Corporate dimension and quality performance: an empirical analysis from the gas distribution sector in Italy

Quality has become an urgent issue also in the public utilities sector. The recent processes of liberalisation and the gradual introduction of competition have led to an increasing demand for quality services and companies must now comply with specific quality standards defined by the Regulation Authority. This paper intends to investigate the relationship between the corporate dimension of the main gas distributors in Italy and their qualitative performance. The research methodology is based on the comparison of suppliers’ service quality data made public by the Authority. In particular, some parameters regarding the security, the continuity and the commercial quality of the service will be analysed and correlated to the corporate dimension of the companies. The expected results will provide an interesting cue for public policies directed to the evolution and reorganisation of the gas supply sector.