Tieh-Min Yen

Using BPNN and DEMATEL to modify importance-performance analysis model - A study of the computer industry

The importance-performance analysis (IPA) model has been widely used as the primary tool for customer satisfaction management. IPA is a 2-D matrix analysis based on the importance and performance of the organization from the customer perception of quality. The firms customer satisfaction management strategy is formulated according to the IPA analysis results. However, both conventional and modified IPA models have important hidden assumptions: (1) assumptions regarding the importance of quality characteristics and performance; (2) the assumption that performance and satisfaction have a linear relationship; (3) that quality characteristics are mutually independent variables, with no causal relationship. Under these assumptions, if the quality characteristics cannot meet the above-mentioned assumptions, the conventional and modified IPA models will not accurately analyze the importance and priority ranking for improvement, leading to wrongful decision making. This study puts forth a new decision making and analysis methodology that will, on one hand, exploit the back-propagation neural network (BPNN) to establish quality characteristics and the hidden important integral satisfaction assumptions. The decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) is used to calculate the causal relationship and extent of mutual influence among the qualities to adjust the importance of the quality characteristics and identify the core Order-Winners and Qualifiers problems. The proposed method modifies the quality importance and improves the IPA model ranking and also resolves difficult practical problems with fewer resources. This study illustrates using Taiwan industrial computer, working in conjunction with IPA models established with BPNN and DEMATEL to observe its application and effect.

Using modified IPA to evaluate supplier's performance: Multiple regression analysis and DEMATEL approach

This paper provides a methodology of Supplier Quality Performance Assessment (SQPA) for the industrial computer industry that introduces modified Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) which uses the multiple regression analysis and Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) techniques, and creates value for all members through optimizing order-winners and qualifiers to promote supplier quality improvement and solve complex problems using the cause-effect relation. The techniques used in SQPA activities are easily understood. A case involving an industrial computer manufacturer is illustrated to show the benefits of our model.

Applying the IPA and DEMATEL models to improve the order-winner criteria: A case study of Taiwan's network communication equipment manufacturing industry

The purpose of this study is to use the gap-analysis method to calculate the performance of quality characteristics and apply the multiple regression analysis method to establish the overall level of satisfaction and implicit importance of quality characteristics. In addition we will use the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to analyze the cause-effect relationship and level of influence among different quality characteristics in order to make revisions to the traditional IPA model and find the core problems that are involved with winning orders. The methodology that we propose for this research not only makes revisions to the IPA models method of directly using explicit information from customer responses, we also solved the influence of the cause-effect relationships of quality characteristics. For our research we analyzed the case of a company from Taiwans network communication equipment manufacturing industry in order to make our corrections to the IPA model and gain the benefits of using the DEMATEL model. The findings of our research show that with the corrections to the IPA and the methodology of DEMATEL we can find and correct the core problems of the company that was analyzed, improve quality control and therefore improve the companys ability to win and be compatible for orders.

Preliminary research on customer satisfaction models in Taiwan: A case study from the automobile industry

For our research we applied the TCSI model to the automobile industry in Taiwan. The subjects of our research were consumers of new cars in Taiwan during the years 2006-2008. According to statistics provided by the Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers Association (TTVMA) Toyota, Ford, Nissan, and Mitsubishi Motors made up for 79% of all cars sold in Taiwan from January through June, 2008. Questionnaires were issued randomly to four companies. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to manifest the models suitability and develop a standard questionnaire to obtain the customers opinions. The conclusions reached provide valuable insight into the companies and industry and can help them to develop strategies to increase their competitiveness.

An Integration of Kano’s Model and Exit‐Voice Theory: A Case Study

The purpose of this study was to examine overall customer satisfaction associated with medical service quality in Taiwan by integrated Kano’s model and customer satisfaction index model. Another purpose was to confirmed nonlinear and asymmetric relationship of Customer Satisfaction and Quality Performance by the research outcome. By analyzing 1,100 patients or their family members, this study used the structural equation model (SEM) with AMOS software for data analysis. The results show that must‐be attributes, one‐dimensional attributes and attractive attributes had a direct effect on overall customer satisfaction, Surprisingly, overall customer satisfaction had positively influenced customer loyalty customer satisfaction had negatively influenced customer complaints. The study also found that customer complaints have direct effect on customer loyalty. Importantly, the study found out the must‐be attributes, the attractive attributes and one‐dimensional attributes increased, the level of overall customer satisfaction also increased. The customer satisfaction positively influences customer loyalty in medical service quality in Taiwan. The findings might reveal new insights for researchers dealing with quality of medical service and for hospital managers who devote resources exclusively to achieving highest possible levels of patient satisfaction.

Modify IPA for quality improvement: Taguchi's signal‐to‐noise ratio approach

Purpose – Importance performance analysis (IPA) is a technique widely used to assist organisations in developing marketing strategies and improving products or service quality. Many scholars have revised IPA to augment its effectiveness. However, this involves some unknown problems that could lead organisations to make wrong decisions. This paper aims to look at this issue.Design/methodology/approach – As a solution, this paper introduces Taguchis signal‐to‐noise (S/N) ratio approach to treat ordered categorical data in analysing customer satisfaction and integrates it with gap analysis (GA) through S/N ratio to develop a modified IPA model. A Taiwan air‐conditioning manufacturer maintenance and repair service is illustrated to demonstrate the method.Findings – According to the test case, the modified IPA model obtained more reliable results than the traditional IPA method, considering the central tendency and variance from different customer perceptions. The proposed method can determine exact marketing...

Assessment of supplier quality performance of computer manufacturing industry by using ANP and DEMATEL

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish an integrated model of Analytic Network Process (ANP) and Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL), to assist enterprises to process supplier quality performance rating and comparison and find the core improvement direction to create the value of all supply chain members. Design/methodology/approach – This study used the integrated model to process supplier quality performance rating and comparison, which not only improved the order-winners and qualifiers and continued to increase supplier quality performance, but resolved the complex and difficult cause-effect relation issue to find out core improvement items. The cases of Taiwanese industrial computer manufacturers were used to describe the application and benefits of this methodology. Findings – The results recommended that the improvement item of supplier A shall focus on design and quality conformance. The recommended improvement item and order for supplier B is design, delivery rel...

Using fuzzy gap analysis to measure service quality of medical tourism in Taiwan

PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is intended to create a model to measure quality of service, using fuzzy linguistics to analyze the quality of service of medical tourism in Taiwan so as to find the direction for improvement of service quality in medical tourism. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH The study developed fuzzy questionnaires based on the characteristics of medical tourism quality of service in Taiwan. Questionnaires were delivered and recovered from February to April 2014, using random sampling according to the proportion of medical tourism companies in each region, and 150 effective samples were obtained. The critical quality of service level is found through the fuzzy gap analysis using questionnaires examining expectations and perceptions of customers, as the direction for continuous improvement. FINDINGS From the study, the primary five critical service items that improve the quality of service for medical tourism in Taiwan include, in order: the capability of the service provider to provide committed medical tourism services reliably and accurately, facility service providers in conjunction with the services provided, the cordial and polite attitude of the service provider eliciting a sense of trust from the customer, professional ability of medical (nursing) personnel in hospital and reliability of service provider. ORIGINALITY/VALUE The contribution of this study is to create a fuzzy gap analysis to assess the performance of medical tourism service quality, identify key quality characteristics and provide a direction for improvement and development for medical tourism service quality in Taiwan.

Using modified IPA to define quality improvement strategies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a modified Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) model and calculates the performance of quality characteristic for the purpose of defining quality improvement strategy. Design/methodology/approach – This study developed modified IPA by introducing the Mahalanobis Distance and multiple regression analysis to evaluate the performance gap and implicit importance of quality characteristics. This paper used a large air-conditioning manufacturer in Taiwan as the case analysis and study targets. It discussed and validated the modified IPA analytical results by studying case history and market analysis. Findings – Through the case study, the quality characteristics of air-conditioning product and service needed to be improved immediately are Green product (Q3) and Repair service (Q10), and the Price (Q11) and Serviceability (Q2) could be kept or enhanced to win the market competitive advantages. Originality/value – This study developed a modified IPA to help orga...