality..................................................... 90 5.3.2 Service Quality Performance ................................................................................. 90 5.3.3 Correcting the Current Negative Deviation ........................................................... 91 5.3.4 Training Service Providers..................................................................................... 91 5.4 Suggestions for Further Research ....................................................................................... 92 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 93 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................... 98 APPENDIX I.............................................................................................................................. 98