Service quality in the digital age: a literature review

Abstract

Digitalization has profoundly reshaped the way in which companies provide their services to their customers. Our article addresses the central question of service quality in the digital age. Its main objective is to explore how theories of quality, such as organization theory, resource theory, and total quality control theory, interact with theories of digitalization, notably cognitive theory. Technological, social acceptance theory, and contingency theory, in the current context.

We take a systematic approach in the literature review, examining existing research on service quality in the digital age. This method encompasses a critical and conceptual analysis of previous studies, as well as a synthesis of the main concepts and theoretical models related to service quality and digitalization.

Our article identifies several theories explored in the field of service quality in the digital age. It highlights points of convergence between quality theories, such as the convergence of resource theory with contingency theory, as well as divergences, notably the coexistence of total quality control theory with technology acceptance theory. The article also highlights the importance of social cognitive theory in understanding user behavior in the face of the digitalization of services.

Following this literature review, our article identifies a certain number of theoretical gaps in the field of service quality in the digital age which lies in the need to develop more comprehensive conceptual frameworks to better understand the complex dynamics between quality of services and digitalization. Our article also highlights the need for future research aimed at filling these theoretical gaps in order to better guide practitioners in improving service quality in an ever-changing digital context.

Key words : digitalization , quality, services , technologies.

JEL Classification: L84, Q55.

Paper type: Theoretical Research.