Investigating service quality perceptions of MBA students : a case study on South African retail banks.
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Date
2015
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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to gain insight into the perceptions and expectations of University of KwaZulu - Natal
students, studying towards their MBA, on the service quality of South African retail banks. The retail banking sector
is a sector that is highly concerned with a high face to face interaction and can be classified as a service industry that
has been characterised with aggressive product and pricing differentiation. The need to conduct this research is
highlighted by researchers such as Kostov, Arun and Annim (2014) as well as Durdana and Zizak (2015) who
outline that the topic of service quality perceptions and expectations, according to the student market in retail banks,
is a limited field of research. The literature review highlighted that the retail banking sector, being a sector that is
strongly service orientated, would achieve a greater level of trust and confidence in their relationships with their
clients’ through an attainment of service excellence. In addition, the literature review placed a particular emphasis
on the student market, specifically the Postgraduate market, which is considered to be a lucrative market in the retail
banking industry. An investigation into their service quality perceptions and expectations of retail banks across
South Africa would motivate retail banks to design suitable and attractive products for the student market which
would increase competitive advantage build positive reputations as well as increase the financial returns of retail
banks. The SERVQUAL as well as the Gaps model of service quality (both developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml
and Berry (1985), are the main theories in this study and the variables used pertain to retail banking. The researcher
used a questionnaire which had a five – point LIKERT scale and the questionnaire was linked to quality dimensions
relating to the retail banking industry as well as the SERVQUAL instrument. A simple random sampling technique
was employed. The researcher identified the MBA students as the population, consisting of 400 registered students,
and a total sample size of 165 students was identified and assessed. Sekaran and Bougie’s (2010) sample table was
used to arrive at this figure. The researcher used the statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 13 for
windows programme for the complete analysis and presentation of the data. Descriptive as well as inferential
statistics were used to analyse the data and the data was presented in the form of tables, graphs and figures. The data
results reveal the expectations and perceptions of the MBA students and the respective service quality gaps are
outlined in the research. The research presents relevant recommendations to address these service quality gaps as
well as offer short – medium term goals for the retail banking sector. The findings of the research revealed a
statistically significant difference between the expectations and perceptions of the service quality gaps amongst
MBA students. In an attempt to improve the service quality, retail banks need to focus on effective client retention
and acquisition strategies that will attract the student market to continue banking and build fruitful relationships with
their respective retail banks.
Description
Master of Business Administration. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville 2015.
Keywords
University of KwaZulu-Natal--Graduate students., Banks and banking--Customer services--South Africa--Attitudes., Financial institutions--Customer services--South Africa., Customer services--South Africa--Quality control., Students--Attitudes., Theses--Business administration., Retail banking., Service quality.