ABSTRACT
Even a cursory glance at the literature surrounding the area of sport and leisure organizations clearly illustrates the changes that have taken place in recent years. For example, on the demand side, the growth in disposable income, coupled with increased leisure time, has contributed to a desire for greater choice in relation to leisure options. Customers are becoming more sophisticated, discerning and more inclined to complain. Additionally, they are less loyal and prepared to seek alternative suppliers when their needs are not met. From a supply side perspective, organizations are faced with a more hostile and turbulent market place exhibiting increasing levels of competition [1] , which has been addressed, in part, through an emphasis on service issues. Berrett, Burton and Slack note that in response to this new environment sport and leisure organizations have acknowledged the importance of the customer and placed greater emphasis on marketing activities and the delivery of service quality [2] . A number of studies emphasize that customers are increasingly sensitive to aspects of service and that from a management perspective, quality enhances profitability, improves productivity and underpins successful competitive positioning. Service quality is also paramount in terms of customer retention and future levels of economic activity (see Snoj and Mumel for a summary [3] ). Consequently, it could be argued that quality is a source of competitive differentiation and subsequent advantage. This stresses the need for organizations to consider not only what they do but also the manner in which they do it.
