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Dimensions for evaluating information systems service quality expectations of e-Commerce SMMEs
Author(s)
April, Graham
Date Issued
2007
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
With growing invesbnent in WWW technologies bye-Commerce businesses
the measurement of Information Systems (IS) effectiveness in this area has
become increasingly important over the last decade. As business users
have become reliant on outsourced IS service providers for a wide range of
services, the quality of service rendered by the latter is an important issue
which impacts on IS effectiveness. Researchers have for many years
recognised the importance of service quality as a measure of IS performance.
Service quality measurement tools such as SERVQUAL from the marketing
field, have been proven to be applicable to the IS domain. However, empirical
studies in this regard are concentrated in the context of large, non- eCommerce
organisations only.
In South Africa, e-Commerce has been recognised as an important driver for
growth in SMMEs. The literature suggests that IS service delivery to eCommerce
businesses needs to be evaluated differently to that of traditional
brick-and-mortar businesses. There is however a paucity of research
regarding IS evaluation in e-Commerce environments, including that of the
application of service quality principles. It is thus difficult for managers of IS
service providers in this context to develop a complete picture of the
effectiveness of the IS they deliver. Furthermore, because e-Commerce
SMMEs are almost wholly reliant on these service providers for the supply of
IS and support, their service expectations could be different from those in
traditional businesses.
The primary objective of this research was to investigate whether IS service
quality criteria applied in large traditional businesses, are also applicable to
SMME e-Commerce businesses. The applicability of a service quality
measurement instrument, based on SERVQUAL, was tested in an ev
Commerce SMME context. Specifically, this instrument measures the service
quality expectations that e-Commerce SMMEs have of IS service providers.
A SERVQUAL measurement scale from a recent MISQ paper was adapted
and used to collect data concerning service quality expectations of e·
Commerce SMMEs. Using a structured survey method, the research was
delineated to e-Commerce enabled bed-and-breakfast and self-catering
accommodation businesses in the Western Cape, South Africa.
The research results indicate that, although SERVQUAL principles were
applicable to the e-Commerce SMME context, the service quality
dimensionality was different. There are four derived dimensions for service
quality expectations of e-Commerce SMMEs in this research, viz., Credibility,
Expertise, Availability and Supportiveness. A fifth dimension is the Tangibles
dimension, which is retained from SERVQUAL. Furthermore the results
indicate that the Credibility was the most important dimension in this research
context, while the Tangibles dimension was the least important.
the measurement of Information Systems (IS) effectiveness in this area has
become increasingly important over the last decade. As business users
have become reliant on outsourced IS service providers for a wide range of
services, the quality of service rendered by the latter is an important issue
which impacts on IS effectiveness. Researchers have for many years
recognised the importance of service quality as a measure of IS performance.
Service quality measurement tools such as SERVQUAL from the marketing
field, have been proven to be applicable to the IS domain. However, empirical
studies in this regard are concentrated in the context of large, non- eCommerce
organisations only.
In South Africa, e-Commerce has been recognised as an important driver for
growth in SMMEs. The literature suggests that IS service delivery to eCommerce
businesses needs to be evaluated differently to that of traditional
brick-and-mortar businesses. There is however a paucity of research
regarding IS evaluation in e-Commerce environments, including that of the
application of service quality principles. It is thus difficult for managers of IS
service providers in this context to develop a complete picture of the
effectiveness of the IS they deliver. Furthermore, because e-Commerce
SMMEs are almost wholly reliant on these service providers for the supply of
IS and support, their service expectations could be different from those in
traditional businesses.
The primary objective of this research was to investigate whether IS service
quality criteria applied in large traditional businesses, are also applicable to
SMME e-Commerce businesses. The applicability of a service quality
measurement instrument, based on SERVQUAL, was tested in an ev
Commerce SMME context. Specifically, this instrument measures the service
quality expectations that e-Commerce SMMEs have of IS service providers.
A SERVQUAL measurement scale from a recent MISQ paper was adapted
and used to collect data concerning service quality expectations of e·
Commerce SMMEs. Using a structured survey method, the research was
delineated to e-Commerce enabled bed-and-breakfast and self-catering
accommodation businesses in the Western Cape, South Africa.
The research results indicate that, although SERVQUAL principles were
applicable to the e-Commerce SMME context, the service quality
dimensionality was different. There are four derived dimensions for service
quality expectations of e-Commerce SMMEs in this research, viz., Credibility,
Expertise, Availability and Supportiveness. A fifth dimension is the Tangibles
dimension, which is retained from SERVQUAL. Furthermore the results
indicate that the Credibility was the most important dimension in this research
context, while the Tangibles dimension was the least important.
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007
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