Small business owners in the construction materials industry play a significant role in economic development through gross domestic product and employment. However, like other small business owners, many owners of small businesses in the construction materials industry close their businesses within 5 years. The purpose of this multiple case study grounded in the resource-based theory was to explore the strategies that owners of small businesses in the construction materials industry operating in Tanzania used to sustain business for longer than 5 years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 4 purposefully selected owners of small businesses in the construction materials industry and a review of daily sales records, weekly sales reports, and audited accounts. Member checking and triangulation were used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretation of data and information. Data analysis involved coding and thematic analysis. Themes were categorized into business establishment strategies, customer satisfaction and retention strategies, and other sustainability strategies. Findings from this study may contribute to social change by providing information on mechanisms for improving business performance; reducing the risk of failure; and creating sustainable, better-paying jobs that can increase the well-being of business owners, employees, their families, and communities.

Despite over 50 years of software engineering as a formal practice, contemporary developers of bespoke software follow development practices that result in low-quality products with high development and maintenance costs. This qualitative case study sought to identify strategies used by software and enterprise architects for applying architectural best practices to improve bespoke software quality and lower the total cost of ownership. The study population was application and enterprise architects associated with delivering bespoke software for the enterprise architecture team at a large enterprise in the Nashville, Tennessee metropolitan area. Interview data were collected from 7 enterprise or solution architects; in addition, 47 organizational documents were gathered. Guided by the principles of total quality management, thematic analysis was used to identify codes and themes related to management of quality in software solutions. Prominent themes included focusing on customer satisfaction, collaborating and communicating with all stakeholders, and defining boundaries and empowering people within those boundaries. The findings from this research have implications for positive social change, including improved work-life balance, morale, and productivity of software and enterprise architects through streamlining development and maintenance activities.

The turbulent events of the world have resulted in a decline in the number of travelers since 2011. Nevertheless, approximately one billion international tourists still travel annually.Tourist activity plays an important role in the global economic activity. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine if a relationship exists between destination images, push and pull motives to travel, and tourists' satisfaction. The target population consisted of noncitizen and nonresident tourists of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) between March 2017 and April 2017. Oliver's expectancy-disconfirmation theory that the individual will act in a particular way because the expectation that a certain outcome follows the act formed the theoretical framework for this study. Data were collected through a self-developed paper survey using existing Likert-scale questions based on prior research to measure the study variables. A convenience sample of 257 noncitizen and nonresident tourists of the BVI resulted in 247 participants with useable responses. Standard multiple regression analysis determined whether there was a relationship between destination image, push and pull motives to travel, and BVI tourists' satisfaction. The results indicated the 2 predictors, destination image and push and pull motives to travel, accounted for approximately 17% of the variation in tourist satisfaction (R2= .166, F(2,244)= 24.233, p<.001). Either destination image and push and pull motives to travelor both predictors had a significant relationship with tourist satisfaction. The implications for positive social change include employment opportunities through various tourism sectors and for the future development of tourism profitability and sustainability benefiting the local community.

Speech technologies, or technologies that recognize and respond to human speech, have recently emerged as a ubiquitous and cost-effective form of customer self-service (e-service). Although customer satisfaction is regarded as an important outcome of e-service interactions, little is known about users affective responses to conversational interactions with technology. Using a theoretical foundation derived from research in social cognition, interpersonal communication, psycholinguistics, human factors, and services marketing, two studies develop items for a speech interface usability scale, which is then used to examine interrelationships among individual differences (e.g., self-monitoring, need for interaction with a service provider, inherent novelty seeking), usability, comfort, and customer satisfaction. In the first study, speech and language experts' ratings of sixteen speech interfaces are used to identify six stimuli for the second study that represent high, average, and low quality. In the second study, participants listen to the six interfaces and provide ratings for the primary variables of interest. Results indicated that speech interface usability consists of four factors (User Goal Orientation, Customer Service Behavior, Verbosity, and Speech Characteristics). Usability items and individual differences predict affective responses to speech-based e-service. Implications of these findings for psychological and communication research and applied speech technology are described.

Desde o surgimento de novas tecnologias de armazenamento e preparo, o consumo de produtos de conveniência têm aumentado. Com as mudanças ocorridas na sociedade nas últimas décadas, a preocupação dos impactos da alimentação na saúde tornou-se mais acentuada entre a população. Assim, produtos práticos que contêm altos teores de sódio, gorduras e açúcares não atendem mais as necessidades dos clientes, os quais buscam uma melhor qualidade de vida. Dessa forma, este estudo teve como objetivo definir os atributos de um macarrão instantâneo para atender as novas tendências alimentares do mercado, empregando-se a metodologia de desdobramento da função da qualidade (Quality Function Deployment - QFD). Um questionário foi elaborado e aplicado de forma presencial na Escola Superior de Agricultura \"Luiz de Queiroz\", ESALQ/ USP, e em dois estabelecimentos comerciais localizados em Piracicaba, SP, e em Jundiaí, SP. O questionário também foi aplicado por meio de uma plataforma on-line. Com base nos resultados, e empregando a análise multivariada, foi possível identificar três grupos de clientes: \"consciente\"; \"não saudável\"; \"indeciso\". O grupo escolhido foi o \"consciente\" por ter preferência à produtos mais saudáveis. A partir da matriz de relação, entre os atributos da qualidade exigida e os requisitos técnicos, estabeleceu-se a priorização dos requisitos que mais impactaram nas necessidades dos clientes, sendo o principal deles a quantidade de cogumelo. O ingrediente cogumelo aumenta o valor agregado do macarrão instantâneo, devido as suas qualidades nutricionais e medicinais, embora ele possa afetar o preço de venda. / With the coming of new storage and preparation technologies, the consumption of convenience products has been improved. With the social changes that have occurred in the last decades, the concern about the impacts of food on health has grown among the current population. Therefore, products that have high levels of sodium, fats and sugars are not meeting the needs of customers that seek for a better quality of life. This study aims to define the attributes of a instant noodle that meet the new trends in the food market, using the methodology Quality Function Deployment -QFD. The present paper developed a questionnaire and it was applied in person at the \"Luiz de Queiroz\" School of Agriculture, ESALQ/USP, and at two establishment in Piracicaba, SP and Jundiaí, SP. The questionnaire was also applied through an online platform. Based on the results and through multivariate analysis, it was possible to identify three customer groups: \"conscious\"; \"unhealthy\"; \"undecided\". The group selected was the \"conscious\" due to its preference for healthier products. From the matrix relationship between the attributes of the required quality and the technical requirements, the prioritization of the requirements that most impacted the needs of customers was established, being the main one the amount of mushrooms. The mushroom ingredient increases the added value of the instant noodle due to its nutritional and medicinal qualities, although it may affect the sale price.

Quality management (QM) is a holistic management philosophy that emphasises the involvement of every employee at different levels of an organization to achieve customer satisfaction and improve organizational effectiveness through continuous process improvement. There has been a rising interest among service sector professionals in examining the applicability and usefulness of quality management methods in service organisations. Many service organisations that have implemented quality management has achieved substantial benefits, but it is clear that implementation initiatives in some organisations have failed to live up to expectations. These mixed results point to a need to identify the factors that lie behind the success and failures of quality management programs. Empirical research in this area is extremely limited. The results of the study point to the importance of the role of employee support and encouragement of departmental co-operation for the successful implementation of quality management programs. These factors were found to be important not only initially, but also throughout the whole implementation period of QM programs. Another interesting finding is the relationship between QM success and implementation issues concerning internal organisational communication, corporate cultural change, and internal marketing. Significant differences exist in the way that each of these factors are practised and emphasised across organisations. Respondents rated the way in which they drew upon the culture, communication pattern and other behaviour to promote QM within the organisation. They also rated how important they thought these various activities were. It was found when these factors were emphasised in QM programs the chance of successful implementation was increased. Implications for quality management professionals and suggestions for further research are discussed / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Increasing market competition, globalisation, technological advancements and customers' awareness of service quality has contributed to environmental uncertainty within the hotel industry (Atkinson & Brander Brown, 2001; Brander Brown & Atkinson, 2001; Harris & Mongiello, 2001; Sanchez, 1997). Several researchers argue that managers' perceived uncertainty can be better managed if the general manager practises a transformational leadership style (i.e., the superior shares the organisational vision with subordinates and genuinely motivates them) (Hinkin & Tracey, 1994; Lockwood & Jones, 1989; Tracey & Hinkin, 1996; Zetie, Sparrow, Woodfield & Kilmartin, 1994; Zohar, 1994). Furthermore, the use of broad scope MAS (management accounting systems) information helps to reduce uncertainty and complexity, thereby improving decision-making (Biema & Greenwald, 1997; Chen, 1996; Chenhall & Morris, 1986; Gordon & Narayanan, 1984; Mia & Clarke, 1999; Sanchez, 1997). This study examined the relationship between hotel department managers' perception of the intensity of market competition, their general manager's (i.e., the superior's) transformational leadership style and the use of broad scope MAS information, and its effect on departmental performance (i.e., financial, non-financial and overall change in performance). In addition, this study investigated the moderating effect of national culture on the above relationship using Hofstede's (1980) theoretical framework including power distance and individualism dimensions, and undertaking the study in the Australian and Indian hotel industry. A cross-sectional design was used to present a snapshot of the relationship mentioned in the previous paragraph. In particular, two research methods-a self-administered postal survey questionnaire and face-to-face interviews-were used to improve the generalisation of the results. In total, 82 four and five star hotels (66 hotels in Australia and the remaining 16 in India) with more than 160 bedrooms returned completed and usable questionnaires. From each of the hotels and resorts, food and beverage as well as the room's department managers participated in the study. The data was gathered with the help of well-established instruments that were adapted for the hotel environment. For example, Gupta and Govindrajan's (1984) departmental performance scale; Khandwalla's (1972) market competition scale; Bass and Avolio's (1997) MLQ-5X transformational leadership scale; Chenhall and Morris's (1986) broad scope MAS information scale and Hofstede's (1980) national culture scale. In addition, major issues covered in the survey questionnaire were further discussed in face-to-face interviews with selected hotel department managers. While the quantitative data was analysed using standard descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics (i.e., t-test and hierarchical multiple regression techniques), qualitative data was analysed using summary tables. The quantitative and qualitative analysis resulting from the survey questionnaire and face-to-face interviews with hotel department managers provided support for the two sets of findings. Firstly, the basic performance model revealed a significant and positive three-way interaction between market competition, transformational leadership style, broad scope MAS information use and departmental performance consisting of financial performance, overall change in departmental performance as well as change in departmental revenue in the past two years prior to the study. Further analysis confirmed that improvement in departmental performance was apparent when general managers practised high, rather than low transformational leadership style, with no change in the level of market competition and broad scope MAS information use. While a significant and positive direct effect of transformational leadership and broad scope MAS information use on departmental performance was evident, a significant and negative direct effect of market competition on departmental performance was also found. Secondly, Australian and Indian department managers exhibited, a significant difference in national culture, transformational leadership, market competition and MAS use, but no significant difference in departmental performance was evident. The moderating effect of national culture on the basic performance model showed that in India, culture had no effect on the three-way interaction. However, in Australia, a significant and positive three-way interaction was only evident for overall changes in departmental revenue. Perhaps this long-term favourable outcome in Australia is due to the high transformational leadership style of hotel general managers, department managers' perception of high market competition and their increased use of broad scope MAS information. The theoretical and managerial implications of the study's results, limitations and future research directions are also discussed in the thesis.

由於服務業的發展及消費者權益意識提昇，服務品質廣受消費者重視。對服務業而言，服務品質已是其賴以生存發展的關鍵因素。在消費者導向的今日，滿意的顧客是企業追求的目標，也是其競爭優勢與成長的關鍵。 電力為國家經濟發展與民生不可或缺者，更是經濟與工業發展原動力。為應日益激烈之國際競爭，各國政府為提高競爭力，近年來莫不將民營化與自由化作為首要政策。台灣電力市場在電業法修正後亦將進入自由化時代，屆時台電公司之獨佔地位將被打破，市場競爭機制將進入電力產業，值得台電公司加以重視。而由於為數極少之高壓及特高壓電力用戶，對台電公司未來之營運有極大影響，為避免電力市場開放後，流失此利基市場，有必要及早針對工業大用戶之需求深入探討，瞭解其對各項服務的期望與評價，進而研究提高整體服務績效之策略，提供令顧客滿意的服務，才能確保台電公司之永續經營。 本研究依修正後的「SERVQUAL」量表，並參考電業服務與工業大用戶之特性，建立電業服務品質構面及服務屬性，並依此進行問卷內容設計，針對台電公司彰化以北地區1,000仟瓦以上工業大用戶，在各服務品質構面的重視度及滿意度進行調查研究，並試圖探討工業大用戶對台電公司各服務屬性之滿意度及重視度，進而瞭解不同用戶群對台電公司服務品質之滿意度及整體服務績效之評價是否有不同，據以建立台電公司之服務策略矩陣，提昇用戶對其整體服務績效之評價。問卷回收後經統計分析，獲致以下五點研究發現： (1)用戶對台電公司在各服務屬性上滿意度均值不相同，滿意度平均水準較高者，主要與服務場所及人員服務有關。滿意度平均水準較低者，主要是與供電品質與可靠度有關者。 (2)不同行業別對台電公司服務滿意度有不同評價，一般而言傳統產業之工業大用戶對台電公司服務滿意度較高，但同一行業之工業大用戶亦可能因其生產流程不同而對台電之服務滿意度有不同之評價。 (3)用戶對電業服務屬性重視程度較高者，主要集中在供電可靠度（品質）及人員專業技能有關之服務屬性。 (4)用戶對台電公司整體服務績效評價無法單獨以行業別或用戶生產流程來區隔，但同時以行業別及生產流作為區隔變數時，不同之用戶對台電公司整體服務績效評價則有明顯不同。無預警停電時，若用戶在原物料、生產設備的損失較嚴重時，對台電公司整體服務績效評價較低。 (5)用戶非常重視且對台電公司目前的服務滿意度亦高之服務屬性，主要集中在供電安全及人員專業技能方面，可作為未來台電對顧客訴求之重點。而用戶非常重視，但對台電公司目前的服務滿意度低者，主要集中在電力可靠度方面，台電公司應將其列為優先改善重點。 / Service quality and customer satisfaction are the KSFs of enterprise's growth.and competition. In order to provide the satisfying goods and service, the enterprise must be initiative in exploring customers' want and need. Taipower is monopoly in power market of Taiwan now. Due to the deregulation, the competitor will get into the power market. There are only about two thousand Large-Manufacturing-Contracted-capacity customers in Taipower, but they are the most important customers for Taipower. In order to avoid losing them after the deregulation, Taipower must realize their want and need, and customerize the product to match their need. Using SERVQUAL approach, the research finds: 1. There are significantly differences in satisfaction among them. The attritute of service place and service person have the higher customer satisfaction, but the attritute of power quality and power reliability have the poor performance. 2. There are difference customer-satisfaction among different industries. Generally, tradition industries have higher customer satisfaction. For the same industry, different manufacturing process may cause different customer satisfaction. 3. From the customers' perception, power quality and power reliability are the most important attritute of power service. 4. Industry or Manufacturing-process can't segment the service performance of power company, but Industry and Manufacturing-process can. When power outage occurs, the more loss of raw-material or facilities of customer will cause them having the recognition of poor service-performance for power company. 5. Security and personal skill are the advantage of Taipower. Taipower must improve the Power quality and power reliability immediately.

沒有中文摘要 Abstract List of Tables List of Figures Chapter Ⅰ Introduction 1 Section 1. Research Background and Motivation 1 Section 2. Research Questions 5 Section 3. Thesis Structure 7 Chapter Ⅱ Literature Review 8 Section 1. Customer Satisfaction 8 Section 2. Customer Expectation 13 Section 3. Customer Perceived Quality/Performance 15 Section 4. Customer Perceived Value 16 Section 5. Importance of Customer Satisfaction 17 Section 6. Measurements of Customer Satisfaction 19 CSI Model 19 SERVQUAL 21 Other Measurements of Customer Satisfaction 23 Chapter Ⅲ Research Hypotheses and Methodology 25 Section 1. Research Hypotheses 25 1.1 Research Model 25 1.2 Research Hypotheses 26 1.3 Research Variables 27 Section 2. LISREL Model 31 2.1 Introduction of LISREL 31 2.2 Structural Equation Model and Measurement Model 33 Section 3. Research Design 42 3.1 Research Target and Sampling 42 3.2 Questionnaire Design 42 Section 4. Comparison of Questionnaires 44 4.1 Design of Sales Questionnaire 44 4.2 Data Analysis of Sales Questionnaire 45 4.3 Design of Service Questionnaire 46 4.4 Data Analysis of Sales Questionnaire 47 4.5 Comparison of Lexus and CSI Questionnaires 47 Section 5. Limitations of Research 49 Chapter Ⅳ Data Analysis and Results 50 Section 1. Data Handling 50 1.1 Handling of Sample 50 1.2 Handling of Customer Loyalty Data 50 1.3 Handling of Customer Complaints Data 51 1.4 Handling of Perceived Value Data 51 Section 2. Analyzed Result 53 2.1 Model Estimation 53 2.2. Squared Multiple Correlation 55 2.3 Parameter Estimation 56 Section 3. Hypotheses Test 60 Section 4. Meaning of Data Result 65 Section 5. Summary of Customer Opinions 67 Chapter Ⅴ Conclusion and Recommendations 69 Section 1. Research Conclusion 69 Section 2. Recent Customer Service Effort of Lexus 72 Section 3. Recommendations 74 List of References 76 List of Appendices 79 Appendix 1. CSI Lexus Questionnaire (English) 79 Appendix 2. CSI Lexus Questionnaire (Chinese) 84 Appendix 3. Lexus Original Sales Questionnaire (English) 88 Appendix 4. Lexus Original Sales Questionnaire (Chinese) 93 Appendix 5. Lexus Original Service Questionnaire (English) 97 Appendix 6. Lexus Original Service Questionnaire (Chinese) 102 Appendix 7. Samples of Lexus Questionnaire Data Analysis Result 106 / As the numbers of manufacturers and providers strive to out-do each other, Taiwan is increasingly becoming a competitive market. As the market becomes competitive, traditional norm was for firms to compete on the basis of price. However, firms are realizing that competing on price does not only decrease their profit margins, but it is also very costly to continuously acquire new customers. Therefore, various firms have started to attach more and more importance on improving customer satisfaction to retain current customers. Lexus is one of those firms, which is striving to increase customer satisfaction level as a way to compete in a very competitive market in Taiwan. With the precious chance to cooperate with Taiwan Lexus, the main purpose of this research is to explore the Taiwanese Lexus system of customer satisfaction by understanding the Customer Satisfaction Index model introduced by Fornell et al. in 1996. From the research result by employing LISREL model, it was found that for Taiwanese Lexus owners, perceived quality is the only variable directly and positively influencing overall customer satisfaction, although through perceived quality, customer expectation indirectly influences overall customer satisfaction. Further, unlike CSI model, perceived value does not exist as one of the antecedents of overall customer satisfaction. Another important founding was that customer complaints have positive influence on customer loyalty. In the final section, based on the research results of LISREL model, some recommendations are offered. Mainly, improve perceived quality, for it is the most effective way of increasing the level of customer satisfaction. In addition, based on the findings from the customer opinion section of the questionnaire, improve the product quality of Lexus’ GS model, lower the costs of repair and parts, improve service reliability, attitude of service personnel, and quality of maintenance and repair. Finally, from the discussion with Taiwan Lexus, it was revealed that the importance of customer satisfaction and its concept are not fully accepted by the Lexus dealers. Therefore, along with the effort of improving customer satisfaction of Lexus owners, educating and getting consensus of the dealers are very important for the success of customer service system at Taiwan Lexus.

顧客滿意已成為消費市場的主流與趨勢,能夠真正落實顧客滿意經營的企業才能贏得忠誠的顧客,在競爭激烈的市場中佔有一席之地. 員工滿意.顧客滿意,才能造就永續經營的企業. 本研究首先以員工參與經營管理為出發點,實施12個問項長期改善與目前績效衡量問卷調查,並提出促進員工參與.提昇品質.減少直接成本的建議. 為瞭解顧客對大大鞋業產品品質及服務品質的滿意程度,實施內部顧客滿意度問卷調查,以了解企業與顧客對產品品質及服務品質的認知差距,並針對滿意度較的項目提出改善建議.另外並調查顧客選擇至鞋廠商的因素,以供業者參考.