Measuring service quality at tourist destinations: an application of importance-performance analysis to an Alpine ski resort
Really interesting as it kinda puts IPA in its place - cool tool, but more as a diagnostic tool for destination management or tour operations, to be used by managers in resort - something that does not require factor analysis and is easy to administer. Notably has many items - 97 - and has short punchy items - one word.
Gives the impression that IPA is a useful tool, but perhaps not complex enough for a PhD. if that makes sense.
Wednesday 12 December 2007
Friday 7 December 2007
Tribe 1998
From SERVQUAL to HOLSAT: holiday satisfaction in Varadero, Cuba
The authors’ initially question whether it is possible to measure tourist satisfaction with the entity that is known as a ‘holiday’. They consider 3 different approaches to measuring quality and satisfaction:
1) Importance-performance Analysis (IPA)
2) SERVQUAL
3) SERVPERF
The authors then consider what sort of battery of questions is suitable for measuring consumer satisfaction with holidays. Using a methodology akin to SERVQUAL, the authors develop a model they call HOLSAT. (see methods details)
The battery was compiled using 4 different sources;
1) Promotional material, like tour operator brochures
2) Critical literature – literature with no particular interests to serve (newspaper reports, guide books, television reports)
3) Focus Group Tourists (n=11) who had travelled to the resort where primary research was taking place (Valadero, Cuba)
4) Critical reflection.
The decision was taken to follow the same rough methodology as SERVQUAL – i.e. two measures (P-E).
A pilot study was carried out with 102 holidaymakers using a battery of 56 items. A series of interpretable grids were used to track WIN/LOSS in the authors’ eyes. The idea behind a complex framework of +1, +2, 0, -1 etc., was to mediate the results from the two measures (positive or negative holiday attribute, importance of the attribute). This was seen as a weakness of previous models. The grid frameworks also allowed for the generation of mean expectation and realisation scores.
Despite the seemingly weighted nature of the positive attributes, 32 out of the 47 positive attributes showed performance ratings to be significantly lower than the expectations of holidaymakers.
The model, designed to yield more explanatory power than the likes of SERVQUAL, was found wanting. The reason for this failure, according to the authors, is that consumer expectations exceed performance over a wide range of destination attributes. One key issue that had perhaps not been considered was the choice of Varadero, Cuba, as a destination – Caribbean on the cheap – so tourist’s expectations tend to be ‘Caribbean high’ and then they are disappointed as they get what they pay for. The authors then question the role of brochures in raising expectations.
The obvious extension to this work is to investigate value, as this may capture the lower price, and perhaps the belief that Varadero is actually good value.
Unfortunately the model does not appear to add anything meaningful to research, and a flawed choice of destination, without consideration of value, leave the work lacking in meaningful results.
The authors’ initially question whether it is possible to measure tourist satisfaction with the entity that is known as a ‘holiday’. They consider 3 different approaches to measuring quality and satisfaction:
1) Importance-performance Analysis (IPA)
2) SERVQUAL
3) SERVPERF
The authors then consider what sort of battery of questions is suitable for measuring consumer satisfaction with holidays. Using a methodology akin to SERVQUAL, the authors develop a model they call HOLSAT. (see methods details)
The battery was compiled using 4 different sources;
1) Promotional material, like tour operator brochures
2) Critical literature – literature with no particular interests to serve (newspaper reports, guide books, television reports)
3) Focus Group Tourists (n=11) who had travelled to the resort where primary research was taking place (Valadero, Cuba)
4) Critical reflection.
The decision was taken to follow the same rough methodology as SERVQUAL – i.e. two measures (P-E).
A pilot study was carried out with 102 holidaymakers using a battery of 56 items. A series of interpretable grids were used to track WIN/LOSS in the authors’ eyes. The idea behind a complex framework of +1, +2, 0, -1 etc., was to mediate the results from the two measures (positive or negative holiday attribute, importance of the attribute). This was seen as a weakness of previous models. The grid frameworks also allowed for the generation of mean expectation and realisation scores.
Despite the seemingly weighted nature of the positive attributes, 32 out of the 47 positive attributes showed performance ratings to be significantly lower than the expectations of holidaymakers.
The model, designed to yield more explanatory power than the likes of SERVQUAL, was found wanting. The reason for this failure, according to the authors, is that consumer expectations exceed performance over a wide range of destination attributes. One key issue that had perhaps not been considered was the choice of Varadero, Cuba, as a destination – Caribbean on the cheap – so tourist’s expectations tend to be ‘Caribbean high’ and then they are disappointed as they get what they pay for. The authors then question the role of brochures in raising expectations.
The obvious extension to this work is to investigate value, as this may capture the lower price, and perhaps the belief that Varadero is actually good value.
Unfortunately the model does not appear to add anything meaningful to research, and a flawed choice of destination, without consideration of value, leave the work lacking in meaningful results.
Thursday 6 December 2007
Dean 2002
Service Quality and Customers’ Willingness to Pay More for Travel Services
Although mainly concerned with travel agency and WTPM (willingness to pay more)
but methodology is quite useful. Uses adapted SERVQUAL (23-items with 20 original) + a loyalty scale based on Parasuraman and zeithaml
plus a WTPM variable.
Need to chase up some articles.
Although mainly concerned with travel agency and WTPM (willingness to pay more)
but methodology is quite useful. Uses adapted SERVQUAL (23-items with 20 original) + a loyalty scale based on Parasuraman and zeithaml
plus a WTPM variable.
Need to chase up some articles.
Tsaur 2005
Cultural Differences of Service Quality and Behavioral Intention in Tourist Hotels
Good article. Main focus is looking at cultural differences. But methods are good and similar to what I want to look at.
They used SERVQUAL plus Zeithamls 13.
Highlights a need to get to know Cronbach's alpha and ANOVA etc.
Satatistical knowledge seems to be lacking.
Good article. Main focus is looking at cultural differences. But methods are good and similar to what I want to look at.
They used SERVQUAL plus Zeithamls 13.
Highlights a need to get to know Cronbach's alpha and ANOVA etc.
Satatistical knowledge seems to be lacking.
Juwaheer 2004
Exploring international tourists’ perceptions of hotel operations by using a modified SERVQUAL approach–
Good study - similar methods to what I have been lokoing at - ADAPTED SERVQUAL and overall measures of satisfaction/quality/recommend/return etc...
Methods are perhaps in advance of previous research - full breakdown of the factors that influence each of the dependent variables.
Interesting limitations - especially the acknowlegement that depth has been sacrificed in favour of breadth. The authors suggest that the work should be complemented with qualitative work.
They also mention the culture issue - of how peopl efrom different cultures may perceive things differently.
Good study - similar methods to what I have been lokoing at - ADAPTED SERVQUAL and overall measures of satisfaction/quality/recommend/return etc...
Methods are perhaps in advance of previous research - full breakdown of the factors that influence each of the dependent variables.
Interesting limitations - especially the acknowlegement that depth has been sacrificed in favour of breadth. The authors suggest that the work should be complemented with qualitative work.
They also mention the culture issue - of how peopl efrom different cultures may perceive things differently.
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