Skip to main content

Stakeholder Expectations of Service Quality in a University Web Portal

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Self-Service in the Internet Age

Part of the book series: Computer Supported Cooperative Work ((CSCW))

  • 1176 Accesses

Abstract

Online service quality is a much-studied concept. There is considerable evidence that user expectations and perceptions of self-service and online service quality differ in different business domains. In addition, the nature of online services is continually changing and universities have been at the forefront of this change, with university websites increasingly acting as a portal for a wide range of online transactions for a wide range of stakeholders . In this qualitative study, we conduct focus groups with a range of stakeholders in a university web portal . Our study offers a number of insights into the changing nature of the relationship between organisations and customers. New technologies are influencing customer expectations. Customers increasingly expect organisations to have integrated information systems, and to utilise new technologies such as SMS and web portals. Organisations can be slow to adopt a customer-centric viewpoint, and persist in providing interfaces that are inconsistent or require inside knowledge of organisational structures and processes. This has a negative effect on customer perceptions

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alzola LM, Robaina VC (2005) SERVQUAL: Its applicability in electronic commerce B2C. The Quality Management Journal 12:46

    Google Scholar 

  • Aneja A, Brooksby B, Rowan C (2001) Corporate portal framework for transforming content chaos on intranets. Intel Technology Journal 11:21–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes S (2001) An evaluation of cyber-bookshops: The webqual method. International Journal of Electronic Commerce 6:11–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes S, Vigden R (2000) Assessing the quality of auction web sites. In: Hawaii Conference on System Sciences, Hawaii

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes S, Vidgen R (2002) An integrative approach to the assessment of e-commerce quality. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research 3:114–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Bitner MJ, Ostrom AL, Meuter ML (2002) Implementing successful self-service technologies. Academy of Management Executive 16:96–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Brabston ME, McNamara G (1998) The Internet as a competitive knowledge tool for top managers. Industrial Management and Data Systems 98:158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Churchill Jr. GA (1979) A paradigm for developing better measures of marketing constructs. Journal of Marketing Research 16:64–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cresswell J (1994) Research Design: Qualitative & Quantitative Approaches. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California

    Google Scholar 

  • Dabholkar P (1996) Consumer evaluations of new technology-based self-service options: an investigation of alternative models of service quality. International Journal of research in Marketing 13:29–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dias C (2001) Corporate portals: A literature review of a new concept in Information Manage-ment. International Journal of Information Management 21:269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doll W, Hendrickson A, Deng X (1998) Using Davis's Perceived Usefulness and Ease-of-Use Instruments for Decision Making: A Confirmatory and Multigroup Invariance Analysis. Decision Sciences 29:839–869

    Google Scholar 

  • Freeman RE (1984) Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Pitman, Boston, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert D, Balestrini P, Littleboy D (2004) Barriers and benefits in the adoption of e-government. The International Journal of Public Sector Management 17:286–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gounaris S, Dimitiadis S (2003) Assessing service quality on the web: Evidence from business to consumer portals. The Journal of Services Marketing 17:529

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gronroos C (1978) A service-orientated approach to marketing of services. European Journal of Marketing 12:588–601

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hind P (2005) New Zealand Directions 2005 for Victoria University of Wellington. IDC Re-search, Sydney, Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Huberman AM, Miles MB (1998) Data Management and Analysis Methods. In: Denzin NK, Lincoln YS (eds) Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Materials. Sage, Thousand Oaks

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuo T, Lu I, Huang C et al. (2005) Measuring user's perceived portal service quality: An empirical study. Total Quality Management and Business Excellence 16:309

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Lagrosen S, Seyyed-Hashemi R, Leitner M (2004) Examination of the dimensions of quality in higher education. Quality Assurance in Education 12:61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKay J, Pranato A, Marshall P (2000) E-business maturity and the SOGe model. In: Austral-asian Conference in Information Systems (ACIS), Brisbane, Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan D, Stinson L (1997) What are Focus Groups? A report by the American Statistical Association, Alexandra, VA

    Google Scholar 

  • Owlia MS, Aspinwall EM (1996) A Framework for the Dimensions of Quality in Higher Educa-tion. Quality Assurance in Education 4:12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer J (2002) Website usability, design and performance metrics. Information Systems research 13:151–167

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman V, Zeithaml V, Berry L (1985) A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing 49:41–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman V, Berry L, Zeithaml V (1991) Understanding customer expectations of service. Sloan Management Review 32(3):39–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Pare G (2004) Investigating Information Systems with Positivist Case Study Research. Communications of the AIS 13:233–264

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Pitt L, Watson R, Kavan B (1995) Service Quality: A Measure of Information Systems Effec-tiveness. MIS Quarterly 19

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitt L, Watson R, Kavan B (1997) Measuring Information Systems Service Quality: Concerns for a Complete Canvas. MIS Quarterly 21

    Google Scholar 

  • Sahney S, Banwet DK, Karunes S (2004) Conceptualising total quality management in higher education. The TQM Magazine 16:145–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sandhu K, Corbitt BJ (2003) Web-based Electronic Service Adoption Model (E-SAM). In Pa-cific-Asian Conference in Information Systems (PACIS), Adelaide, South Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Straub D, Boudreau M-C, Gefen D (2004) Validation guidelines for IS positivist research. Communications of the ACM 13, article 24:1–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Tate M, Hope B (2004) The Importance of Service Branding in Multi-Channel E-Commerce Success: Towards a Research Framework. In: Australasian Conference in Information Sys-tems (ACIS), Hobart, Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Tate M, Hope B, Johnstone D (2006) ICT, Multi-channels and the Changing Line of Visibility: an Empirical Study. In: HICSS 39, Kauai, Hawaii

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiecher J, Hughes O, Dow N (2002) E-government: A new route to public sector quality. Managing Service Quality 12:384–393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winkler RE (2001) Portals – The All-In-One Web Supersites: Features, Functions, Definitions, Taxonomy, in SAP Design Guild Publications Series.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin RK (1993) Applications of case study research. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeithaml V, Parusaman A, Berry L (1990) Delivering Quality Service: balancing customer per-ceptions and expectations. The Free Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeithaml V, Parasuraman A, Malhorta Y (2002) Service quality delivery through websites: A critical review of extant knowledge. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 30:262–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zumpe S, Madberger M (2007) A transaction-based Framework for Business Models in Electronic Commerce. In: Pacific-Asia Conference in Information Systems (PACIS), Auckland, New Zealand

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Chicky Pang for her contributions to the literature review.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mary Tate .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Appendix: E-Qual Instrument for a University Web Portal

Appendix: E-Qual Instrument for a University Web Portal

figure 4_a_150822_1_Enfigure 4_a_150822_1_En
figure 4_b_150822_1_Enfigure 4_b_150822_1_En
figure 4_c_150822_1_Enfigure 4_c_150822_1_En

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer-Verlag London Limited

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Tate, M., Evermann, J., Hope, B., Barnes, S. (2009). Stakeholder Expectations of Service Quality in a University Web Portal. In: Sudweeks, F., Romm Livermore, C., Oliver, D. (eds) Self-Service in the Internet Age. Computer Supported Cooperative Work. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-207-4_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-207-4_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84800-206-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84800-207-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics