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40th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS'07)
Big Island, Hawaii
January 03-January 06
ISBN: 0-7695-2755-8
Pnina Shachaf, Indiana University, USA
Shannon M. Oltmann, Indiana University, USA
Research is divided about the potential of e-service to bridge communication gaps, particularly to diverse user groups. According to the existing body of literature, e-service may increase or decrease the quality of service received. This study analyzes the level of service received by different genders and ethnic groups when public librarians answer online reference queries. Quality of e-service was evaluated along three dimensions: responsiveness, reliability, and courtesy. This study found no significant differences among different user groups along any of these dimensions, supporting the argument that the virtual environment facilitates equitable service and may overcome some challenges of diverse user groups.
Citation:
Pnina Shachaf, Shannon M. Oltmann, "E-Quality and E-Service Equality," hicss, pp.247c, 40th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS'07), 2007
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