The purpose of this study is to enhance service quality research by examining whether hotel employees attitudes, motivations and behaviors had an effect on perceived service quality. In the recent years, interests in service marketing and practice have become of great importance. The role of the individual service employee has become paramount to the service delivery process (Singh, 2000). The attitudes and behaviors of contact employee's have been empirically tested to influence a customer's perception of service quality (Bowen and Schneider, 1985). Formulating efficient and valued services requires an understanding of employee attitudes, abilities, behaviors, and motivational factors that affect performance outcomes (Bowen and Schneider, 1985; Bitner, 1990; Hartline and Ferrell, 1996). A conceptual framework was developed and data were gathered from one 4-Diamond hotel in South Florida.

A questionnaire was distributed on site by the manager to 225 service employees. 184 responses were ultimately used for analyzing, which resulted in an 81% response rate. The proposed model was specified as an individual level analysis. The data first provided descriptives to of the sample, followed by a series of confirmatory factor analyses to check the construct validity of the measurement model for validity and reliability.

Overall, the results of the proposed path model were supported. The relationship between performance goal orientation and employee job satisfaction and self-efficacy and performance orientation were the only hypotheses not support. With the goal of finding the most parsimonious model, a revised model was developed eliminating the unsupported hypothesized paths. It was concluded that the data did not fit any better, indicating that the proposed model had the best fit. This study identified that learning and performance goal orientations effects on perceived service quality were mediated by self-efficacy and they had both direct and indirect influences on each other, with the indirect path being stronger. In order to ensure validity of the revised model, an alternative revised model was developed that tested only the direct paths, eliminating the indirect path of self-efficacy. The data fit was not as good as the proposed and revised models. Therefore, it was concluded, that the proposed model maintained the best fit. These study findings were supported by prior research studies. Recommendations for future research, as well as, theoretical and practical implications were discussed.