An application of a service quality framework for agricultural services institutions that render service to small-scale poultry farmers in Botswana

Abstract

This mixed-methods research adopts the realist and pragmatist problem-solving approach to establish an adapted SERVQUAL framework for ASIs in Botswana. The study aims to apply a modified SERVQUAL questionnaire in establishing gaps between small-scale poultry farmers expected and perceived service quality, and to investigate the gap’s effects on farmer’s business performance leading to establishment of an adapted SERVQUAL framework for ASIs in developing economies. Consulted literature indicates that Botswana’s poultry farming value chain is marginally polarised towards large-scale poultry farmers, there is currently no service quality measurement tool for ASIs in Botswana and excellent ASI’s service quality directly impacts farmers’ business performance. Research questions coupled with gaps identified in literature formed the basis of the study’s research instruments. The gaps identified are lack previous service quality studies in Botswana’s agricultural sector, non-existence of a service quality measurement tool for ASIs and that previous service quality studies in Botswana focused on gaps between expected and perceived service quality with no focus impact of service provider’s challenges on customer’s business performance. Research participants for this mixed-methods research were drawn from 25 managers from five ASIs (qualitative interviews) and 200 small-scale poultry farmers drawn from a population of 650 poultry farmers in Botswana (Quantitative adapted SERVQUAL questionnaire). Qualitative data was analysed using word cloud content analysis and narrative analysis whereas SPSS was utilized to analyse quantitative data. Findings from interviews affirmed that ASI’s service quality across all dimensions directly affects farmers’ business performance, ASIs face challenges that affect their service delivery and there are currently no tool poultry farmers use to appraise ASI’s service quality. Quantitative research findings affirm that small-scale poultry farmers are generally unsatisfied with the quality of service rendered by ASIs in Botswana. Both interviews and the questionnaire findings confirmed that ASIs’ service quality has an impact on customers’ business performance in terms of profitability, sales growth, market share, and business growth. This study adds value to the existing body of knowledge on SERVQUAL and the developed adapted SERVQUAL framework and tool would benefit ASI management in Botswana and other developing economies

Hierdie gemengde metode-navorsing het die realistiese en pragmatiese probleemoplossingsbenadering gevolg om ’n aangepaste SERVQUAL-vraelys vir ASI’s in Botswana saam te stel. Die doel van die studie was om ’n gewysigde SERVQUAL-vraelys toe te pas om die gapings tussen kleinskaalse pluimveeboere se verwagte en waargeneemde diensgehalte te bepaal, en om die impak van die gapings op die boere se sakeprestasie te ondersoek. Dit het tot die daarstelling van ’n aangepaste SERVQUAL-raamwerk vir ASI’s in ontwikkelende ekonomieë gelei. Geraadpleegde literatuur dui aan dat Botswana se pluimveeboerdery-waardeketting marginaal gepolariseerd is teenoor grootskaalse pluimveeboere. Daar is tans geen metingsinstrument vir diensgehalte van ASI’s in Botswana nie, en uitstekende ASI-diensgehalte het ‘n direkte impak op boere se sakeprestasie. Die navorsingsvrae en leemtes wat in die literatuur geïdentifiseer is, het die basis van die instrumente van die navorsingstudie gevorm. Die gapings wat geïdentifiseer is, is ‘n gebrek aan vorige diensgehaltestudies in Botswana se landbousektor en die afwesigheid van ‘n metingsinstrument vir diensgehalte van ASI’s. Vorige diensgehaltestudies in Botswana het ook op gapings tussen verwagte en waargeneemde diensgehalte gefokus met geen fokus op die impak van die diensverskaffer se uitdagings op die kliënt se sakeprestasie nie. Deelnemers in die gemengde metode-navorsingstudie is gekies uit 25 bestuurders van vyf ASI’s (kwalitatiewe onderhoude) en 200 kleinskaalse pluimveeboere uit ‘n bevolking van 650 pluimveeboere in Botswana (kwantitatief aangepaste SERVQUAL-vraelys). Wolkinhoud-ontleding en narratiewe ontleding is gebruik om kwalitatiewe data te ontleed, terwyl SPSS gebruik is om kwantitatiewe data te ontleed. Bevindinge uit onderhoude het bevestig dat die diensgehalte van ASI’s oor alle dimensies boere se sakeprestasie direk beïnvloed. ASI’s staar uitdagings in die gesig wat hul dienslewering beïnvloed, en daar is tans geen instrument wat pluimveeboere gebruik om ASI’s se diensgehalte te evalueer nie. Kwantitatiewe navorsingsbevindinge bevestig dat klenskaalse pluimveeboere oor die algemeen ontevrede is met diens wat ASI’s in Botswana lewer. Beide die onderhoude en die vraelysbevindinge het bevestig dat ASI’s se diensgehalte ‘n impak op kliënte se sakeprestasie het wat betref winsgewendheid,verkoopgroei, markaandeel en sakegroei. Hierdie studie voeg waarde toe tot die bestaande kennis oor SERVQUAL, en die ontwikkelde, aangepaste SERVQUAL-raamwerk en instrument sal ASI-bestuur in Botswana en ander ontwikkelde ekonomieë bevoordeel

Tshekatsheko e ya tswakanyomekgwa e dirisa mokgwa wa tharabololomathata wa boammaruri le wa mmatota go ka fitlhelela letlhomeso la SERVQUAL la Ditheo tsa Ditirelo tsa Temothuo (ASI) kwa Botswana. Maikaelelo a tshekatsheko e ke go dirisa dipotsopatlisiso tse di fetotsweng tsa SERVQUAL gore go fitlhelelwe diphatlha magareng ga ditirelo tse di nonofileng tse di solofetsweng le tse di akantsweng tsa balemirui ba dikgogo ba dikgwebopotlana. Maikaelelo gape a tshekatsheko e ke go batlisisa ka ga diphelelo tsa diphatlha tse mo dikatlegong tsa dikgwebo tsa balemirui tseo di tlholang tlhamo ya letlhomeso la SERVQUAL la diASI mo diikonoming tse di tlhabologang. Dibuka le metswedi e e buisitsweng di supa gore ketane ya boleng ya bolemirui jwa dikgogo kwa Botswana e inametse gannye ka fa letlhakoreng la balemirui ba dikgogo ba dikgwebodikgolo mme ebile gape ga go sediriswa sa tekatekanyetso sa ditirelo tse di nonofileng tsa diASI kwa Botswana. Se sengwe gape ke gore ditirelo tse di nonofileng tsa diASI tse di molemo di na le seabe mo dikatlegong tsa dikgwebo tsa balemirui. Dipotso tsa patlisiso gammogo le diphatlha tse di fitlhetsweng mo dibukeng le metsweding mengwe di bopile motheo wa didiriswa tsa patlisiso tsa tshekatsheko. Diphatlha tse di fitlhetsweng ke tlhokego ya ditshekatsheko tsa ditirelo tse di nonofileng tse di fetileng mo lekaleng la bolemirui la Botswana, tlhokego ya sediriswa sa tekatekanyetso sa ditirelo tse di nonofileng tsa diASI, le gore ditshekatsheko tsa ditirelo tse di nonofileng tse di fetileng kwa Botswana di ne di tsepamisa mogopolo mo diphatlheng tse di leng magareng ga ditirelo tse di nonofileng tse di solofetsweng le tse di akantsweng mme gape di sa tsepamisa mogopolo mo kamong ya dikgwetlho tsa batlamedi ba ditirelo malebana le dikatlego tsa dikgwebo tsa bareki. Batsayakarolo mo patlisisong e ya tswakanyomekgwa ba nopotswe go tswa mo batsamaising ba le 25 go tswa kwa diASI di le tlhano (dipuisano tsa khwaletheithifi) gammogo le go tswa balemiruing ba dikgogo ba dikgwebopotlana ba le 200 bao ba nopotsweng go tswa mo palong ya balemirui ba dikgogo ba le 650 kwa Botswana (potsopatlisiso e e baakantsweng ya SERVQUAL ya khwanthitheithifi). Tshedimosetso ya khwaletheithifi e ne ya tlhatlhojwa ka tiriso ya go tlhatlhoba sediriswa sa tiriso ya mafoko (word cloud) gammogo le tlhatlhobo ya polelo mme SPSS e ne ya dirisiwa go tlhatlhoba tshedimosetso ya khwanthitheithifi. Diphitlhelelo go tswa dipuisanong di tlhotlhomisitse gore balemirui ba dikgogo ba dikgwebopotlana ga ba kgotsofadiwe ke ditirelo tse di nonofileng tsa diASI kwa Botswana. Dipuisano le diphitlhelelo tsa dipotsopatlisiso kabobedi di tlhomamisitse gore ditirelo tse di nonofileng tsa diASI di na le seabe mo dikatlegong tsa dikgwebo tsa bareki malebana le dipoelo, kgolo ya ditheko, karolo ya mmaraka gammogo le kgolo ya kgwebo. Tshekatsheko e e oketsa boleng mo tshedimosetsong ya SERVQUAL e e fitlhelwang ga jaana gammogo le gore letlhomeso le le tlhabolotsweng la SERVQUAL le sediriswa di tla tswela mosola botsamaisi jwa ASI kwa Botswana le kwa diikonoming tse dingwe tse di tlhabologang