Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2008. / Adviser: Kimberly A. Smith-Jentsch. Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-139).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-189). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, August, 2008. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 181 p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-130). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

D.Phil. / Performance management has become legislative requirement for municipalities in South Africa. Unfortunately, not many tools exist to measure and monitor municipal service delivery effectively. Municipal managers and politicians require accurate information to ensure that their decisions are not based on emotions and assumptions but that the information with regards to municipal service delivery is accurate and relevant. Descriptions and terminology used to describe engineering services are sometimes complex and confusing. To aggravate the situation, technical and non-technical people seem unable to communicate effectively about township engineering services. The development of the Service Delivery Index is a helpful tool in providing decision makers with accurate information. The index translate engineering services and service delivery aspects into numerical data that can also be represented graphically. The Service Delivery Index for municipalities comprises four components of engineering services being delivered in residential areas. The components are infrastructure quality, delivery efficiency, access to services and affordability. Each component comprises specific elements that are measured on a regular basis such as payment levels, proportion of household income to service charges, service interruptions, response times to outages and service levels. Not only can services be measured and represented graphically, they can also be compared and over time to establish trends. Desegregation of the index is easy. The index system allows municipalities to provide service delivery information to communities effectively and transparently and in an easily comprehensible manner. Components of the index can also be linked to a GIS system to display different aspects of service delivery geographically. The index system in combination with services costs graphs can also be utilised to make instant and accurate assessments of upgrading costs for township services. The data used for the compilation of the index is normally readily available form Census data, financial statements and departmental job evaluation reports. The index also effectively addresses the issue of communication between technical and non-technical people with the aid of graphical presentations.

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In today's globalised market, quality and productivity are essential for the survival and growth of any organisation. For service companies, the encounters between customers and company employees are a critical component of this service quality. These factors depend on the successful attraction and retention of customers. The customer has therefore become the focus for any successful business. Business success depends on organisat ions understanding and meeting customers ' expectations and demands. This study measures the dimensions of service encounters as perceived by customers of Vodacom Lesotho. The current level of service encounter quality and satisfact ion is measured for Vodacom Lesotho customers who use the company's contact centres (popularly known as Vodashops). The study reveals that customers are very keen to be involved in service improvement programs . Empirical testing identified that although the quality of network coverage is not part of the service encounter, it is very important in the customer satisfaction with the service encounter . This study has developed the following recommendations that will ensure the improvement of service encounters at Vodacom Lesotho: • Vodacom Lesotho needs to involve customers in their service design processes . • Front-line employees should be hired on their abilities to perform customer service encounters and they should continuously receive relevant training . • Customers need to be educated about the services offered by Vodacom Lesotho. The results of this study have supported the objectives of this study and it can be concluded that Vodacom Lesotho needs to improve service quality to ensure customer satisfaction . / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, 2003.

With the several changes taking place in the retail, wholesale, manufacturing and academic sectors of pharmacy, the practice of pharmacy is becoming a challenging one in South Africa. As a result of this, it is important to prove to the government as well as to other health care professionals that pharmacy can do more than deliver a supply function. This would involve the pharmacist becoming more committed to the quality of service and value (irrespective of the sector), and in so doing raise the overall standard of the profession. This research involves a survey amongst 100 customers who live in the Pinetown area. It investigates service quality in a retail pharmacy by using the SERVQUAL instrument as a measuring tool. It involved assessing respondents expectations and perceptions of service quality in retail pharmacy. The respondents indicated that understanding patient needs, assurance, reliability, efficiency, tangibles, attention and staff presentation were important factors that they expected from service of any retail pharmacy. With respect to the service provided by Pinelands pharmacy, respondent perceptions of service quality included patient individualisation, pharmacy staff competence, efficiency, staff presentation and convenient operating hours, aesthetic appeal and a modern pharmacy. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

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