Showing papers on "Quality (business) published in 2002"

Understanding Relationship Marketing Outcomes An Integration of Relational Benefits and Relationship Quality

Abstract: The importance of developing and maintaining enduring relationships with customers of service businesses is generally accepted in the marketing literature. A key challenge for researchers is to identify and understand how managerially controlled antecedent variables influence important relationship marketing outcomes (e.g., customer loyalty and word-of-mouth communication). Relational benefits, which have a focus on the benefits consumers receive apart from the core service, and relationship quality, which focuses on the overall nature of the relationship, represent two approaches to understanding customer loyalty and word of mouth. This article integrates these two concepts by positioning customer satisfaction and commitment as relationship quality dimensions that partially mediate the relationship between three relational benefits (confidence benefits, social benefits, and special treatment benefits) and the two outcome variables. The results provide support for the model and indicate that the concepts ...

The Measurement of Web-Customer Satisfaction: An Expectation and Disconfirmation Approach

Abstract: Online shopping provides convenience to Web shoppers, yet its electronic format changes information-gathering methods traditionally used by customers. This change raises questions concerning customer satisfaction with the online purchasing process. Web shopping involves a number of phases, including the information phase, in which customers search for information regarding their intended purchases. The purpose of this paper is to develop theoretically justifiable constructs for measuring Web-customer satisfaction during the information phase.By synthesizing the expectation-disconfirmation paradigm with empirical theories in user satisfaction, we separate Web site quality into information quality (IQ) and system quality (SQ), and propose nine key constructs for Web-customer satisfaction. The measurements for these constructs are developed and tested in a two-phase study. In the first phase, the IQ and SQ dimensions are identified, and instruments for measuring them are developed and tested. In the second phase, using the salient dimensions of Web-IQ and Web-SQ as the basis for formulating first-order factors, we develop and empirically test instruments for measuring IQ and SQ-satisfaction. Moreover, this phase involves the design and test of second-order factors for measuring Web-customer expectations, disconfirmation, and perceived performance regarding IQ and SQ. The analysis of the measurement model indicates that the proposed metrics have a relatively high degree of validity and reliability. The results of the study provide reliable instruments for operationalizing the key constructs in the analysis of Web-customer satisfaction within the expectation-disconfirmation paradigm.

Does distance still matter? The information revolution in small business lending

Abstract: The distance between small firms and their lenders is increasing, and they are communicating in more impersonal ways. After documenting these systematic changes, we demonstrate they do not arise from small firms locating differently, consolidation in the banking industry, or biases in the sample. Instead, improvements in lender productivity appear to explain our findings. We also find distant firms no longer have to be the highest quality credits, indicating they have greater access to credit. The evidence indicates there has been substantial development of the financial sector, even in areas such as small business lending.

The Failure of Input-based Schooling Policies

Abstract: In an effort to improve the quality of schools, governments around the world have dramatically increased the resources devoted to them. By concentrating on inputs and ignoring the incentives within schools, the resources have yielded little in the way of general improvement in student achievement. This paper provides a review of the United States and international evidence on the effectiveness of such input policies. It then contrasts the impact of resources with that of variations in teacher quality that are not systematically related to school resources. Finally, alternative performance incentive policies are described.

Managing the Total Customer Experience

Abstract: Offering products or services alone is no longer enough: Organizations must provide their customers with satisfactory experiences. Competing on this dimension means orchestrating all the clues "that people detect in the buying process." Customers always have an experience ? good, bad or indifferent ? whenever they purchase a product or service from a company. The quality of the experience lies in how effectively the company manages it, in all its facets and from beginning to end. Organizations that simply tweak design elements or focus on improving isolated pockets of the customer experience ? by providing a quick hit of entertainment, for example ? will be disappointed in the results. An organization's first step toward managing the total customer experience is recognizing what the authors call clues: the signals or messages given off by everything that touches on the buying process. Clues can include the product itself (does it work as advertised?), the layout of a retail outlet (are the signs easy to follow?), the tone of voice of the salesperson (did he really mean it when he said, "Have a nice day"?), and so on. Organizations that orchestrate the sum total of all the clues can create an optimal experience for their patrons. Addressing the clues that speak to emotions is especially important. Emotional bonds between companies and customers are difficult for competitors to sever. The internalized meaning and value that the clues assume can create a deep-seated preference for a particular experience ? and thus for one company's product or service over another's. The authors explain the tools that are available to help organizations rethink the signals they are sending to customers. They also show how the tools work in practice by presenting two case studies in which organizations dramatically improved their customers' experiences.

An Introduction to Quality Assurance in Health Care

Abstract: INTRODUCTION 1. The Components of Quality in Health Care 2. Determining What to Monitor 3. Determining Priorities in Monitoring 4. Selecting Approaches to Assessing Performance 5. Formulating Criteria and Standards 6. Obtaining the Necessary Information 7. Choosing When and How to Monitor 8. Constructing a Monitoring System 9. Bringing About Behaviour Change 10. The Effectiveness of Quality Monitoring

Conceptualizing and Measuring Democracy Evaluating Alternative Indices

Abstract: A comprehensive and integrated framework for the analysis of data is offered and used to assess data sets on democracy. The framework first distinguishes among three challenges that are sequentially addressed: conceptualization, measurement, and aggregation. In turn, it specifies distinct tasks associated with these challenges and the standards of assessment that pertain to each task. This framework is applied to the data sets on democracy most frequently used in current statistical research, generating a systematic evaluation of these data sets. The authors’ conclusion is that constructors of democracy indices tend to be quite self-conscious about methodological issues but that even the best indices suffer from important weaknesses. More constructively, the article’s assessment of existing data sets on democracy identifies distinct areas in which attempts to improve the quality of data on democracy might fruitfully be focused.

A hierarchical model for object-oriented design quality assessment

Abstract: The paper describes an improved hierarchical model for the assessment of high-level design quality attributes in object-oriented designs. In this model, structural and behavioral design properties of classes, objects, and their relationships are evaluated using a suite of object-oriented design metrics. This model relates design properties such as encapsulation, modularity, coupling, and cohesion to high-level quality attributes such as reusability, flexibility, and complexity using empirical and anecdotal information. The relationship or links from design properties to quality attributes are weighted in accordance with their influence and importance. The model is validated by using empirical and expert opinion to compare with the model results on several large commercial object-oriented systems. A key attribute of the model is that it can be easily modified to include different relationships and weights, thus providing a practical quality assessment tool adaptable to a variety of demands.

The collaborative supply chain.

Abstract: Intensive competition in the market place has forced companies to respond more quickly to customer needs through faster product development and shorter delivery time. Increasing customer awareness and preferences have led to an unprecedented explosion in product variety. End customers give credit only to companies that are able to deliver products with excellent quality, and on time. However, the demand of customers for product variety, especially in the case of short life‐cycle products such as food, apparel, toys, and computers, makes it difficult for manufacturers and retailers to predict which particular variety of the products the markets will accept. To be effective in matching demand with supply, manufacturers and retailers need to collaborate in the supply chain.

Technology and the Customer Interface: What Consumers Want in the Physical and Virtual Store:

Abstract: For companies to realize the benefits of recent innovations in customer interface technology, they need to understand the value consumers place on technology as part of the shopping process. A national survey of 2,120 online consumers was conducted to explore how people want to shop in both online and in-store environments and determine how interactive and conventional media work together to move consumers through the purchase process. The study investigated 128 different aspects of the shopping experience, from common elements to recent innovations. The results indicated that consumers are generally satisfied with the convenience, quality, selection, and value provided by retailers today. They are less satisfied with the level of service provided, the availability of product information, and the speed of the shopping process. The findings suggest that new technologies can enhance the shopping experience, but applications must be tailored to the unique requirements of consumer segments and product categories.

SecureUML: A UML-Based Modeling Language for Model-Driven Security

Abstract: We present a modeling language for the model-driven development of secure, distributed systems based on the Unified Modeling Language (UML). Our approach is based on role-based access control with additional support for specifying authorization constraints. We show how UMLcan be used to specify information related to access control in the overall design of an application and how this information can be used to automatically generate complete access control infrastructures. Our approach can be used to improve productivity during the development of secure distributed systems and the quality of the resulting systems.

Information quality benchmarks: product and service performance

Abstract: Information quality (IQ) is an inexact science in terms of assessment and benchmarks. Although various aspects of quality and information have been investigated [1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12], there is still a critical need for a methodology that assesses how well organizations develop information products and deliver information services to consumers. Benchmarks developed from such a methodology can help compare information quality across organizations, and provide a baseline for assessing IQ improvements.

Comparative evaluation and the relationship between quality, satisfaction, and repurchase loyalty

Abstract: This study evaluates alternative measurement approaches to examining the relationship between perceived quality performance, customer satisfaction, and repurchase loyalty. The authors define and measure the constructs within a relative attitudinal framework and compare these results to a noncomparative or individual evaluation of products. In addition, loyalty is measured and defined as self-reported repurchase behavior instead of purchase intention. The proposed model, with satisfaction as a mediator between quality and repurchase loyalty, was found to be an acceptable representation of the data across four products and for both comparative and noncomparative evaluations. The use of relative attitudes, however, indicated a much stronger relationship between quality, satisfaction, and loyalty than the attitudes toward a product when they are performed as an individual evaluation. With respect to predictive ability, the study findings suggest that quality, satisfaction, and loyalty should be defined and measured within a relative attitudinal framework.

The effect of relational constructs on customer referrals and number of services purchased from a multiservice provider: Does age of relationship matter

Abstract: The authors examine the effect of relational constructs (e.g., satisfaction, trust, and affective and calculative commitment) on customer referrals and the number of services purchased, as well as the moderating effect of age of the relationship on these relationships. The research reported, based on data obtained from a large sample of customers of an insurance company, combines archival and survey data. The results provide evidence that supports the moderating effect of relationship age on the relationship between satisfaction, affective and calculative commitment, and the number of services purchased.

Measuring Switching Costs and the Determinants of Customer Retention in Internet-Enabled Businesses: A Study of the Online Brokerage Industry

Abstract: The ability to retain and lock in customers in the face of competition is a major concern for online businesses, especially those that invest heavily in advertising and customer acquisition In this paper, we develop and implement an approach for measuring the magnitudes of switching costs and brand loyalty for online service providers based on the random utility modeling framework We then examine how systems usage, service design, and other firm and individual-level factors affect switching and retention Using data on the online brokerage industry, we find significant variation (as much as a factor of two) in measured switching costs We find that customer demographic characteristics have little effect on switching, but that systems usage measures and systems quality are associated with reduced switching We also find that firm characteristics such as product line breadth and quality reduce switching and may also reduce customer attrition Overall, we conclude that online brokerage firms appear to have different abilities in retaining customers and have considerable control over their switching costs

The performance paradox in the public sector

Abstract: Administrative reform has led to a strong increase in the use of performance assessment instruments in the public sector. However, this has also led to several unintended consequences, such as the performance paradox, tunnel vision, and “analysis paralysis.” These unintended consequences can reduce the quality of the knowledge about actual levels of performance or even negatively affect performance. Examples can be found in all policy sectors. The authors argue that certain characteristics of the public sector–such as ambiguous policy objectives, discretionary authority of street–level bureaucrats, simultaneous production and consumption of services, and the disjunction of costs and revenues–increase the risk of a performance paradox, either unintentionally or deliberately. Performance assessment should therefore take the special characteristics of the public sector into account and develop systems that can handle contested and multiple performance indicators, striking a balance in the degree of “measure ...

Research methods used in developing and applying quality indicators in primary care

Abstract: Quality indicators have been developed throughout Europe primarily for use in hospitals, but also increasingly for primary care. Both development and application are important but there has been less research on the application of indicators. Three issues are important when developing or applying indicators: (1) which stakeholder perspective(s) are the indicators intended to reflect; (2) what aspects of health care are being measured; and (3) what evidence is available? The information required to develop quality indicators can be derived using systematic or non-systematic methods. Non-systematic methods such as case studies play an important role but they do not tap in to available evidence. Systematic methods can be based directly on scientific evidence by combining available evidence with expert opinion, or they can be based on clinical guidelines. While it may never be possible to produce an error free measure of quality, measures should adhere, as far as possible, to some fundamental a priori characteristics (acceptability, feasibility, reliability, sensitivity to change, and validity). Adherence to these characteristics will help maximise the effectiveness of quality indicators in quality improvement strategies. It is also necessary to consider what the results of applying indicators tell us about quality of care.

Product choice and oligopoly market structure

Abstract: Ip ropose an empirical model to analyze product differentiation and oligopoly market structure. The model endogenizes firms’ product-type decisions, measures how effects of competitors differ depending on their product types, and can incorporate alternative specifications for the product choice game. I estimate using data from oligopoly motel markets along U.S. interstate highways; motel establishments are characterized by their quality choice. The results demonstrate a strong incentive for firms to differentiate. The effects of demand characteristics on product choice are also significant. Game specification is of minor importance, although differences in the games analyzed do affect equilibrium market structure predictions in some cases. Understanding the causes and consequences of concentrated industry structure continues to pose a formidable challenge for industrial organization economists. Markets in which firms can differentiate their products are especially complex, as each individual firm’s product choice affects its own profitability, and the extent of product differentiation influences the intensity of competition for all market participants. This article addresses one particularly difficult question: What drives the product-type decisions of firms in oligopoly markets? The empirical model estimated here endogenizes firm product choice and can be used to evaluate competing explanations for the patterns of product differentiation observed in markets. Numerous game-theoretic models have addressed firms’ product-type choices and made equilibrium predictions about the extent of product differentiation in markets. The framework introduced in Hotelling’s (1929) classic article sets up the underlying tradeoff firms face: competition among firms may be less intense if they offer products that consumers find less substitutable, but firms may have an opposing incentive to select an undifferentiated product for which demand is strong. Subsequent models have experimented with various factors that can influence this tradeoff and the resulting array of product types offered by firms in equilibrium. For example, players may choose their product types simultaneously or in some sequence. They may be committed to their choice or have the option to change in response to the decisions of other firms. In each

Judgement of information quality and cognitive authority in the Web

Abstract: In the Web, making judgments of information quality and authority is a difficult task for most users because overall, there is no quality control mechanism. This study examines the problem of the judgment of information quality and cognitive authority by observing people's searching behavior in the Web. Its purpose is to understand the various factors that influence people's judgment of quality and authority in the Web, and the effects of those judgments on selection behaviors. Fifteen scholars from diverse disciplines participated, and data were collected combining verbal protocols during the searches, search logs, and postsearch interviews. It was found that the subjects made two distinct kinds of judgment: predictive judgment, and evaluative judgment. The factors influencing each judgment of quality and authority were identified in terms of characteristics of information objects, characteristics of sources, knowledge, situation, ranking in search output, and general assumption. Implications for Web design that will effectively support people's judgments of quality and authority are also discussed.

Getting Return on Quality: Revenue Expansion, Cost Reduction, or Both?

Abstract: Financial benefits from quality may be derived from revenue expansion, cost reduction, or both simultaneously. The literature on both market orientation and customer satisfaction provides considerable support for the effectiveness of the revenue expansion perspective, whereas the literature on both quality and operations provides equally impressive support for the effectiveness of the cost reduction perspective. There is, however, little evidence for the effectiveness of attempting both revenue expansion and cost reduction simultaneously, and some of what little empirical and theoretical literature is available suggests that emphasizing both simultaneously may not work. In a study of managers in firms seeking to obtain a financial return from quality improvements, the authors address the issue of which quality profitability emphasis (revenue expansion, cost reduction, or both) is most effective. The authors examine firm performance using managers’ reports of firm performance and longitudinal seco...

Fatigue among Clinicians and the Safety of Patients

Abstract: Clinicians, especially physicians in training, often work long hours and get inadequate sleep. The implications of fatigue among clinicians for the quality of medical care have not been adequately studied, but sleep deprivation is likely to cause medical errors. This article reviews the effect of fatigue on performance, as well as current policies regulating residents' hours of work and options for new regulations governing residency shifts. The authors argue that reform is needed because the long work hours of clinicians adversely affect the quality of health care.

Dimensions of e‐quality

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to identify the features or dimensions that customers use to assess the quality of a virtual service or operation. It will focus on identifying those characteristics that are perceived by customers as a necessity in achieving customer satisfaction in a virtual operation.

The quality of online social relationships

Abstract: Online relationships are less valuable than offline ones. Indeed, their net benefit depends on whether they supplement or substitute for offline social relationships.

The Effect of Information on Product Quality: Evidence from Restaurant Hygiene Grade Cards

Abstract: This study examines the effect of an increase in product quality information to consumers on firms' choices of product quality. In 1998, Los Angeles County introduced hygiene quality grade cards to be displayed in restaurant windows. We show that the grade cards cause (i) restaurant health inspection scores to increase, (ii) consumer demand to become sensitive to changes in restaurants' hygiene quality, and (iii) the number of foodborne illness hospitalizations to decrease. These results imply the grade cards cause restaurants to make hygiene quality improvements. The regulatory change also provides an opportunity to separately analyze the effects of mandatory disclosure of grade cards and voluntary disclosure of grade cards, because in some cities the posting of grade cards is at restaurants' discretion. We find that the effects from voluntary disclosure are statistically different, but not economically different, from mandatory disclosure.

Qualitative methods in research on healthcare quality

Abstract: There are no easy solutions to the problem of improving the quality of care. Research has shown how difficult it can be, but has failed to provide reliable and effective ways to change services and professional performance for the better. Much depends on the perspectives of users and the attitudes and behaviours of professionals in the context of their organisations and healthcare teams. Qualitative research offers a variety of methods for identifying what really matters to patients and carers, detecting obstacles to changing performance, and explaining why improvement does or does not occur. The use of such methods in future studies could lead to a better understanding of how to improve quality.