Academic staff perceptions of service quality improvement in Ethiopian public higher education institutions

Abstract

The article explores academic staff's perceptions of service quality improvement in public higher education institutions in Ethiopia. For this purpose, a mixed research methodology was employed collecting data from academic staff and final year students at public higher education institutions using the SERVQUAL scale and through focus group interviews. The perceptions of academic staff are reported on in this article. The collected data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The research findings indicated that all dimensions of the service quality improvement initiatives were perceived by academic staff to be very poor. Recommendations are made on the reliability, tangibles, empathy, responsiveness, and assurance dimensions of service delivery featuring in the SERVQUAL scale.