Modelling web-based library service quality and user loyalty in the context of a developing country

A model to improve user acceptance of e-services in healthcare systems based on technology acceptance model: an empirical study

Improving the quality of electronic services (e-services) is essential when dealing with unforeseen factors and uncertainties in healthcare, such as the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) and changes in the needs and expectations of patients. This paper presents a comprehensive conceptual model in healthcare systems for improving the user acceptance of e-services. A model referred to as the technology acceptance model (TAM) is considered that includes several factors. The factors are computer literacy, website quality, service quality, user attitude, perceived enjoyment, and user satisfaction. According to the collected data and the performed analysis, the fit indices of this survey reveal that the conceptual model has an acceptable fit. The findings are as follows. Computer literacy has positive effects on perceived enjoyment and ease of use. Website quality has positive effects on perceived enjoyment, ease of use, and user satisfaction. Perceived enjoyment has a positive effect on perceived usefulness. Ease of use has positive effects on the usefulness, willingness to use e-services, and user attitude. User satisfaction has a positive effect on user attitude. Perceived usefulness has a positive effect on the willingness to use e-services. Finally, among these variables, only the user attitude has no significant effect on the willingness to use e-services in the healthcare system. Therefore, to promote performance quality and to motivate people to use e-services, healthcare managers should improve these factors.

A systematic review of library service quality studies: Models, dimensions, research populations and methods

The study systematically reviews the studies based on a search of published articles from 2010 to 2021 on library service quality with the aim of determining which models of service quality are the most commonly used by librarians as a means of measuring service quality. In addition, the paper makes an effort to determine the variety of dimensions by which these qualitative evaluations were carried out, the types of libraries that have reported such qualitative studies, and the data collection strategies (research population, sample size and data collection instruments) adopted by the authors. The findings indicate that the SERVQUAL and LibQual models are the most frequently adopted models. The empathy, reliability, tangible, assurance, responsiveness, effect of library, information control and library as place are the prominent dimensions. The researchers rely heavily on questionnaire-based survey research methods with sample sizes of less than 100 respondents, mostly reported in academic libraries.

How to measure service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty of public library users: Application of library customer satisfaction index (LCSI) lite model

This study develops a simplified Library Customer Satisfaction Index (LCSI Lite) for public libraries. Using data collected from questionnaires administered at four public libraries in South Korea, structural equation modeling was used to measure the scores. The suggested model was confirmed to have good acceptable fit, and that three dimensions of service quality (library personnel, library resources and user services, and facilities and equipment) influenced loyalty via customer satisfaction. After successful factor analysis and reliability testing, three items for library personnel, four for library resources and user services, two for facilities and equipment, two for customer satisfaction, and two for loyalty were analyzed. Means of each item in service quality were over 3.77, and those in satisfaction and loyalty were over 4.00. Direct and indirect effects of the dimensions of service quality were analyzed, with the effect of satisfaction on loyalty. LCSI Lite scores for the libraries as a whole (73.90 out of 100) and for each library were calculated using suggested formula. Finally, research and managerial implications, some recommendations and suggestions for further research, limitations, and conclusions were presented.

Unveiling the research pattern and trends in library service quality studies: A meta-narrative review

‘Service Quality’ and its influence in Library and Information Science discipline are spectacular when studied intensively. In this study, researchers adopted the Realist and Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards review method and introduced a novel Initialization, Conceptualization, Actualisation) (ICA) framework for meta-narrative studies. This method would act as a boon particularly to the existing methods of conducting meta-narrative studies in social sciences in general and library sciences in particular. A total of 49 research articles were selected from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases, covering a span of 5 years, that is, 2015–2019, published in the domain of library service quality. An extensive in-depth analysis of selected publications was carried out under seven categories (i.e. library, library services, quality, ServQUAL, LibQUAL+, user satisfaction and users’ expectations), which were generated using the VOS-Viewer software and ‘Review Tags’ (manually generated using OneNote). The seven categories further identify a total of 27 sub-categories. The quantitative findings revealed that all the 49 reviewed publications were published in 27 journals. All the journals have been indexed in the Scopus database, whereas 15 journals containing the remaining 22 publications are indexed in both WoS and Scopus databases. This study unfolds a transverse trend in library service quality. It would be beneficial for the library managers to sustain libraries’ service quality and set a benchmark in the said field.

The evaluation of the relationship between customers’ knowledge management and their loyalty to academic libraries

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationship between customers’ knowledge management and their loyalty to academic libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted by the descriptive-survey method. After determining the validity and the reliability of the questionnaire, 400 questionnaires were distributed among the undergraduate students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM) by stratified sampling method. Finally, 373 questionnaires were considered as the basis for data analysis. Structural equation method was used for data analysis.

Findings

In this study, nine hypotheses were examined and tested. The results of the path analysis indicated that factors such as perceived value, knowledge about customer, satisfaction, perceived quality, knowledge for customer and knowledge about customer had the most to least impact on customer loyalty to academic libraries. In addition, this study highlighted the role of perceived value. Data analysis showed the important role of perceived value as an interface between customers’ knowledge management and its direct and indirect relationship with them.

Practical implications

Based on the findings of this study, it seems that the managers and the librarians of academic libraries need to consider the relationship between customers’ knowledge management and perceived quality, as well as the satisfaction of their customers to use the customer knowledge management capacities for developing their loyalty.

Originality/value

In this case, an effective step can be taken toward developing the knowledge management of users and ultimately encouraging them to show their loyalty to academic libraries and satisfying their information needs and providing the justification for the survival of these types of libraries.

Influence of satisfaction and loyalty on Net Promoter Score (NPS) in academic libraries in Indonesia

Purpose

This study aims to determine the NPS score of state academic libraries users in Indonesia, the relationship between user loyalty and NPS scores and the relationship between user satisfaction with NPS.

Design/methodology/approach

The method used in this research is quantitative explanatory method, which surveyed the relationship between satisfaction, loyalty and NPS variables based on the development of previous studies and existing theories. The population in this study were students visiting the state university library in Surabaya, Indonesia, namely Library A, Library B, Library C and Library D. The total number of samples taken was 200 divided equally to each of the universities, with 50 respondents respectively. Data collection was done with a questionnaire.

Findings

The Result shows that NPS value for academic library in Indonesia was 8. (1) The probability value of satisfaction with NPS is 0.18 (greater than 0.01) so H1 is rejected, meaning that satisfaction has no significant effect on NPS, (2) The probability value of satisfaction with loyalty is < 0.01 so that H0 is accepted. This means that satisfaction has a significant effect on loyalty and (3) The probability value of loyalty to NPS is < 0.01 so that H0 is accepted. This indicates that loyalty has a significant effect on NPS.

Research limitations/implications

To get user satisfaction, libraries need to improve facilities and services in accordance with the characteristics and needs of users, so that user expectations will be met and achieve satisfaction. When user satisfaction has been fulfilled, user loyalty to library products will be formed, so the NPS score will increase which is manifested by users recommending the library to others. This research has limitations, namely that the object of research is only in public higher education centers, so for generalization it is necessary to add research objects such as private college libraries, public libraries or school libraries.

Originality/value

Research on loyalty by using NPS has not been done much especially in Indonesia. This study also examines the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty on NPS scores.

Assessment of e-service quality performance of university libraries

Purpose

This empirical study aims to measure the performance of electronic service quality and related infrastructure in a state university library and suggests the strategies for further improvement based on this study.

Design/methodology/approach

The data collection was done through a survey questionnaire based on the 22 attributes of four e-Service quality dimensions rated on five-point Likert scale. The sample population consisted of 239 respondents comprising of different categories of users of university library.

Findings

The results of this study indicated that all four dimensions rated by the users fell between mean score 3 to 4 (good), the highest score was received in dimension online public access catalogue (OPAC) and internet service with followed by Library website, Library electronic equipment’s and e-User education. Out of total 22 e-Service quality attributes, none of the attributes received score above 4 (excellent), which indicates that still university library need to improve the current performance of e-Service quality and to take remedial steps to enhance the existing e-services and infrastructure.

Practical implications

Findings from this study could assist university library authority to sustain and enhance performance of e-Services that could achieve the core journey of the modern university libraries.

Originality/value

This study was the first endeavour for measurement of the performance of e-Service quality and related infrastructure of federal university libraries in India.

Beyond Providing Information: An Analysis on the Perceived Service Quality, Satisfaction, and Loyalty of Public Library Customers

This study investigates the customers’ perceptions on three traditional dimensions of the perceived library service quality (library personnel; library resources and user services; and facilities and equipment), customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty of the public library users. Survey data using simplified questionnaires were analyzed which were collected from 1015 users of public libraries in 2015 and 2019 respectively in South Korea. The results show that they were generally satisfied with public library services and want to visit them again and/or recommend them to others based on the good perceptions on the public library service quality, because the means of each variable on a Likert 5-point scale was fairly high: customer satisfaction 3.85, customer loyalty 4.12, and perceived service quality 3.80 (library personnel 3.80, library resources and user services 3.81, and facilities and equipment 3.79). Each of three dimensions of perceived service quality had statistically significant positive impacts both on customer satisfaction and on the loyalty of the users, and that customer satisfaction had statistically significant positive impacts on customer loyalty. Different groups by gender, age, education, and occupation show the mean differences in customer loyalty. This article suggests research and managerial implications and limitations of the study.

Service quality in higher education institutions: qualitative evidence from the students’ perspectives using Maslow hierarchy of needs

Purpose

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are responsible for training and transforming the students into valuable resources. Although students are believed to be the principal stakeholders in HEIs, limited research studies are available on service quality (SQ) in HEIs from students’ perspectives. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the factors, which constitute SQ in HEIs, specifically from students’ perspective, as existing literature on this topic is either from management and general perspective or is time dated.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study contributes by reviewing qualitative responses received through interviews and focus groups session with 43 students from 3 Turkey-based private HEIs. Data was collected from 43 students through 26 individual interviews and 3 focus group sessions and was analyzed through deductive reasoning using narrative and framework analysis with open coding.

Findings

The analysis of data indicated six main themes, specifically: teaching quality, facilities, support staff quality, employability links, safety and security and extra-curricular activities as indicators of SQ from students’ perspective. The findings of the study strongly comply with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and take steps by identifying employability and safety and security as new emerging indicators of the existing literature of SQ in HEIs.

Originality/value

The existing literature lacks to provide qualitative data on SQ in HEIs from students’ perspectives in Asian countries, particularly, in Turkey, the place of current research. The findings of the present research provide valuable insights to HEIs’ management to understand students’ perceptions of SQ, their expectations and experiences.

How to increase the loyalty of public library users? A qualitative study

The main objective of this study is to explain how to increase user loyalty behavior to public library services. This study uses a qualitative method based on grounded theory. The research population included users of public libraries in Iran. The data were collected through in-depth interviews, and the theoretical saturation was obtained after interviewing 24 members of public libraries. The collected data through interviews were analyzed using theoretical coding and content analysis. Results indicated that observing moral and humane principles when dealing with library users plays a significant role in both building user loyalty to the library and attracting new users. In addition, it was found that causal conditions in increasing loyalty among public library users are related to four areas including physical space management, information resource management, human resource management, and information technology management. It was also noted that factors such as service quality, proper design of interiors, providing diverse and updated information resources, the use of new communication technologies, and the use of cyberspace and social network applications must be taken into account by public libraries. Building loyalty among users and members of public libraries in today’s technological world is of high importance, as it will guarantee the repeated and more frequent use of public libraries and their services and thus reflect their positive effects. The loyalty of users of libraries and information centers can be based on perceived quality, effective communication between librarians and users, and satisfaction with services offered by libraries and their staffs and can affect the intention for repeated visits, and the use of library service and preferring a library over other libraries.