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Article
Publication date: 17 April 2006

Yumin Liu and Jichao Xu

How to measure Quality Performance (QP) or excellence performance in organizations is very important for improving the quality of an organization’s products and services. This…

Abstract

How to measure Quality Performance (QP) or excellence performance in organizations is very important for improving the quality of an organization’s products and services. This paper takes Quality Function Deployment (QFD) as a ueful tool to identify the key characteristics of quality performance and measure the influence factors on quality performance. Most national quality awards provide a framework of the criteria to show the essential elements of an organization’s quality performance and get the Quality Performance Score (QPS) by self‐assessment using the criteria. By means of these criteria, especially, the criteria of China Quality Award (CQA), a measurable indicator system for quality performance is set up. A four‐phase QFD model of assessment for quality performance is developed. This QFD model not only presents the most important efforts for the deployment of the measurable indicators of quality performance, but also takes great advantage of evaluating the quality performance and obtaining the quality performance score. The measurable indicator hierarchy of quality performance is formed and its implementation method for assessment quality performance is described in this paper.

Details

Asian Journal on Quality, vol. 7 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1598-2688

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 March 2024

Ingela Bäckström, Pernilla Ingelsson, Anna Mårtensson and Kristen M. Snyder

The purpose of this paper is to explore existing and desired methodologies for systematic quality work to promote quality in preschools from the principal’s perspective.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore existing and desired methodologies for systematic quality work to promote quality in preschools from the principal’s perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

A collaborative approach was used in this research project, and principals were asked to complete portfolio assignments. Their answers to those portfolio assignments were analysed by the research team and subsequently compared to total quality management values.

Findings

Existing and desired methodologies for systematic quality work are presented and sorted into 13 and 17 groups, respectively. The principals desire four times more methodologies than they are presently using to promote systematic quality work, and the results show that they must extend their methodologies to support TQM values.

Research limitations/implications

This research is based on answers collected from 18 principals in one municipality in Sweden.

Practical implications

The use of the cornerstone model provides a framework to illustrate the application of TQM in preschools.

Originality/value

Principals struggle to find time for systemic quality work. The presented results can be used to work systematically with quality in preschools and other organizations.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 32 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 March 2024

Laura Jarrell and Dale Kirby

This paper aims to examine the roles of quality managers at community colleges, their experiences balancing accountability and improvement and their insights into the future of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the roles of quality managers at community colleges, their experiences balancing accountability and improvement and their insights into the future of quality assurance.

Design/methodology/approach

This phenomenological, qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with eight community college quality managers to investigate their roles, experiences and perspectives. A reflexive thematic approach was used to analyze the interview data.

Findings

Four themes were identified from participant responses: quality managers frame and enable program quality, quality managers drive program change, quality managers cultivate a culture of quality and quality managers seek system change. The findings illustrate the roles played by quality managers as they work to improve college education at program, institution and system-wide levels.

Research limitations/implications

The decision of participants to accept the recruitment invitation might reflect particular attitudes, perspectives or experiences.

Practical implications

Quality assurance has emerged as a key mechanism for ensuring postsecondary programs are current, relevant and meeting the evolving needs of students and employers. This study advances the understanding of how quality assurance processes play out at the operational level and explores the experiences of quality managers as they navigate various quality tensions.

Originality/value

Quality managers play key roles in leading, evaluating and influencing quality assurance processes in postsecondary education yet they are underrepresented in the literature. The findings of this study shed new light on the aspirational and influential roles they play in advancing quality assurance.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 32 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 8 March 2024

Hoang Viet Nguyen, Tuan Duong Vu, Muhammad Saleem and Asif Yaseen

Improving service quality, student satisfaction and student loyalty is important to higher education institutions’ sustainable growth. The objectives of this study are a twofold…

Abstract

Purpose

Improving service quality, student satisfaction and student loyalty is important to higher education institutions’ sustainable growth. The objectives of this study are a twofold: first, the study seeks to determine the dimensions of higher education service quality with a specific focus on Vietnam. Second, it examines how the service quality dimensions impact student satisfaction and student loyalty, with the moderating role of the university image.

Design/methodology/approach

This study followed a rigorous procedure, including interviews, a survey, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability analysis to identify higher education service quality dimensions and their measures. After that, using the data obtained from 1,550 university students in Vietnam, confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the identified dimensions and structural equation modeling was used to test a proposed model explaining the outcomes of higher education service quality.

Findings

The findings reveal five dimensions of higher education service quality: academic aspect, nonacademic aspect, programming issues, facilities and industry interaction. Most of these factors have a positive influence on student satisfaction. In addition, the university image moderates the positive relationship between student satisfaction and student loyalty.

Practical implications

This study’s findings highlight the complexity of service quality in the higher education context and encourage higher education institutions to improve their service quality in image to enhance student satisfaction and loyalty.

Originality/value

This study suggests a unique measure of higher education service quality dimensions and provides fresh insights into how they impact student satisfaction and loyalty in Vietnam.

Article
Publication date: 8 February 2024

Md Khokan Bepari, Shamsun Nahar and Abu Taher Mollik

This paper aims to examine the perspectives of auditors, regulators and financial report preparers on the effects of key audit matters (KAMs) reporting on audit effort, fees…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the perspectives of auditors, regulators and financial report preparers on the effects of key audit matters (KAMs) reporting on audit effort, fees, quality and report transparency.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders (13 Audit Partners, 5 Chief Financial Officers and 3 regulators) and thematically analysed the interviews. They use the frame of “Paradox of Transparency” to explain the findings.

Findings

Auditors perceive that the overall quality control of their audits has improved both in the planning and execution stages, and such improvement can mostly be attributed to the coercive pressures from professional bodies and regulators. Nevertheless, audit fee remains unchanged. Auditors disclose industry generic items and descriptions of KAMs, sometimes masking the real problem areas of the clients. Even after improving the performative audit quality, transparency of audit reporting has not improved. Issues that warrant going concern qualifications or audit report modifications are now reported as KAMs. Hence, KAMs reporting might make the audit report less transparent.

Practical implications

Localised audit environments and institutions affect the transparency of KAMs reporting. Without attention to corporate governance and auditors’ independence issues, paradoxically, performative improvement in audit quality (due to the KAMs reporting requirement) does not enhance the transparency of audit reports.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to provide field-level evidence in Bangladesh and other developing countries about the perceptions of auditors, financial report preparers and regulators on the effects of KAMs reporting on audit efforts, fees, quality and report transparency.

Details

Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, vol. 21 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1176-6093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 January 2024

Satumari John Wafudu and Yusri Bin Kamin

The issue of quality assurance in vocational and technical education (VTE) programs identifies a perilous need to develop a conceptual framework for teaching and learning…

Abstract

Purpose

The issue of quality assurance in vocational and technical education (VTE) programs identifies a perilous need to develop a conceptual framework for teaching and learning standards. This study aims to identify standard components for teaching and learning to ensure quality delivery for the achievement of VTE objectives. The quality assurance framework for teaching and learning is envisioned as a closed-loop management process that functions as an effective operational scheme to coordinate teaching processes that support the structure for quality assurance in VTE programs.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected through a questionnaire developed to examine the quality standards for teaching and learning in VTE from 259 respondents from colleges of education. The identified quality components for teaching and learning and their quality indicators were analysed.

Findings

The conceptual framework for teaching and learning with the 12 quality components and 62 quality indicators is the key standard for improving quality teaching and learning to meet the desired goals of VTE programs.

Originality/value

The framework proposed is flexible and can be applied to many other programs to ensure that teachers are professional enough to teach effectively to provide adequate learning outcomes.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 32 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 February 2024

Dwi Suhartanto, David Dean and Iklima Farhani

This study aims to evaluate the loyalty formation model on e-grocery service incorporating food quality, e-grocery quality and relationship quality as determinants of loyalty.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the loyalty formation model on e-grocery service incorporating food quality, e-grocery quality and relationship quality as determinants of loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative approach was used by using 353 data from young Indonesian customers with purchasing experience of local food through e-grocery service. The hypothesized relationships between variables were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results confirm that local food quality, e-grocery service quality and the relationship quality elements of a sense of community and attitudinal attachment, are all loyalty drivers. Next, mediation tests reveal that local food quality and e-grocery service quality influence customer loyalty through customers’ attitudinal attachment and a sense of community.

Practical implications

This study recommends that managers of e-grocery services of local food businesses could benefit from the development of attachment and a sense of community among their young clients. Furthermore, to develop loyalty among young customers, offering high-quality local food as well as e-grocery services is suggested.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first examination of the e-grocery service loyalty in the context of local food.

Details

International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-669X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 January 2024

Matti Juhani Haverila and Kai Christian Haverila

Big data marketing analytics (BDMA) has been discovered to be a key contributing factor to developing necessary marketing capabilities. This research aims to investigate the…

Abstract

Purpose

Big data marketing analytics (BDMA) has been discovered to be a key contributing factor to developing necessary marketing capabilities. This research aims to investigate the impact of the technology and information quality of BDMA on the critical marketing capabilities by differentiating between firms with low and high perceived market performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The responses were collected from marketing professionals familiar with BDMA in North America (N = 236). The analysis was done with partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The results indicated positive and significant relationships between the information and technology quality as exogenous constructs and the endogenous constructs of the marketing capabilities of marketing planning, implementation and customer relationship management (CRM) with mainly moderate effect sizes. Differences in the path coefficients in the structural model were detected between firms with low and high perceived market performance.

Originality/value

This research indicates the critical role of technology and information quality in developing marketing capabilities. The study discovered heterogeneity in the sample population when using the low and high perceived market performance as the source of potential heterogeneity, the presence of which would likely cause a threat to the validity of the results in case heterogeneity is not considered. Thus, this research builds on previous research by considering this issue.

Article
Publication date: 15 January 2024

Kenneth Shiu Pong Ng, Yan Feng, Ivan Ka Wai Lai and Lois Zi-Yu Yang

This study aims to develop a conceptual model to understand how customer knowledge management (CKM) affects fitness club membership renewal through the mediation of relationship…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop a conceptual model to understand how customer knowledge management (CKM) affects fitness club membership renewal through the mediation of relationship quality.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected outside of fitness clubs using a systematic sampling method. A total of 224 valid responses were collected. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the relationship between the constructs of the research model.

Findings

The results indicate that both knowledge from customers and knowledge for customers have a positive influence on customer satisfaction and customer trust. Among them, knowledge for customers has a stronger influence on customer satisfaction while knowledge from customers has a greater influence on customer trust. Additionally, three dimensions of relationship quality (customer satisfaction, customer trust and customer commitment) positively influence membership renewal intention with customer commitment exhibiting the greatest influence on it.

Originality/value

This study combines the theories of CKM and relationship quality management to explain why members will renew their service contracts. By using fitness clubs as an example, this research extends the authors' understanding of how knowledge from and for customers can influence customers' attitudes and behavioural intentions towards service companies.

Details

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1464-6668

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 January 2024

Pei-Ju Wu and Yu-Chin Tai

In the reduction of food waste and the provision of food to the hungry, food banks play critical roles. However, as they are generally run by charitable organisations that are…

153

Abstract

Purpose

In the reduction of food waste and the provision of food to the hungry, food banks play critical roles. However, as they are generally run by charitable organisations that are chronically short of human and other resources, their inbound logistics efforts commonly experience difficulties in two key areas: 1) how to organise stocks of donated food, and 2) how to assess the donated items quality and fitness for purpose. To address both these problems, the authors aimed to develop a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach to food quality and warehousing management in food banks.

Design/methodology/approach

For diagnosing the quality of donated food items, the authors designed a convolutional neural network (CNN); and to ascertain how best to arrange such items within food banks' available space, reinforcement learning was used.

Findings

Testing of the proposed innovative CNN demonstrated its ability to provide consistent, accurate assessments of the quality of five species of donated fruit. The reinforcement-learning approach, as well as being capable of devising effective storage schemes for donated food, required fewer computational resources that some other approaches that have been proposed.

Research limitations/implications

Viewed through the lens of expectation-confirmation theory, which the authors found useful as a framework for research of this kind, the proposed AI-based inbound-logistics techniques exceeded normal expectations and achieved positive disconfirmation.

Practical implications

As well as enabling machines to learn how inbound logistics are handed by human operators, this pioneering study showed that such machines could achieve excellent performance: i.e., that the consistency provided by AI operations could in future dramatically enhance such logistics' quality, in the specific case of food banks.

Originality/value

This paper’s AI-based inbound-logistics approach differs considerably from others, and was found able to effectively manage both food-quality assessments and food-storage decisions more rapidly than its counterparts.

Details

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, vol. 37 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0398

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 238000