Targets and Standards of Quality in Sport Services

The paper proposes a framework for analysis of quality in sport services from the perspective of (a) targets of quality, (b) standards of quality, and (c) evaluators of quality. It is proposed that any quality evaluation of a service should begin by identifying the targets of quality evaluations (i.e., breaking down that service into smaller discrete and distinct elements), and assessing the targets in terms of consumer and human service components. In addition, the paper highlights the relevance of different standards of quality to different targets of quality, and the relative significance of the clients, the service providers, and the managers as arbiters of quality. These segmental perspectives on quality in a service operation are expected to result in a truly Gestalt view of a service enterprise. The framework would facilitate quality initiatives such as quality assurance and benchmarking.

[1]  Jan Mattsson,et al.  Improving Service Quality in Person-to-Person Encounters: Integrating Findings from a Multi-disciplinary Review , 1994 .

[2]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  Communication and Control Processes in the Delivery of Service Quality , 1988, Journal of Marketing.

[3]  G. L. Shostack,et al.  Service Positioning through Structural Change , 1987 .

[4]  A. Tuckman.  The Yellow Brick Road: Total Quality Management and the Restructuring of Organizational Culture , 1994 .

[5]  H. Vuori.  Quality Assurance of Health Services. Concepts and Methodology. Public Health in Europe 16. , 1982 .

[6]  Mark A. Davis,et al.  Antecedents to customer expectations for service recovery , 1994 .

[7]  Steven A. Taylor,et al.  Measuring Service Quality: A Reexamination and Extension , 1992 .

[8]  Mary Jo Bitner,et al.  Servicescapes: The Impact of Physical Surroundings on Customers and Employees: , 1992 .

[9]  Mary Jo Bitner,et al.  Critical Service Encounters: The Employee's Viewpoint , 1994 .

[10]  Enhancing professional service quality: feedback is the way to go , 1995 .

[11]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  Improving service quality in America: Lessons learned , 1994 .

[12]  C. Grönroos.  A Service Quality Model and its Marketing Implications , 1984 .

[13]  R. J. Callan.  Quality Assurance Certification for Hospitality Marketing, Sales and Customer Services , 1994 .

[14]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  The Behavioral Consequences of Service Quality , 1996 .

[15]  P. Crosby.  Quality Without Tears , 1984 .

[16]  Jennifer L. Hartnett,et al.  Managing Quality: The Strategic and Competitive Edge , 1988 .

[17]  P. Chelladurai,et al.  Dimensions of Fitness Services: Development of a Model , 1987 .

[18]  David L. Goetsch,et al.  Introduction to total quality : quality, productivity, competitiveness , 1994 .

[19]  Steven A. Taylor,et al.  Servperf versus Servqual: Reconciling Performance-Based and Perceptions-Minus-Expectations Measurement of Service Quality , 1994 .

[20]  W. Edwards Deming,et al.  Out of the Crisis , 1982 .

[21]  Robert C. Camp,et al.  Benchmarking: The Search for Industry Best Practices That Lead to Superior Performance , 1989 .

[22]  Stephen W. Brown,et al.  A Gap Analysis of Professional Service Quality , 1989 .

[23]  J. Heskett,et al.  The service-driven service company. , 1991, Harvard business review.

[24]  Joseph Moses Juran.  Juran on Leadership For Quality , 1989 .

[25]  W. J. Miller,et al.  A working definition for total quality management (TQM) researchers , 1996 .

[26]  A. Tomes,et al.  Service quality in hospital care: the development of an in-patient questionnaire. , 1995, International journal of health care quality assurance.

[27]  Linda L. Price,et al.  Going to Extremes: Managing Service Encounters and Assessing Provider Performance , 1995 .

[28]  Carol Reeves,et al.  DEFINING QUALITY: ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS , 1994 .

[29]  Sonja Kaye Lilienthal.  Service recovery in sport service contexts : an investigation of the veracity of the recovery paradox / , 1997 .

[30]  C. Lengnick-Hall.  Customer Contributions to Quality: A Different View of the Customer-Oriented Firm , 1996 .

[31]  R. Teas,et al.  Expectations as a Comparison Standard in Measuring Service Quality: An Assessment of a Reassessment , 1994 .

[32]  Barbara A. Spencer,et al.  MODELS OF ORGANIZATION AND TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT: A COMPARISON AND CRITICAL EVALUATION , 1994 .

[33]  Ruth N. Bolton,et al.  Mitigating the effect of service encounters , 1992 .

[34]  Uolevi Lehtinen,et al.  Two Approaches to Service Quality Dimensions , 1991 .

[35]  Takao Enkawa,et al.  Consumer evaluation perspectives of service quality: evaluation factors and two-way model of quality , 1991 .

[36]  Eric R. Ziegel,et al.  Total Quality Control , 1992 .

[37]  Kirk L. Wakefield,et al.  The Effects of Team Loyalty and Selected Stadium Factors on Spectator Attendance , 1995 .

[38]  P. Chelladurai.  A Classification of Sport and Physical Activity Services: Implications for Sport Management , 1992 .

[39]  W. Sasser,et al.  The profitable art of service recovery. , 1990, Harvard business review.

[40]  P. Dickens.  Quality and Excellence in Human Services , 1994 .

[41]  Daeshik Kim,et al.  QUESC: an instrument for assessing the service quality of sport centers in Korea. , 1995 .

[42]  D. Murray,et al.  The relationships between service problems and perceptions of service quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions of Australian public sports and leisure center customers. , 1999 .

[43]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  Delivering quality service : balancing customer perceptions and expectations , 1990 .

[44]  M. Mcdonald,et al.  TEAMQUAL: MEASURING SERVICE QUALITY IN PROFESSIONAL TEAM SPORTS , 1995 .

[45]  Gilbert A. Churchill,et al.  Improving the measurement of service quality , 1993 .

[46]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  Reassessment of expectations as a comparison standard in measuring service quality: Implications , 1994 .

[47]  Peter K. Mills,et al.  Toward a Core Typology of Service Organizations , 1980 .

[48]  R. Camp.  Business process benchmarking : finding and implementing best practices , 1995 .

[49]  Kirk L. Wakefield,et al.  Measurement and Management of the Sportscape , 1996 .

[50]  Nicholas A. Duray,et al.  Assessing Perceptions of Recreation Center Service Quality: An Application of Recent Advancements in Service Quality Research , 1992 .

[51]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and Its Implications for Future Research , 1985 .

[52]  F. Price.  Right Every Time: Using the Deming Approach , 1990 .

[53]  R J Maxwell,et al.  Quality assessment in health. , 1984, British medical journal.

[54]  Ian Milne,et al.  Measuring customer service quality in sports and leisure centres , 1996 .