| Author(s) | Ahmed AIi Soliman and Anas Abdullah Alzaid* |
| Affiliation | Associate Professor, Department of Business Administration, College of Administrative Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia .Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Title | Service Quality in Riyadh's Elite Hotels: Measurement and Evaluation |
| Source | Journal of King Saud University. Administrative Sciences. Volume 14, No 2. (2002/1422) |
| Abstract | Previous research has offered several models for conceptualizing service quality, the best known of which is the disconfirmation model as expressed by the SERVQUAL scale. However, the literature reveals two major points of debate; the disagreement among scholars on the ideal method of measuring service quality, and their disagreement on SERVQUAL's dimensionality and generalizability. This paper discusses these issues and concludes that the performance model represented by the SERVPERF scale proves statistically better than the disconfirmation model as expressed by SERVQUAL scale in measuring service quality in the hotel industry. Service quality is measured in the elite hotels of Riyadh City from the perspectives of both hotel receptionists and guests. The findings also indicate that hotel managers should take into account the cultural idiosyncrasies of the Saudi society when planning their hotel service strategies with reference to specific traditions. The authors argue against using a generic instrument like the SERVQUAL to measure service quality in all types of service organizations. Rather, they advocate using the SER VPERF scale and modifYing it for each organization to accommodate its unique, service-specific attributes. |
