Showing papers on "Service level objective published in 2004"

QoS computation and policing in dynamic web service selection

Abstract: The emerging Service-Oriented Computing (SOC) paradigm promises to enable businesses and organizations to collaborate in an unprecedented way by means of standard web services. To support rapid and dynamic composition of services in this paradigm, web services that meet requesters' functional requirements must be able to be located and bounded dynamically from a large and constantly changing number of service providers based on their Quality of Service (QoS). In order to enable quality-driven web service selection, we need an open, fair, dynamic and secure framework to evaluate the QoS of a vast number of web services. The fair computation and enforcing of QoS of web services should have minimal overhead but yet able to achieve sufficient trust by both service requesters and providers. In this paper, we presented our open, fair and dynamic QoS computation model for web services selection through implementation of and experimentation with a QoS registry in a hypothetical phone service provisioning market place application.

Service quality dimensions: an examination of Grönroos’s service quality model

Abstract: Service quality researchers to date have paid scant attention to the issue of the dimensions of service quality. Much of the earlier work accepted the content measured by the SERVQUAL instrument. Following the argument that SERVQUAL only reflects the service delivery process, the study empirically examines the European perspective (i.e. Gronroos' model) suggesting that service quality consists of three dimensions, technical, functional and image, and that image functions as a filter in service quality perception. The results from a cell phone service sample revealed that Gronroos' model is a more appropriate representation of service quality than the American perspective with its limited concentration on the dimension of functional quality.

A framework and ontology for dynamic Web services selection

Abstract: Current Web services standards lack the means for expressing a service's nonfunctional attributes - namely, its quality of service. QoS can be objective (encompassing reliability, availability, and request-to-response time) or subjective (focusing on user experience). QoS attributes are key to dynamically selecting the services that best meet user needs. This article addresses dynamic service selection via an agent framework coupled with a QoS ontology. With this approach, participants can collaborate to determine each other's service quality and trustworthiness.

Correlating instrumentation data to system states: a building block for automated diagnosis and control

Abstract: This paper studies the use of statistical induction techniques as a basis for automated performance diagnosis and performance management. The goal of the work is to develop and evaluate tools for offline and online analysis of system metrics gathered from instrumentation in Internet server platforms. We use a promising class of probabilistic models (Tree-Augmented Bayesian Networks or TANs) to identify combinations of system-level metrics and threshold values that correlate with high-level performance states--compliance with Service Level Objectives (SLOs) for average-case response time--in a three-tier Web service under a variety of conditions. Experimental results from a testbed show that TAN models involving small subsets of metrics capture patterns of performance behavior in a way that is accurate and yields insights into the causes of observed performance effects. TANs are extremely efficient to represent and evaluate, and they have interpretability properties that make them excellent candidates for automated diagnosis and control. We explore the use of TAN models for offline forensic diagnosis, and in a limited online setting for performance forecasting with stable workloads.

Measuring customer perceived online service quality: Scale development and managerial implications

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to set forth a reliable and valid means of measuring online service quality based on a broad conceptual framework which integrates theory and conceptualization in customer service quality, information systems quality, and product portfolio management, into online service quality An ethnographic content analysis of 848 customer reviews of online banking services was employed to identify salient online service quality dimensions The most frequently cited online service quality attributes, along with literature review and personal interview results, were utilized to develop the survey questionnaire Subsequent to the pre‐test, a Web‐based survey was undertaken to verify and test the online service quality model A confirmatory factor analysis produced six key online service quality dimensions: reliability, responsiveness, competence, ease of use, security, and product portfolio This paper includes a discussion of the managerial and theoretical implications of this online service quality model

Web services on demand: WSLA-driven automated management

Abstract: In this paper we describe a framework for providing customers of Web services differentiated levels of service through the use of automated management and service level agreements (SLAs). The framework comprises the Web Service Level Agreement (WSLA) language, designed to specify SLAs in a flexible and individualized way, a system to provision resources based on service level objectives, a workload management system that prioritizes requests according to the associated SLAs, and a system to monitor compliance with the SLA. This framework was implemented as the utility computing services part of the IBM Emerging Technologies Tool Kit, which is publicly available on the IBM alphaWorksTM Web site.

Customers' perceptions of online retailing service quality and their satisfaction

Abstract: Online service quality is one of the key determinants of the success of online retailers. This exploratory study revealed some important findings about online service quality. First, the study identified six key online retailing service quality dimensions as perceived by online customers: reliable/prompt responses, access, ease of use, attentiveness, security, and credibility. Second, of the six, three dimensions, notably reliable/prompt responses, attentiveness, and ease of use, had significant impacts on both customers' perceived overall service quality and their satisfaction. Third, the access dimension had a significant effect on overall service quality, but not on satisfaction. Finally, this study discovered a significantly positive relationship between overall service quality and satisfaction. Important managerial implications and recommendations are also presented.

Service capability and performance of logistics service providers

Abstract: Drawing on the resource-based view of the firm, this study empirically examines if there exist different types of logistics service providers (LSPs), and whether the types differ in service performance. The study results suggest that there are four discernable types of LSP, according to the service capability displayed by each type, and that differences in service performance exist between the types. The implications of the results are discussed and suggestions for further research in LSPs are offered.

Composing Web services: a QoS view

Abstract: An Internet application can invoke several services--a stock-trading Web service, for example, could invoke a payment service, which could then invoke an authentication service. Such a scenario is called a composite Web service, and it can be specified statically or established dynamically. Dynamic composition of Web services requires service consumers to discover service providers that satisfy given functional and nonfunctional requirements including cost and QoS requirements such as performance and availability. In previous columns, I've examined how quality of service (QoS) comes into play for service providers, consumers, and parallel transactions. Here, I'll show how it fits into composite Web services.

Policy based management of storage resorces

Abstract: Policy based management of storage resources in a storage network. Service level objectives are associated with storage resource requestors such as applications. A set of policy rules is established in connection with these service level objectives. An update of the configuation of the storage network, such as a provisioning of storage resources for the application, is performed according to a workflow that implements the policy rules, which allows the service level objectives of the application to be automatically satisfied by the new provisioning. Metrics are used to ensure that service level objectives continue to be met.

Measurement of Service Quality in Internet Banking: The Development of an Instrument

Abstract: Service quality measurement in Internet banking services is an area of growing interest to researchers and managers. Building on a synthesis of the extant literature on service quality in traditional services and that of Internet delivered services, this study develops a battery of measures that can be used to measure customer service quality in e-banking services. The study shows that service quality in e-banking can be measured using twenty-one parsimonious measures spread across five dimensions, namely, access, Website interface, trust, attention and credibility. The article discusses the importance of these findings for practitioners and for future research on service quality in Internet delivered services.

Service productivity: Towards understanding the relationship between operational and customer productivity

Abstract: It is surprising that little empirical research has been conducted in the area of service productivity given its impact on organisational costs. In order to try to encourage such research, this paper provides a structure for analysing productivity in service organisations by distinguishing between operational and customer productivity. The paper also clarifies the meaning of “productivity” and differentiates it from efficiency and utilisation. The authors identify some of the problems in measuring productivity, especially in a service setting, and then use a few examples to illustrate the sometimes counterintuitive relationship between operational and customer productivity.

The impact of service failures on customer loyalty: The moderating role of affective commitment

Abstract: This purpose of this study was to investigate the negative impact of service failures on customer loyalty. More specifically, we examined the moderating role of affective commitment on post‐failure attitudes and loyalty intentions under two service failure conditions: a successful and poor service recovery. Our findings indicate that emotionally‐bonded customers might feel “betrayed” when a service failure occurs, thus resulting in sharp decrease in post‐recovery attitudes. Conversely, this negativity effect was limited to poor service recovery among consumers with low affective commitment. Customers with lower levels of emotional bonding with the service provider were more “forgiving” when the service recovery was effectively handled. Poor service recovery led to more ambivalent post‐failure attitudes irrespective of the degree of affective commitment between the customer and the service provider. Finally, the results suggest that affective commitment might reduce the spill‐over effects of service failures to future loyalty behaviors. The implications for retention management strategies are briefly discussed.

Relative importance of service quality dimensions: a multisectoral study

Abstract: Three forces dominate the prevailing marketing environment in the service sector: increasing competition from private players, changing and improving technologies, and continuous shifts in the regulatory environment, which has led to the growing customer sophistication. Customers have become more and more aware of their requirements and demand higher standards of services. Their perceptions and expectations are continually evolving, making it difficult for the service providers to measure and manage services effectively. The key lies in improving the service selectively, paying attention to more critical service attributes/dimensions as a part of customer service management. It is an imperative to understand how sensitive the customers are to various service attributes or dimensions. Allocating resources in the fashion that is consistent with customer priorities can enhance the effectiveness in the service operations. In addition, customer service attribute priorities need to be fully explored in service specific contexts. This paper is an attempt to explore relative importance of service quality dimensions across a ‘select’ service context. The results suggest that (1) all the service quality dimensions are equally important as no proper order of their importance could be established, (2) the service performance in relation to the ‘expectations’ is poor in respect of nearly all the dimensions and in all the select services, and (3) the nature of service does not seem to have a role in establishing an order of importance of the dimensions.

Relationships between service quality and behavioral outcomes: A study of private bank customers in Germany

Abstract: This study examines the nature of relationships between service quality, background characteristics, and satisfaction and selected behavioral outcomes by using retail banking in Germany as its setting. Study results show that service quality is at the root of customer satisfaction and is linked to such behavioral outcomes as word of mouth, complaint, recommending and switching. However, different aspects of service quality and different consumer characteristics seem to be associated with different outcomes. For instance, the results suggest that tangible elements of service quality and being a female are more closely associated with positive word of mouth and commitment. On the other hand, “timeliness” aspects of service delivery are more closely related to customer satisfaction, and complaint and switching behaviors. Implications of these results to induce greater customer satisfaction, to attain higher levels of favorable outcomes and/or to alleviate negative outcomes are discussed.

A dimension‐specific analysis of performance‐only measurement of service quality and satisfaction in China's retail banking

Abstract: This study examines specific dimensions of the performance‐only measurement of service quality (SERVPERF) as determinants of consumer satisfaction and subsequent behavioral intentions associated with banking services in mainland China. Empirical support for the predictive ability of context‐dependent service quality dimensions is presented. Our results extend and enhance the validity of the performance‐only approach to service quality through the focus on the multidimensional facets of the SERVPERF scale, a direct link between context‐dependent dimensions of service quality and consumer satisfaction, and its application in an international setting. Strategic issues in managing service quality with retail banks in the Chinese market are identified and discussed.

Managing customer expectations in the service encounter

Abstract: Consumers of services have expectations about what they will receive from the delivery system. These expectations are beliefs about future events which, when compared with the perceived actual service delivered, are presumed to influence satisfaction and assessments of overall service quality. The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that outlines the process through which expectations operate at the point of delivery and provide a framework for future investigations. Implications for management practice focus on service provider behavior at the point of delivery and on control of cues that may influence consumer expectations once they have entered the delivery system. Directions for research include verification of model relationships and identification of specific types of cues that relate to attributes commonly considered in consumers’ judgements of service quality.

Utility computing SLA management based upon business objectives

Abstract: It has become increasingly desirable for companies worldwide to outsource their complex e-business infrastructure under the utility computing paradigm by means of service level agreements (SLAs). A successful utility computing provider must be able not only to satisfy its customers' demand for high service-quality standards, but also to fulfill its service-quality commitments based upon business objectives (e.g., cost-effectively minimizing the exposed business impact of service level violations). This paper presents the design rationale of a business-objectives-based utility computing SLA management system, called SAM, along with implementation experiences.

The impact of customer participation and service expectation on Locus attributions following service failure

Abstract: This study explores the impact of two factors that are prominent in the service literature: customer participation and service expectation. Owing to the interactive nature of services, customers often participate in the co‐production of the service. In addition, customers normally enter into the service with certain expectations regarding the level of service they are likely to receive. The survey argues that the participative roles adopted by customers in service specification and delivery and their pre‐encounter service expectations influence how customers attribute the causes of service failure. Finally, the implications from the findings are discussed and directions for future research are provided. The effect of emotional response caused by a service failure on locus attributions remains to be further investigated.

Services Management: An Integrated Approach

Abstract: PART ONE: THE NATURE OF SERVICES. 1. The Nature of Services. 2. Defining the Service Concept. 3. Servitisation: The Blurring Boundaries Between Manufacturing and Services. 4. Services in a World Economy. PART TWO: CUSTOMER LOGIC. 5. Relationship Marketing. 6. Promoting Services. 7. Pricing Services. 8. Measuring Customer Satisfaction. 9. Service Guarantees and Service-level Agreements. 10. Complaint Management. PART THREE: HUMAN RESOURCES IN SERVICE ORGANISATIONS. 11. The Role of Human Resource Practices in Service Organisations. 12. Competencies and Service Organisations. 13. Collaboration: Integrating Work and Learning. 14. The Role of Empowerment in Service Organisations. PART FOUR: OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT IN SERVICE ORGANISATIONS. 15. Capacity Management. 16. Facilities Management. 17. IT Developments and their Impact on Services. PART FIVE: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH. 18. Performance Measurement Systems in Service Firms. 19. Managing Innovation in a Service Environment. 20. Managing Services Across National Boundaries. 21. Defining a Service Strategy. 22. Technical Notes.

Drivers of customers' cross‐buying intentions

Abstract: Why do some customers cross‐buy different services from the same provider while others are less disposed to do so? The present research examines the drivers of the customers’ cross‐buying intentions for services Cross‐buying refers to the customer's practice of buying additional products and services from the existing service provider in addition to the ones s/he currently has The results obtained from two samples of service consumers indicate that the customers’ cross‐buying intentions are primarily associated with image conflicts about the provider's abilities to deliver high‐quality services from different service activities, and the perceived convenience of cross‐buying from the same provider Customers’ experiences with the service provider have a weaker or marginal effect on cross‐buying

A Study of the Impacts of Service Quality on Relationship Quality in Search-Experience-Credence Services

Abstract: Service quality often has relevance in the formation of an enduring buyer– supplier relationship. This study adopts the multidimensional service quality model, and attempts to find out the effects of three service quality factors—customer–employee interaction, the service environment and the service outcome—on relationship quality under search, experience and credence services. The results of empirical data analysis indicate that all three service quality factors have significant influences on trust and satisfaction of the relationship quality. Moreover, the influence of service quality on relationship quality varies based on the difference in service types. The managerial implications of this study are then discussed.

Evaluating service quality in a UK hotel chain: a case study

Abstract: Service quality is a growing concern for many service firms in the UK. Today service firms are paying more attention than ever to the needs and expectations of the customers by consistently improving the quality of service provided to their customers. This paper briefly explores the relation between service quality and business performance followed by an assessment of service quality as a framework. The case study focuses on a hotel group in UK, where service quality was measured at six different locations. The findings from the research unveiled that there were significant variations for service quality between the six hotels.

Towards a better understanding of service excellence

Abstract: Some organisations are becoming more concerned with delighting their customers than simply satisfying them. Yet despite an extensive literature on service quality and satisfaction little has been written about service excellence and how organisations can achieve delighted customers. The purpose of this exploratory but empirically based paper is to provide a definition of service excellence to help marketers and managers, where appropriate, design and deliver it. This paper is based on over 400 statements of excellent and poor service gathered from around 150 respondents. After categorising them, using a grounded theory approach, it is suggested that service excellence is about being “easy to do business with”. This has four key elements: delivering the promise, providing a personal touch, going the extra mile and resolving problems well. Further analysis of the frequencies of mention revealed the overarching importance of dealing well with problems and queries.

Dynamic network resource brokering

Abstract: A method and system for identifying and mapping the business-driven IT policies to network resources and automatically brokering resources accordingly is disclosed. A software-based client/server architecture may be used, in an exemplary embodiment, to provision network server, processor, and storage resources according to the policies, service level objectives, and/or service level agreements needed to meet IT infrastructure customer needs with appropriately differentiated service.

Method and apparatus for the use of dynamic XML message formats with web services

Abstract: A service proxy is used to automatically supply the message-format parameters required for incoming message communications to a web-service provider from client applications through a message-conversion system that the web-service provider previously sets up. For outgoing messages from the web service to client businesses, the service proxy automatically supplies the required message-format parameters according to service policies that client businesses set up previously through the web-service provider's web-site interface. The format of client application messages is predefined for a web service policy, and a configuration interface is established for context variables and message format variables. This service profile is recalled in order to apply the proper message format parameters for a web service request.

Hospital service quality: a managerial challenge

Abstract: While much is known generally about predictions of customer‐perceived service quality, their application to health services is rarer. No attempt has been made to examine the impact of social support and patient education on overall service quality perception. Together with six quality dimensions identified from the literature, this study seeks to provide a more holistic comprehension of hospital service quality prediction. Although 79 percent of variation is explained, other than technical quality the impact of the remaining factors on quality perception is far from constant, and socio‐economic variables further complicate unpredictability. Contrary to established beliefs, the cost factor was found to be insignificant. Hence, to manage service quality effectively, the test lies in how well healthcare providers know the customers they serve. It is not only crucial in a globalized environment, where trans‐national patient mobility is increasingly the norm, but also within homogeneous societies that appear to converge culturally.