Title: Assessing service quality using fuzzy numbers and TOPSIS: an application to self-contained and serviced apartments

Authors: Juan Carlos Martín; Cira Mendoza; Concepción Román

Addresses: Department of Applied Economic Analysis, Institute of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas G.C., 35017, Spain ' Department of Applied Economic Analysis, Institute of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas G.C., 35017, Spain ' Department of Applied Economic Analysis, Institute of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas G.C., 35017, Spain

Abstract: This research paper proposes a methodological framework to assess the service quality (SQ) of self-contained and serviced apartments (SCSAs). The study is based on 2,753 surveys administered in a SCSA resort located in the south of Gran Canaria Island. SQ is based on a questionnaire that contains a list of 48 attributes. The answers' format is based on a four-facial expressions scale that cannot be easily transformed in a numeric scale. Thus, the ambiguity and possible biased analysis has partly overcome applying the fundaments of the fuzzy set theory. TOPSIS approach is then employed to obtain a synthetic SQ indicator. Finally, an observation-attribute relative performance analysis is developed to identify the operational areas that need improvement or can keep up the good work. The findings of this study may assist managers and policy planners with important insights about the attributes that tourists value more.

Keywords: fuzzy numbers; TOPSIS; service quality; extra-hotel industry; self-contained and serviced apartments; SCSAs; elasticity; serviced-apartments; ideal solutions; attribute relative performance; observation relative performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBSR.2019.100373

International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 2019 Vol.13 No.3, pp.275 - 296

Received: 05 May 2017
Accepted: 19 Oct 2017
Published online: 28 Jun 2019 *

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