“Service Quality of HEIs through the Lens of Stakeholders”.

Abstract

This study examines service quality in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from the perspective of faculty stakeholders using the SERVQUAL framework. While most prior studies emphasize students as primary stakeholders, limited empirical work captures faculty perceptions and expectations, particularly in the Indian management education context. Using a structured questionnaire adapted from SERVQUAL, primary data were collected from 71 faculty members affiliated with MBA institutions under Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Maharashtra. Perception–expectation gap analysis was employed to assess service quality across five dimensions: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The findings reveal the presence of negative service quality gaps across multiple dimensions, indicating that faculty expectations exceed perceived service delivery in several institutional aspects. The study contributes by positioning faculty as critical internal stakeholders in service quality assessment and offers actionable implications for HEI administrators and policymakers aiming to enhance institutional effectiveness and faculty satisfaction......