Service quality in higher education - Applying hedperf scale in Vietnamese universities
Abstract
In recent years, higher education sector has developed more and more
dramatically. Thus, students will have a wide range of choices in pursuing their tertiary
education. To survive in this significantly competitive market, a number of universities
have been struggling for some time. And, service quality has played a vital role in
universities’growth.
Thus far, there is no research conducted to examine several kinds of factors
included in HEdPERF scale (Abdullah, 2005) in Vietnamese universities. Hence, the main
purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the analytical characteristics by applying
HEdPERF model (Abdullah, 2005) which impact on technical service quality and
functional service quality in Vietnamese universities. The paper is also objected to seek
out the connection between technical service quality, functional service quality and student
satisfaction in Vietnamese universities.
This study has been carried out for a three-month period since February in 2019
in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. Additionally, the research framework of this study consists
of a bunch of factors, particularly, non-academic aspects, academic aspects, access,
reputation, program issues, understanding, technical service quality, functional service
quality and student satisfaction.
The conceptual model supposed will be examined owing to a quantitative
questionaire of potential students. Structual equation modelling was used to analyze a
group of 300 respondents. The respondents in this research were broken into different
groups regarding to year of study, academic program and many kinds of education
institutions.
As a consequence, this research contributes to indicate how each feature
certainly affects technical service quality and functional service quality. In addition, it
delicates to illustrate the links between technical service quality, functional service quality
and student satisfaction. Later, with this broader understanding, leaders in universities can
launch new strategies bettering existing service quality to boost student fulfillment.