ZONES OF TOLERANCE: ALTERNATIVE SCALES FOR MEASURING INFORMATION SYSTEMS SERVICE QUALITY.

Author List: Kettinger, William J.; Lee, Choong C.;
MIS Quarterly, 2005, Volume 29, Issue 4, Page 607-623.
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.
Keywords: evaluation; information services function; IS management; IS service quality; SERVQUAL; user expectations; zones of tolerance
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#263 0.238 instrument measurement factor analysis measuring measures dimensions validity based instruments construct measure conceptualization sample reliability development develop responses assess use
#211 0.127 service services delivery quality providers technology information customer business provider asp e-service role variability science propose logic companies especially customers
#27 0.126 secondary use primary data outcomes objective ways analysis range addresses development purpose budget past outcome wide direct generating occurs desired
#136 0.101 expectations expectation music disconfirmation sales analysis vector experiences modeling response polynomial surface discuss panel new nonlinear period understand paper dissonance
#127 0.092 systems information research theory implications practice discussed findings field paper practitioners role general important key grounded researchers domain new identified
#115 0.077 quality different servqual service high-quality difference used quantity importance use measure framework impact assurance better include means van dimensions assessing
#254 0.069 level levels higher patterns activity results structures lower evolution significant analysis degree data discussed implications stable cluster exist relationships identify
#288 0.063 customer customers crm relationship study loyalty marketing management profitability service offer retention it-enabled web-based interactions operations sales strategy channels set
#124 0.060 validity reliability measure constructs construct study research measures used scale development nomological scales instrument measurement researchers developed validation discriminant results