The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of the importance of service excellence in higher education.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of the importance of service excellence in higher education.
Design/methodology/approach
The research upon which this paper is based employed a phenomenological approach. This method was selected for its focus on respondent perceptions and experiences. Both structured and semi‐structured interviews were conducted to collect relevant data on service excellence. The focus of the research study was on achieving and implementing service excellence in higher education. Findings are analysed and results are grounded in relevant theories and the principle of service excellence.
Findings
Preliminary results suggest that implementing service excellence establishes a direct link between a workforce and successful competitive strategies. In order to compete efficiently and effectively in their niche market, higher education institutions need to implement service excellence to ensure both internal and external customer satisfaction. A strong institutional culture that values internal customers can help achieve a motivated workforce, loyalty, high performance, innovation and a distinctive institutional competitive advantage.
Research limitations/implications
The qualitative data collected for this study reflect respondent perceptions and opinions. Individuals perceive and experience things differently. Although the service excellence approach is applicable to service organisations, its transferability to other sectors might affect its validity.
Originality/value
The paper investigates how service excellence is achieved in industry and how it could be applied to promote competitive advantage in higher education.
Details
Keywords
Leo Billington, Robyn Neeson and Rowena Barrett
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of workshops as a learning tool for small business owner‐managers (SBO‐Ms). It aims to concentrate on workshops delivered…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of workshops as a learning tool for small business owner‐managers (SBO‐Ms). It aims to concentrate on workshops delivered over 18 months from January 2007 to July 2008 as part of several publicly‐funded small business development programmes in two Australian local government areas (LGAs).
Design/methodology/approach
Effectiveness is measured in terms of meeting the overarching learning needs and expectations of participants in the context of the programme goals. The paper analyses data gathered from workshop participants either post‐workshop, in later focus groups or through a questionnaire as well as additional feedback from participants and the organisers' reflections. The thematic analysis is organised through an analogy of “going shopping”, where the SBO‐M shopper is buying “learning” when they attend a workshop.
Findings
Understanding motivation to participate or the “what's in it for me” is important as SBO‐Ms tend to be reluctant, resist or fail to engage with externally sponsored business support initiatives. Workshops were valued for the “space” they create to reflect on practice. For many SBO‐Ms, content “comes alive” with discussion while networking helps reduce the isolation SBO‐Ms can feel.
Practical implications
The shopping analogy suggests workshops must cater for purposeful shoppers as well as browsers, while interaction with others in the workshop is critical to realising the value of workshops.
Originality/value
Knowing whether, and how, workshops deliver learning can help to better target and refine these types of support initiatives to ensure they provide positive outcomes for individuals, organisations and economies.
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The characteristics of millions of SMEs, the way they operate, the growing employment they sustain, their collective influence over the quality of tourism products and…
Abstract
The characteristics of millions of SMEs, the way they operate, the growing employment they sustain, their collective influence over the quality of tourism products and destinations, and how to influence their development is arguably the most important issue for European tourism as we approach the millennium. This paper is based on a three‐day conference, Agenda 2010, convened by the Wales Tourist Board (WTB) and held at Llandudno in May 1998 during the UK Presidency of the EU. The meeting, supported by DGXXIII and the Welsh Office, was designed to highlight the contribution of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to European tourism and make recommendations for facilitating and supporting their activities in the future. SMEs are defined by the EC as businesses employing less than 250 employees although the great majority in tourism employ less than 10. Most readers will know that DGXXIII has separate responsibilities within the EC for SMEs and for tourism.
Tim Hughes, Nicholas O'Regan and Martin A. Sims
Although considerable attention in the extant literature has been devoted to knowledge acquisition and transfer within firms, there is a dearth of research on the effectiveness of…
Abstract
Purpose
Although considerable attention in the extant literature has been devoted to knowledge acquisition and transfer within firms, there is a dearth of research on the effectiveness of outside sources of knowledge for technology‐based small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Furthermore, the majority of empirical studies in this area focus on large firms while research on smaller firms is underdeveloped. The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of the sources of knowledge on the performance of technology manufacturing firms and the implications for higher education institutions (HEIs) providing advice to this sector.
Design/methodology/approach
Following interviews with managing directors of manufacturing firms, a number of sources of technical advice were identified. A survey of small and medium‐sized UK electronic and engineering firms was then carried out to investigate the relationship between sources of knowledge and performance and also to establish whether there is a relationship between performance and the extent of the advice network.
Findings
Significant correlations were found between company age, knowledge source remoteness and company performance. The more remote the source the less effective it is. The stronger the firm's network the more profitable it is likely to be.
Practical implications
This has particular implications for universities involved in knowledge transfer, as these institutions are often relatively remote compared with other sources of advice within SME networks.
Originality/value
The research adds to our understanding of the role of HEIs and other members of knowledge networks in relation to the achievement of competitive advantage by SMEs.