Applying a hidden Markov chain model in quality function deployment to analyze dynamic customer requirements

This study applies a hidden Markov chain model in quality function deployment to analyze dynamic customer requirements from probabilities viewpoints. In reality, the needed probabilities can be computed based upon the experts’ opinions for economic conditions as well as the customers’ surveys by asking customers’ preferences under different economic conditions. Each customer requirement can be analyzed as time goes by. In addition, the changes for each technical measure can be closely examined from time to time. More importantly, when new customers’ surveys are conducted and available as well as the new economic conditions analyzed by experts have been updated, both customer requirements and technical measures can be adjusted in a timely basis to reflect and fulfill the dynamic customer requirements. As a result, this proposed approach provides a decision maker to analyze and satisfy both past and present customer needs early on such that a better strategy can be made based upon the most updated customers’ surveys and economic conditions.     

A fuzzy group decision-making approach in quality function deployment

Quality function deployment (QFD) is comprised of two major group decision-making processes. One is to collect the customer requirements from a group of customers, whereas the other is to determine the relationship between customer requirements and technical measures by a cross-functional team. Generally, different and/or even subjective opinions are quite often in a group decision-making process due to the limitations of experience and impreciseness. Obviously, the importance of each customer requirement and the relationship between customer requirements and technical measures are determined by a group of people with imprecision and vagueness. Under such circumstances, a fuzzy group decision-making approach can be applied in QFD to deal with a group decision-making process when the information is imprecise and fuzzy. Moreover, an example is provided as well as the computational steps to show this fuzzy group decision-making approach can be effectively used in QFD to make decisions with imprecision and vagueness.     

Applying fuzzy quality function deployment (QFD) to identify solutions of service delivery system for port of Kaohsiung

The main purpose of this paper is to apply fuzzy quality function deployment (QFD) model to identify solutions of service delivery system (SDS) for port of Kaohsiung from the viewpoints of customers. At first, to facilitate the main issue of the QFD problem, however, the ‘what’ question of customer needs and ‘how’ problem of the services have to be made, which are two major components and be emphasized on the house of quality (HOQ) matrices. In conjunction with fuzzy sets theory, hence, the systematic procedures using fuzzy QFD were proposed in this paper. Subsequently, a case study for port of Kaohsiung demonstrated the systematic appraisal process for identifying solutions of SDS. The results of empirical study show that (1) 10 key factors are deemed as to have priority to improve the quality of SDS for Kaohsiung port; and (2) eight feasible solutions for improving service quality performance are identified. Moreover, it is suggested that port Authority of Kaohsiung should listen attentively the voice of customers and emphasize on exploiting these customer requirements effectively. And then develop the ‘how’ issues of profiles of solutions, which should continuously strengthen the perspectives of customer, internal business process, and learning and growth, respectively.     

Towards an understanding of supply chain quality management

In this paper, we define supply chain quality management (SCQM) to operationalize and understand the effect of increased emphasis on supply chain management on the practice of quality management. We review current research in quality management and identify common themes found in the literature. Key quality management content variables identified are customer focus, quality practices, supplier relations, leadership, HR practices, business results, and safety. We use these variables to propose areas for future research in the field of supply chain quality management.     

基于质量功能展开的连锁家饰店服务质量研究

质量功能展开(Quality Function Deployment,QFD)是一种透过质量屋的运作,系统地将顾客需求转换成工程要求的技术的方法。文中应用QFD导入PZB服务质量模式,整合模糊理论、Kano二维质量模式及顾客满意效益系数,分析连锁家饰店顾客服务质量需求的权重与排序,再以灰关联分析理论确定连锁家饰店各项工程要求质量的灰关联度值与排序,有助于经营者明确提高服务质量的重点。     

质量机能展开在第三方物流质量管理中的运用

经济全球化意味着需要对供应链中各节点企业的产品质量、服务质量进行及时的评价和控制．将质量机能展开（QFD）与供应链管理结合起来，提出一种提高第三方物流效率与服务质量的管理方法．并采用质量控制的设计思路，通过存储能力、运输能力、组织协调能力等方面，对第三方物流展开质量评价．以提高供应链各节点企业的质量水平。     

用模糊层次分析法确定QFD中消费者要求权重

质量功能配置(QualityFunctionDeployment,QFD),是能在产品开发及生产的各个阶段,将顾客要求转化为合理的技术要求的整体概念。在实施QFD的过程中,确定消费者的要求权重是一个关键而不可缺少的步骤。本文将模糊一致矩阵引入层次分析中,通过建立模糊一致矩阵来确定QFD中消费者要求权重。由于模糊一致矩阵更符合人们在决策过程中的心理特性,因此,它能提高确定消费者的要求权重的准确性。最后,用一个实例阐述了这种方法在QFD中确定消费者的要求权重中的应用。     

A method for determining customer requirement weights based on TFMF and TLR

‘Customer requirements’ (CRs) management plays an important role in enterprise systems (ESs) by processing customer-focused information. Quality function deployment (QFD) is one of the main CRs analysis methods. Because CR weights are crucial for the input of QFD, we developed a method for determining CR weights based on trapezoidal fuzzy membership function (TFMF) and 2-tuple linguistic representation (TLR). To improve the accuracy of CR weights, we propose to apply TFMF to describe CR weights so that they can be appropriately represented. Because the fuzzy logic is not capable of aggregating information without loss, TLR model is adopted as well. We first describe the basic concepts of TFMF and TLR and then introduce an approach to compute CR weights. Finally, an example is provided to explain and verify the proposed method.     

怎样制定质量体系中的质量计划

从制定质量计划的作用，意义，论述了制定质量计划的内容以及注意事项。     

On the possibility of extinction in a class of Markov processes in economics

We analyze the possibility of eventual extinction of a replenishable economic asset (natural resource or capital) whose stocks follow a stationary Markov process with zero as an absorbing state. In particular, the stochastic process of stocks is determined by a given sequence of i.i.d. random variables with bounded support and a positive-valued transition function that maps the current level of the stock and the current realization of the random variable to the next period’s stock. Such processes arise naturally in stochastic dynamic models of economic growth and exploitation of natural resources. Under a minimal set of assumptions, the paper identifies conditions for almost sure extinction from all initial stocks as well as conditions under which the stocks enter every neighborhood of zero infinitely often almost surely. Our results emphasize the crucial role played by the nature of the transition function under the worst realization of the random shock and clarifies the role of the “average” rate of growth in the context of extinction.     

顾客价值屋模型:一种分析顾客价值要素的新方法

顾客价值对于产生顾客满意、顾客忠诚,帮助企业获得竞争优势具有重要意义。Woodruff提出顾客价值确定(CVD)模型用于对顾客价值进行探察和分析。本文通过借鉴质量功能展开中的质量屋的构建思想,提出了一种顾客价值屋模型,用于对CVD模型中的现有的顾客价值分析方法进行改进。     

庆阳煤炭产业链与空间发展模式研究

针对甘肃庆阳煤炭产业的现状,剖析了该区域产业链布局上的断裂性、单一性和孤立性等问题。应用产业链纵向控制模型和城市规划相关理论,研究了庆阳煤炭产业链的整合模式、思路和策略,进而提出了煤炭产业区域点轴发展、工业聚集区链状发展、城乡统筹镶嵌式组团状发展的空间模式。     

QFD技术在计算机软件改造中的应用

本文介绍了质量功能展开（ＱＦＤ）技术在计算机软件改造中的应用,案例表明,该方法效果显著。     

The impact of supply chain quality management practices and knowledge transfer on organisational performance: an empirical investigation from China

In recent years, both quality management practices (QMP) and knowledge transfer (KT) have been studied extensively from inter-organisational and intra-organisational perspectives. However, to the best of our knowledge, the interaction between QMP and KT in a supply chain and their joint effects on organisational performance have not been addressed fully. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights for improving performance by mapping the relationship between supply chain quality management practices (SCQMP) and KT. A survey of 157 Chinese manufacturing firms is used to test a conceptual model that proposes relationship among SCQMP, KT and organisational performance (including operational performance and innovation performance). Structural equation modelling reveals that internal QMP have significantly positive effect on internal KT, while QMP at supply chain level have highly positive effect on cross-organisational KT. Furthermore, the results show that both internal KT and cross-organisational KT can promote operational and innovation performance, although the influence from internal KT is much more significant than cross-organisational KT for Chinese firms. The findings contribute to theory as well as practice by increasing understanding of how to improve the operational and innovation performance through enhancing SCQMP and KT.     

A supply chain network equilibrium model with a smoothing newton solution scheme

ABSTRACT

Considering that a supply chain comprises several independent decision makers, a supply chain network equilibrium model that consists of manufacturers, retailers and consumers is developed. After analysing the optimal conditions of various decision makers in the model, the equilibrium condition is established as an equivalent, finite-dimensional variational inequality formulation and is solved by a smoothing Newton method. The global and quadratic convergence of the method is established. The numerical results show the rapid convergence of the method. Additionally, the rapid convergence of the smoothing Newton method is beneficial when solving a complicated network model in the real world.     

The prioritisation of service dimensions in logistics centres: a fuzzy quality function deployment methodology

This study takes a customer focus that prioritises the service-offering dimensions of logistics centres (LCs) by considering potential LC customer expectations. Applying a survey and a quality function deployment methodology to logistics service providers, the study explores, categorises and prioritises LC customer expectations and LC service characteristics. The results indicate that customer preferences mainly prioritise infrastructure, and warehouse and intermodal dimensions. However, when the cost dimension is included, higher utility values are delivered through soft service dimensions like value-added or standard services. LC investors or undertakers can use these results to guide their design of market offerings by using the same methodology to assess expectations in their target markets.     

Creating a competitive advantage in the global flight catering supply chain: a case study using SCOR model

Flight catering is a complex food service industry that caters to a wide range of airlines. Meals provided to passengers are a measure of in-flight service on an airplane. In the case of the airline industry, flight catering companies are responsible for preparing the meal that flight crews serve it at a voyaging altitude. This case study examines Emirates Kitchen Flight Catering (EKFC), a jointly owned entity of Dubai Civil Aviation (10%) and the Emirates Group (90%). Based on existing literature, international archival reports, company publications and participant observations of EKFC, the paper examines how EKFC reached the top of the catering supply chain by offering the best-in-class quality services and food to its passengers. The paper addresses the persistent growth of EKFC’s operations and investigates relevant strategies that reinforce EKFC’s fundamental competencies through the application of Supply Chain Operations Reference framework. Offering a combination of on-board excellence, quality, and fresh and delicious food while controlling costs across the supply chain is an important differentiator of EKFC’s flight catering business, thereby setting a benchmark for other businesses.     

Residential investment and house prices in a multi-sector monetary business cycle model

This paper develops a three-sector quantitative dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model to account for some of the salient business cycle properties concerning residential investment and house prices. We depart from the traditional Real Business Cycle setup by incorporating monetary frictions and credit market activities into the model economy. The model generates the high volatility of residential investment and hours worked in the house investment goods producing sector, as well as the procyclicality of house prices. The lead-lag pattern of house investment also roughly conforms with the data. We find that monetary policy and nominal interest rates play a special role in the determination of house prices. Money shocks generate remarkably volatile residential investment and house prices.     

When natural resources run out,market knowledge steps in: Lessons on natural resource deployment from a longitudinal study in a resource-scarce region of Ethiopia

With the increasing scarcity of natural resources, the ability to maintain quality standards during resource-scarce times becomes more critical for business performance. Theories on managing resource scarcity cannot be easily tested in contexts where resources are still abundant. This study therefore turns to an emerging market context in which natural resource availability naturally varies strongly between seasons, namely, that of Ethiopian pastoralists who for many generations learned to adapt to natural resource scarcity. Central to our theory is the natural resource deployment capability, which is the ability of a business to make efficient and effective use of available resources to maintain business performance during resource-scarce times. Using three-wave longitudinal data from 120 pastoral family-based livestock businesses, the study shows that when resources are scarce or extremely scarce, market knowledge helps to better deploy the scarce natural resources, leading to higher product quality. The findings imply that businesses with a better understanding of markets have stronger natural resource deployment capability. The lesson for businesses that are confronted with approaching resource scarcity is therefore to strengthen their ability to deploy resources efficiently and effectively by strengthening their market knowledge in which such capability is rooted.     

Synthesis of strategies in post-COVID-19 public sector supply chains under an intuitionistic fuzzy environment

Entities in public sector supply chains (SCs) often operate independently despite having interdependent objectives. Such a fragmented operational design poses several problems magnified by the presence of necessary public health measures fueled by COVID-19. This work contributes to the domain literature by introducing an overarching framework for synthesizing strategies in public sector SCs. The underlying component is the translation of information from the upstream to the downstream entities of the SCs, which is carried out by a Kano-enhanced quality function deployment. The proposed framework introduces intuitionistic fuzzy (IF) decision maps with the aid of the full consistency method to incorporate inherent interrelationships among strategies in the translation agenda. Under an IF environment that better captures judgment uncertainties, an actual case study of a multi-level public sector SC motivated by a government-funded project under the COVID-19 pandemic is demonstrated in this work. Findings of the case suggest that the government prioritizes meeting all project objectives. This requirement is reflected in the downstream SC. The project planning entity focuses on creating an overarching plan of operations, material request entity on complying with government procurement protocols, and maintaining public health and safety in operations for the procurement entity. Results show the effective synthesis of strategies across the SC, ensuring SC integration and collaboration. The case study demonstrates that maintaining public health and safety is a significant component of post-COVID-19 public sector SCs. Several practical insights on the synthesis of public sector SC strategies are also provided in this work.