A Review of the Service Quality Concept – Past, Present and Perspectives
A Review of the Service Quality Concept – Past, Present and Perspectives

Summary/Abstract: After three decades of research and academics‘ attempts to capture the essence of the service quality concept, the review of the literature still cannot provide us with a precise and comprehensive answer when asking ―What is service quality after all?‖. The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, the authors emphasise the aspects which make service quality more difficult to define than product quality. Second, this paper underlines the main approaches that have been adopted in the attempt to define service quality and also highlights those aspects which contribute to the confusion that characterizes this concept. Finally, the paper presents the ―evolution‖ of the service quality concept by grouping the identified definitions in two main categories. This article argues that such a classification can help researchers formulate a definition which hinges on a certain period in time as well as to underline the need for further research. This study concludes that service quality remains an ambiguous concept which lacks complete agreement.

• Details
• Contents