Integrating fuzzy theory into Kano model for classification of service quality elements: a case study of machinery industry in China

Purpose: The purpose of study is to meet customer requirements and improve customer satisfaction that aims to classify customer requirements more effectively. And the classification is focused on the customer psychology. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, considering the advantages of Kano model in taking into account both customer’s consuming psychology and motivation, and combining with fuzzy theory which is effective to cope with uncertainty and ambiguity, a Kano model based on fuzzy theory is proposed. In view of the strong subjectivity of traditional Kano questionnaires, a fuzzy Kano questionnaire to classify the service quality elements more objectively is proposed. Furthermore, this study will also develop a mathematical calculation performance according to the quality classification of fuzzy Kano model. It’s more objective than traditional Kano model to realize the service quality elements classification. With this method, the accurate mentality can be fully reasonable reflected in some unknown circumstances. Finally, an empirical study in Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd, the largest manufacturing industry in China, is showed to testify its feasibility and validity. Findings: The calculation results indicate that the proposed model has good performance in classifying customer requirements. With this method, the accurate mentality can be fully reasonable reflected in unknown circumstances and it is more objective than traditional Kano model to classify the service quality elements. Originality/value: This study provides a method to integrate fuzzy theory and Kano model, and develops a mathematical calculation performance according to the quality classification of fuzzy Kano model.

[1]  Arash Shahin,et al.  Integration of FMEA and the Kano model , 2004 .

[2]  C Berger,et al.  KANO’S METHODS FOR UNDERSTANDING CUSTOMER-DEFINED QUALITY , 1993 .

[3]  Lars Witell,et al.  Two Decades of Using Kano's Theory of Attractive Quality: A Literature Review , 2008 .

[4]  Robert LIN,et al.  NOTE ON FUZZY SETS , 2014 .

[5]  Ching-Chow Yang,et al.  The refined Kano's model and its application , 2005 .

[6]  F. Herzberg,et al.  The motivation to Work Among Finnish Supervisors , 1965 .

[7]  Chun-Chin Hsu,et al.  C-Kano model: a novel approach for discovering attractive quality elements , 2010 .

[8]  Ying-Feng Kuo,et al.  IPA–Kano model: A new tool for categorising and diagnosing service quality attributes , 2012 .

[9]  Ting Wang,et al.  Quantification and integration of Kano’s model into QFD for optimising product design , 2014 .

[10]  Mark C. Lee,et al.  Applying the Kano Methodology to Meet Customer Requirements: NASA's Microgravity Science Program , 1997 .

[11]  Ching-Chow Yang,et al.  Determining service improvement priority in a zoological park , 2014 .

[12]  Gérson Tontini,et al.  Identifying the impact of incremental innovations on customer satisfaction using a fusion method between importance-performance analysis and Kano model , 2013 .

[13]  Ping Ji,et al.  Understanding customer needs through quantitative analysis of Kano's model , 2010 .

[14]  Chun-Chih Chen,et al.  Integrating the Kano model into a robust design approach to enhance customer satisfaction with product design , 2008 .

[15]  Yu-Cheng Lee,et al.  A new fuzzy concept approach for Kano's model , 2009, Expert Syst. Appl..

[16]  N. Kano,et al.  Attractive Quality and Must-Be Quality , 1984 .

[17]  K. Tan,et al.  Integrating Kano's model in the planning matrix of quality function deployment , 2000 .