Validating the Scale for Service Quality Measurement: Empirical Evidence from the Acropolis Museum
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51699/ijcm.v26i.475Keywords:
Cultural heritage, HISTOQUAL, Service Quality, GAP analysisAbstract
The aim of this empirical research is to validate the HISTOQUAL scale, which is a modification of SERVQUAL applied to museum service quality and more specifically on the Acropolis Museum. A secondary purpose is to assess quality related to the museum quality dimensions and thus, to provide insights on museum management to improve service quality. In the current paper a self-administered survey was conducted, and 315 local visitors of the Acropolis Museum participated. To measure service quality, the construct of HISTOQUAL was used and modified to apply to the Greek culture. The basic measurement methodology incorporated the collection of data regarding service quality perceptions and expectations. A resulting GAP analysis between perceptions and expectations for every item of quality measurement provided managerial insights on the specific areas of improvement. HISTOQUAL dimensions of responsiveness, tangibles, communication, consumables were validated, illustrating strong internal reliability. However, empathy was not supported for the sample tested. GAP analysis unveiled poor quality related to the items of empathy, communication, and responsiveness for the Acropolis Museum. Whereas the strong points for the referring museum regarded tangibles and consumables. The construct of HISTOQUAL suggests a valid and reliable research instrument to measure service quality dimensions for archeological museums.
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