Title: Modelling service quality in the construction industry

Authors: Riza Yosia Sunindijo; Bonaventura H.W. Hadikusumo; Thanawat Phangchunun

Addresses: Faculty of Built Environment, UNSW Australia, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia ' School of Engineering and Technology, Asian Institute of Technology, 58 Moo 9, Paholyothin Highway, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand ' School of Engineering and Technology, Asian Institute of Technology, 58 Moo 9, Paholyothin Highway, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand

Abstract: Service quality is seen as an important factor that affects client satisfaction and behavioural intention, which are considered as important contributors of business success. This research investigated the relationships between the three constructs in the context of small and medium construction projects in Thailand. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the theoretical model and to establish relationships among the research variables. The results show that there are four dimensions of service quality: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and tangibility, in which the first three dimensions are more important than the last in influencing service quality. Furthermore, client satisfaction is a mediator of the causal relationship between service quality and behavioural intention. Contractors should focus on maintaining and identifying factors that affect client satisfaction, particularly after projects are completed, to encourage client behavioural intentions.

Keywords: behavioural intentions; client satisfaction; construction projects; service quality; Thailand; modelling; construction industry; structural equation modelling; SEM; reliability; responsiveness; assurance; tangibility.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBPM.2014.063026

International Journal of Business Performance Management, 2014 Vol.15 No.3, pp.262 - 276

Received: 01 Aug 2013
Accepted: 26 Dec 2013

Published online: 26 Jul 2014 *

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