| Abstract [eng] |
The theoretical part explores the concept of service quality, the application of the SERVQUAL model in the education sector, and the relationship between parents' expectations and experiences. The empirical part presents the methodology, which employs a quantitative approach through a survey with Likert-scale questions covering both expectations and actual experiences. The study involved parents of children attending the Mažeikiai nursery-kindergarten "Linelis", categorized by the number of children in the family and the duration of preschool attendance. The results revealed that overall parental expectations were higher than their actual experiences, with an average difference of -0.25 (± 0.51). The most significant gaps between expectations and experience were found in the Tangibles dimension (p < 0.05), which includes the physical environment, infrastructure, and material resources. Other dimensions, such as Reliability and Assurance, showed smaller, statistically insignificant differences (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the Responsiveness dimension had the most substantial positive impact on overall perceived quality (β = 0.263, p < 0.05), while the Assurance dimension had the least impact (β = 0.229, p < 0.05). When comparing evaluations among different parent groups based on the number of children and preschool attendance duration, no statistically significant differences were identified (p > 0.05). However, a correlational analysis indicated a trend where longer preschool attendance might be associated with slightly lower evaluations of actual experiences. These findings suggest that the perception of service quality is most influenced by infrastructure and staff attentiveness, regardless of parents' personal or familial circumstances. The study's findings are significant for the education sector as they highlight priority areas for quality improvement, particularly regarding the physical environment and staff responsiveness. This could contribute to more effective service planning and enhanced parental satisfaction. |
