Service quality and student satisfaction: a “silent noise” in University management

Abstract

Student satisfaction should be top on the agenda in the operations of any University because students are key stakeholders in the success of such institutions. As pointed out by Teerovengadum et al. (2019), one of the factors influencing student’s satisfaction is service quality. In this chapter, service quality is viewed in the context of the disconfirmation paradigm where a comparison is made between service quality expectations and the actual service offered. Student satisfaction on the other hand is defined as the students’ perceptual appraisal of the services offered by the University. Commonly, students form service expectations from past encounters with the institution. These formed expectations are then compared to the experiences undergone with a particular service experience. The belief is that when students’ expectations are met, they are likely to be satisfied. This chapter presents the background to and theories that underpin service quality and student satisfaction. Also, empirical studies on the service quality gap and the effect of service quality on student satisfaction are discussed. Additionally, the methodology, study findings, discussions and study implications have been analysed.