Quality management is still one of the current challenges of both public and private sector organ... more Quality management is still one of the current challenges of both public and private sector organizations. All quality concepts are based on meeting customer requirements. However, these requirements must first be identified. The next step is requirements integration into an object - whether it be a product, process or system. Present study focuses on evaluation of seven techniques primarily determined to identify customer requirements. Particularly the following techniques were examined: Brainstorming, Brainwriting, Osborn checklist, List of Attributes, Laddering, Wish and Complaints analysis. All the methods were experimentally used for identification of customer requirements concerning a specific product – men´s socks. In total 7 experiments were conducted. Customers (in total 3 experiments) and experts (in total 4 experiments) were included in experiments. During experiments variables like time of a method application, number of requirements and time necessary to identify them, innovativeness of requirements and for processing purpose also number of experiments participants were monitored. The results were evaluated in a form of comparative, process, correlation and radar charts. By cluster analysis 4 groups of techniques which differ in their realization characteristics were identified. The results can be used in a decision making process concerning application of particular techniques in an initial phase of quality management – for customer requirements identification.
The study deals with assessment of two quality components which influence customer buying behavio... more The study deals with assessment of two quality components which influence customer buying behaviour. The first component is rational appraisal based on facts and quality objective criteria which in the theory of quality are known as inherent characteristics. The second component is irrational appraisal based of feelings, emotions, impressions and strong links between a brand and quality, i.e. assigned characteristics. To compare these two components, the study uses technical and market parameters of 14 worldwide most frequently sold smartphones in 2014. The 14 products are reviewed and a rational value of each of them is calculated by multi-criteria analysis. It was proved that rational value is in a strict contrast with the quantity of sold devices and this can be explained as a result of massive marketing communication of world-wide brands on the market. It was also confirmed by an executed correlation analysis which pointed out the fact that final products price is in a large extent influenced by assigned characteristics.
This article focuses on assessing the adequacy of a organisation’s measurement system, using comm... more This article focuses on assessing the adequacy of a organisation’s measurement system, using commonly used indicators of the performance and of the quality of production processes – recording the frequency of occurence of certain types of errors. Through the systematic monitoring of data about quality from a specific company, the relevance of particular indicators was reviewed with regards to their effectiveness and the economic aspect of the monitoring and measurement. Possibilities for reducing data with regard to maintenance, or minimally reducng their reliability, were assessed using a factor analysis. Discrete indicators of quality were examined through evaluating process outputs. Also reviewed was the correlation structure of the frequency of specific errors. A series of factor analysis procedures was carried out experimentally with the objective to (1) assess the suitability of variables for factor analysis, (2) determine the degree of variability explained by a particular mathematic model, and (3) reveal the degree of coverage of the total number of errors by the specific variables. The results based on the example of a specific production organisation prove that the possibilities to improve the adequacy of a measurement system are significant. From the originally monitored 47 errors, 27 of the most frequent were identified, which accounts for 97% of all errors. Through factor analysis, these 27 types of errors were merged into just 11 categories of errors, with the reliability of the results maintained at 80%. The results contribute to a broader professional discussion focused on better decision-making in indicator selecting.
Although information resulting from measurement of customer satisfaction (CS) belongs to worthful... more Although information resulting from measurement of customer satisfaction (CS) belongs to worthful starters of improvement activities in practice of an organization, they face various barriers which prevent measurement to become systematic. The aim of this study is to research intensity and perception of barriers preventing CS measurement. To achieve the goal, statistic processing of the research results which was done in Slovak republic is used. Totally 435 valid questionnaires were processed and relations among individual barriers of CS measurement were identified and quantified. The results showed that occasional measurement of CS and a lack of personnel are considered to be the biggest ones. By factor analysis 7 most frequently stated barriers were reduced to three areas: (1) concerns of consequences, (2) capacity constraints and (3) illusion of status quo. The results also indicated that production sector organizations consider CS measurement to be slightly more important than organizations in service sector. Cluster analysis proved that organizations which pay systematic attention to CS measurement perceive their results at higher level in contrary to the ones which do not focus on it. Three basic types of organizations with reference to their size, sector and intensity of individual barriers perception were also identified. Presented results can help support scientific and professional discussion concerning factors for CS measurement process efficiency and effectiveness.
The presented paper is aimed at the proposal of a methodology for structured transfer of requirem... more The presented paper is aimed at the proposal of a methodology for structured transfer of requirements of praxis into study courses of universities. The methodology is based on the principle of integration of customer's requirements into product quality attributes, which is the basic precondition for a systematic quality management. This methodology is aimed at the identification and quantification of requirements of employers for university graduates and integration of such requirements into the structure of a study course. The methodology uses some procedures from the method Quality Function Deployment, whereas the emphasis is placed especially on the simplicity of procedures with preserving the value of resulting information. The methodology enables not only to identify areas for improvement in form of poorly met requirements of employers, but can also determine methods for improving the structure of study course.
The formation of customer expectations has traditionally been seen as an interaction of four fact... more The formation of customer expectations has traditionally been seen as an interaction of four factors: explicit product promises, implicit product promises, word-of-mouth communication and past experience. This article discusses changes in the structure of the word-of-mouth factor and the approach used to measure its strength resulting from the massive expansion of social networks. It considers in particular the consequences of these changes for theory. The principal changes relate to the influence of different stakeholders within the context of word-of-mouth and a mathematical model is proposed for calculating the size of this factor’s influence. The article also considers changes in the quality management process, which is based on knowledge of customers’ needs and expectations.
This study focuses on the Kano model which is used to categorise requirements of customers. The s... more This study focuses on the Kano model which is used to categorise requirements of customers. The study describes the three most frequently used modifications of the Kano model and then systematically analyses the key effects of these modifications. A new approach – Type IV – is then proposed. Using Type IV, it is possible to eliminate the disadvantages identified in the abovementioned existing approaches – the level of accuracy for the producer and the difficulty of the method for the customer. The proposed approach is based on a modification of the process of requirement categorisation intended to minimize the discrepancy zone between the calculated and the real position of a particular requirement. The Type IV Kano model is then validated by using an example of categorisation of requirements for after-sales services in the car industry. Validation found that the approaches proposed in this study significantly improve the accuracy of requirement categorisation without increasing difficulty for the customer.
This study examines the relations between competitiveness of selected countries and the standard ... more This study examines the relations between competitiveness of selected countries and the standard of living of their populations. The focus of this study was determined by literature review, which showed that the mentioned relation has been usually identified only implicitly, showing less emphasis on empirical study. Our research is based on international statistical reports focused on factors of competitiveness of national economies and the metrics used in evaluating the standard of living. Secondary data from several reputable sources-such as the World Bank, the Gallup Institute, and OECD-are systematized and analyzed using several statistical procedures, so as to identify structural links between the various indicators. Based on the identified relations, we discuss areas suitable for increasing the competitiveness of the countries, and we also compare them with current macroeconomic trends.
The aim of this study is to present an example of how electronic consumer feedback may be used to... more The aim of this study is to present an example of how electronic consumer feedback may be used to identify customer requirements and to improve quality. Developments in the theory of quality resulted in several approaches to identifying and analyzing customer requirements. Reviewing these approaches, we identified underdeveloped potential of electronic consumer feedback. To show that electronic consumer feedback is a valuable source of information suitable for identifying and analyzing customer requirements, we analyzed customer evaluations of an electronic commerce company in the Slovak republic. For this purpose we developed a relatively universal method which is not limited to the field of commerce. Our results show that even though the concept of feedback carries with it certain negative aspects, consumer feedback is a suitable tool for identifying requirements which may be further analyzed by prioritization and examination of their relations.
This article presents an approach to the analysis of selected attributes of quality of life (QoL)... more This article presents an approach to the analysis of selected attributes of quality of life (QoL), based on the Kano model. The aim of the article is to empirically examine the importance of these attributes for an individual. A group of 17 most mentioned and systematically measured attributes of quality of life were defined by literature review and data from international databases. The importance of these attributes and their impact on the satisfaction of individuals were subsequently examined using the Kano model methodology (which is based on questionnaires) and supporting statistical tools. The results were then interpreted and generalized by categorizing particular attributes into three main categories: Must-be, One-dimensional and Attractive. The research then focused on the level of state, entrepreneurship, and individual responsibility for realizing particular QoL attributes.
This study examines relationships between progress in the energy and mining industry and competit... more This study examines relationships between progress in the energy and mining industry and competitiveness of selected countries. The focus of the study was determined by reviewing the expert literature on the topic, which showed that not many approaches appreciate the correlations between these two areas and pay closer attention to their historical relations. The study works with historical data on the energy and mining industry in selected countries and also data on the competitiveness of those countries. Correlations were examined using bivariate correlation analysis of respective time series. This research identified historically strong correlations, for instance, between electric power consumption, land area, or forest rent and indicators of national competitiveness. The results show that the influence of energy and mining industry on competitiveness over the last 40 years has increased, particularly in the case of countries with low or medium economic development, and it has decreased in developed countries. The resulting information about the intensity of the mutual relations might be useful for management of competitiveness and planning of strategic economic tools.
Quality management is still one of the current challenges of both public and private sector organ... more Quality management is still one of the current challenges of both public and private sector organizations. All quality concepts are based on meeting customer requirements. However, these requirements must first be identified. The next step is requirements integration into an object - whether it be a product, process or system. Present study focuses on evaluation of seven techniques primarily determined to identify customer requirements. Particularly the following techniques were examined: Brainstorming, Brainwriting, Osborn checklist, List of Attributes, Laddering, Wish and Complaints analysis. All the methods were experimentally used for identification of customer requirements concerning a specific product – men´s socks. In total 7 experiments were conducted. Customers (in total 3 experiments) and experts (in total 4 experiments) were included in experiments. During experiments variables like time of a method application, number of requirements and time necessary to identify them, innovativeness of requirements and for processing purpose also number of experiments participants were monitored. The results were evaluated in a form of comparative, process, correlation and radar charts. By cluster analysis 4 groups of techniques which differ in their realization characteristics were identified. The results can be used in a decision making process concerning application of particular techniques in an initial phase of quality management – for customer requirements identification.
The study deals with assessment of two quality components which influence customer buying behavio... more The study deals with assessment of two quality components which influence customer buying behaviour. The first component is rational appraisal based on facts and quality objective criteria which in the theory of quality are known as inherent characteristics. The second component is irrational appraisal based of feelings, emotions, impressions and strong links between a brand and quality, i.e. assigned characteristics. To compare these two components, the study uses technical and market parameters of 14 worldwide most frequently sold smartphones in 2014. The 14 products are reviewed and a rational value of each of them is calculated by multi-criteria analysis. It was proved that rational value is in a strict contrast with the quantity of sold devices and this can be explained as a result of massive marketing communication of world-wide brands on the market. It was also confirmed by an executed correlation analysis which pointed out the fact that final products price is in a large extent influenced by assigned characteristics.
This article focuses on assessing the adequacy of a organisation’s measurement system, using comm... more This article focuses on assessing the adequacy of a organisation’s measurement system, using commonly used indicators of the performance and of the quality of production processes – recording the frequency of occurence of certain types of errors. Through the systematic monitoring of data about quality from a specific company, the relevance of particular indicators was reviewed with regards to their effectiveness and the economic aspect of the monitoring and measurement. Possibilities for reducing data with regard to maintenance, or minimally reducng their reliability, were assessed using a factor analysis. Discrete indicators of quality were examined through evaluating process outputs. Also reviewed was the correlation structure of the frequency of specific errors. A series of factor analysis procedures was carried out experimentally with the objective to (1) assess the suitability of variables for factor analysis, (2) determine the degree of variability explained by a particular mathematic model, and (3) reveal the degree of coverage of the total number of errors by the specific variables. The results based on the example of a specific production organisation prove that the possibilities to improve the adequacy of a measurement system are significant. From the originally monitored 47 errors, 27 of the most frequent were identified, which accounts for 97% of all errors. Through factor analysis, these 27 types of errors were merged into just 11 categories of errors, with the reliability of the results maintained at 80%. The results contribute to a broader professional discussion focused on better decision-making in indicator selecting.
Although information resulting from measurement of customer satisfaction (CS) belongs to worthful... more Although information resulting from measurement of customer satisfaction (CS) belongs to worthful starters of improvement activities in practice of an organization, they face various barriers which prevent measurement to become systematic. The aim of this study is to research intensity and perception of barriers preventing CS measurement. To achieve the goal, statistic processing of the research results which was done in Slovak republic is used. Totally 435 valid questionnaires were processed and relations among individual barriers of CS measurement were identified and quantified. The results showed that occasional measurement of CS and a lack of personnel are considered to be the biggest ones. By factor analysis 7 most frequently stated barriers were reduced to three areas: (1) concerns of consequences, (2) capacity constraints and (3) illusion of status quo. The results also indicated that production sector organizations consider CS measurement to be slightly more important than organizations in service sector. Cluster analysis proved that organizations which pay systematic attention to CS measurement perceive their results at higher level in contrary to the ones which do not focus on it. Three basic types of organizations with reference to their size, sector and intensity of individual barriers perception were also identified. Presented results can help support scientific and professional discussion concerning factors for CS measurement process efficiency and effectiveness.
The presented paper is aimed at the proposal of a methodology for structured transfer of requirem... more The presented paper is aimed at the proposal of a methodology for structured transfer of requirements of praxis into study courses of universities. The methodology is based on the principle of integration of customer's requirements into product quality attributes, which is the basic precondition for a systematic quality management. This methodology is aimed at the identification and quantification of requirements of employers for university graduates and integration of such requirements into the structure of a study course. The methodology uses some procedures from the method Quality Function Deployment, whereas the emphasis is placed especially on the simplicity of procedures with preserving the value of resulting information. The methodology enables not only to identify areas for improvement in form of poorly met requirements of employers, but can also determine methods for improving the structure of study course.
The formation of customer expectations has traditionally been seen as an interaction of four fact... more The formation of customer expectations has traditionally been seen as an interaction of four factors: explicit product promises, implicit product promises, word-of-mouth communication and past experience. This article discusses changes in the structure of the word-of-mouth factor and the approach used to measure its strength resulting from the massive expansion of social networks. It considers in particular the consequences of these changes for theory. The principal changes relate to the influence of different stakeholders within the context of word-of-mouth and a mathematical model is proposed for calculating the size of this factor’s influence. The article also considers changes in the quality management process, which is based on knowledge of customers’ needs and expectations.
This study focuses on the Kano model which is used to categorise requirements of customers. The s... more This study focuses on the Kano model which is used to categorise requirements of customers. The study describes the three most frequently used modifications of the Kano model and then systematically analyses the key effects of these modifications. A new approach – Type IV – is then proposed. Using Type IV, it is possible to eliminate the disadvantages identified in the abovementioned existing approaches – the level of accuracy for the producer and the difficulty of the method for the customer. The proposed approach is based on a modification of the process of requirement categorisation intended to minimize the discrepancy zone between the calculated and the real position of a particular requirement. The Type IV Kano model is then validated by using an example of categorisation of requirements for after-sales services in the car industry. Validation found that the approaches proposed in this study significantly improve the accuracy of requirement categorisation without increasing difficulty for the customer.
This study examines the relations between competitiveness of selected countries and the standard ... more This study examines the relations between competitiveness of selected countries and the standard of living of their populations. The focus of this study was determined by literature review, which showed that the mentioned relation has been usually identified only implicitly, showing less emphasis on empirical study. Our research is based on international statistical reports focused on factors of competitiveness of national economies and the metrics used in evaluating the standard of living. Secondary data from several reputable sources-such as the World Bank, the Gallup Institute, and OECD-are systematized and analyzed using several statistical procedures, so as to identify structural links between the various indicators. Based on the identified relations, we discuss areas suitable for increasing the competitiveness of the countries, and we also compare them with current macroeconomic trends.
The aim of this study is to present an example of how electronic consumer feedback may be used to... more The aim of this study is to present an example of how electronic consumer feedback may be used to identify customer requirements and to improve quality. Developments in the theory of quality resulted in several approaches to identifying and analyzing customer requirements. Reviewing these approaches, we identified underdeveloped potential of electronic consumer feedback. To show that electronic consumer feedback is a valuable source of information suitable for identifying and analyzing customer requirements, we analyzed customer evaluations of an electronic commerce company in the Slovak republic. For this purpose we developed a relatively universal method which is not limited to the field of commerce. Our results show that even though the concept of feedback carries with it certain negative aspects, consumer feedback is a suitable tool for identifying requirements which may be further analyzed by prioritization and examination of their relations.
This article presents an approach to the analysis of selected attributes of quality of life (QoL)... more This article presents an approach to the analysis of selected attributes of quality of life (QoL), based on the Kano model. The aim of the article is to empirically examine the importance of these attributes for an individual. A group of 17 most mentioned and systematically measured attributes of quality of life were defined by literature review and data from international databases. The importance of these attributes and their impact on the satisfaction of individuals were subsequently examined using the Kano model methodology (which is based on questionnaires) and supporting statistical tools. The results were then interpreted and generalized by categorizing particular attributes into three main categories: Must-be, One-dimensional and Attractive. The research then focused on the level of state, entrepreneurship, and individual responsibility for realizing particular QoL attributes.
This study examines relationships between progress in the energy and mining industry and competit... more This study examines relationships between progress in the energy and mining industry and competitiveness of selected countries. The focus of the study was determined by reviewing the expert literature on the topic, which showed that not many approaches appreciate the correlations between these two areas and pay closer attention to their historical relations. The study works with historical data on the energy and mining industry in selected countries and also data on the competitiveness of those countries. Correlations were examined using bivariate correlation analysis of respective time series. This research identified historically strong correlations, for instance, between electric power consumption, land area, or forest rent and indicators of national competitiveness. The results show that the influence of energy and mining industry on competitiveness over the last 40 years has increased, particularly in the case of countries with low or medium economic development, and it has decreased in developed countries. The resulting information about the intensity of the mutual relations might be useful for management of competitiveness and planning of strategic economic tools.
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