Perceived quality: a market driven and consumer oriented approach.

Abstract Quality is discussed in terms of perceived quality, a perception process that may have a different content for various persons, products and places. Several elements of an integrative model of the quality perception process are addressed. Quality cues can be intrinsic or extrinsic and are used by consumers to form more abstract beliefs about the quality of a product. Experience quality attributes are based on actual consumption while credence quality attributes remain purely cognitive. The quality perception model can be used to bridge the gap between producer defined quality and consumer based quality perception. This quality guidance approach offers a useful framework for further identification and measurement of relevant quality parameters.