The integration of services and products into solutions can open up new business opportunities for firms. This thesis concerns how firms can provide solutions that are perceived as high quality. Solutions are often provided over several years, which implies a changed customer relationship compared to product provisions. Since the solution aims to support the customer’s activities, firms face new challenges when introducing solutions. One challenge is to integrate all components and activities of the solution, and simultaneously support the customer’s activities. In addition, the firm must ensure that the solution and all of its parts are of high quality. Most of the existing research on quality is related to the management of a firm’s internal activities and the interaction during exchange. Within the research on quality, customer orientation means that a firm should manage the relevant product or service to meet customer requirements. When this is achieved, the product or service is of high quality. Since solutions are seen as services and products that are integrated as an outcome, as well as a customer relational process that aims to support the customer’s activities, firms have little to learn from previous research about the quality of solutions. The aim of this thesis is to increase knowledge about how to manage solution quality. The thesis combines insights from research on quality with research on solutions and servitization. Three research questions are answered. The first question concerns the content of solution quality; the second deals with how firms can, with support from interventions, meet the new challenges that arise from solution provision; and the third question concerns how customers can be involved to achieve solution quality. The research questions are answered through five papers based on literature studies and empirical data. The papers contribute to an increased knowledge of solution quality and how firms can work to achieve it. The results of the thesis suggest that solution quality is built on seven quality dimensions: reliability, communicability, internal consistency, empathy, approachability, tangibility, and adaptability. In addition, knowledge of processes and customer relationships are two prerequisites for the concept. These dimensions and prerequisites are supported by interventions that can provide a change. However, it has become evident that whatever intervention is used must be related to the dimensions that are supposed to be improved. Furthermore, customer involvement is argued to be an intervention to support the prerequisites for solution quality, especially during the solution  development. The results of this thesis extend the research on quality by increasing the knowledge of the solution quality concept and by changing the view of customers and their involvement during solution development. / Den här avhandlingen berör hur företag kan möjliggöra så att produkter och  tjänster, integrerade i så kallade helhetslösningar, kan levereras med hög kvalitet. Helhetslösningar levereras ofta över en längre tid vilket medför en förändrad kundrelation till skillnad mot när endast en produkt levereras. Helhetslösningar syftar till att stödja kunden i dess aktiviteter. Det medför att företagen möter nya utmaningar. En utmaning är att få den komplexa helhetslösningen, bestående av olika komponenter och aktiviteter, att passa ihop och samtidigt bidra till att stötta kundens aktiviteter. Dessutom behöver företagen säkerställa att helhetslösningen och alla dess delar har hög kvalitet. Tidigare forskning inom kvalitetsutveckling berör företags interna processer och aktiviteter. När man inom kvalitetsutveckling talar om kundorientering innebär det att företaget med interna medel ska arbeta för att möjliggöra så produkten eller tjänsten möter kundens specifikationer. När detta är uppnått har produkten eller tjänsten hög kvalitet. Företagen har här inga riktlinjer att följa när de ska leverera helhetslösningar som ska anpassas efter kundens aktiviteter och när en så tydlig kundrelation ska utvecklas. Det finns med andra ord ingen vägledning för vad som är kvalitet eller hur man möjliggör hög kvalitet på helhetslösningar. Den här avhandlingen visar vad som ingår i begreppet kvalitet när det gäller helhetslösningar (lösningskvalitet) samt hur företag kan möjliggöra det. Tre olika frågor har huvudsakligen behandlats. Den första frågan besvarar vad lösningskvalitet innehåller. Den andra berör hur företag med hjälp av åtgärder kan bidra till en förändring inom företaget för att möta de nya utmaningar som uppstår med att leverera helhetslösningar. Den tredje frågan berör på vilket sätt kunden kan involveras för att uppnå lösningskvalitet. För att besvara frågorna har ett antal studier baserade på empiriskt material genomförts, och fem artiklar har författats under forskningsprocessen. Artiklarna bidrar till att öka förståelsen för lösningskvalitet och hur företag kan arbeta för att uppnå det. Avhandlingens resultat visar att lösningskvalitet består av sju olika dimensioner: tillförlitlighet, kommunicerbarhet, intern överensstämmelse, empati, nåbarhet, påtaglighet, och anpassningsbarhet. Dessutom är kunskap om processer och kundrelationer två förutsättningar för att uppnå lösningskvalitet. Dimensionerna betraktas som riktmärken för lösningskvalitet som företag kan arbeta mot. Dimensionerna och förutsättningarna stöttas i sin tur av åtgärder som används för att bidra till den interna förändringen inom företaget. Resultaten visar dock att använda åtgärder inte alltid leder till en förändring. Endast noga utvalda åtgärder som relaterar till en specifik dimension möjliggör en förändring. Exempel på en möjlig åtgärd är kundinvolvering. Speciellt vid utveckling av helhetslösningar, betraktas kundinvolvering som en möjlig åtgärd för att stötta förutsättningarna till lösningskvalitet. Resultaten i den här avhandlingen bidrar huvudsakligen till en ökad kunskap om vad kvalitet är när det gäller helhetslösningar. Ytterligare ett bidrag är att föreslå kundens förändrade roll under utveckling och vid leverans av helhetslösningar för att uppnå lösningskvalitet.

It is obvious that customers are important stakeholders in organizations and their satisfaction is a priority to management. Customer satisfaction has been a subject of great interest to organizations and researchers alike. In recent years, organizations are obliged to render more services in addition to their offers. The quality of service has become an aspect of customer satisfaction. It has been proven by some researchers that service quality is related to customer satisfaction. Others used service quality dimensions to evaluate service quality. What about the relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality dimensions; the relationship between service quality and its dimensions?   Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality in service sectors with respect to the service quality dimensions.   Method: Convenience sampling technique was used to collect quantitative data from customers of Umeå University, ICA and Forex to get their satisfaction levels and meaning of service quality which were substituted in the SERVQUAL model. Chi-square test was used to test the hypotheses separately and in a group.   Findings: The study showed distinctive results for the relationship between service quality dimensions and service quality/customer satisfaction.ICA and Forex had significant relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction; butUmeåUniversity had no significant relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction. Meanwhile the group result showed that: ´responsiveness`, empathy´ and ´reliability´ were significantly related to service quality; ´reliability` and `empathy`, were significantly related to customer satisfaction but `responsiveness` was not significantly related to customer satisfaction; meanwhile service quality was significantly related to customer satisfaction.   Implication/Contribution: The findings imply that service quality is not the only factors that could lead to customer satisfaction in service sectors; that service quality dimension varies in the different service sectors. The findings suggest that to provide quality service in order to satisfy customers, organizations in this kind of service sectors need to improve on the dimensions of service quality. Also, to provide total satisfaction to customers, the service sectors need to improve on the other factors that were given as reasons for satisfaction. This study contributes to existing theories by confirming or adding value to the relationships that are involved in customer satisfaction, service quality and SERVQUAL dimensions. It provides results that could be useful to managers in business organisations for strategic planning.

O gerenciamento produtivo através da implementação de sistemas de certificação pode trazer melhorias significativas do desempenho organizacional. Neste estudo é apresentada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o conceito de qualidade em alimentos, bem como são abordadas as particularidades de alguns sistemas de certificação de alimentos. O comportamento do consumidor de alimentos e atributos relacionados à percepção de qualidade em vinhos também faz parte da literatura pesquisada. Como método, realizou-se uma survey entre consumidores participantes de confrarias brasileiras de vinhos buscando avaliar a percepção atribuída por estes consumidores aos sistemas de certificação ISO 22000, APPCC, ISO 14001, produção orgânica e indicação geográfica para vinhos finos. Como resultado da análise de dados constata-se que a valorização aos sistemas de certificação abordados não se dá de forma igualitária, sendo a indicação geográfica de origem o sistema de certificação mais valorizado e mais conhecido para os consumidores confrades brasileiros, sobressaindo-se dos demais sistemas de certificação abordados. / Productive management through certification systems implementation may bring significant organizational performance improvements. This study is going to present a literature review based on the concept of food quality as well as the particularities of some food certification systems. Food consumer behavior and attributes regarding perception of quality in wines is also part of the studied literature. As a work method, a survey among consumers that participate in Brazilian fraternities of wines was carried out in order to evaluate the perception these consumers give to ISO 22000, HACCP and ISO 14000 certification systems, organic production and geographical indications for quality wines. A result of the data analysis reveals that the valuation certification systems do not get addressed equally, with the geographical indication of origin certification system more valued and better known to Brazilian consumer of wines of fraternities, standing out from the others certification systems addressed.

O gerenciamento produtivo através da implementação de sistemas de certificação pode trazer melhorias significativas do desempenho organizacional. Neste estudo é apresentada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o conceito de qualidade em alimentos, bem como são abordadas as particularidades de alguns sistemas de certificação de alimentos. O comportamento do consumidor de alimentos e atributos relacionados à percepção de qualidade em vinhos também faz parte da literatura pesquisada. Como método, realizou-se uma survey entre consumidores participantes de confrarias brasileiras de vinhos buscando avaliar a percepção atribuída por estes consumidores aos sistemas de certificação ISO 22000, APPCC, ISO 14001, produção orgânica e indicação geográfica para vinhos finos. Como resultado da análise de dados constata-se que a valorização aos sistemas de certificação abordados não se dá de forma igualitária, sendo a indicação geográfica de origem o sistema de certificação mais valorizado e mais conhecido para os consumidores confrades brasileiros, sobressaindo-se dos demais sistemas de certificação abordados. / Productive management through certification systems implementation may bring significant organizational performance improvements. This study is going to present a literature review based on the concept of food quality as well as the particularities of some food certification systems. Food consumer behavior and attributes regarding perception of quality in wines is also part of the studied literature. As a work method, a survey among consumers that participate in Brazilian fraternities of wines was carried out in order to evaluate the perception these consumers give to ISO 22000, HACCP and ISO 14000 certification systems, organic production and geographical indications for quality wines. A result of the data analysis reveals that the valuation certification systems do not get addressed equally, with the geographical indication of origin certification system more valued and better known to Brazilian consumer of wines of fraternities, standing out from the others certification systems addressed.

O gerenciamento produtivo através da implementação de sistemas de certificação pode trazer melhorias significativas do desempenho organizacional. Neste estudo é apresentada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o conceito de qualidade em alimentos, bem como são abordadas as particularidades de alguns sistemas de certificação de alimentos. O comportamento do consumidor de alimentos e atributos relacionados à percepção de qualidade em vinhos também faz parte da literatura pesquisada. Como método, realizou-se uma survey entre consumidores participantes de confrarias brasileiras de vinhos buscando avaliar a percepção atribuída por estes consumidores aos sistemas de certificação ISO 22000, APPCC, ISO 14001, produção orgânica e indicação geográfica para vinhos finos. Como resultado da análise de dados constata-se que a valorização aos sistemas de certificação abordados não se dá de forma igualitária, sendo a indicação geográfica de origem o sistema de certificação mais valorizado e mais conhecido para os consumidores confrades brasileiros, sobressaindo-se dos demais sistemas de certificação abordados. / Productive management through certification systems implementation may bring significant organizational performance improvements. This study is going to present a literature review based on the concept of food quality as well as the particularities of some food certification systems. Food consumer behavior and attributes regarding perception of quality in wines is also part of the studied literature. As a work method, a survey among consumers that participate in Brazilian fraternities of wines was carried out in order to evaluate the perception these consumers give to ISO 22000, HACCP and ISO 14000 certification systems, organic production and geographical indications for quality wines. A result of the data analysis reveals that the valuation certification systems do not get addressed equally, with the geographical indication of origin certification system more valued and better known to Brazilian consumer of wines of fraternities, standing out from the others certification systems addressed.

This research answers the complex decision-making question about identifying the quality dimensions in a polymer industry and to prioritize these quality dimensions to obtain the best quality product with minimum expenditure. This research takes use of expert opinion and right decision-making model to yield an optimal solution which will help the manufacturing plants to reduce wastage and to get a better consistent quality product throughout the production process.

<p>För ett serviceföretag är det väsentligt att kunna leverera tjänstekvalitet för att tillfredsställa kunden. Tjänsternas immateriella produktkaraktär gör det emellertid svårt för serviceleverantören i allmänhet och professionella tjänsteleverantörer i synnerhet att säkerställa kvalitet. Syftet med detta arbete är att utveckla en kontrollmodell som kan användas av professionella tjänsteleverantörer som ett hjälpmedel i arbetet att säkra servicekvalitet. Modellen bygger på relevant teori och består av tre kvalitetskategorier – image, teknisk kvalitet och funktionell kvalitet – genom vilka 13 kvalitetsdimensioner behandlas. För att pröva modellens användbarhet utvärderas med modellens intervjuguide de arbetsmetoder som används på företaget Öhrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers. Resultatet på utvärderingen visar att kontrollmodellen behandlar de kvalitetsgenererande delarna av en serviceprocess som exempelföretaget arbetar med i praktiken vilket bekräftar att studiens kontrollmodell kan användas som ett hjälpmedel av professionella tjänsteleverantörer vid kvalitetssäkring.</p>

För ett serviceföretag är det väsentligt att kunna leverera tjänstekvalitet för att tillfredsställa kunden. Tjänsternas immateriella produktkaraktär gör det emellertid svårt för serviceleverantören i allmänhet och professionella tjänsteleverantörer i synnerhet att säkerställa kvalitet. Syftet med detta arbete är att utveckla en kontrollmodell som kan användas av professionella tjänsteleverantörer som ett hjälpmedel i arbetet att säkra servicekvalitet. Modellen bygger på relevant teori och består av tre kvalitetskategorier – image, teknisk kvalitet och funktionell kvalitet – genom vilka 13 kvalitetsdimensioner behandlas. För att pröva modellens användbarhet utvärderas med modellens intervjuguide de arbetsmetoder som används på företaget Öhrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers. Resultatet på utvärderingen visar att kontrollmodellen behandlar de kvalitetsgenererande delarna av en serviceprocess som exempelföretaget arbetar med i praktiken vilket bekräftar att studiens kontrollmodell kan användas som ett hjälpmedel av professionella tjänsteleverantörer vid kvalitetssäkring.

Verksamheter som arbetar med ensamkommande flyktingbarn, både kommunala och privata, är av lagar och förordningar kravställda på att uppnå god kvalitet. Att uppfylla dessa krav är både avgörande och extremt viktiga för leverans av god kvalitet och tillfredsställelse av kundernas behov. Tidigare forskning på området kvalitet och kvalitetsdimensioner omfattar både offentlig och privat sektor, men tyvärr finns det ingen forskning kopplat till kvalitet i arbete med ensamkommande flyktingbarn. Därifrån utformades studiens syfte som har för avsikt att framta en sammanhållen bild av kvalitet och de viktigaste kvalitetsdimensioner som påverkar den totala kvalitén i arbete med ensamkommande flyktingbarn. Studiens genomförande baserades på en fallstudie med två analysenheter som arbetar med ensamkommande flyktingbarn. Studerade verksamheter bedrivs i form av HVB-hem för ensamkommande barn eller stödboende. I studien genomfördes även två semistrukturerade intervjuer med områdeschefer för att belysa ledningsperspektivet. Som kompletterande komponent genomfördes litteraturstudier och källanalyser av de normativa källorna. Resultat av studien tenderar att visa en bredd samt en heterogen tolkning, förklaring och definiering av begreppet kvalitet. En tydlig koppling finns till det humanistiska perspektivet inom psykologi genom Abraham Maslow`s behovsteori, samt Aron Antonovsky`s teori om känsla av samanhang, KASAM. Studiens resultat uppvisar också lagstiftningens påverkan på den förväntade och uppnådda kvalitén i arbetet med ensamkommande flyktingbarn. Resultat ger en tydlig bild på inverkan av mänsklig prestationsförmåga för kundernas uppfattning av servicekvalitén. Empati, lyhördhet och trygghet utmärks som några av de mest betydelsefulla kvalitetsdimensionerna för kundtillfredställelse. / Organizations that work with unaccompanied young refugees, both municipal and private, are required by the law and regulations to achieve good quality. To fulfill these requirements are both crucial and extremely important for the delivery of good quality and satisfaction of customer needs. Previous research in the field of quality and quality dimensions includes both the private and public sectors, but unfortunately there is no research related to quality in work with unaccompanied refugee minors. Therefore, the purpose of the study was designed as intended to develop a coherent image of quality and the main quality dimensions that affect the total quality of work with unaccompanied refugee minors. The studies implementation was based on a single case study with two analysis units working with unaccompanied refugee minors. Studied organizations are performed in the form of HVB-homes for unaccompanied young refugees or supported accommodation. The study also conducted two semi-structured interviews with area managers to highlight the management perspective. As a complementary component, literature studies and source analysis of the normative sources were conducted. The result of the study tends to show a broad and heterogeneous interpretation, explanation and definition of the concept of quality, with a clear link to the humanistic perspective in psychology through Abraham Maslow's theory of needs and Aron Antonovsky`s theory of the sense of coherence, KASAM. The results of the study also show the impact of legislation on the expected and achieved quality of work with unaccompanied refugee minors. The results provide a clear picture of the impact of human performance for customer’s perception of service quality. Empathy, responsiveness and security are distinguished as some of the most significant quality dimensions for customer satisfaction. / <p>2017-06-28</p>

The thesis focuses on application of theory of software testing in data warehousing area. The main goal of the thesis is an introduction of selected theory of software testing and analogical use of the theory in data warehousing environment. Part of the main goal is an introduction of architectonic model of testing process and later on focusing on part of testing which is problematic in data warehousing area. Partial goal of the thesis is validation of problematic part of the model using practical scenario. This partial goal is divided into two parts. First part focuses on requirements gathering and categorizing their priority. Second part focuses on demonstrating how project requirements, available resources and Teradata specific environment manipulate with the testing process. Theoretical part summarizes selected theory of software testing which is later applied in the area of data warehouse testing. The chapter introduces phases of data warehouse testing and specific goals of each testing phase. Chapter also describes model FURPS which is used to classify software quality dimensions a selected methods of requirements priority classification. An architectural model of testing process and its entities are described in the second part of theory. The theory then focuses on problematic part of the model which is requirements gathering and classification of their priority and demonstrates the influence of time, quality requirements and available resources on the overall process of testing. Practical part introduces a real-life scenario which demonstrates an application of described theory, namely requirements gathering, classification of requirements priorities and assigning dimensions of quality. The next part demonstrates the influence of available resources and requirements on the scope of testing. The outcome of the practical part of the thesis is that requirements gathering and classification of their priorities allows us to classify and sort scope of testing into logical and clear units, assign roles and their responsibilities and flexibly react on changes of project requirements. The thesis also points out that there are risks associated with changes of scope and emphasizes on the need of their evaluation.