Students’ perception and satisfaction of services provided by public and private higher education institutes: a case study in Albania

Library's quality impact on satisfaction and improvement priorities

Purpose

This study aims to identify library service dimensions at the Suranaree University of Technology (SUT), Thailand, examine the effect of perceived quality on overall satisfaction and determine the library service's improvement priorities.

Design/methodology/approach

The modified service quality (SERVQUAL) questionnaire was administered to SUT faculty and students. The perceived quality of service attributes was determined by comparing the perception of the actual service received with the expectation. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was utilized to classify the service dimensions, and proportional odds ordinal logistic regression was employed to examine the impact of perceived quality on overall satisfaction. The improvement priorities were determined using the importance–performance analysis (IPA).

Findings

EFA suggested four service dimensions of the SUT library services: collection and access, organizational service, service delivery by staff and library as a place. The perceived quality of all dimensions positively affected overall satisfaction. However, the “library as a place” had a nonsignificant effect on faculty satisfaction, while the “collection and access” had a nonsignificant effect on student satisfaction.

Originality/value

In the context of library services, few studies have examined the effect of perceived quality on satisfaction and investigated improvement priorities using IPA. This study addresses these research gaps and provides deeper insights into the faculty and student perspectives on the university library services.

Lean management practices perception and their influence on organizational performance in a public Higher Education Institution

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the perception of Lean management practices by public servants of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) and its influence on the organizational performance. The underlying assumption is that Lean management practices may have perceived even without a whole dissemination of the Lean Thinking way in the institution, and they exercise a positive influence on organizational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire of Lean management practices applicable to HEIs was developed and a survey was carried out in a public HEI in Brazil. A valid sample of 748 respondents was obtained.

Findings

The results demonstrate that some Lean management practices (leadership support and employee involvement, focus on the internal customers, long-term thinking, community services value, elimination of waste and continuous improvement) have a positive influence on the organizational performance of the studied HEI. These results extend the applicability and foster the initiation of Lean management practices in the public service scenario and HEIs.

Practical implications

This study supports HEI leaders and managers in developing and/or promoting better management practices to improve organizational performance. In addition, it promotes the advancement of Lean initiatives in the organizational environment of the HEI, allowing for a better quality to the “beneficiaries” of the services provided.

Originality/value

Despite the broad evidence of Lean in the manufacturing and industrial sectors, this study advances by exploring the perception of Lean management practices in the HEIs context and their influence on organizational performance. This paper also initiates and fosters the discussion of internal costumers and community services value as basic practices of an HEI.