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The purpose of this paper is to develop a tool, “The Excellence Grid,” to categorize attributes on the basis of their ability to impact customer perception of “excellence” in service compared to perception of “good” service. In addition, provide a three dimensional (3D) model for excellence-performance analysis, which can aid managers in formalizing the strategies for building perceptions of excellence about the service.

The positive zone of performance is analyzed through a two-function modeling technique of ordinal logistic regression (OLR) with the non-proportional odds to categorize attributes on grid. Tool is applied to two case studies to validate and establish the asymmetric impact of attributes on perceptions of “good service” and “excellent service.”

Similar to the Kano model for impact of attributes on positive and negative performances, findings from cases confirm the asymmetric impact of attributes on the positive zone of performance and establish “Excellence Grid” as a means to categorize attributes as drivers of excellence.

The “Excellence Grid” tool is expected to empower managers to focus on strategies directed toward the goal of “service excellence” and recommends that managers should not only strive for process improvement, but also sharpen the external communication of service excellence.

The “Excellence Grid” and the “3D Excellence-Performance model,” proposed in this research, are expected to enrich the body of knowledge on operational tools to achieve service excellence. Using parameter estimates of the two-function model of OLR for service quality has not yet been reported in open literature.

Claims that, as an addition to the product manager’s set of tools, performance‐importance analysis can provide insight into customer perceptions. Managers can use a combination of performance perceptions along with importance ratings to understand the relative success of product features. Plots importances for product features of an analytical instrument against the product’s pre‐introduction expectations and post‐product‐test satisfactions. Considers product design issues as well as positioning strategy. Changes in evaluations (“expectations” to “satisfactions”) as well as competitive positioning demonstrated the flexibility of the method.

The purpose of the current study is to assess some of the self‐reported factors that students in the study used as choice criteria in making their school selection.

The results of this study were obtained by conducting a series of focus groups involving incoming freshmen at a small liberal arts university located in the south eastern part of the USA. The focus groups were conducted to obtain insight into the factors that led this particular group of freshmen to the school and, second, to determine what areas were not living up to their expectations. The authors later surveyed a large sample (450 students) of the incoming freshman class using a questionnaire that was developed from the input obtained during the focus groups.

Analysis of gap scores for the student population used in this study indicates that the current group does not consider their university a “quality” institution. Additionally, the importance‐performance grid (I‐P grid) points towards a lack of perceived quality, as only two of the dimensions considered actually fall into the “keep up the good work” quadrant.

The primary limitation of this study is the scope and size of its sample. Because the study involved a single group of university students from one university, the results cannot be generalized across a university‐wide spectrum. Nonetheless, the study does provide evidence for the development and use of the I‐P grid on those occasions calling for preliminary identification and assessment of student measures of service quality.

By demonstrating the feasibility of the approach taken by the authors, it should be possible for university officials to utilize similar procedures when evaluating the overall satisfaction levels of their students’ educational experience.

The most recent global and regional developments bring about a change in vocational needs required from new recruits in the tourism industry and ask for revised training programmes to be introduced by future decision‐makers (Hofstetter 2004). Several studies have been conducted in terms of job requirements in tourism‐related fields, and a number of qualifications have been identified (Weiermair 1999): communicative skills, empathy, motivation, decision‐making abilities, planning abilities and improvisation abilities. The purpose of any education programme in tourism must be to explain the true nature of the tourism phenomenon through seminars, trainings, workshops, and academic curricula. It must be directed to public and private sectors of the tourism industry, as well as external agencies. The paper reports a study carried out in August 2005 on the training programme offered in South Tyrol for employees of tourism organizations. A standardized online questionnaire was sent to employees of tourism organizations to reveal the importance and satisfaction with the training offer as well as the value of IT in teaching and training. The results provide implications for future tourism curricula, particularly for employees of tourism organizations.

The purpose of this paper is: to review the most commonly used approaches to the classification of quality attributes according to the Kano model; to identify the theoretical/practical strengths and weaknesses of these techniques; and to provide guidance for future research and managerial practice in this area.

Based on an extensive review of the literature on the Kano model and the relevant marketing/management literature, five approaches (Kano's method; “penalty‐reward contrast analysis”; “importance grid”; qualitative data methods; and “direct classification”) are evaluated in terms of their validity and reliability for categorising attributes in the Kano model. Several illustrative examples provide empirical evidence for the theoretical arguments advanced in the study.

The Kano questionnaire and the direct‐classification method are the only approaches that are capable of classifying Kano attributes in the design stage of a product/service. Penalty‐reward contrast analysis (PRCA) is useful for assessing the impact of product/service attributes on overall satisfaction with a product/service, but its applicability to the classification of Kano attributes is questionable. The importance grid (IG) is not recommended for use with the Kano model. The critical incident technique and the analysis of complaints/compliments are valid for the Kano model, but have questionable reliability.

The study makes some important points about accurate semantic terminology in describing issues related to the Kano model. In particular, researchers should be aware that an attractive quality element (must‐be quality element, respectively) might in fact be a dissatisfier (satisfier, respectively), due to significant conceptual differences between performance in terms of the Kano model (i.e. objective performance) and subjective performance perceptions.

Develops and presents Importance‐Satisfaction Analysis as a simple and highly pragmatic organizational diagnostic tool for both managers and consultants. Specifically, the importance‐performance framework presented in the marketing literature has been adapted for application in the management of human resource by changing the model′s external/strategic (the consumer and the product) orientation to an internal/operational (the employee and the job) focus. Uses data from a major national laboratory to illustrate step‐by‐step application of this methodology. Discusses practical advantages of the framework and implications for managers and consultants. Simplicity and ease of application, adaptability to various data collection techniques (questionnaires, interviews, group analysis, etc.), early identification of areas requiring action, priority‐based resource allocation implications, and modest cost are a few of the virtues of this managerial/consulting tool.

This paper aims to explore the use of importance‐performance analysis (IPA) as an evaluative technique for public management decision making.

Based on a literature review of convention, exhibition and meeting management, a number of attributes were identified that influence destination choice from convention exhibitors' and delegates' perspectives. Responses were obtained from 177 convention exhibitors and delegates who attended an Asia Expo in Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), the People's Republic of China.

Factor analysis reveals that the selected importance attributes are grouped into six categories: “professional convention services”, “extra‐convention opportunities”, “convention supporting services”, “accommodations”, “cost” and “image”. The importance‐performance analysis shows that Macao SAR has strong infrastructure support and traditional tourist attractions but lacks specialized convention experts and mechanisms for pricing strategies.

The use of importance‐performance analysis is explored in assessing the competitiveness of Macao SAR as a city for international conventions. The research findings indicate that IPA is an effective method and has the potential to become a valuable strategic management and decision‐making tool.

Macao SAR, it is suggested, should adopt a synergistic approach to develop its convention and general tourism industries in tandem since these two industries can complement each other in drawing upon the socio‐economic resources of the city.

This article contributes to the literature by extending the use of importance‐performance analysis for public management decision making.

Describes a method to analyze competitive standing of a product, brand or made‐in label vis‐à‐vis its competitors. Presents the results of an illustrative case study and discusses their implications.

The marketing manager has little or no guidance in formulating competitive strategies. This article presents a marketing strategy planning tool based on customers' perceptions of the positions of competing brands across various product attributes. The method, called “Simultaneous Importance‐Performance Analysis,” advocates focusing attention on relevant competitors' positions and attacking or defending market territory selectively. An example of its application is provided to illustrate its usefulness. The tool provides a framework for prioritizing alternative marketing strategies and is helpful in deciding on the allocation of limited marketing resources to design an efficient short‐range marketing plan. We will first discuss the nature of competitive advantage strategy and look at the marketing manager's dilemma on how to select tactics to develop a competitive advantage. We will then describe and illustrate “simultaneous importance — performance analysis,” based on importance‐performance analysis. Finally, we will suggest how this technique might be integrated into a company's strategic planning system.

Assessing educational outcomes has been an ongoing activity for higher education over the past several years. This concern is important for business educators as well. Regardless of any problems institutions have experienced, there is definitely a need to continue for many reasons: e.g., mandates by state legislatures, accreditation bodies and others, and its potential as an input into strategic planning. Thus far, assessment activities have consisted of a proliferation of methodologies ranging from student portfolio analysis to standardized testing. This paper specifically examines the use of importance‐performance analysis for an evaluation of the business core curriculum, as well as some differences among major areas of study, at two distinct points in time.