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The purpose of this paper is to review the service quality dimensions established in various studies conducted across the world specifically applied to health care.

Studies conducted on quality of care selected from literature databases – Ebsco, Emerald Insight, ABI/Inform – was subjected to a comprehensive in-depth content analysis.

Service quality has been extensively studied with considerable efforts taken to develop survey instruments for measuring purposes. The number of dimensional structure varies across the studies. Self-administered questionnaire dominates in terms of mode of administration adopted in the studies, with respondents ranging from 18 to 85 years. Target sample size ranged from 84-2,000 respondents in self-administered questionnaires and for mail administration ranged from 300-2,600 respondents. Studies vary in terms of the scores used ranging from four to ten-point scale. A total of 27 of the studies have used EFA, 11 studies have used structural equation modelling and eight studies used gap scores. Cronbach ' s alpha is the most commonly used measure of scale reliability. There is variation in terms of measuring the content, criteria and construct validation among the studies.

The literature offers dimensions used in assessing patient perceived service quality. The review reveals diversity and a plethora of dimensions and methodology to develop the construct discussed.

The reported study describes and contrasts a large number of service-quality measurement constructs and highlights the usage of dimensions. The findings are valuable to academics in terms of dimensions and methodology used, approach for analysis; whereas findings are of value to practitioners in terms of the dimensions found in the research and to identify the gap in their setting.

Using an online survey this paper examines the personality traits and shopping characteristics of high and low intentioned wireless application protocol (WAP) shoppers. Results indicate that individuals with a high intention to use WAP shopping have both similar and contrasting characteristics to previous electronic non‐store adopters, such as television infomercial shoppers. It is recommended that specific marketing efforts be developed to target WAP adopters and these efforts include offering unique items for sale that are offered exclusively to WAP users.

Many hospitals apply modern marketing ideas to serve customer markets in a more efficient and effective way. An important strategic variable in this respect is service quality. Gives a theoretical conceptualization of the service‐quality construct and discusses its major underlying assumptions and concepts. Also describes some specific characteristics of the quality construct in the health‐care sector. Explores the dimensionality of the service‐quality construct using the SERVQUAL instrument. Also describes the Access concept, which is widely used in the health‐care literature. On the basis of these theoretical considerations, reports an empirical study in a Belgian hospital to develop an appropriate multiple‐item scale to measure hospital service quality. Discusses discrepancies between SERVQUAL and the dimensions obtained from this study in some detail along with the reliability and validity properties of our scale and makes some critical comments on the SERVQUAL approach with recommendations for future research.

In this article, we want to report on evolutions in distribution and distribution research in Belgium. The purpose of the first part is to present some factual data on distribution in Belgium and to report on evolutions since the Second World War.

Most research related to consumer choice of retailers emphasizes retailer attributes and/or consumer characteristics. Since many retail formats, including online retailing, have emerged in recent years, knowledge of how consumers select retail formats must be updated. A source of influence that has been examined to a very limited extent for store retailers but not for emerging retail formats is situational influence. From a modern interactionism perspective, this study investigates the influence of situational as well as consumer and retailer factors on preference for online, catalog, and store formats. Key results show that situational factors have significant influence on online and catalog format selection and perceptions of attributes that are crucial to that selection.

Introduction: On November 17, 2019, in the city of Wuhan in the province of Hubei in China, the first COVID-19 case was determined. In the process since the first news of the epidemic up to now, substantial changes have been experienced in our living conditions. Due to the coronavirus epidemic that has shaken the entire world and had highly severe effects, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to several changes in our lives from the economy to politics and from education to consumption. Significant changes have been experienced especially in consumer behaviors. Purpose: With this study, it is aimed to investigate the changes experienced in the uncertainty and risk perceptions of consumers with the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the entire world and reveal the changes observed in consumer behaviors. Methodology: Within the scope of the research, research results measuring the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behavior were examined. Findings: – Uncertanity, risk and fear, which are generated by COVID-19, and the precautions of the New Normal led to some changes on both consumer behaviors and tourism sector. Based on this, within the scope of this research, the changing decisions and behaviors of consumers from COVID-19 and after, and the changes in some sectors and especially in the tourism sector were examined and predictions were determined for the future.

In emerging markets, Internet marketers need to pursue strategies that are different from those in developed countries. The four major considerations that guide Internet marketers in emerging markets are technology, marketing functions, target markets, and the marketing mix. This paper analyzes these four issues and develops appropriate strategic propositions for Internet marketers in emerging markets. Upon recognizing the technology‐related constraints in emerging markets, marketers are advised to use the Internet more for informational rather than transactional or product‐delivery purposes, and focus on business customers and affluent consumers. Propositions are made regarding the appropriate product, promotion, pricing, and distribution strategies to reach these target markets in emerging economies by using the Internet.

The purpose of this study is to examine differences in consumers’ perceptions of an acceptable price range and their responses to the advertised reference price in terms of internal reference price, price‐search intention, and perceived value between online and offline retail channels. This research uses a 2 (plausible and implausible reference prices) x 2 (online and offline retail channels) between‐subjects experimental design. A convenient sample of 151 Taiwanese graduate students that have prior experience shopping online are recruited as subjects. Results are shown and managerial implications and directions for future research are then discussed.

This study seeks to propose a conceptual approach to assess the perceived service quality properly using Fuzzy logic. First, it aims to verify whether it is a better solution than the Likert scale. Second, it seeks to evaluate patients' feedback towards hospital service quality using Fuzzy linguistic analysis.

The SERVQUAL questionnaire was developed according to the characteristics of each hospital's out‐patient service. Three regional hospitals in Hsin‐Chu, Taiwan were evaluated. After being completed and collected, first, the effectiveness of the Fuzzy linguistic scale and the Likert scale was compared. Second, gap values of each element were evaluated to find the core service quality attributes for continuous improvement. Finally, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to segment markets using certain service quality attributes and different demographic variables.

The result indicated that the Fuzzy linguistic scale is higher than the Likert scale in terms of reliability in the measurement. Moreover, through gap analysis and ANOVA, a better focus was achieved on the 8th, 10th, 14th, 21st and 3rd service quality attributes from the SERVQUAL measurement on which management should concentrate and which they should endeavor to work out. The 1st, 2nd, 14th and 16th items from the SERVQUAL measurement can be market segment factors, respectively.

The study successfully introduced Fuzzy linguistic analysis into the Gap theory and SERVQUAL measurements, and provided more internal consistency and stability than the Likert scale. After discussing the findings of the gap analysis and ANOVA, the organization could find the critical service quality attributes and create a value for improving or enhancing them.

In a wider debate on defining and measuring quality in health care, there is a particular need for frameworks for understanding and managing quality in specific specialties. This article addresses the definition and measurement of quality in maternity care. It develops a pro forma for monitoring and hence managing midwifery quality.