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It has been suggested that “space and artifacts constitute systems of communication which organizations build up within themselves” (Gagliardi, 1992a, b, p. vi) and reflect the cultural life within that organization. This is a study of how the “landscape” of a public library (“Library X”), as an information retrieval system, relates to the values of the people who created it. The efforts here are geared towards understanding the physical instantiation of institutional culture and, more specifically, institutional values as they are reflected through the artifact.

Purpose — New methods of measuring user satisfaction in transport services have been proposed and applied in the literature. In this paper, we compare three alternative measures for estimating user satisfaction: the numerical rating, the ordinal rating and the choice.

Approach — We analysed these measures considering their differences and limitations and the models that use these measures as dependent variables. We developed and applied a methodology to build these models. It comprises a preliminary qualitative analysis and a quantitative survey to identify the most relevant attributes of the satisfaction function, and a stated preference survey to obtain information of the alternative satisfaction measures for modelling purpose.

Findings — The ordinal rating may be a better user response to estimate satisfaction than score and choice based on its characteristics. The results obtained in the application reinforced this approach.

Research limitations — It is assumed that choice, score and ordinal valuation depend upon a latent stochastic satisfaction function of the same attributes. Further research is needed to analyse this assumption and how these responses vary according to the context for decision and exogenous factors, including the response scale of ratings.

Practical implications — Gathering alternative satisfaction responses simultaneously from users allowed for the consistency analysis and filtering of data, which greatly benefited the model estimation process.

Originality/value — The paper provides a methodology to estimate user satisfaction models in transit services, which can be applied in other transport services. The conceptual analysis and the application suggest that ordinal ratings are key user responses to uncover the underlying satisfaction function.

Purpose: We examined whether the five-service quality dimensions described by SERVQUAL (SQ) and SERVPERF (SP) are consistent with perceived dimensions of management accounting (MA) service quality and we compared responses from users and providers.

Design/methodology/approach: We surveyed experienced providers and users of MA services to learn their perceptions and expectations of accounting service quality using SQ/SP adapted to an MA context. We used principal components analysis (PCA) to investigate service quality dimensions.

Findings: Participant responses identified three dimensions of MA service quality. There was a high degree of correspondence in dimensions of service quality between users and providers, but with notable differences in service priorities. A performance-only (SP) approach seems to provide a better measure of overall service quality than performance minus expectations (SQ).

Research limitations/implications: Participants self-selected to participate. Respondents were not matched by organization. The SQ/SP instrument may not capture important organization specific attributes. Our approach may serve as a guide for future studies of accounting service quality.

Practical implications: SP may be more useful to managers who wish to evaluate overall service quality. SQ may be more useful to identify specific gaps between user perceptions and expectations. SQ/SP assessments may help to improve the quality of MA service delivery and provider-user communications.

Originality/value: This is the first empirical study to our knowledge that reports on MA service quality dimensions using both the SQ and SP instruments. This study investigated perceptions and expectations of MA service users and providers. Our sample is a cross-section of experienced professionals.

To explore the feasibility of utilizing the Bar-On mixed model of emotional–social intelligence as a framework for the competencies and traits needed for reference and information services librarians. Through a survey of the literature, the author created a baseline list of competencies, which was compared and contrasted with the abilities, traits, and competencies that comprise the Bar-On model of emotional–social intelligence. The author conducted a pilot study with a small group (n = 10) of reference and user services librarians who took the EQ-i 2.0. The competencies and traits of reference and user services librarians identified in the literature compare favorably with those measured by the EQ-i 2.0. Overall, a majority of the participants (70%) obtained a total score on the EQ-i 2.0 in the mid or high range. Composite scales with the highest overall mean scores were decision-making and self-perception. Subscales with the highest scores included the following: impulse control, self-actualization, social responsibility, problem solving, and reality testing. As a pilot study, it was conducted using a small population of academic reference and user services librarians. Further research should be conducted utilizing a larger population of reference and user services librarians or librarians who have been recognized as exemplary in reference librarianship. The findings of this study could assist pre-service and in-service reference and user services librarians in further developing their emotional–social intelligence competencies and abilities by identifying areas where improvements could occur.

Library spaces are being reimagined to better fit the needs of today’s and future users. At the Georgia Tech Library, a new library space, currently called the “Library Store,” is being developed as part of the “Library Next” initiative. How can this space best attract users and how can it work to intuit their needs to offer more seamless services? Careful planning and dedicated participation on the part of library management and library staff have set into motion a design for a new space that will meet user needs immediately and will be flexible enough to respond to their ever-changing use patterns.

This chapter explores the relationship between staff needs, user needs, and institutional needs when tasked with creating a library space and services in the 21st century academic library. It explores the development of the “Library Store” as a case study to shed light on the ways in which academic libraries can adapt to the research and learning needs of their users.

The authors provide insight into the complexities of leveraging existing staff skills in order to offer new user services in a space that boasts a new and updated design. They also detail the lessons learned from the initial planning stages of the new space and services.

This chapter considers user and library staff needs from a management perspective when planning a redesign of space and services. This library is one of only a few that has embarked on this specific model of space and service reimagining.

The purpose of this chapter is to encourage investigation of management accounting (MA) service quality via comparisons of perceptions by service users and providers. Such comparisons are important in order to satisfy the needs of service users, assure good communications, justify the costs of MA, promote improved decision-making, and help improve the organizational standing of MA. We review literature from accounting, service marketing, and information systems, a common information service with similarities to accounting, to argue the case for conducting research on MA service quality.

The findings from our literature review show that research on service quality is seemingly important and abundant in many areas, but not concerning accounting. In essence, we don't know what perceptual differences exist between management accountants and their customers, why these differences might exist, or how organizations might identify and narrow identified gaps.

This chapter is among the first to call for research into perceived differences in MA service quality between users and providers. We argue for investigating sources of differences based on prior research in internal marketing and information systems. We offer a conceptual model that might be used as a basis in future investigations.