| dc.description.abstract | The relationships between quality, satisfaction and behavioural intentions is a topic which is unlikely to be resolved among authors. Researchers have conducted projects using the SERVQUAL model and the expectancy-disconfirmation theory which have resulted in three potential relationships: Satisfaction always mediates the relationship between service quality and behavioural intentions; satisfaction only has a partial mediating role; the mediating effect of satisfaction as non-existent. Literature has indicated that the research frameworks should be replicated in further study to try and gain further understanding on the precise nature between the constructs.
This research project investigates how the relationship between quality and satisfaction affects revisitation to the Edinburgh Christmas Markets for different demographic groups.
The research survey was a series of questions, each with a Likert scale to receive participants quality ratings (1= terrible to 5= very good) and satisfaction levels (1=very dissatisfied to 5= very satisfied) and had one closed question on revisitation intentions to assess behavioural outcomes. The ‘tangibles’, ‘reliability’ and ‘responsiveness’ elements of the SERVQUAL model were used for service quality ratings and the expectancy-disconfirmation theory was used to assess satisfaction levels. These processes were utilised in order to meet the research objectives of: (1) Deduce what relationships there are between quality, satisfaction and behavioural intentions; (2) Discover whether age and gender affect quality, satisfaction and behavioural intentions as separate constructs; (3) Discover whether age and gender affect the relationship between quality and satisfaction; (4) Discover whether age and gender affect the relationship between quality, satisfaction and behavioural intentions.
The outcomes of the study revealed that males and females of all ages do have varying perceptions of quality and satisfaction. Further, the results indicate that there are relationships between quality and satisfaction and that quality drives behavioural intentions without the mediating input of customer satisfaction. | en |
