Yu-Kai Huang

The Study of Customer Segmentation Examined by Catastrophe Model

Convenience stores in Taiwan have made remarkable successes with retail delivery services by integrating E-commerce and logistics systems to form a new retail delivery model: “On-line shopping with pick-ups at convenience stores.” Although choice behavior has been discussed in marketing, few studies describe the non-linear characteristic of choice behavior. The catastrophe model was used to analyze the linkages between customer satisfaction and switching cost on pick-up point service loyalty. The results indicated that the switching cost plays the splitting factor in the catastrophe model, and a high switching cost makes the discontinuous choice behavior. In the cusp catastrophe mode, “Reselection electronic map” is the main index of the splitting factor. Nevertheless, “The quality of relative service concerning the electronic map” is the main index of the normal factor. It has been expected that a catastrophe approach to discontinuous behavior has made clearly abundant implications. Based on the findings of loyalty in the application of cusp catastrophe theory, the cusp catastrophe model is an appropriate model to know the process of loyalty. It suggests that other researchers could consider the cusp catastrophe theory and other nonlinear techniques, especially for standard approaches not adequately to capture the underlying dynamic.

A fuzzy cognitive map modeling to explore the operation dynamics of third-party logistics providers

In Taiwan, e-tailers have formed partnerships with third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and convenience stores so that the service of shopping on-line in an electronic store and picking up goods at a convenience store could be quite common and popular these days. This study observes that the e-tailers have more bargaining power at its disposal comparing to its counterparts, 3PLs, in the sense of partnership. The study applies the methodology of “Fuzzy cognitive maps” to model and explore the operation dynamics for 3PLs. The results show that the improvement on “Relationship with e-tailers” and “Logistics performance” could significantly facilitate 3PLs in expanding the market shares, total profits and somewhat mitigating the problems 3PLs would have encountered.

Using Importance-Performance Analysis in Evaluating Taiwan Blog e-Service Quality

This study uses Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) in evaluating Taiwan blog e-service quality. Base on Importance-Performance Analysis, if the interface is smooth, and it provides multiplicity and uploading functions belonged to quadrant 1, (keep up the good work), and the most important blogs’ future functions is sharing resources between blogs associated with quadrant 1, (keep up the good work). Finally, the result of this study is expected to serve as a useful guideline for Internet service providers and future research. Implications of these results for practice and research are provided as result.

Using cusp catastrophe theory to model pick-up point choice behavior for online bookstore shopper

Ordering books on the Internet is obviously becoming a significant market. Retailing delivery (RD) service provides consumers with a self pick-up approach, so it is popular for those who cannot conveniently use home delivery service. E-service quality and logistics service quality are the key issues in e-commerce. A nonlinear model of loyalty is suggested by past studies. The main purpose of this study is to explore how of the logistics service quality and switching cost influence the pick-up point choice behavior by using a catastrophe model. Firstly, the latent variable is defined in the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Secondly, the catastrophe model was used to analyze the linkages between service quality and switching cost on pick-up point service loyalty. The results indicated that the switching cost plays the splitting factor in the catastrophe model, and a high switching cost makes the discontinuous choice behavior, implications of these results for practice and research are provided.

Dynamic Analysis of Store-to-Store Delivery Service through Fuzzy Cognitive Map

The Internet enables many companies to use the Web to allow customers to configure specific order options tailored to the tastes and preferences of the customers. Hence, logistics management exposes the formerly latent logistics system in the economic activities and reveals the inner connections between parts of logistics activities. Store-to-store delivery service is one of the most important delivery systems in Taiwan. The authors establish an evaluation model to analyze and describe the store-to-store delivery using sensitivity model and fuzzy cognitive map. The results obtained can be used to help the manager formulate strategies and reduce risks as well.

The Analysis of Vulnerability in Low-Carbon Delivery System Using Analytical Hierarchy Process

Convenience stores in Taiwan have integrated e-commerce systems into their logistics systems to develop a new retail delivery model. Store-to-store delivery service is the one of the retail delivery systems served by FamilyMart.com and 7-11.com. The delivery system is complicated and risky. This paper are explores the structure of logistic for store-to-store delivery service for electronic commerce and develops a hierarchical framework and evaluation model to evaluate the logistics vulnerability of two store-to-store delivery service providers in Taiwan. With the results of the most vulnerable parts in store-to-store delivery system, managers could add resources and formulate strategies to strengthen them and reduce the frequency of the events that have higher failure probabilities.