The multiple criteria and
sub-criteria for electronic service
quality evaluation
An interdependence perspective
Tsuen-Ho Hsu
Department of Marketing and Distribution Management,
National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology,
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Li-Chu Hung
Department of Food and Beverage Management,
National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism,
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, and
Jia-Wei Tang
Graduate School of Management,
National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology,
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate multiple criteria and sub-criteria of e-SQ with the
interdependence perspective, utilising three phases of measurement for the proposed e-SQ evaluation.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper utilises literature reviews to address the question of
interdependence in the context of e-SQ and constructs an interdependent network structure for e-SQ
evaluation. Then a method and three phases of measurement are proposed that combine the consistent
fuzzy preference relations method with the analytic network process (ANP) technique, to evaluate e-SQ
by using senior experts who work at travel web site companies as research participants.
Findings – First, this study discovered the interdependence perspective of criteria and sub-criteria
for e-SQ evaluation. Second, it was found out that the weights of criteria and sub-criteria have reverse
situations after considering the interdependence perspective. Third, the findings indicate that the
interdependence perspective among criteria and sub-criteria should be taken into consideration, and
the authors remind practitioners of the need to implement overall improvements instead of
independently addressing each criterion or sub-criterion of e-SQ individually.
Originality/value – The authors propose a scientific and systematic method for e-SQ evaluation
that can enable managers of online web sites to determine the important factors, and further to achieve
total e-SQ control management. Moreover the proposed method can deal with imprecise information
when evaluating e-SQ, as well as considering interdependent relationships among factors, and is thus
faster and more efficient at addressing the inconsistency problems involved in multiple decision
making than conventional methods.
Keywords Customer services quality, Web sites, Electronic commerce, Electronic service quality,
Analytic network process, Consistent fuzzy preference relations method, Travel web site,
Interdependence perspective
Paper type Research paper
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www.emeraldinsight.com/1468-4527.htm
Criteria for e-SQ
evaluation
241
Refereed article received
15 November 2010
Approved for publication
1 July 2011
Online Information Review
Vol. 36 No. 2, 2012
pp. 241-260
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1468-4527
DOI 10.1108/14684521211229057