Showing papers by "Chandrasekharan Rajendran published in 2002"

The relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction – a factor specific approach

Abstract: The relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction has received considerable academic attention in the past few years. But the nature of the exact relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction (especially in the way the two constructs have been operationalized) is still shrouded with uncertainty. Many researchers have operationalized customer satisfaction by using a single item scale and many others have used multiple item scales. The present study adopts a different approach and views customer satisfaction as a multi dimensional construct just as service quality, but argues that customer satisfaction should be operationalized along the same factors (and the corresponding items) on which service quality is operationalized. Based on this approach, the link between service quality and customer satisfaction has been investigated. The results have indicated that the two constructs are indeed independent but are closely related, implying that an increase in one is likely to lead to an increase in another.

Determinants of customer‐perceived service quality: a confirmatory factor analysis approach

Abstract: The research literature on service quality has indeed swelled enormously over the past few years with numerous researchers administering various models across the world. Nevertheless, the SERVQUAL instrument forms the basis on which all other works have been actualized. Interestingly, the conceptualization, measurement and applications of SERVQUAL across different industrial and commercial settings are not bereft of controversies either. A careful examination of the instrument divulges that the factors and the corresponding items are not comprehensive as it appears that the instrument has left out certain important constituents of service quality. In this background, the current research work strives to bring to light some of the critical determinants of service quality that have been overlooked in the literature and proposes a comprehensive model and an instrument framework for measuring customer perceived service quality. The instrument has been designed with specific reference to the banking sector. Data have been collected from customers of banks in a huge developing economy. The proposed instrument has been empirically tested for unidimensionality, reliability and construct validity using a confirmatory factor analysis approach. The present study offers a systematic procedure that could form the cornerstone for providing further insights on the conceptual and empirical comprehension of customer perceived service quality and its constituents.

The relationship between management's perception of total quality service and customer perceptions of service quality

Abstract: The effectiveness of quality management programmes at resulting in enhanced business performance has been a major subject of interest for business and academia alike. In service organizations, customer-perceived service quality is considered as one of the key determinants of business performance. The current study strives to examine the influence of total quality service (TQS) dimensions on customer-perceived service quality. Multiple regression analysis has been used to investigate the relationship between the different dimensions of TQS and the various factors of service quality. The results have indicated that the TQS dimensions, as a whole, are indeed good predictors of service quality. Furthermore, the soft issues of TQS (such as human resource management, customer focus, service culture, employee satisfaction, top management commitment and leadership and social responsibility) seem to be more vital than do hard issues in positively influencing customer-perceived service quality.

Management’s perception of total quality service in the banking sector of a developing economy – a critical analysis

Abstract: There is considerable lack of literature with respect to service industry management, especially in the banking industry of developing economies. Attempts to bridge this gap. Critically examines the banking industry in a developing nation – India. Investigates the discrepancies among the various groups of banks in India with respect to the total quality service (TQS) dimensions (from the perspective of the management). The results indicate that the three groups of banks in India seem to vary significantly. Identifies the dimensions that contribute most to discriminating between the groups. Also computes and analyses the total quality service indices with respect to the 12 dimensions for the three groups of banks and for the banking industry as a whole and in order to ascertain the level of TQS implementation in the Indian banking scene. Offers key insights on the criticality of the different TQS dimensions with respect to the banking sector in developing economies.

A study on the performance of scheduling rules in buffer-constrained dynamic flowshops

Abstract: Most studies on scheduling in manufacturing systems using dispatching rules deal with jobshops, while there are only few reports dealing with dynamic flowshops. It is known that the performance of many dispatching rules in dynamic jobshops is different from that in dynamic flowshops. Moreover, many research reports assume that there are no buffer constraints in the shop, and even those reports dealing with buffer-constrained shops present the evaluation of existing dispatching rules for unconstrained shops in the context of buffer constraints with the consideration of a limited number of objectives of scheduling. In this study, we deal with the problem of scheduling in dynamic flowshops with buffer constraints. With respect to different time-based objectives, the best dispatching rules for scheduling in unconstrained shops have been identified from the existing literature. In addition, two new dispatching rules specially designed for flowshops with buffer constraints are proposed. All dispatching rules un...