Shahab Alam Malik

Measuring patients’ healthcare service quality perceptions, satisfaction, and loyalty in public and private sector hospitals in Pakistan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between healthcare perceived service quality (HCSQ) and patient loyalty. Mediating role of patient satisfaction is also assessed between HCSQ and patient loyalty. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 600 was gathered using stratified random sampling technique from inpatients of public and private sector hospitals of Pakistan through self-administered questionnaire, and was analyzed through regression analysis. Findings – Findings indicate that healthcare perceived service quality has a significant positive effect on patients’ loyalty. Patient satisfaction also mediates the relationship between HCSQ and patient loyalty. Findings state that there is a significant difference between HCSQ which is perceived by the patients of both public and private sector hospitals. Differences suggest that the patients of private sector hospitals were found more satisfied than their counterparts. Practical implications – The results indicate that hospit...

Continuous Improvement Practices in Asian Developing Countries A Comparative Analysis between Chinese & Pakistani Manufacturing Industry

Pakistan and China both on industrial grounds have been engaged in following International Quality Standards to improve their products and services quality for their survival on both international and local trade. Both are neighbor developing countries and are struggling with the same aim of bringing continuous improvement in their processes and techniques. This paper is a comparative analysis of the continuous improvement practices/techniques carried out in manufacturing sector of these two countries. Here results have been derived from ISO 9001:2000 certified companies only. The sample size consists of 50 Pakistani and 45 Chinese companies of all levels. Questionnaire being used was identical. The prominent aspects being studied over here include difference of degree of practices of continuous improvement, motivational factors, barriers in successful implementation, and utilization of TQM tools. The results here would be helpful in knowing the trend and approaches of these two industries particularly ISO certified companies towards deployment of TQM.

Execution of Continuous Improvement Practices in Spanish and Pakistani Industry: A Comparative Analysis

The consistent rise in fame of TQM since last two decades has established a profound impact on business strategies today. Businesses are depending on continuous improvement (CI) and total quality management (TQM) as a means by which they can maintain a competitive edge. Spanish and Pakistani industries both have been engaged in continuous improvement practices with different implementation strategies and outcomes. In experience and deployment of CI practices, Spanish industry has surely outclassed Pakistani industry. This paper analyzes the outcomes and comparisons of continuous improvement practices carried out in Spanish and Pakistani manufacturing firms. The results come from an empirical study carried out on a sample size of 105 Spanish and 50 Pakistani ISO 9000:2000 certified companies. Same results of questionnaires being part of a Global study used in Spain and Pakistan industry (survey 2004, 2005 respectively) have been followed. Aspects studied here include difference of degree of execution of continuous improvement practices, motivational factors, internal and external barriers towards successful implementation and usage of problem finding and solving TQM tools between these two industries. Finally some conclusions and recommendations about continuous improvement practices, especially oriented to Pakistani SMEs are presented

ISO Certification: The Trend and Scope from Pakistani Industry's Perspective

This paper discusses the Trend and Scope of ISO Certification from Pakistani Industrys perspective from both literature and survey based evidence. Pakistani Industry is a novice in the trend towards quality certifications acquisition and its deployment of quality management practices. At current stage organizations mostly engaged in International trade are acquiring and deploying these practices in their organizations as a prerequisite from their foreign buyers and for their survival in international competition. In this paper an overview of ISO certification and its history in Pakistan, Triggers for ISO certification acquisition in Pakistani Industry, Government policies towards certification acquisition, ISO certification bodies and their supervisory bodies currently operating in Pakistan, certification acquisition trend in Pakistan industry sector wise and a past and current survey based comparison regarding deployment of TQM practices in these ISO accredited organizations has been discussed. Some humble recommendations have also been proposed to enhance current performance levels

TQM practices in electric fan manufacturing industry of Pakistan

This study aims to descriptively analyse and rank the TQM practices, activities, critical success factors, barriers and business outcomes in electric fan manufacturing industry of Pakistan according to company size and on ISO-9000 certification basis. SMEs of electric fan manufacturing industry of two industrial cities of Gujrat and Gujranwala of Punjab province of Pakistan were selected as unit of analysis and both ISO and non-ISO certified firms were approached. An adopted/bilingual questionnaire was used for data collection using snow ball sampling technique, resulting in 89 completed questionnaires for data analysis. Data was analysed in terms of mean differences among firms both size wise and certification (ISO-9000) wise. The results demonstrate that large sized and ISO-9000 certified firms are more actively involved in TQM practices and activities. However, the small and medium sized firms do not differ significantly in different TQM practices and activities. Top management commitment is considered as the most important success factor by ISO-certified firms while top management training is considered as most important factor by non-certified firms. Lack of resources is the most crucial barrier for both certified and large firms. However, all type of firms consider profit making and decrease in unit cost as desired business outcomes in manufacturing industries. Large companies/ISO-9000 certified companies observed high business outcomes from their counterparts.

Answering the journalistic six on the training needs assessment of pharmaceutical sales representatives

Purpose – This paper aims to offer a schema for carrying out a comprehensive training needs assessment (TNA) of medical representatives. The schema answers commonly posed questions, the journalistic six.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 292 medical representatives (trainees) and 60 training/sales managers (trainers) from 32 pharmaceutical organizations of Pakistan was surveyed. The study attempted to answer the why, what, when, and where aspects of TNA by using correlation and two independent samples t‐test. Who‐ and how‐related aspects were analyzed using descriptive statistics.Findings – The results reveal that the perspectives of trainers and trainees are fully and partially consistent with each other on competency‐based TNA (why), and TNA inputs and TNA products/outcomes (what) respectively. However, a significant difference is found befallen TNA time‐line (when) and TNA situate (where). The results related to TNA decision makers (who), and TNA mechanisms (how) reveal a range of options.Resear...

Measuring students’ perceptions and expectations in business schools of Pakistan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report and discuss outcomes of an academic survey conducted in 12 business schools of Lahore city, the provincial capital of Punjab province of Pakistan, to measure perceptions and satisfaction level of undergraduate students.Design/methodology/approach – Here participants were BBA four‐year program students, registered in 4‐8th semesters, sharing their experiences with the services and facilities provided by their respective schools. An adopted survey instrument was used for data collection, which was earlier used in a UK university. A total sample of 1,015 students was collected from five public and seven private business schools. For analysis, multivariate stepwise regression method in degree of independent samples t test was used and ranking of services from importance and satisfaction perspective was analyzed. This allowed the authors to determine aspects of the universitys service considered to be of high importance and degree to which they satisfied the st...

TQM Practices in the Pakistani Electrical and Electronic SMEs: Evidence through Survey Analysis

In current technological era, TQM pursuance has been realized essential by enterprises to achieve their primary goal of satisfaction and retention of their customers. Like many other countries, in Pakistan also ISO-9000 certification is perceived by majority of enterprises for setting up quality improvement management system. In this survey based research paper an effort towards probing TQM practices being exercised in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and identification of TQM critical factors for success, being perceived by them has been made. Total 184 enterprises belonged to electric and electrical industry of Pakistan were approached by sending a multilingual questionnaire, which resulted in a response rate of only 1.08%. Only two-reputed ISO certified organizations shared their experiences. So from available sources, current research paper has been designed as a thorough case study and comparative analysis of these two organizations

Equating the expected and perceived service quality: A comparison between public and private healthcare service providers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate patients’ views toward the perceived service quality of public and private healthcare service providers. Determinants of healthcare service quality were compared by carrying out a GAP analysis to equate perceived and expected services and examined differences in the service quality. Design/methodology/approach The study sample comprises 310 inpatients of public and private healthcare service providers. Self-administered questionnaires were used along a five-point Likert scale and analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. GAP analysis was used to observe the difference between expectations and perceived service quality. Findings A cross-sectional study revealed significant quality gaps between the expected and perceived services of public and private healthcare service providers; conversely patients’ expectations are not fully met in both types of hospitals. Private hospitals surpassed in terms of overall perceived service quality from their counterparts. Perceived services were found better in terms of physician medical services in public sector hospitals, while rooms and housekeeping services were found better in terms of private sector hospitals. Practical implications The result can be used by both public and private healthcare service providers to restructure their quality management practices which could only be possible through effective management commitment, regular patients’ feedback and translucent complaint procedures. Originality/value The study conceptualizes the expected and perceived hospital service quality dimensions as an eight-dimensional framework. A comparison between public and private sector hospitals is made to get a better understanding about the differences in the perceived healthcare services among two sectors. Consequences of the study will aid hospital managers and policy makers to get a fuller picture of healthcare services in order to contrive enhancement practices.

Taxonomy of Manufacturing Strategies: A Worldwide Perspective

The development of configurations and taxonomies is fundamental to strategy research. This taxonomy of manufacturing strategies is developed with cluster analysis, and is based on the relative importance attached to 11 competitive priorities. From the 2005 International Manufacturing Strategies Survey, 216 plants of 21 countries have been selected as samples and three distinct clusters of manufacturing strategy groups are observed. After comparison, these clusters have been named as Innovator, Caretaker and Allrounder. The two main underlying dimensions along which the manufacturing strategy groups differ are the order fulfillment and order creation and are founded with discriminant analysis. The empirical results offer us a clear panoramic picture of manufacturing strategies around the world.