The politics of IT-enabled restructuring and the restructuring of politics through total quality management

A variety of innovations such as total quality management (TQM) have been introduced by management in recent years as a means to unite organizations and secure employee commitment. Yet TQM is as much a product of existing social relations as it is a method for transforming them. Consequently, while addressing some problems TQM reconstitutes organizational inequalities and existing power relations and in doing so (re)creates many of the problems it is intended to resolve. Inasmuch as TQM is a continuation of the past as well as a means to reshape the future, it contains the seeds of its own decay. We illustrate this argument through a case study of a medium-sized UK Bank. We consider how TQM has waxed and waned differentially within a single organization. Telecommunication and on-line customer data-based technology facilitated organizational restructuring within the Bank, resulting in both redundancies and areas of job creation which both undermined and created conditions wherein TQM could flourish. We examine how TQM may be used as a vehicle for addressing some of the tensions presented by the introduction of new technology, and the organizational politics that stem from organizational restructuring. However, it is argued that TQM can only ameliorate these tensions, which are bound up with organizational power relations and employment insecurities. It does not remove organizational politics, for as older tensions are resolved, new ones emerge.     

The Relationships among Internal Marketing,Job Satisfaction,Relationship Marketing,Customer Orientation,and Organizational Performance: An Empirical Study of TFT‐LCD Companies in Taiwan

The thin film technology liquid‐crystal displays (TFT‐LCD) industry has become one of the main industries in Taiwan. In this research, we take Taiwanese TFT‐LCD industrial companies as the research objects and try to identify the interrelationships among internal marketing, job satisfaction, relationship marketing, customer orientation, and organizational performance. Although these companies are classified as part of the manufacturing industry, it is suggested that their service components could be the focus of greater attention to enhance the success of their business operations. Analytical results indicate that internal marketing, job satisfaction, and customer orientation have significant influences on relationship marketing as well as the organizational performance of TFT‐LCD manufacturing companies. Therefore, Taiwan TFT‐LCD manufacturing companies need to implement relationship marketing continuously, increase employee job satisfaction, and inspire employees to become more customer oriented in order to increase productivity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The impact of cost,technology acceptance and employees' satisfaction on the effectiveness of the electronic customer relationship management systems

Internet technology enables companies to capture new customers, track their performances and online behavior, and customize communications, products, services, and prices. Customer relationship management (CRM) is an important concept to maintain competitiveness at e-commerce. The issue of electronic customer relationship management (E-CRM) has increasingly become the identification of the success of the CRM implementation. The E-CRM has emerged as one of the most prominent information system that enables organizations to contact customers and collect, store and analyze customer data in order to provide a comprehensive view of their customers. Organization can obtain competitive advantages from increase effectiveness of the E-CRM. This research proposes determining the effective factors (cost, technology acceptance and employees' satisfaction) for the effectiveness of the E-CRM. The structural equation modeling technique was used to evaluate the causal model and to examine the reliability and validity of the measurement model. The results of gathered data from 210 employees of the East Azerbaijan Tax Administration in iran is indicated that the impact of the technology acceptance on organization performance begins with infrastructure capability, ease of use, and E-learning systems, and the complementarity between these factors positively influences the effectiveness of the E-CRM. The results also indicated that the customer costs positively affects on the customer relationship performance, which consequently leads to improvements of the effectiveness of the E-CRM in organization. Our findings show that each of cost, technology acceptance and satisfaction employee plays an important role toward in effectiveness of the E-CRM.     

Integrated approach for reorganizing purchasing: Theory and a case analysis on a Turkish company

Gaining strategic advantages require companies to adopt customer satisfaction as a core strategy that constitutes the fundamentals of total quality management and just in time philosophies. Total quality management and just in time have been used for some time in manufacturing; however, this research extends the idea into purchasing by adapting qualitative and quantitative tools to create a methodology that can be used to design purchasing processes. This paper solely presents the supplier selection and performance management system dimensions of the methodology followed by a case study to illustrate application in the purchasing department of a Turkish steel company.     

Facilitating implementation of total quality management through information technology

There is growing interest in the service industries in the adoption of quality management programs to improve their operational efficiency and market competitiveness. Deming’s total quality management (TQM) philosophy is one of the well-known ones. The TQM emphasizes continuous improvement through statistical control and the continuous training of people in the principles of quality management. One of the main implementation issues is the large volume of data that must be statistically analysed. Although recent researches have reported on how TQM is applied in various industries, few have discussed the importance of information technology in ensuring a successful TQM program. This paper reports on the application of information technology in the TQM process and how it can support management decisions. A case example is included to support these views.     

Impact of quality management practices on the knowledge creation process: The Chinese aviation firm perspective

Contemporary quality management studies describe a range of quality improvement strategies. However, these studies do not consider the impact of quality management practices on the knowledge creation process. Based on a comprehensive literature review and a field survey, this study investigates the impact of quality management practices on the knowledge creation process. A proposed model and hypotheses are presented and tested using survey data collected from aviation firms in China. The test of the structural model supports some proposed hypotheses. We find that employee training, employee involvement, product design, benchmarking, and vision statement have significant direct impacts on the knowledge creation process. We also find that some other quality management practices, such as top management support, customer focus, supplier quality management, quality information, and recognition and rewards, do not have a direct impact on knowledge creation. Suggestions for the improvement of quality management in aviation firms in China are provided. The implications of the findings for researchers and practitioners are discussed, and further research directions are offered.     

Application of quality function deployment in the semiconductor industry: A case study

In quality function deployment (QFD), the voice of the customer (VOC) is the critical factor in developing and producing a product that will meet or exceed customer requirements. This study integrates quality function deployment (QFD), management techniques to optimise product-design investment, process improvement, and phase-into meet customer requirements and company goals. QFD uses systematic multi-level development and evaluation to translate customer requirements into the design of product characteristics and manufacturing processes that will satisfy the customer and minimise potential failure costs. ‘Process management’, which is one of the pivotal Six Sigma implementation criteria, is used to construct an ‘integrated product and process development’ (IPPD) model by product type to enhance the effectiveness of QFD. This model, combined with a company’s customer satisfaction strategy and QFD techniques, provides process management through built-in IPPD and appropriate changes in organisational culture. This paper presents a case study from the semiconductor industry to demonstrate the model’s applicability and suitability.     

An Integrated Model for Customer Relationship Management: An Analysis and Empirical Study

Ensuring customer satisfaction and maintaining long‐term relationships with customers have become essential for survival among competitive service industries. The present study addresses this need by proposing a conceptually integrated four‐phase model that incorporates elements of customer relationship management (CRM) and customer satisfaction (represented by the extended American Customer Satisfaction Index model). Then, this study formulates structural equation modeling to test various research hypotheses related to the effect of the CRM initiative. An empirical study of 143 leading Taiwanese service firms distributed among seven service industries was conducted. The implementation levels of various constructs, input (customer knowledge), service provision (customer interactions), output quality, perceived quality, perceived value, perception of customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, purchasing intention, and profits of CRM are assessed in a range of service industries by means of a questionnaire survey and in‐depth interviews. The results of the empirical study reveal statistically significant influences among various constructs of the CRM integrated model. These results also represent a useful reference for managers of service organizations that could be used to improve the profitability and implementation level of CRM. The present study represents an important investigation in the development of an integrated CRM implementation system for service industries. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

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 firm’s 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.     

Customer complaints monitoring with customer review data analytics: An integrated method of sentiment and statistical process control analyses

This study presents a data-driven method to monitor customer complaints for efficient service quality management. Recognising the value of customer reviews as a pool of 'voice of the customer', we propose an integrated method of sentiment and statistical process control analyses. The use of customer review data for statistical process control analysis extends the scope of research and application from the supplier perspective to customer-centric service quality management. The sentiment analysis enables systematic identification of a customer satisfaction score from customer review data while the statistical process control chart analysis allows early detection of significant customer complaints and prevents service failures. The integration of two analyses makes it possible to monitor customer complaints at acceptable time and cost. We applied and validated the proposed method using a mobile game service, offering a guideline for its implementation and customisation. The proposed method is expected to be used as an effective tool for customer complaints monitoring over time, which enables responsive and preventive quality management.     

Customer orientation among employees in public administration: a transnational, longitudinal study

The relation between ergonomic principles and quality management initiatives, both, in the private and public sector, has received increasing attention in the recent years. Customer orientation among employees is not only an important quality principle, but also an essential prerequisite for customer satisfaction, especially in service organizations. In this context, the objective of introducing new public management (NPM) in public-service organizations is to increase customer orientation among employees who are at the forefront of service providing. In this study, we developed a short scale to measure perceived customer orientation. In two separate longitudinal studies carried out in Austria and the US, we analyzed changes in customer orientation resulting from the introduction of NPM. In both organizations, we observed a significant increase in customer orientation. Perceived customer orientation was related to job characteristics, organizational characteristics and employee quality of working life. Creating positive influences on these characteristics within the framework of an organizational change process has positive effects on employee customer orientation.     

A TQM-Based Approach to QoS Management

Total Quality Management (TQM) is one of the most interesting and effective concepts of management. Although, as of today, it has been extensively applied to manufacturing and industrial sectors, TQM principles have not received wide acceptance in the area of Telecommunications Network and Service Management. Application of those principles in Telecommunications can be facilitated by employing pertinent techniques and tools. This paper focuses on aspects of the performance management of Telecommunications Networks and Services. As basic quality control mechanisms, two versions of a Dynamic Scaling Service (DSS) are used to regulate the end-user perceived quality: a Crisp DSS and a Fuzzy Logic DSS. A quality-oriented user behavior model is built and a comparative study between the different quality control schemes is presented. Concluding, the paper delineates the scope of TQM with respect to QoS management in telecommunications.     

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 model’s 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 Taiwan’s 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 company’s ability to win and be compatible for orders.     

TQM: A facilitator to enhance knowledge management? A structural analysis

This study aims to examine the multi-dimensional relationship of total quality management (TQM) and knowledge management (KM) in both service and manufacturing firms in Malaysia. Six key practices of TQM originated from the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) were chosen; whereas the KM elements were made up of knowledge acquisition, distribution and application. Data were gathered from small, medium and large firms from both manufacturing and service sectors. Structural analysis was carried out for the hypotheses and the theoretical model testing. Findings show that strategic planning and human resource management have a positive and significant relationship with the dimensions of KM; whereas process management has significant effects on knowledge acquisition and knowledge distribution. Practically, the findings provide a useful direction for the management team in the manufacturing and service sectors by adopting the relevant TQM practices to further improve the firms’ knowledge management processes. Through a deeper comprehension on the association between TQM practices and the KM dimensions, the management team of these firms can focus their attention, efforts and resources on the specific TQM practices that can ensure successful KM process.     

Quality assurance laboratory planning system to maximize worker preference subject to certification and preference balance constraints

This research addresses the assignment of technicians to quality control tests in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment. The problem is complex as it includes constraints related to the capabilities of the quality assurance technicians, as well as various criteria related to efficiency, customer service, and worker satisfaction. We consider several factors that are particular to labor scheduling in the pharmaceutical industry: preference to certain types of work and certification related to training in specific tests. We propose and utilize a technician satisfaction metric and develop a heuristic to maximize this measure. Experiments are performed in order to evaluate the performance of the proposed heuristic, and gain insights regarding the relationship among key experimental factors. The results demonstrate that, in general, the proposed heuristic quickly generates scheduling assignments that provide a very good approximation of the optimal solution.     

A TCPN based approach to model the coordination in virtual manufacturing organizations☆

The recent developments of communication technologies and network computing have enabled the occurrence of the advanced manufacturing strategy—agile manufacturing. The essence of the agile manufacturing strategy is to form a virtual manufacturing organization (VMO), which integrates the core competencies of member enterprises in order to respond to the global market and increasing customer requirements rapidly. In a VMO, the manufacturing processes are distributed. So modeling and coordination of these processes are very complex. In this paper, we present a Petri Net based approach to model these distributed manufacturing processes and interaction relations among them. A workflow based manufacturing process execution environment is also established to support the implementation of the distributed manufacturing processes.     

Investigating Greek employees’ intention to use web-based training

In the last few decades, the implementation of information technology has given rise to several organizational training needs that have to be satisfied, in order to empower organizational IT performance. The users of new technologies have to be trained quickly and efficiently, and since they are usually distributed to different remote locations, web-based training is the preferred, and sometimes the only, process for employee training. This study deals with the prognosis of employees’ intention to use a web-based training process, by extending the technology acceptance model using some other related factors, such as learning goal orientation, management support, enjoyment, self-efficacy and computer anxiety. Two hundred and eighty seven employees participated in this study to test the validity of the research model. The findings of the structural equation modeling indicate that enjoyment, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use directly affect employees’ intention to use web-based training, while learning goal orientation has the strongest indirect impact on employees’ intention. Finally, three new causal relations are proposed for further research.     

A multi-level incentive model for service organizations

Incentive programmes for production employees have been used for many years. However, more recently, there has been an increasing desire to use incentive programmes in service applications, particularly with the advent of electronic performance monitoring. This paper summarizes the methodology for developing a model that incorporates the parameters of quality (customer and supervisor evaluations), quantity of production, sales and individual goals. The model was used to compute incentive bonus payments for customer service employees who performed above standard. Employees were motivated by the incentive bonus, and thus productivity was increased. The model could be applied to any service organization. The model was developed to assist a customer service department where performance standards, quality measures or customer feedback were not firmly established. It measured objectively employee performance and rewarded the employee with individually calculated incentive bonuses through an electronically monitored system. The internal working of the model is a combination of the above parameters. Customized software was used to collect and tabulate customer feedback regarding a recent inquiry to the customer service department. This made up the first part of the quality measure for the department. The second part of the quality parameter was a regular evaluation by the supervisor. The quantity of production was measured by the number of inquiries handled per unit time. Sales were also calculated on a per-unit-time basis. The individual goals were the result of regular employee-supervisor meetings where past and future employee performance was discussed and mutually agreed upon. The five model parameters of quality (customer and supervisor), quantity, sales and individual goals are combined through the use of a linear equation. It was found that this form of employee evaluation worked very well in an electronic monitoring environment and was accepted by the participating work group. Overall, monthly productivity gains exceeded 15%.     

The upside of data privacy – delighting customers by implementing data privacy measures

The targeted analysis of customer data becomes increasingly important for data-driven business models. At the same time, the customers’ concerns regarding data privacy have to be addressed properly. Existing research mostly describes data privacy as a necessary evil for compliance and risk management and does not propose specific data privacy measures which address the customers’ concerns. We therefore aim to shed light on the upside of data privacy. In this paper, we derive specific measures to deal with customers’ data privacy concerns based on academic literature, legislative texts, corporate privacy statements, and expert interviews. Next, we leverage the Kano model and data from two internet-based surveys to analyze the measures’ evaluation by customers. From a customer perspective, the implementation of the majority of measures is obligatory as those measures are considered as basic needs of must-be quality. However, delighting measures of attractive quality do exist and have the potential to create a competitive advantage. In this, we find some variation across different industries suggesting that corporations aiming to improve customer satisfaction by superior privacy protection should elicit the demands of their specific target customers.     

Unleashing the Power of mCRM: Investigating Antecedents of Mobile CRM Values from Managers’ Viewpoint

Mobile technology together with Internet-based electronic commerce has transformed the way businesses operate. Mobile Customer Relationship Management (mCRM) combines mobility and CRM (customer relationship management) to enable organizations to increase their business performance by delivering better products/services to their customers. Incorporating location-based information into CRM systems has created new values and business opportunities. Using location information, for example, businesses can offer more personalized and real-time location-based services (LBS) to their customers. In this study, we investigate how the IT infrastructure and LBS support of mCRM, as technical resource capabilities, and mCRM knowledge and education, as human resource capabilities, can enhance business performance of the organization by improving mCRM’s quality dimensions. We propose a research model that integrates the resource-based view (RBV) of a firm and DeLone and McLean IS success model to investigate the effects of mCRM quality dimensions on business performance. To validate the proposed research model, we collected a set of empirical data from managers in a wide range of organizations that use mCRM in South Korea. The results indicate that the IT infrastructure of an organization as a technical resource, along with mCRM users’ knowledge, as a human resource capability can significantly influence managers’ perceptions of quality along various dimensions of mCRM: customer data quality, system quality, and service quality. Consequently, improving these quality dimensions will significantly influence the performance of an organization in terms of financial performance, productivity, and customer satisfaction. The present study would help both academic and professionals to understand and improve business performance by employing the appropriate resources that can harness the full potential of mCRM.