The expectation norm of Information Systems SERVQUAL has been challenged on both conceptual and empirical grounds, drawing into question the instrument's practical value. To address the criticism that the original IS SERVQUAL's expectation measure is ambiguous, we test a new set of scales that posits that service expectations exist at two levels that IS customers use as a basis to assess IS service quality: (1) desired service: the level of IS service desired, and (2) adequate service: the minimum level of IS service customers are willing to accept. Defining these two levels is a "zone of tolerance" (ZOT) that represents the range of IS service performance a customer would consider satisfactory. In other words, IS customer service expectations are characterized by a range of levels, rather than a single expectation point. This research note adapts the ZOT and the generic operational definition from marketing to the IS field, assessing its psychometric properties. Our findings conclude that the instrument shows validity of a four-dimension IS ZOT SERVQUAL measure for desired, adequate, and perceived service quality levels, identifying 18 commonly applicable question items. This measure addresses past criticism while offering a practical diagnostic tool.
The relationship between organizational structures and information technology (IT) has been the subject of much discussion in IS research. While studies have not yielded conclusive results, the importance of examining the relationship between structure and technology is increasing in an environment where organizations are using contemporary IT to redesign themselves in order to compete more effectively. This paper presents a study that examines the relationship between the use of an important class of IT, communications technologies, and organizational structural attributes within a broad contingency context. Hypotheses are proposed, based on theory from the information-processing paradigm examining the mediating role of communications technologies (CT) in the relationship between environmental characteristics and organizational structural characteristics. Data from 153 manufacturing firms are collected and analyzed. The results show that CT seems to play a direct role in reinforcing structures that emerge from environmental dictates. The expanded set of variables considered in this study and the results provide potentially strong implications for future work in this important area.
In this research note, we join the debate between Van Dyke, Kappelman, and Prybutok and Pitt, Watson, and Kavan pertaining to the conceptual and empirical relevance of SERVQUAL as a measure of IS service quality. Adopting arguments from marketing, Van Dyke et al. (1997) question the SERVQUAL gap measurement approach, the interpretation and operationalization of the SERVQUAL expectation construct, and the reliability and validity of SERVQUAL dimensionality. In a response to those arguments, Pitt et al. (1997) defend their previous work (1995) in a point-by-point counterargument that suggests that the marginal empirical benefit of a perceptual-based (SERVPERF) service quality measure does not justify the loss of managerial diagnostic capabilities found in a gap measure. While siding with many of the positions taken by Pitt et al. (1997), we attempt to add value to the debate by presenting discrepancies we have with the two other research teams and by suggesting alternative approaches to resolve, or at least alleviate, problems associated with SERVQUAL. We believe that the theoretical superiority of an alternative IS service quality measure should be backed by empirical evidence in the IS context, hence answering some of the criticism by Van Dyke at al. and offering a construct valid version of the IS-adapted SERVQUAL. From a pragmatic view-point, we believe that the justification of using SERVQUAL'S gap measure should be driven by more effective ways to utilize expectations in IS service management. To this end, we introduce the newer Parasuraman at al. (1994b) measures, the concept of a "zone of tolerance" for expectation management and an illustration of its practical use in an IS setting. Overall, we attempt to set the direction of where we think this debate should lead the IS field, namely, toward practical and timely IS service quality measures.
This study investigates the managerial roles of the chief information officer (CIO) based on Mintzberg's classic managerial role model. Our findings indicate that CIOs differ from manufacturing and sales executives in the relative importance they place on managerial roles. This difference does not exist between CIOs and finance executives or between CIOs and information systems (IS) middle managers. As IS management matures, the spokesman and liaison role of the ClO becomes more important. Surprisingly, as IS matures, the strategic responsibilities entitled in the monitor and entrepreneur roles of the ClO do not become more important. However, it was found that the more centralized the IS resource, the greater the CIO's role in acting as a spokesman, environmental monitor, and resource allocator. The results of this study have implications for management development, training, and the career planning of IS management.