Identifying dimensions of service quality in public recreation.

The study adapted a conceptual framework for identifying dimensions of service quality. The original framework was developed by researchers in the marketing field who worked in the context of the commercial sector. A discussion of theoretical distinctions between service quality and satisfaction is offered and a scale is developed for measuring service quality in the context of selected public recreation services. The cluster sample consisted of 248 respondents drawn from four different types of recreation activities. A twenty-five-item scale was developed to measure the five dimensions of service quality that were hypothesized to exist. Factor analysis suggested that respondents perceived four dimensions of service quality. They were assurance, reliability, responsiveness, and tangibles. The results indicated substantial differences in items perceived to be useful for measuring service quality in public recreation services from those developed previously by others for use in commercial services.