A Methodological Approach for Developing and Validating a Parsimonious and Robust Measurement Tool: The Academic E-Service Quality (ACEQUAL) Model

Abstract

Nowadays, in the higher education sector, the quality measurement process of educationrelated services is assuming a crucial role to support focused and targeted improvement activities deeply centered on students’ needs/necessities. These are considered crucial factors for dealing with the current academic competitive context. Therefore, the quality measurement process has to be precise and accurate, namely the measurement model on which it is based has to be parsimonious and robust. The present work proposes an effective and easy-to-use methodological approach suitable for supporting the structuring of a measurement tool. Its effectiveness is shown with reference to the academic e-service provided at the University of Palermo. In particular, taking into account the students’ viewpoints and perspectives, a measurement model of the academic e-service quality is developed and validated, thus overcoming the lack of literature on the subject. Finally, a survey is conducted, and highlighted academic e-service quality shortcomings and criticalities are stressed and discussed. The outcomes of this study may be of interest to practitioners and researchers in the field, offering important suggestions on how to support the structuring of a measurement model, as well the data-driven service quality improvement process.