A Study of Service Quality of the Singapore Book Industry
The University of Bradford
A Study of Service Quality of the Singapore Book Industry
Being a Final Year Project Paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Business and Management Studies (Marketing)
In the University of Bradford
By
By Tan Kian Meng S7723953G
CLASS: BScMM II 99/7
24 FEBRUARY 2001
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank my supervisor, Mr Justin Kung who gave me his valuable advice throughout the course of this management project.
I wish to express my gratitude to Joey Chew and Hazel Chew for their most valuble help in the completion of this project.
I would like to extend thanks to all the respondents and friends who made this project possible.
ABSTRACT The book industry in Singapore has become more competitive with the entrance of newcomers. Books and Music Store (Borders) came into our retail scene in 1997 while Dymocks, an Australian bookstore joined in last year. Existing book retailers have also been expanding their retail space. This can be seen from the entrance of Kinokuniya Book Stores at Ngee Ann City Shopping Centre in 1999. It is the largest bookstore in Singapore.
From articles obtained through Internet, there exist a service quality issue provided by the booksellers. Consumers have wide choices of selection of reading materials. For instance, they can easily purchase specific reading materials from the Internet. Consumers also have the choice to patronage another competitor’s bookstores. Given all these issues, it thus pose a need for the booksellers to provide quality in service so that their positions can still be competitive.
This project seeks to find out the service attributes that are associated with the patronage of bookstores. I attempt to find out the current service quality standard perceived by customers.
The result of the survey clearly shows that booksellers are performing behind customers’ expectations.
A Study of Service Quality of the Singapore Book Industry
Being a Final Year Project Paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Business and Management Studies (Marketing)
In the University of Bradford
By
By Tan Kian Meng S7723953G
CLASS: BScMM II 99/7
24 FEBRUARY 2001
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank my supervisor, Mr Justin Kung who gave me his valuable advice throughout the course of this management project.
I wish to express my gratitude to Joey Chew and Hazel Chew for their most valuble help in the completion of this project.
I would like to extend thanks to all the respondents and friends who made this project possible.
ABSTRACT The book industry in Singapore has become more competitive with the entrance of newcomers. Books and Music Store (Borders) came into our retail scene in 1997 while Dymocks, an Australian bookstore joined in last year. Existing book retailers have also been expanding their retail space. This can be seen from the entrance of Kinokuniya Book Stores at Ngee Ann City Shopping Centre in 1999. It is the largest bookstore in Singapore.
From articles obtained through Internet, there exist a service quality issue provided by the booksellers. Consumers have wide choices of selection of reading materials. For instance, they can easily purchase specific reading materials from the Internet. Consumers also have the choice to patronage another competitor’s bookstores. Given all these issues, it thus pose a need for the booksellers to provide quality in service so that their positions can still be competitive.
This project seeks to find out the service attributes that are associated with the patronage of bookstores. I attempt to find out the current service quality standard perceived by customers.
The result of the survey clearly shows that booksellers are performing behind customers’ expectations.