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Module Descriptors

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Session: 2022/23

Last modified: 10/01/2023 11:25:40

Title of Module: Service Quality

Code: QUAL11008 SCQF Level: 11
(Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework)		 Credit Points: 20 ECTS: 10
(European Credit Transfer Scheme)
School:School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences
Module Co-ordinator:Evi  Viza

Summary of Module

This module runs both on-line and by attendance and consists of one coursework and a class test.

This module covers:

  • Components of service, service functions and service organisations including examples from accounting, personnel management, health care, leisure, tourism, hospitality, legal service etc.
  • Definitions of product and service quality, including consideration of the relationship therein. Identification of the dimensions of quality in a variety of contexts.
  • The role of the customer, their needs, expectations and satisfaction within the service function. The role of staff including performance and team working.
  • Applying conceptual models of service quality in a variety of contexts. The nature of quality gaps and how to reduce them to achieve fitness for purpose.
  • Measurement techniques, qualitative and quantitative, within the service sector. Tools for quality improvement.
  • Improvement of service quality through the application of techniques such as the PDCA cycle, Poka-Yoke and Kaizen
  • The relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.

Class notes and other materials are made available to students on “AULA”.

This module will equip the students with an understanding of the origins, concepts and purposes of service quality and will link to other modules in the programme.

  • The module aims to equip postgraduate students with a number of UWS attributes such as Universal, Work Ready and Successful on Academic, Personal and Professional Level. LEarning about Service Quality terms such as Dimensions and Gaps, enables critical thinking. Service Quality is influence by individual needs and settings and this will promote making students aware of culture and emotionally intelligent. This knowledge will improve their communication skills. Applying approaches of certain quality terms encourages to use innovation and being creative by selecting successful solutions.

  • The module is aligned with the updated curriculum framework of UWS 1. Student centered: the material and case studies are based on different sectors to reflect the experience of the students from different degrees and contextualise their learning. Tutorial time and discussion forums (AULA, MS Teams) allow for a multi way communication between students themselves as well as student and lectures.

  • 2. Flexible and Hybrid: Teaching material is available on the online learning platform including, slides, recording, practical exercices and additional learning to compliment each week's topic. Online lectures are available and the recorded ones allow for students to watch or Re-watch what they may have missed. The module is designed for full time, part time and Distance learning students

  • 3. Simple and Coherent: The learning content, which is communicated from the start is set in a linear way to ensure learning is progressing smoothly with designed check in milestones to assess progress (e.g. online quizzes)

  • 4. Authentic: Discussions and Assessment are based on students experience centered around the learning material

  • 5. Inclusive: All material is available in written, audio format with subtitles and transcrits where feasible

  • 6. Sustainable: Material is updated annually and reflects what is happening in the sector and taking into consideration the student's feedback from formal and informal channels


Module Delivery Method
Face-To-FaceBlendedFully OnlineHybridCHybridOWork-based Learning
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Face-To-Face
Term used to describe the traditional classroom environment where the students and the lecturer meet synchronously in the same room for the whole provision.

Blended
A mode of delivery of a module or a programme that involves online and face-to-face delivery of learning, teaching and assessment activities, student support and feedback. A programme may be considered “blended” if it includes a combination of face-to-face, online and blended modules. If an online programme has any compulsory face-to-face and campus elements it must be described as blended with clearly articulated delivery information to manage student expectations

Fully Online
Instruction that is solely delivered by web-based or internet-based technologies. This term is used to describe the previously used terms distance learning and e learning.

HybridC
Online with mandatory face-to-face learning on Campus

HybridO
Online with optional face-to-face learning on Campus

Work-based Learning
Learning activities where the main location for the learning experience is in the workplace.


Campus(es) for Module Delivery
The module will normally be offered on the following campuses / or by Distance/Online Learning: (Provided viable student numbers permit)
Paisley:Ayr:Dumfries:Lanarkshire:London:Distance/Online Learning:Other:
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Term(s) for Module Delivery
(Provided viable student numbers permit).
Term 1check markTerm 2check markTerm 3check mark

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Learning Outcomes: (maximum of 5 statements)

On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:

L1. To critically analyse the nature of service quality.

L2. To develop critical skills in managing service quality for improvement.

L3. To critically evaluate the importance and implementation of service quality in various contexts.

Employability Skills and Personal Development Planning (PDP) Skills
SCQF Headings During completion of this module, there will be an opportunity to achieve core skills in:
Knowledge and Understanding (K and U) SCQF Level 11.

Gain a critical understanding of the development of principles and models for service quality.

Gain a detailed understanding of the nature of services

Practice: Applied Knowledge and Understanding SCQF Level 11.

Identify informed approaches to service quality in a wide range of service organisations

Synthesise information and gain a coherent understanding of theories and practices in service quality

Generic Cognitive skills SCQF Level 11.

Develop and demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively in a variety of professional settings.

Demonstrate an understanding of an issue and develop a creative and sensible solutions to quality problems within the service environment

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills SCQF Level 11.

Gain a full understanding of the process of preparing oral and written reports, using IT.

Autonomy, Accountability and Working with others SCQF Level 11.

Work as part of a team to analyse information, formulate a solution and present it back to the group.

Work independently to create a solution to a service quality problem.

Pre-requisites: Before undertaking this module the student should have undertaken the following:
Module Code:
Module Title:
Other:
Co-requisitesModule Code:
Module Title:

* Indicates that module descriptor is not published.

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Learning and Teaching
The Learning & Teaching Strategy for this module is based on the general strategy for the MSc Quality Management.
Classes are delivered on a weekly basis. Lectures will introduce and exemplify key theoretical and critical concepts. Tutorial sessions will be given to further develop students’ understanding. Students will be given sufficient time and support to work on assignments.
For On-line Learning students, full use will be made of the VLE. That is, all teaching material will be made available on-line and students will be guided through the material. Email and video-conferencing will be used extensively to support students. Group work will be organised and supported through facilities on the VLE such as forums and wikis. Group presentations will be made by video conference and scheduled according to time zones.
Learning Activities
During completion of this module, the learning activities undertaken to achieve the module learning outcomes are stated below: 		Student Learning Hours
(Normally totalling 200 hours):
(Note: Learning hours include both contact hours and hours spent on other learning activities)
Lecture/Core Content Delivery24
Tutorial/Synchronous Support Activity12
Independent Study164
200 Hours Total

**Indicative Resources: (eg. Core text, journals, internet access)

The following materials form essential underpinning for the module content and ultimately for the learning outcomes:

Zeithaml, V A, Parasuraman A and Berry L L (2009) Delivering Quality Service : Balancing Customer Perceptions and Expectations (The Free Press, New York)Essential

Fitzsimmons, J., Fitzsimmons, M. and Bordoloi, S. (2014) Services Management: Operations, Strategy and Information Technology (8th Ed), McGraw-Hill

Grönroos C (2007) Service Management & Marketing: Customer Management in Service Competition 3rd edn, Wiley essential

Zeithaml, V A & Bitner M (2008) Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus across the Firm 5th edn (McGraw-Hill, Boston) recommended

Ghobadian A, Speller S and Jones M 1994 Service Quality: Concepts and Models, International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management Vol. 11 No. 9 pp 43-66 recommended

Use of an “Athens Account” provided by the University to access recent journal articles on Service Quality and available electronically.

Swartz. T.A. and Iacobucci, D. (Eds) (2000) Handbook of Services Marketing and Management, Sage Publications Inc.
Van Looy, B., Gemmel, P. and Van Dierdonck, R. (2013) Services Management: An Integrated Approach, (3rd Ed) Pearson
Davis, M.M. and Heineke, J. (2003) Managing Services: Using Technology to Create Value, McGraw Hill Irwin.
Hayes, B.E. (2008) Measuring Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty, (3rd Ed), American Society for Quality (ASQ).

Zeithaml, V A & Bitner M (2005) Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus across the Firm 3rd edn (McGraw-Hill, Boston)

Ghobadian A, Speller S and Jones M (1994) Service Quality: Concepts and Models, International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management Vol. 11 No. 9 pp 43-66


Course notes and material on Moodle

Buttle, F. and Maklan, S. (2015) Customer Relationship Management, (3rd Ed) Routledge

Teboul, J. (2006) Service is Front Stage: Positioning Services for Value Advantage, Palgrave MacMillan.

Swartz. T.A. and Iacobucci, D. (Eds) (2000) Handbook of Services Marketing and Management, Sage Publications Inc.

Use of an “Athens Account” provided by the University to access recent journal articles on Service Quality and available electronically and indicated in “Further Reading” at the end of each lecture

(**N.B. Although reading lists should include current publications, students are advised (particularly for material marked with an asterisk*) to wait until the start of session for confirmation of the most up-to-date material)

Engagement Requirements

In line with the Academic Engagement Procedure, Students are defined as academically engaged if they are regularly engaged with timetabled teaching sessions, course-related learning resources including those in the Library and on the relevant learning platform, and complete assessments and submit these on time. Please refer to the Academic Engagement Procedure at the following link: Academic engagement procedure

Where a module has Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body requirements these will be listed here:
Lecture Attendance: online or in person
Tutorial Attendance: Online or in person
Online Platform engagement

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Supplemental Information

Programme BoardEngineering
Assessment Results (Pass/Fail) No
Subject PanelCivil Engineering and Quality Management
ModeratorDr Michele Cano
External ExaminerA Garad
Accreditation DetailsChartered Quality Institute
Version Number

2.16

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Assessment: (also refer to Assessment Outcomes Grids below)
Written Assignment worth 60%
Class test worth 40%
On-line for DL students.
(N.B. (i) Assessment Outcomes Grids for the module (one for each component) can be found below which clearly demonstrate how the learning outcomes of the module will be assessed.
(ii) An indicative schedule listing approximate times within the academic calendar when assessment is likely to feature will be provided within the Student Handbook.)

Assessment Outcome Grids (Footnote A.)

Component 1
Assessment Type (Footnote B.) Learning Outcome (1) Learning Outcome (2) Learning Outcome (3) Weighting (%) of Assessment ElementTimetabled Contact Hours
Class test (written)check markcheck markcheck mark402

Component 2
Assessment Type (Footnote B.) Learning Outcome (1) Learning Outcome (2) Learning Outcome (3) Weighting (%) of Assessment ElementTimetabled Contact Hours
Essaycheck markcheck markcheck mark600
Combined Total For All Components100% 2 hours

Footnotes
A. Referred to within Assessment Section above
B. Identified in the Learning Outcome Section above

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Note(s):
  1. More than one assessment method can be used to assess individual learning outcomes.
  2. Schools are responsible for determining student contact hours. Please refer to University Policy on contact hours (extract contained within section 10 of the Module Descriptor guidance note).
    This will normally be variable across Schools, dependent on Programmes &/or Professional requirements.

Equality and Diversity
This module is considered appropriate for all students.
UWS Equality and Diversity Policy
(N.B. Every effort will be made by the University to accommodate any equality and diversity issues brought to the attention of the School)

2014 University of the West of Scotland

University of the West of Scotland is a Registered Scottish Charity.

Charity number SC002520.

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