Yu‐Cheng Lee, Hsiu‐Yuan Hu, Tieh‐Min Yen and Chih‐Hung Tsai
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…
Abstract
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.
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Hsiu Yuan Hu, Shao-I Chiu, Tieh-Min Yen and Ching-Chan Cheng
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…
Abstract
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 reliability and delivery speed. This study established ANP and DEMATEL evaluation models, and expanded the application field in the supplier performance evaluation.
Originality/value
The ANP model is used to calculate the importance of the evaluation criteria, and the DEMATEL method is introduced to consider the impact of the casual relationship of evaluation items and to adjust the importance of the evaluation item, and to solve the complex and difficult practical causation issue.
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Hsiu‐Yuan Hu, Yu‐Cheng Lee and Tieh‐Min Yen
This study seeks to propose a conceptual approach to assess the perceived service quality properly using Fuzzy logic. First, it aims to verify whether it is a better solution than…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to propose a conceptual approach to assess the perceived service quality properly using Fuzzy logic. First, it aims to verify whether it is a better solution than the Likert scale. Second, it seeks to evaluate patients' feedback towards hospital service quality using Fuzzy linguistic analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
The SERVQUAL questionnaire was developed according to the characteristics of each hospital's out‐patient service. Three regional hospitals in Hsin‐Chu, Taiwan were evaluated. After being completed and collected, first, the effectiveness of the Fuzzy linguistic scale and the Likert scale was compared. Second, gap values of each element were evaluated to find the core service quality attributes for continuous improvement. Finally, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to segment markets using certain service quality attributes and different demographic variables.
Findings
The result indicated that the Fuzzy linguistic scale is higher than the Likert scale in terms of reliability in the measurement. Moreover, through gap analysis and ANOVA, a better focus was achieved on the 8th, 10th, 14th, 21st and 3rd service quality attributes from the SERVQUAL measurement on which management should concentrate and which they should endeavor to work out. The 1st, 2nd, 14th and 16th items from the SERVQUAL measurement can be market segment factors, respectively.
Originality/value
The study successfully introduced Fuzzy linguistic analysis into the Gap theory and SERVQUAL measurements, and provided more internal consistency and stability than the Likert scale. After discussing the findings of the gap analysis and ANOVA, the organization could find the critical service quality attributes and create a value for improving or enhancing them.
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Hsiu-Yuan Tsao, Ming-Yi Chen, Hao-Chiang Koong Lin and Yu-Chun Ma
The basic assumption is that there is a symmetric relationship between review valence and rating, but what if review valence and rating were linked asymmetrically? There are few…
Abstract
Purpose
The basic assumption is that there is a symmetric relationship between review valence and rating, but what if review valence and rating were linked asymmetrically? There are few studies which have investigated the situations in which positive and negative online reviews exert different influences on ratings. This study considers brand strength as having an important moderating role because the average rating of existing reviews for a particular product is a heuristic cue for decision makers. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to argue that an asymmetric relationship between review content valence and numerical rating will depend on brand strength.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have conducted a sentiment analysis via text mining, using self-developed computer programs to retrieve a data set from the TripAdvisor website.
Findings
This study finds there is an asymmetric relationship between review valence (verbal) and numerical rating. The authors further find brand strength to have an important moderating role. For a stronger brand, negative review content will have a greater impact on numerical ratings than positive review content, while for a weaker brand, positive review content will have a greater impact on numerical ratings than negative review content.
Practical implications
Marketers could adopt sentiment analysis via text mining of online reviews as a valid measure or predictor of consumer satisfaction or numerical ratings. Strong brands should direct more attention to negative reviews, because in such reviews the negative impact transcends the positive. In contrast, weak brands should aim to exploit as many positive reviews as possible to minimize the impact of any negative reviews.
Originality/value
This study finds there is an asymmetric relationship between review valence (verbal) and numerical rating and considers brand strength to play an important moderating role. The authors have used real data from the TripAdvisor website, which allow people to express themselves in an unsolicited manner, and linked these with the results from the sentiment analysis.
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This paper investigates the influence of political connections on sustainability disclosure in the context of China's Regulation 18.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates the influence of political connections on sustainability disclosure in the context of China's Regulation 18.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a quasi-experimental approach, utilizing difference-in-difference (DiD) analysis, dynamic DiD and propensity score matching to analyze the effects of politically connected independent directors on sustainability disclosure following the implementation of Regulation 18.
Findings
Companies with politically connected independent directors show an improvement in sustainability disclosures after Regulation 18. This effect is stronger for firms facing high political pressure or lacking alternative political power. Additionally, the increase in value from sustainability disclosures compensates for the loss of politically connected independent directors, indicating a positive value impact of sustainability disclosures.
Originality/value
This study provides novel insights into the corporate disclosure policy in China by investigating the impact of politically connected directors on sustainability disclosure. Additionally, it sheds light on the limitations of political power and its substitution effects within companies.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine a new research model which includes both hedonic and utilitarian determinants that influence Line users’ attitudes toward hospitality…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine a new research model which includes both hedonic and utilitarian determinants that influence Line users’ attitudes toward hospitality companies that offer free Line stickers for potential users.
Design/methodology/approach
To target the right population, Line users who had used hospitality company-branded Line stickers are recruited as participants. Data from 372 usable questionnaires are tested against the research model by using the structural equation modeling approach.
Findings
The results show that all of the proposed variables, perceived usefulness, perceived social presence, perceived richness, perceived enjoyment, perceived novelty and perceived appeal, were found to be critical factors significantly influencing users’ attitudes.
Research limitations/implications
This study targets Line users who had experiences in using hospitality company-branded Line stickers. Therefore, a validation using another large sample gathered elsewhere is required to generalize the findings.
Practical implications
The findings can give hospitality managers an increased understanding of the attitudes of Line users toward the companies providing stickers to them; the results may be used as a guideline to develop more appropriate business strategies for hospitality organizations with which to promote their products/services.
Originality/value
The proposed model is new; little research has been done on examining Line users’ attitudes toward hospitality companies that offer free Line stickers for users. This study contributes to an understanding of the factors that actually influence users’ attitudes toward those hospitality companies offering brand Line stickers.
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Duen-Ren Liu, Yun-Cheng Chou, Chi-Ching Chung and Hsiu-Yu Liao
Due to the rapidly increasing volume of users and products in virtual worlds, recommender systems are an important feature in virtual worlds; they can help solve information…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to the rapidly increasing volume of users and products in virtual worlds, recommender systems are an important feature in virtual worlds; they can help solve information overload problems. Virtual world users are able to perform several actions that promote the enjoyment of their virtual life, including interacting with others, visiting virtual houses and shopping for virtual products. This study aims to concentrate on the following two important factors: the social neighbors’ influences and the virtual house bandwagon phenomenon, which affects users’ preferences during their virtual house visits and purchasing processes.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors determine social influence by considering the interactions between the target user and social circle neighbors. The degree of influence of the virtual house bandwagon effect is derived by analyzing the preferences of the virtual house hosts who have been visited by target users during their successive visits. A novel hybrid recommendation method is proposed herein to predict users’ preferences by combining the analyses of both factors.
Findings
The recommendation performance of the proposed method is evaluated by conducting experiments with a data set collected from a virtual world platform. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms the conventional recommendation methods, and they also exhibit the effectiveness of considering both the social influence and the virtual house bandwagon effect for making effective recommendations.
Originality/value
Existing studies on recommendation methods did not investigate the virtual house bandwagon effects that are unique to the virtual worlds. The novel idea of the virtual house bandwagon effect is proposed and analyzed for predicting users’ preferences. Moreover, a novel hybrid recommendation approach is proposed herein for generating virtual product recommendations. The proposed approach is able to improve the accuracy of preference predictions and enhance the innovative value of recommender systems for virtual worlds.
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Rahul Vishwanath Dandage, Santosh B. Rane and Shankar S. Mantha
Project risk management (PRM) and human resource management (HRM) are the two critical success factors (CSFs) for international project management. This paper aims to correlate…
Abstract
Purpose
Project risk management (PRM) and human resource management (HRM) are the two critical success factors (CSFs) for international project management. This paper aims to correlate these two CSFs, identify the human resource (HR) barriers, develop a hybrid model for risk management and develop strategies to overcome the HR barriers to effective risk management in international projects.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 20 key HR barriers have been identified through a literature survey and verified by project professionals. These HR barriers are ranked according to their ability to trigger other barriers by analysing their interactions using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Based on Ulrich’s revised model for HR functions, a hybrid framework for international PRM has been proposed.
Findings
DEMATEL analysis categorized nine barriers as cause barriers and 11 as affected barriers. The “PROJECTS” model proposed for HR strategy development suggests eight strategies to overcome these nine cause barriers. The hybrid PRM framework developed includes the effect of the HR dimension.
Research limitations/implications
This paper presents the generalized prioritization of HR barriers to international PRM. For a specific international project, the HR barriers and their prioritization may change slightly. The hybrid framework for PRM and the strategy development model suggested are yet to be validated.
Originality/value
Correlating two CSFs in international project management, i.e. HRM and PRM and ranking the HR barriers using the DEMATEL method is the uniqueness of this research paper. The hybrid framework developed for PRM based on HR functions in Ulrich’s revised model and the proposed new HR strategy development model “PROJECTS” are unique contributions of this paper.
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Hsiu-Ping Yueh, Tzy-Ling Chen and Chien-Tso Chen
This study aimed to examine organizational digitalization of farmers' associations (FAs) by conducting internal and external analyses of the contextual and geo-spatial attributes…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to examine organizational digitalization of farmers' associations (FAs) by conducting internal and external analyses of the contextual and geo-spatial attributes of the organizations, and further explored the role such associations play as key change agents in activating agricultural innovations and development in Taiwan.
Design/methodology/approach
Unlike previous digitalization studies, which employed user data such as attitudes and behaviors as the major determinants, the present study focused on the spatial and organizational characteristics of FAs. An exploratory spatial analysis was conducted using a geographic information system to discover whether the organizational characteristics, local agriculture development, and neighboring FAs affect the organizational decision and adaption on information services. Research data from three national surveys were analyzed with a spatial regression model.
Findings
Results showed that geographical neighborhood, in association with organizational characteristics, significantly affects the decision and level of organizational digitalization, while the development and characteristics of regional agriculture exert no significant influence.
Practical implications
In the development of information and communication technology (ICT) diffusion policies for promoting organizational digitalization, it is important to highlight regional initiatives and complementary public efforts to guarantee an equitable access to ICT in areas with variances in economic development. In neighborhood FAs, greater development of economic and labor scales and ICT human capital also contribute to higher levels of organizational digitalization.
Originality/value
Based on the study results, suggestions are provided for future research considering spatial forces in agricultural information studies and practical applications.
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The aim of this paper is to use a new approach of performance evaluation, grey relation analysis (GRA), which is a concept borrowed from the study of industry and is increasingly…
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to use a new approach of performance evaluation, grey relation analysis (GRA), which is a concept borrowed from the study of industry and is increasingly applied to commerce. GRA is used to evaluate the relative performance of three of Australia's major banks The result of the study indicates that although the sample size is small and the distribution of data is unknown, GRA can still be successfully used in evaluating bank performance. In addition, this paper compares the GRA results with the financial statement analysis and shows that the same result can be obtained.