Perception of service quality: a case of Jomo Kenyatta International airport
Abstract
This study looked at the issue of service quality delivery at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as
perceived by airline passengers using the airport.. The study had two objectives, namely:
1. To determine the level of service quality as perceived by airline passengers at JKIA.
2. To establish challenges the Kenya Airports Authority faces in order to ensure high quality
service delivery to airline passengers using Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The researcher examined the SERVQUAL model as developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry
in 1985 (Figure 2, page 16). The conceptual framework they developed helped to elucidate the
various gaps that can exist in the service delivery process. GAP 5, which is the gap between the
customer's expectations and perceived service quality, was the main theme of interest in this research
(as explained in Figure 1, page 14). The review also looked at other paradigms that have been
developed in the area of service quality measurement.
A survey research design was used. The population of interest was seen to be composed of airline
passengers using the J. K. 1. A. airport. A convenient sample size of 90 passengers was randomly
selected on the basis of whether they were arrivals, transit and departures, with 30 respondents for
each category. The research instrument was a questionnaire that consisted of open-ended questions,
closed-ended questions and five-point Likert scales.
Data analysis using descriptive statistics that involved measures of central tendency, measures of
spread and graphical methods was used. The simple disconfirmation model as originally elucidated
by Parasuraman et al. (1985) was adopted This model looked at perceived service quality (Q) as
being the difference between perceived service (P) and expected service (E) or Q=P-E.
A negative value of P-E was observed for all the eight variables under investigation. This was due to
congestion, too many regulators who are poorly trained in customer service, old and plastic passenger
seats, poor toilet infrastructure, congested departure lounge, cumbersome procurement procedures,
poorly scheduled airline arrival and departures, too many taxi and tour operators and inefficient
complaint handling were noted.
Citation
A management research project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the Degree in Master of Business and ACftninistration, School of Business, University of NairobiPublisher
Business Administration and planning