An analysis of the perceived service quality of hospitality industry in Rio de Janeiro through the SERVQUAL model: a multiple case study

Brazil is under political and financial crises where the end seems far away. Because of that, researchers argue that the hotel rooms offered by Rio de Janeiro, built to host the Olympic Games 2016, will be difficult to occupy after the event. It is then necessary for the hotels to understand how guests perceive the service quality in order to adapt to this new era. If guests’ perceptions meet or exceed their expectations, they will be satisfied and will probably return. Thus based on the SERVQUAL approach, this paper aims to study the impact of the service dimensions on the guests’ overall satisfaction at hotels of Rio de Janeiro. Two hotels were considered representative of the city in terms of service quality and customers’ profile. Interviews to the hotel managers were performed, and questionnaires to the guests were administered. Among the five SERVQUAL dimensions – Reliability, Tangibles, Responsiveness, Assurance, and Empathy – the Empathy dimension appears to be the only one that affects the guests’ overall satisfaction. The study could also identify that gender, country of residence, home country and family income have an impact on guests’ satisfaction. This study has no intention of generalization, but rather of refining the theory about services and the SERVQUAL model.

Validação da escala de fatigabilidade percebida para avaliação da fadiga em idosas

The term fatigability concerns the degree of fatigue associated with performing an activity of any type (physical, mental, emotional and / or social). Recently scales for assessing fatigue in the English language were created, however, gaps exist regarding the validity of these scales in relation to oxygen consumption and levels of perceived fatigue. Objective: To investigate the validity of perceived fatigability scale in older women frail and non-frail by the expired gases kinetics. Methods: This is a study of type validation, where were evaluated 48 elderly. The evaluation was conducted at two different sessions. In the first, data were collected demographic partners, as well as assessment of cognitive function, physical health, and the phenotype of frailty. The second was composed by the test 6-minute walk (6MWT) associated the expired gases kinects and assessment of perceived fatigability. Statistical analysis was performed a descriptive analysis and then we used the Pearson correlation test to evaluate the relationship between the measure of perceived fatigue and variables oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER)before and after 6MWT. We used a linear regression model initially considering the following explanatory variable: age, Body Mass Index (BMI), presence of frailty, comorbidities, level of physical activity, distance covered in the 6MWT , the energy cost of walking and severity of fatigability on performance. Results: The final sample consisted of 44 elderly women, 4 elderly were excluded because they didn t complete all phases of this study. The mean age obtained was 75 years (± 7.2 years). There was no significant correlation between fatigability measures and the values of VO2 ( r = .09 , p = .56 ) , VCO2 ( r = .173 , p = .26 ) , RER ( r = - .121 , p = .43 ). The final linear regression model showed that the energy cost of walking, the usual level of physical activity and the performance severity of fatigability explained 83.5 % (R2 = 0.835, p < 0.01) of the variation in the perceived fatigability. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a relationship between greater severity of fatigability and lower levels of physical activity and increased energy cost in walking, suggesting that the fatigability analyses using a simple numeric scale is valid and viable for assessment of fatigue in older women

Stages of behavior change and perceived barriers to physical activity in the elderly living in a medium size city in Brazil

The aim was to analyze the prevalence of the stages of behavior change (BCS) and the perceived barriers to physical activity in older people residents in a medium size city of São Paulo state, Brazil. Seventy-nine older people participated of the study. The BCS was assessed by the Questionnaire of Behavior Chance Stages and those on perception of barriers by the Questionnaire on Barriers to the Practice of Physical Activity in Older People (QBPPAE). Statistical analyses was comprised by the Chi-square test (p<0.05). Data showed that: a) 64,6% of the older people do not practice physical activity and only 22,8% of them have been practicing it on a regular basis for more than 6 months; b) The most perceived barriers were: "Active enough", "Too old"; "Need to rest" and; "Disease or injury"; c) The BCS seems modulate significantly the perception of barriers (p<0.05). We can conclude that: a) most of the older people are in the pre-contemplation, contemplation and preparation stages of the BCS, yet; b) gender influences almost nothing with perception of barriers and; c) the BCS interferes with the type of perceived barriers. Such conclusions support the suggestions that it is necessary to develop specific strategies for different stages of behavior change if it is to minimize the barriers. This may help to find the most effective way to change to more active lifestyle in the elderly.

Walking for leisure among adults from three Brazilian cities and its association with perceived environment attributes and personal factors

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reproducibility and validity of self-perceived oral health conditions

The reproducibility and validity of self-perceived periodontal, dental, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) conditions were investigated. A questionnaire was applied in interview to 200 adults aged from 35 to 44, who were attending as casual patients at Araraquara School of Dentistry, Sauo Paulo State University, Sauo Paulo, Brazil. Clinical examination was based on the guidelines of the World Health Organization manual. The interview and the clinical examination were performed in two occasions, by a calibrated examiner. Reproducibility and validity were, respectively, verified by kappa statistics (kappa) and sensitivity (Sen) and specificity (Spec) values, having clinical examination as the validation criterion. The results showed an almost perfect agreement for self-perceived TMJ (kappa=0.85) and periodontal conditions (kappa=0.81), and it was substantial for dental condition (kappa=0.69). Reproducibility according to clinical examination showed good results (kappa=0.73 for CPI index, kappa=0.96 for dental caries, and kappa=0.74 for TMJ conditions). Sensitivity and specificity values were higher for self-perceived dental (Sen=0.84, Spec=1.0) and TMJ conditions (Sen=1.0, Spec=0.8). With regard to periodontal condition, specificity was low (0.43), although sensitivity was very high (1.0). Self-perceived oral health was reliable for the examined conditions. Validity was good to detect dental conditions and TMJ disorders, and it was more sensitive than specific to detect the presence of periodontal disease.

Perceived quality of life and physical activity in Brazilian older adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between self-perceived quality of life and physical activity in Brazilian older adults. We investigated 199 individuals (117 men and 82 women) aged between 60 to 70 years old, employees of a public university. Physical activity was estimated by the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Self-perceived quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref) questionnaire composed of four domains: physical, psychological, social relationship and environment. There was no difference in self-perceived quality of life between men and women. In contrast, quality of life was associated with physical activity even after adjustment for gender, schooling and income. The physical domain presented the strongest association with physical inactivity (Odds Ratio = 2.70, 95% CI 1.87-3.52). Only the environment domain evaluated by WHOQOL-Bref was not associated to physical inactivity. Among the older, improved self-perceived quality of life is positively associated to physical activity. © FTCD/FIP-MOC.

Indicadores de desempenho e percepção subjetiva de esforço entre técnico e atletas de voleibol

The present study has for objective been to know the answers of performance indicators between different positions of volleyball and check for possible relationship between subjective perception referred by coach effort of volleyball athletes during training. Eleven athlete of the feminine sex, during eight weeks, 23 carried through sessions of training and eleven games, inferior members (Vertical Jump) and superiors had been evaluated by means of measures of explosive power in (Throw Medicine Ball), at the beginning and end of each week. For the verification of the subjective perceived of exertion it was used scales proposal for Foster (1998), to the end of each session of training. The collected data had been kept in computer file, producing information in the descriptive plan (measured central and dispersion) and the inferencial for the analysis of variance for the model with a factor complemented with the test of multiple comparisons of Tukey and linear correlation of Pearson. The results present as it has detached: i) the exercises specifics as content of bigger frequency in the training; ii) the test of vertical jump presented difference between the positions and, finally, iii) the subjective perceived of exertion between coach and athlete, he points that the trainer overestimates in 9,76% the perceived of the athletes. Such data are argued how much to the contents of the training as well as the load used in the interior of the process of preparation and monitoring of the training.

The Impact of Teaching Presence in Intensive Online Courses on Perceived Learning and Sense of Community: A Mixed Methods Study

This mixed methods concurrent triangulation design study was predicated upon two models that advocated a connection between teaching presence and perceived learning: the Community of Inquiry Model of Online Learning developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000); and the Online Interaction Learning Model by Benbunan-Fich, Hiltz, and Harasim (2005). The objective was to learn how teaching presence impacted students’ perceptions of learning and sense of community in intensive online distance education courses developed and taught by instructors at a regional comprehensive university. In the quantitative phase online surveys collected relevant data from participating students (N = 397) and selected instructional faculty (N = 32) during the second week of a three-week Winter Term. Student information included: demographics such as age, gender, employment status, and distance from campus; perceptions of teaching presence; sense of community; perceived learning; course length; and course type. The students claimed having positive relationships between teaching presence, perceived learning, and sense of community. The instructors showed similar positive relationships with no significant differences when the student and instructor data were compared. The qualitative phase consisted of interviews with 12 instructors who had completed the online survey and replied to all of the open-response questions. The two phases were integrated using a matrix generation, and the analysis allowed for conclusions regarding teaching presence, perceived learning, and sense of community. The findings were equivocal with regard to satisfaction with course length and the relative importance of the teaching presence components. A model was provided depicting relationships between and among teaching presence components, perceived learning, and sense of community in intensive online courses.

Factors related to poor self-perceived oral health among community-dwelling elderly individuals in Sao Paulo, Brazil

The present study investigated the prevalence of poor self-perceived oral health and its association with oral health, general health and socioeconomic factors among elderly individuals from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The sample consisted of 871 elderly individuals enrolled in the Health, Wellbeing and Aging cohort study. Self-perceived oral health was measured by the question: "How would you rate your oral health?". Most subjects self-rated their oral health as good. Among dentate individuals, poor oral health was related to depression, poor self-rated health, dental treatment, dental checkups and the psychosocial sub-scale scores of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index. Edentulous individuals were more likely to report poor oral health, whereas those with higher psychosocial scores were less likely to report poor self-rated oral health. Poor self-rated oral health is associated with general health factors and the psychosocial impact of oral health on quality of life, regardless of socioeconomic and clinical health measures.

Correlates of change in self-perceived oral health among older adults in Brazil Findings from the Health, Well-Being and Aging Study

Background. Identifying changes in the oral health status of older populations, and their predictors and explanations, is necessary for public health planning. The authors assessed patterns of change in oral health-related quality of life in a large cohort of older adults in Brazil during a five-year period and evaluated associations between baseline characteristics and those changes. Methods. The sample consisted of 747 older people enrolled in a Brazilian cohort study called the Health, Well-Being and Aging (Saude, Bem-estar e Envelhecimento [SABE]) Study. Trained examiners measured participants' self-perceived oral health by using the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). The authors calculated changes in the overall GOHAI score and in the scores for each of the GOHAI's three dimensions individually by subtracting the baseline score from the score at follow-up. A positive difference indicated improvement in oral health, a negative difference indicated a decline and a difference of zero indicated no change. Results. The authors found that 48.56 percent of the participants experienced a decline in oral health and 33.48 percent experienced an improvement. Participants with 16 or more missing teeth and eight or more years of education were more likely to have an improvement in total GOHAI score. Deterioration was more likely to occur among those with two or more diseases. Improvement and decline in GOHAI functional scores were related to the number of missing teeth. The authors found no significant model for the change in the psychosocial score, and Self-rated general health was the only variable related to both improvement and decline in pain or discomfort scores. Conclusions. The authors observed a bidirectional change in self-perceived oral health, with deterioration predominating. The strongest predictor of improvement in the total GOHAI score was the number of missing teeth, whereas the number of diseases was the strongest predictor of deterioration. Clinical Implications. Dental professionals and policymakers need to know the directions of change in older adults' oral health to establish treatment priorities and evaluate the impact of services directed at this population.

Factors related to poor self-perceived oral health among community-dwelling elderly individuals in São Paulo, Brazil

The present study investigated the prevalence of poor self-perceived oral health and its association with oral health, general health and socioeconomic factors among elderly individuals from São Paulo, Brazil. The sample consisted of 871 elderly individuals enrolled in the Health, Wellbeing and Aging cohort study. Self-perceived oral health was measured by the question: "How would you rate your oral health?". Most subjects self-rated their oral health as good. Among dentate individuals, poor oral health was related to depression, poor self-rated health, dental treatment, dental checkups and the psychosocial subscale scores of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index. Edentulous individuals were more likely to report poor oral health, whereas those with higher psychosocial scores were less likely to report poor self-rated oral health. Poor self-rated oral health is associated with general health factors and the psychosocial impact of oral health on quality of life, regardless of socioeconomic and clinical health measures.

Perceived neighborhood problems: multilevel analysis to evaluate psychometric properties in a Southern adult Brazilian population

Abstract Background Physical attributes of the places in which people live, as well as their perceptions of them, may be important health determinants. The perception of place in which people dwell may impact on individual health and may be a more telling indicator for individual health than objective neighborhood characteristics. This paper aims to evaluate psychometric and ecometric properties of a scale on the perceptions of neighborhood problems in adults from Florianopolis, Southern Brazil. Methods Individual, census tract level (per capita monthly familiar income) and neighborhood problems perception (physical and social disorders) variables were investigated. Multilevel models (items nested within persons, persons nested within neighborhoods) were run to assess ecometric properties of variables assessing neighborhood problems. Results The response rate was 85.3%, (1,720 adults). Participants were distributed in 63 census tracts. Two scales were identified using 16 items: Physical Problems and Social Disorder. The ecometric properties of the scales satisfactory: 0.24 to 0.28 for the intra-class correlation and 0.94 to 0.96 for reliability. Higher values on the scales of problems in the physical and social domains were associated with younger age, more length of time residing in the same neighborhood and lower census tract income level. Conclusions The findings support the usefulness of these scales to measure physical and social disorder problems in neighborhoods.

The effect of adding features on product attractiveness: the role of product perceived congruity

Technological progress has been enabling companies to add disparate features to their existing products. This research investigates the effect of adding more features on consumers’ evaluation of the product, by examining in particular the role of the congruity of the features added with the base product as a variable the moderates the effect of increasing the number of features. Grounding on schema-congruity theory, I propose that the cognitive elaboration associated with the product congruity of the features added explains consumers’ evaluation as the number of new features increases. In particular, it is shown that consumers perceive a benefit from increasing the number of features only when these features are congruent with the product. The underlying mechanisms that explains this finding predicts that when the number of incongruent features increases the cognitive resources necessary to elaborate such incongruities increase and consumers are not willing to spend such resources. However, I further show that when encouraged to consider the new features thoughtfully, consumers do seem able to infer value from increasing the number of moderately incongruent features. Nonetheless, this finding does not apply for those new features that are extremely incongruent with the product. Further evidence for consumers’ ability to resolve the moderate incongruity associated with adding more features is also shown, by studying the moderating role of temporal construal. I propose that consumers perceive an increase in product evaluation as the number of moderately incongruent features increases when consumers consider purchasing the product in the distant future, whereas such an increase is not predicted for the near future scenario. I verify these effect in three experimental studies. Theoretical and managerial implications, and possible avenues of future research are also suggested.