INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

IPAM

(University of Sierra Leone)

Faculty of Management Sciences

Department of Business Administration and leadership

Course: BSc General in Business Administration

Year 4

Clustered Dissertation

SURENAME OTHER (S) REG. NO.

KARGBO ISATU 24842
BANGURA ADAMA 24897
YAMBASU FRANCESS 24252
PAUL VERONICA CLAUDINE INNCENOCIA ANGELA 23714
CLEMENS DEPHON ALBERT 22847
 SERVICE QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN PUBLIC SECTOR
ORGANIZATION: CASE STUDY SIERRA LEONE BROADCASTING
COPRORATION

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The globalization of competition, saturation of markets, and development of information
technology have enhanced customer awareness and created a situation where long-term
success is no longer achieved through optimized product price and qualities. Instead,
companies build their success on a long-term customer relationship.
Some services are to satisfy and resolve customer needs and customers are a guarantee for
survival of service providers.
Todays, marketing consists of developing customer, meaning attention to customer
satisfaction and quality, their loyalty and effective communication with them. Therefore,
organizations attempt to have satisfied and loyal customers (Gremler and Gwinner, 2000).
Organizations to increase the number of their customers, their loyalty, revenue, profit and
market share and subsequently increased survival, attempt to assess customer satisfaction in
their business. Customer satisfaction for organizations that wish to create a competitive
advantage in the today’s extremely competitive world is a key issue. Therefore, many
researches and funding have been to identify the proper evaluation of customer satisfaction
(Mohammadnejad and others, 2011). It can be said that the origin of all the goals,
programs and organizational practices in modern marketing concept is referred to market in
general and customer in particular.
According to (Wilson, Fornasier et al, 2008). it can cost as much as six times more to win a
new customer than it does to keep an existing one. Depending on the particular industry, it is
possible to increase profit by up to 60% after reducing potential migration by 5%. Hence, the
increase and retention of loyal customers has become a key factor for long-term success of
the companies.
Consumers all over the world have become more quality conscious; hence there has been an
increased customer demand for higher quality service. Service operations worldwide are
affected by this new wave of quality awareness and emphasis (Lee 2004). Therefore service-
based companies like the media houses are compelled to provide excellent services to their
customers in order to have sustainable competitive advantage, especially in the current trend
of trade liberalization and globalization.
Customer satisfaction has been a subject of great interest to organizations and researchers
alike. The principal objective of organizations is to maximize profits and to minimize cost.
Profit maximization can be achieved through increase in sales with lesser costs. One of the
factors that can help to increase sales is customer satisfaction, because satisfaction leads to
customer loyalty (Wilson, Fornasier et al, 2008). To provide customers with a satisfactory
service it is important to develop efficient quality service models which can be used to find
out the extent to which the customer requirement is fulfilled.
Customer satisfaction is the main concern of business sectors of today; therefore, researchers
are always conducting research about the customers especially on what relates to their
satisfaction. This study assessed the quality of customer service and satisfaction in Sierra
Leone Public sector, a case of Sierra Leone broadcasting corporation (SLBC).
Customer-orientation is the most recent marketing approach and its development point.
Customer orientation approach begins with the study of needs and wants of customers and
then continues with physical services design, production, and finally measurement of
customer satisfaction as a key indicator of performance. Foundation for carrying out all
phases of operation in organization is the data obtained from the customer.
The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) is the national radio and television
broadcaster in Sierra Leone. It is owned by the government of Sierra Leone and is a branch
of the Sierra Leone Ministry of Information and Communications. It is theoretically
regulated by the Independent Media Commission (IMC). The SLBC primarily broadcasts the
national television and regional radio service from its headquarters in the New England
neighbourhood of Freetown. Regional stations provide FM radio services in Bo, Kenema,
Kailahun, Makeni, Magburaka and Koidu.
Currently the Freetown headquarters produces 2 television channels for Freetown, one of
which is intermittently distributed by satellite for relays in Bo, Kenema and Makeni. The
other is a general entertainment channel (films etc.) A radio service is transmitted
from Leicester Peak transmitting station on 100 MHz which covers a large part of the
 Western Area. The Freetown radio service is relayed by a number of the regional SLBC
stations during parts of the day. The regional stations broadcast their own radio services for
most of the day. They enjoy a great deal of autonomy from the Freetown headquarters. Such
clients tend to form negative impression about the institution. These clients feel dissatisfied
and often inform others of their unpleasant experience.
The result has been a lowering public image. This study is therefore to find how service
quality can be improved at Sierra Leone Broadcasting corporation (SLBC) and how it can
impact client satisfaction.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Public sector organizations exist to provide services to the citizens, the private sector and other
institutions.
It is a well-known fact that service quality delivery by public sector organizations is beset with a
lot of challenges. As indicated earlier the quality services delivered by most public sector
organizations in Sierra Leone leaves much to be desired. The public sector has been seen as
lethargic and non-responsive to the needs of the citizens and the private sector. Issues such as
excessive bureaucracy, political interference, corruption, poor working conditions, poor work
ethics, outdated and outmoded systems, procedures and practices among others, conspire to
impact adversely on service quality delivery by public sector organizations.
Satisfaction is a function of perceived performance and expectation. The term ‘customer
satisfaction’ is a subjective and non-qualitative term. It results from the quality of broadcasting
media services product (technical quality), quality of service delivery, engagement of the
customers (functional quality) price factors and exceeding customer’s expectations. Expectation
influences customer satisfaction through market communication, image, word of mouth and
customer needs. Customers are now becoming increasingly conscious of their rights and are
demanding ever more than before (Kim, Ng and Ki, 2009).

Service quality particularly in the public sector organizations has become ever more important in
improving customer satisfaction. Satisfaction is a function of perceived performance and
expectation. The term ‘customer satisfaction’ is a subjective and non-qualitative term. It results
from the quality of broadcasting media services product (technical quality), quality of service
delivery, engagement of the customers (functional quality) price factors and exceeding
customer’s expectations. Expectation influences customer satisfaction through market
communication, image, word of mouth and customer needs. Customers are now becoming
increasingly conscious of their rights and are demanding ever more than before (Kim, Ng and
Ki, 2009).

The changing needs of customers affect the expectation of value-added servicing for basic
broadcasting media house requirements. This is made possible only in the post liberalization era
through “customer centric” services (Mohammad and Alhamadani, 2011). Besides, retaining
unsatisfied customer is elusive as customers can easily switch from one service provider to the
next at low cost. Studies have been done that assess the determinants of customer satisfaction.
Kenyan studies such as Bashir, Machali and Mwinyi (2012) looked at the effect of service
quality on customer satisfaction in MFIs. Yator (2012) focused on the effect of service quality
on customer satisfaction in Sierra Leone broadcasting corporation. Globally studies have been
done on: customer satisfaction in the restaurant industry (Andaleeb and Conway, 2006); the
influence of institutional service on customer satisfaction, return intention, and word-of-mouth
(Kim, Ng and Ki, 2009); and, service quality perspectives and customer satisfaction. None of
these studies have evaluated customer satisfaction in the context of broadcasting media house.
Thus, this study seeks to investigate service quality as a determinant of customer satisfaction in
the media.

1.3 Aim
The aim of this research is to assess the relationship between service quality and customer
satisfaction with the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) in perspective.

1.4 Research Objectives

This study is undertaken to investigate the relationship between the service quality and its
impact on customer satisfaction. It will focus on the relationship of the four (5) independent
variables of service quality (SERVQUAL) model (Spreitzer, 1995) which are tangibles,
reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy with the identified dependent variable;
customer satisfaction. 
The objectives of the study are:

i. To determine the relationship between service tangibility and the customer

satisfaction in Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporations.
ii. To determine the relationship between service reliability and the customer satisfaction
in Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporations.
iii. To know the relationship between service responsiveness and the customer
satisfaction in Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporations.
iv. To explore the relationship between service assurance and the customer satisfaction
in Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporations.
v. To find out the relationship between service empathy and the customer satisfaction in
Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporations.

1.5 Research Questions:

In this study, there are few questions have been generated to answer the following questions
about the service quality dimension (SERVQUAL) and customer satisfaction. The research
study will be guided by the following research question for the investigations as follows:

i. What is the relationship between the service tangibility and customer satisfaction in Sierra
Leone Broadcasting Corporations?

ii. What is the relationship between the service reliability and customer satisfaction in Sierra
Leone Broadcasting Corporations?

iii. What is the relationship between the service responsiveness and customer satisfaction in
Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporations?

iv. What is the relationship between the service assurance and customer satisfaction in Sierra
Leone Broadcasting Corporations?

v. What is the relationship between the service empathy and customer satisfaction in Sierra
Leone Broadcasting Corporations?
vi. Which dimensions are the best predictors of overall service quality perceived by the
customers in Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporations?

1.4 Significance of the Study

The study when successfully carried out is expected to add to the store of knowledge on the subject
matter, particularly its relevance to public sector organizations in Sierra Leone.
It is expected to expand the frontiers of knowledge with respect to how service quality influences or
impacts on customer satisfaction, elements of service quality and other determinants of customer
satisfaction.
It is also expected to find out how best practices in achieving customer satisfaction can be
recommended for adoption by Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) it peculiar
circumstances. It is therefore in this regard expected to make concrete recommendations to the
Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) to enable it satisfy its wide range of clients to make
it a preferred forum for seeking rights violation remedies and justices and above all to make it the
center of excellence as espoused by its medium-term strategic plan.
It is expected that the findings will be compelling enough to lead management to commit the
necessary resources to improve the quality of the Broadcasting Corporation’s services.

1.5 Scope of the Study

The study will be undertaken within a typical public sector governance institution, which is non-
profit making and subsists on the Consolidated Fund of Sierra Leone called Sierra Leone
Broadcasting Corporations (SLBC), Though the corporation has offices throughout the country, the
study will be restricted to the Western Area Region.

1.6 Research Methodology

The study will adopt a purely descriptive research approach, as it will seek to establish the
relationship between variables (i.e., service quality and client satisfaction in Sierra Leone
Broadcasting Corporation).
The population of the study will be the total number of employees from which a sample size of
Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) from which 150 (one hundred and fifty)
employees from different cadres of management at the Broadcasting Corporation’s Western Area
Office and will further provide 100 (one hundred) questionnaires for the general
public(customers) for them to assess the service quality and satisfaction which will be drawn.

A simple random sampling technique will be used to select the sample size. The study will entail
both primary and secondary data. The essence was to gather from the employees’ viewpoint,
information on the level and standards of service quality offered by the Commission; their
understanding of service quality and client satisfaction; the dimensions of service quality and
how they affect client satisfaction.

A comprehensive questionnaire will be designed and administered to the study population drawn
from the Western Area offices and also the general public(customers) as earlier mentioned. The
items will be carefully selected and administered and meticulously edited bearing in mind the
research objectives and questions.

After editing is done, the data will be quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. Quantitative data
analysis will be done by the use of integrated package on a personal computer. The Statistical
Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) software IBM version will be used to analyze the
relationship between the service quality and its dimensions and client’s satisfaction.