Beyond SERVQUAL: The competitive forces of higher education in Singapore

Abstract

The paper explores the influences of service quality in higher education and how they contribute to the overall performance of a higher learning institution in Singapore. It draws on the underpinnings of SERVQUAL, and discusses the dichotomy and interrelation between customer perception and expectation in response to current tertiary contexts. Based on an actual framework of a Singapore higher learning institution, the paper further examines three key aspects of service standards: customer orientation, course design/delivery, and support services. Qualitative methodology was employed and data were collected by means of structured in-depth interviews with 12 academics of the institution. Our findings reveal that the way students are perceived will have a direct influence on the learning dynamics that occur both inside and outside the classroom. More importantly, service quality needs to be evaluated on the basis of the integrated experience of students supported by a network of learning spaces created to promote dialogue, inquiry, and reflection. At the core is the collective effort of all individuals that function as active carriers of change.

Keywords:

• course delivery
• customer satisfaction
• service quality
• support services
• higher education
• Singapore

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the help of Andy Kwek in the initial stage of data collection and his preliminary ideas of the research. The paper has also benefited from the comments of the editor and anonymous reviewers.