Candido, Carlos2014-06-182014-06-182010Carlos J. F. Cândido. Service Quality Strategy: Implementation in Algarve Hotels, In Tourism Development and Management: Challenges and Opportunities for Algarve, 163-181, ISBN: 978-989-8472-02-1. Faro: Universidade do Algarve, 2010.978-989-8472-02-1AUT: CCA00501;http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/4389This chapter addresses the problem of service quality strategy implementation and undertakes a tentative validation of three models. The first focuses on service quality, as a function of quality gaps, while the second and third ones examine strategy implementation. The models aim to help to explain how to implement a service quality strategy that simultaneously avoids quality gaps and resistance to change. Sample data has been collected through questionnaires distributed within the population of four- and five-star hotels of the Algarve, Portugal. Descriptive statistics and statistical tests do not provide evidence against the models and thus support their validity, but raise concerns about some possible inconsistent management practices during the implementation of a quality strategy.engStrategy implementationTotal quality managementQuality gapAlgarveHotel sectorbook part2014-06-13