Abstract

BYARUGABA, JM; TAIT, M  and  BOSCH, JK. Users and providers perceptions about the quality of service in the mobile telephone industry - the case of Uganda. JCMAN [online]. 2011, vol.8, n.1, pp.239-264. ISSN 1815-7440.

Service providers need to align their service designs to users' expectations. This paper examines two disparities based on the SERVQUAL Model of the Gaps Theory namely Gaps 1 and 5. The paper examines whether users' experiences mirror their expectations of mobile telephone services in the branch of industry in Uganda (Gap 5). Secondly, the paper examines whether providers understanding of users' expectations mirror the real expectations of users (Gap 1). The study uses two samples of 195 providers and 262 users and two research instruments. For the phenomenological part, three focus groups each comprising between six and ten participants was assembled for users and providers of mobile telephone services. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the theory through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and goodness-of-fit tests. The CFA results indicated that the users' and providers' models were not well specified. The goodness-of-fit test results indicated that the researcher's models did not fit their sub-sample data. The paired samples t-test indicated absence of users' Gap 5. The independent samples t-test indicated existence of the providers' Gap 1. Qualitative findings indicated that both Gaps 5 and 1 existed. Strategies to close Gaps 5 and 1 were identified and recommendations made for possible adoption by mobile telephone service providers in Uganda with a view to closing the two Gaps.

Keywords : Service providers; service users; mobile telephone industry; expected service quality; experienced service quality.

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