The impact of the education level of the members who benefit from sports businesses on their service quality expectation and perception level

Abstract

This study was carried out to identify the perceptions and expectations of the members regarding the service they receive at the businesses that offers recreational sports/fitness program and to determine whether their expectations and perceptions on the service quality differ correlating with the members' level of education. Research was carried out with 623 members, 349 women, 274 men, benefiting from sports enterprises operating in the province of Ankara. The research data were obtained using “Turkish Version of the Service Quality Assessments Scale” (SQAS-T) developed by Lam et al. and tested for the reliability and validity in Turkey by Gurbuz. In data analysis, “t” and “ANOVA” tests were used in independent groups. The expected service quality scores of the members whose education level was high school were determined to be significantly higher (p<0.05) only in terms of staff than the members whose education level was university, but there were no differences (p>0.05) in the other sub-dimensions. Also according to the education level of the members who participated in the research, statistically meaningful differences (p<0.05) were determined between the perceived service quality scores in terms of the staff, program, dressing rooms, and the institution. In conclusion, the level of education was determined to have an impact on expected and perceived service quality.

Keywords

• Sports business; service quality; expectations; perceptions

References

1. Akbaba A. Konaklama İsletmelerinde Kalite Fonksiyon
2. Göçerimi, D.E.Ü. Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Yayımlanmamış Doktora Tezi, İzmir, 2003.
3. Ardıç K, Baş T. Saglık Sektöründe Hizmet Kalitesinin
4. (Müşteri Tatmininin) Ölçülmesi (Sakarya Doğum ve Çocuk Bakımevi (Www.Geocities.Com/Ceteris_Paribus_Tr/Ardic8.Doc (Tarihi: 30.04.2007), 2001; S.4. Bir Uygulama),
5. Boz C. Yerel Yonetimlerin Spor Tesislerinde Toplam Kalite
6. Yönetimi Uygulamaları, (İstanbul Büyüksehir Belediyesi Örneği), Marmara Universitesi,Yuksek Lisans Tezi,İstanbul, 2007.
7. Brady M.K, Cronin J. J. Some new thoughts on
8. conceptualizing perceived service quality: a hierarchical Approach, Journal of Marketing, 2001; 65: 34- 49.

9. Caruana A, Ewing MT, Ramaseshan B. Assessment of the
10. Three-Column Format SERVQUAL: An experimental approach. Journal of Business Research, 2000; 49, pp.57 65.
11. Ceyhun S. Spor İşletmelerinde Hizmet Kalitesi, Doktora Tezi,
12. Gazi Üniversitesi, Ankara, 2006.
13. Ekenci G. Gözen M. Türkiyede Spor Tesis ve Hizmetlerinin
14. Özelleştirilmesi. Besbd, 2000; 5(2): 77.
15. Gürbüz B. Reliablity and Validity of the Turkish Version of
16. the Service Quality Assessment Scale. Orta Dogu Teknik Üniversitesi. Yüksek Lisans, Ankara, 2003.
17. Gürbüz E, Büyükkeklik A, Avcılar MY, Toksari M. Algılanan
18. hizmet kalitesinin tatmin ve davranışsal niyet üzerine etkisi, Niğde ilindeki süpermarketler üzerine ampirik bir çalışma. Ege Akademik Bakis: 2008; 8(2): 785–812.
19. Karaküçük S. Rekreasyon Boş Zamanları Degerlendirme,
20. Gazi Kitabevi, Ankara. 2005; 5. Baskı, S.48.
21. Ko YJ, Pstore DL. A Hierarchical Model Of Service Quality
22. Fort He Recreational Sport Industry. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 2005; 14(2): 84-97.1.
23. Lam ETC, Zhang JJ, Jensen BE. Service Quality Assessment
24. Scale (SQAS): An Instrument for Evaluating Service Quality of Health- Fitness Clubs. Measurement in Physıcal and Exercise Science, 2005; 9(2): 79–111.
25. Lehtinen U, Lehtinen J.R. Two Approaches to Service Quality
26. DimensionsThe Service Industries Journal. . 1991; Vol.11, No.3. Ss.287-303.
27. Memiş UA, Ekenci G. Spor Merkezlerinde Müşteri
28. Memnuniyeti (Ankara İli Örneği). Gazi BESBD 2007; 12(1):33– 48.
29. Uyguç N. Hizmet Sektöründe Kalite Yönetimi, Dokuz Eylül
30. Yayinlari, İzmir, 1998.
31. Schroeder R. G. Operations Management: Decision Making in
32. The Operations Function. Mcgraw-Hill: New York. 1993.
33. Tekin M. Toplam Kalite Yonetimi, Seckin Basın Yayın
34. Dagıtım. Ankara: 2004; 3. Baskı.
35. Theodorakıs N, Alexandrıs K, Rodrıguez P, Sarmento Pj.
36. Measuring Customer Satifaction İn The Context Of Health Clubs İn Pottugal International Sports Journal. Winter; 2004; 8(1):44-53
37. Yetim A. Sosyoloji ve Spor, Topkar Matbaacılık, Ankara. 2000; S.167
38. Yılmaz İ. Otel İşletmelerinde Hizmet Kalitesinin Müşteriler ve Yöneticiler Açısından Ölçülmesi, Dokuz Eylul Universitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Turizm İşletmeciliği Anabilimdali, Turizm İşletmeciliği Programı, Doktora Tezi 2007.
39. Yüzgenç A. Yerel Yönetimlerin Sunduğu Spor Hizmetlerinde
40. Hizmet Kalitesi, Gazi Üniversitesi, Yüksek Lisans. Ankara, 2010.