Students’ Expectation, Perception, and Satisfaction toward the Service Quality of Master of Public Administration Program at Sripatum University

Abstract

              The objectives of this research were to study the level of expectation, level of perception and satisfaction with service quality as well as the difference between the level of expectation and the level of perception of service quality of Master’s in Public Administration Program, Sripatum University. The sample group consisted of the whole population, a total of 58 students in Master of Public Administration Program, Sripatum University for the academic year 2020. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, including the use of hypothesis testing with t-test factor comparison. The program’s service quality was analyzed by using the mean score of service quality perception minus the mean score of service quality expectations.

            Research findings indicated that the level of perception and the level of expectation were at the high to highest levels. Meanwhile, satisfaction with service quality was at the level of recommended improvement. Comparing the difference between the level of expectation and the level of perception, there were negative values ​​in all 5 aspects (ranging from -0.05 to -0.72), but the gap was relatively low.  In terms of professionalism (-0.05), satisfaction was at the highest level may be due to the fact that professors care for students like family members, resulting in students’ satisfaction. Meanwhile, regarding staff’s kindness (-0.72), satisfaction was at the lowest level due to staff’s lack of care for individual students. Therefore, staffs should be paying more attention to individual students to improve the quality of service.