Hawassa University

Awada Campus

College of Business and Economics

Department of Marketing Management

A research Proposal: Assessment of Service Quality Delivery

Practice in case of Taxi Transportation Service in Yirgalem Town

By: Alamrew Molla

ID No: 0013/08

Advisor: Ephrem. D MBA

Yirgalem, Ethiopia

2010 E.C.

Table of contents
1. Introduction…………………………………………………..1

1.1. Back ground of the study………………………………………………………….1

1.2 Statement of the problem…………………………………………………………..2

1.3 Objective of the study……………………………………………………………….3

1.3.1 General objective of the study……………………………………………..3

1.3.2 Specific objective of the study……………………………………………….3

1.4. Research questions……………………………………………………3

2. Methodology………………………………………….4
2.1. Data collection methods……………………………………………………4

2.2. Source of data………………………………………………………………4

2.3. Sample Design……………………………………………………………………..4
2.4. Data presentation, analysis and interpretation tools ………………………….4

2.5. Significance of the study…………………………………………………………5.

2.6. Definition of terms……………………………………………………………….6.

2.7. Scope of the study………………………………………………………………..6

2.8. Limitation of the study…………………………………………………………..6

2.9.Time schedule or work plan……………………………………………………..7

 1. Introduction

1.1. Back ground of the study

Service quality is considered an important tool for a firm’s struggle to differentiate itself from its
competitors (Ladhari, 2008, p.172). The relevance of service quality to organizations is
emphasized here especially the fact that it offers a competitive advantage to organizations that
strive to improve it and hence bring customer satisfaction. Service quality has received a great
deal of attention from both academicians and practitioners (Negi, 2009) and services marketing
literature service quality is defined as the actual assessment of a service by the customer (Eshghi
et al, 2008).

Gefan(2002): service quality as the subjective comparison that customers make between the Commented [i-[1]: ,

quality of the service that they want to receive and what they actually get. Commented [i-[2]: One statement, one paragraph

In today will exclusion, the existence of all human being is related with different service
including transportation service, baking service, food services ,communication service ,and
media services and emergency service (James ,1988) Commented [i-[3]: One statement, one paragraph

Service plays a major role in building and maintains the country’s economy .Hence, the size of
the service sector will be increasing around the world .Service is an act or performance after by
one party to another .Although the process may tide to physical product, the performance is
essentially intangible and does not normal’s result in ownership of any factors of product
(Beligocitedin lovelock and writs 2004). Customer service delivery is decided as service that
customer need become the organization principle around which the public interest is determined
and service delivery is also planned (Kotler, 2003). On the other hand, customer satisfaction
would the condition at which perceived performance of business industry or service meet users
expect.

Commented [i-[4]: Add ………

1.2 Statement of the problem

Service quality is very important in any type of organization which participates on service
delivery to satisfy their customer and achieve the organization goal and objective. It is also one
of the most important determinants of the public travel demand .Delivering quality service will
have highly important in building up more customer motivation. Therefore, customer power will
the back bone for the provision of quality service for the organization. Delivering quality service
confining to customer expectation on a consistent basis and it is what customers’ access through
their expectation and perceptions of service experience Parasuraman (1985). Service quality Commented [i-[5]: (Parasuraman, 1985).

provides brief review of some of the relevant approaches that have used for the measurement of
customer satisfaction.

The crucial and size of the service sector in the globe and each country become increase, and it
contribute significant amount of economy grows. One of the major service sectors is taxi service
organization; currently I observe that there is high development in Yirgalem town taxi service
sector. The increasing in the number of taxi service and creates high competition among taxi
service. The main competition is to get and retain customers with the aim of sustaining long term Commented [i-[6]: ???????????????????????

relationship with their customers. In discussion with customers and simple observation
conducted on taxi transport service in Yirgalem town and the preliminary research result shows
that many passengers are complaining about the service. Or there are complaints from many
customers about the service quality problems by taxi transportation service and they said that the
service delivery by taxi service is different. And there is lack of communication between the
drivers and conductors. The researchers evidence that support customer complains about taxi
service delivery. There are different empirical studies conducted to compare the service quality
provided by different taxi services and to show in which variable is one better than the other.

The taxi service gives high service for customers but they are not satisfied with the driver; but
there is no study conducted in Yirgalem town that support this ideas. The reasons that the area is
not studied well in Yirgalem town and complain by customers initiated the researchers to
measure and compare service quality performance of taxi transportation service operating in
Yirgalemr town. That is why this study needs to assess on service quality in order to solve the
problem of service delivery towards the customers.
1.3 Objective of the study

1.3.1 General objective of the study

The general objective of this study is to assess service quality delivery practice in case of taxi
transportation service in Yirgalem town.

1.3.2 Specific objective of the study

This study will address the following specific objectives:

.To assesses the level of taxi transport service quality in Yirgalem town.

.To identifies the factors that determining the taxi transport service quality in Yirgalem town.

.To examines the measures that could be taking to enhance the quality of taxi transport service.

1.4. Research questions

This study will be intended to answer the following basic research questions:

. What is the level of taxi transport service quality in Yirgalem town?

. What are the factors that determine the taxi transport service quality in Yirgalem town?
. What measures could be taking to enhance the quality of taxi transport service?
 Commented [i-[7]: 3. research Methodology
2. Methodology

Commented [i-[8]: Research design should comes first in

2.1. Data collection methods chapter.

In this study, primary data will issue to data collection, and I will be used structured
questionnaires that will both open and closed ended questionnaires to gather data from taxi
service customers.

2.2. Source of data

This study will use both primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data will be collected
through qualitative questionnaire will be from selected interested customers. Whereas secondary
data will be collected from books, journals, magazine, internet, and analysis of existing data of
the organization.

2.3. Sample Design

Sampling of this study aims at reaching the customers who get taxi service in Yirgalem town. I Commented [i-[9]: Use “the study”

will collect the data through non probability sampling specifically through convenience sampling
technique. The research will be use convenience sampling because of the non-homogeneity of
the population and difficulty may be happen in reaching the correct size, sample proportion and
error determinations.

2.4. Data presentation, analysis and interpretation tools

The data obtained from the respondents will be interpreted using table, Percentage and
frequency. Analysis of the data will depend on the information gathered from different sources.
The collected data from the respondents will be analyzed descriptively using statistics such as
table, percentage and frequency. On the other hand, the data obtain by questionnaires will
qualitatively analyzed by using narration.
2.5. Significance of the study

The study is important for many users like to the taxi service, the researchers and other
researchers. The quality of service that can be applied by one taxi service differentiates from
other taxi services. Taxi while attempting to compete with other taxi should offer an advantage to
champion service quality to their customers. And the study given an insight regarding service
quality in taxi transportation service to provide customer satisfaction identifies problem
satisfaction with possible recommendation, and it increases the knowledge of acquaintance of the
researchers in relation to how to conduct a research.

2.6. Definition of terms

Service quality is a measure how well the service level delivery matches customer expectation.

Delivering quality service means confining to customer expectation on a consistent basis and it
is what customers’ access though their expectation and perception of service experience
parasuraman (1985).

Quality: is the extents to which the customer or users believe the product service surpasses their
needs &expectation (Gitlow et al 1989). It is defined as the summated of the affective evaluation
by each customer of each attitude object that creates customer satisfaction (Wicks and Roethlein
2009, p .90).

2.7. Scope of the study Commented [i-[10]: Delimit it geographically,

methodologically and conceptually.

This study will be delimited only on assessing service quality in case of taxi transport service in
yirgalem town.
 2.8. Limitation of the study

Any research cannot free from limitation. So this research will not free from limitation and the
major limitation of this study will the converge area of the study are limitation to the application
of the study. Some of the respondents will not interest to fill open ended question on the
questionnaire. Time and budget will other limitations. Since the researchers will full time
students, it encountered constraints in time and budget. Commented [i-[11]: It need to be part of chapter one…….

Time Schedule/work plan

No Year 2009

Activity Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June

1 Identification of the
problem

2 Redefining the problem

3 Developing research
question

4 Developing research
objective

5 Review literature

6 Developing and distributing

questionnaires

7 Data collection

8 Discussion and data analysis

9 Conclusion and
recommendation

10 Presentation
 Budget schedule

No Item Unit Of Quantity Cost

measurement Cost per unit Total cost

Birr cent birr cent

1 Pen Number 4 4 .00 16 .00

2 Paper Ream 1 packet 130 .00 130 .00

3 Typing and Page 40 5 .00 200 .00

printing

4 Binding Per bind 3 time 12 .00 36 .00

5 Internet Per minute 3hr 12 .00 25 .00

6 Miscellaneous 250 .00

7 Total cost 657 .00

Commented [i-[12]: This part lacks consistency and even, for

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needs revision.
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Hoffman and Bateson J. E. J. (2001) essential of service marketing: concept strategy and case.South
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Kotler (2006), Marketing management 12ndedition

ParasuramanA. Zeithamal V. A and Berry L. (1985),A conceptual model of service quality and its
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Wrenn B.et al (2002) Marketing research text and cases, published by Best Business Books

Yap K.B and SweenerJ.C (2007) zone of tolerance moderates the service quality out came relationship,
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Website

http://www. Academia.edu /2003378/ Research methodology in Accounting

Cohen, D Crabtree B. “Quantitative research guidelines in projects."July2006