Evaluation of Service Quality Gaps in Construction Professional Service Firms in Nigeria

Abstract

The study aims at evaluating and comparing service quality of consultancy firms who provide professional services in building projects in Nigeria. The article seeks to address the general perceptions of dissatisfaction with the quality of services in order to enhance performance of building projects and ensure competitiveness in the industry. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire as an instrument of data collection. The population of the study consisted of 488 representatives of public and private clients with a sample size of 385. Data were analysed using weighted mean and paired-sample t-test to determine the severity of differences in the expected service quality and perceived service quality. The result shows significant differences between the expected service quality and perceived service quality in structural engineering, mechanical/electrical engineering and quantity surveying services along all the dimensions of service quality. However, "Tangibles" dimension of architectural services had no positive differences in the service quality, but had differences in "Responsiveness", "Empathy", "Reliability" and "Assurance" dimensions. The results imply that professional service providers require fundamental improvement in their services to their clients. This study offers an opportunity for consultancy firms to evolve global best practices by creating and maintaining high service quality as a team.

Knowledge ambidexterity in construction project-based organizations: predicaments of knowledge networking intention within outbound consultant-supplier interfaces

“…Our results are consistent with prior studies that re-affirm that, higher levels of KI exert weaker effects on KNI (Jia et al, 2022;Yu et al, 2020). In turn, this negatively impacts service delivery performance (Lello et al, 2023a, b;Raphael et al, 2022) and novelty-centred business model innovation in PSFs (Papa et al, 2021;Yu et al, 2020).…”

“…, 2020). In turn, this negatively impacts service delivery performance (Lello et al ., 2023a, b; Raphael et al. , 2022) and novelty-centred business model innovation in PSFs (Papa et al.…”

“…, 2019), In this industry, PBOs base their goals on project contexts that seek to meet customer demands rather than the company's business model (Cheng et al. , 2022; Raphael et al. , 2022).…”

“…Comparably, the AEC industry's project-based characteristic (one-off nature) may be the cause of the weak relationship between PI and KNI as well as LI and KNI under IKG (Ren et al, 2018;Sun et al, 2019), In this industry, PBOs base their goals on project contexts that seek to meet customer demands rather than the company's business model (Cheng et al, 2022;Raphael et al, 2022). Besides, there are no firm binding agreements governing knowledge processes, as they are basically dominated by varying trust, ad-hoc management styles, incidental organisational routines and informal communication flows and channels (Chen et al, 2021;Jia et al, 2022).…”

“…To address the above gaps, this study seeks to empirically examine how KI and KG factors influence KNI. Further, the study aims to respond to the current surge of academic and policy research on (professional) knowledge and service industry needs via knowledge networks (Lello et al, 2023b;Raphael et al, 2022;Reid et al, 2019). We therefore address the following two research questions (RQs):…”