A Comparative Study of Service Marketing Practices in Unity University and St. Mary’s University
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2017-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AAU
Abstract
This study assessed and compared service marketing practices (internal and external marketing
practices; service quality gaps (perception-expectation) of educational services by using a
modified SERVQUAL instrument among students, and job satisfaction among instructors in
Unity and St. Mary’s universities. In this study, a total of 206 students were selected using
stratified sampling technique and 100 academic staff were randomly selected and asked to
complete questionnaires. Interview was conducted for Academic Vice Presidents of the two
universities. Results from academic staff indicated that internal marketing as having
resultant effects on; understanding of organizational vision and values, quality delivery of
external marketing as well as quality delivery of interactive marketing. It was also established
that there was strong and positive relationship between internal marketing and job satisfaction.
Student questionnaire measured students' perceptions and expectations in five dimensions of
service that consists of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The
quality gap of educational services was determined based on differences between students'
perceptions and expectations. The results demonstrated that in each of the five SERVQUAL
dimensions, there was a negative quality gap. The least and the most negative quality gap means
in Unity University and St. Mary’s University were in the tangibility (-0.08) and empathy (-
0.427) and reliability (-0.702) and responsiveness (-0.184) dimensions, respectively. Negative
quality gaps mean students' expectations exceed their perceptions. Thus, improvements are
needed across all five dimensions. It was also recommended that un ity and st.mary’s
universities should place more emphasis on internal marketing practices thereby enhancing
the quality delivery of both interactive and external marketing of the university. The
universities were advised to promote extrinsic job satisfaction among t h e i r staff. Areas of
further studies were also suggested