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Maritime Policy & Management
The flagship journal of international shipping and port research
Volume 35, 2008 - Issue 5
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Original Articles

Testing the SERVQUAL scale in the passenger port industry: a confirmatory study

, &
Pages 449-467 | Published online: 27 Jul 2010
 

Abstract

A key question is whether the service quality instruments developed for other services’ industries may be used to gauge service quality perceptions in shipping. Grounded on similar studies that test the most widely used American service quality instrument, SERVQUAL, in the commercial shipping sector, this study examines its applicability in the passenger shipping realm. Based on a survey of 436 passengers in Piraeus port, SERVQUAL's five main dimensions have been checked regarding their fit with the use of Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Results support that this is a valid instrument for measuring service quality in passenger shipping besides certain considerations regarding its dimensionality. A more parsimonious two-factor model seems more applicable and should therefore be also considered. Finally, it is evident from the study that passengers place more importance to the physical than the interactive elements of service to form their overall satisfaction.

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