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.     

我国铁路物流业发展现状、问题及对策

随着经济的迅速发展,物流业已经是国民经济中不可或缺的一部分,其中铁路物流在现代物流产业中占了相当大的一部分,发挥着重要的作用。当前我国铁路物流面临着发展机遇和挑战。文章从我国铁路物流的发展现状出发,多角度分析了我国铁路物流发展中存在的问题,并提出了相应的对策。     

论信息化条件下虚拟物流中心的构建

随着信息化、网络化和经济全球化的进一步发展,物流的实体网络与虚拟网络的无缝结合已成为现代物流需求的首要目标和物流行业的发展方向。文中首先探讨了物流虚拟化三个方面的成因,从而引出对虚拟物流中心解释,并提出了虚拟物流中心的构建是通过集中分散的制造商、供应商、销售商、物流企业、相关部门、银行、保险公司形成一个多功能的虚拟物流交易平台。最后从企业、第三方物流、人才以及管制四个方面提出了建议。     

苏州锦诚物流运作模式研究

第三方物流企业提供的物流服务为客户创造了"第三利润源泉",其作用越来越被重视,但是由于我国第三方物流起步较晚,因此第三方物流企业运营管理的科学性有所欠缺。文章就苏州锦诚物流公司为例,对其公司物流运作模式进行了研究,提出该公司在经营运作过程中所存在的问题并给出相应的改进方法,通过解决这些问题来增强企业在市场中的竞争力。     

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.     

The coordination roles of relief organisations in humanitarian logistics

The number of organisations involved in relief work in general and humanitarian logistics specifically is large and increasing, creating new complexity. In this paper we analyse different types of coordination and roles in two case studies of the humanitarian cluster system based on its initial development and the Kenyan Post-election crisis. The different and unclear roles of the organisations create significant problems before and after cluster activation and deactivation. Individual organisations take on many roles in the cluster system and beyond it in terms of coordination. The clarity of the roles affects the need for and ease of coordination. We suggest a simple basic categorisation of roles as a starting point for developing this concept in the field of humanitarian logistics and connect this to coordination.     

The performance of logistics service providers and the logistics costs of shippers: a comparative study of Finland and Switzerland

This article analyses the market dynamics between shippers in the manufacturing sector and logistics service providers (LSPs) in Finland and Switzerland, focusing on factors that are characteristic of the demand and supply sides of logistics markets such as performance indicators, financial ratios and relevant macroeconomic indicators. The development of shippers’ logistics costs over a period of ten years is analysed as a proxy for cost savings. This is mirrored against the development of the LSPs’ financial performance. The share of logistics costs in the turnover of Finnish shippers is consistently higher than that of their Swiss peers, whereas Finnish LSPs perform financially better than their Swiss peers. This implies that Finnish and Swiss logistics markets differ in terms of market power and interdependence between shippers and LSPs. The results indicate that the sub-regional interdependence and market power of LSPs, caused by a lack of competition, explain some of the differences in logistics costs.     

Advanced models of quality function deployment: a literature review

In this paper, a literature review conducted to study the characteristics of advanced models of quality function deployment (QFD) that have appeared in the literature arena is reported. QFD technique emerged in Japan in the 1970s. QFD has been proving to be a powerful tool that can be used for translating the voice of customers into technical languages. Yet from the beginning of this century, researchers began to point out the need to refine, modify and improve the features of QFD technique. In order to fulfil this need, few researchers brought out several advanced models of QFD. While conducting the literature review reported in this paper, six types of such advanced models of QFD were identified in the literature arena and their characteristics were studied. The result of this study revealed that the procedural and computational complexities are least in the case of an advanced model called total quality function deployment (TQFD). TQFD technique replaces the complex computations involved in applying conventional QFD technique with simple ratings. Besides the formation of teams to translate the voice of customers into work instructions ensures the quick reactions to the customers’ desires in the actual field of implementation. In this background, at end of this paper, it is suggested to adopt TQFD for implementation in traditional organizations in which the prevalence of adequate education for adopting complex procedures is found to be least.     

Applying a markov chain model in quality function deployment

The relationships between customer requirements and technical measures are typically resolved by a cross-functional team with the assumption that the relationships are able to be identified objectively. However, due to the limited knowledge and experiences, determining the appropriate relationship could be difficult since the decision makers might not have enough information to evaluate the actual relationship. Moreover, the importance of technical measures is typically expressed in the current time period. It would be of interest to trace the future trends of technical measures since customer needs are fulfilled by technical measures. Under such circumstances, a Markov chain model could be an approach to model the relationship and monitor the trends of technical measures from probabilities viewpoints. With the needed probabilities, the dynamic relationships as well as the trends of technical measures can be performed by different time periods. Finally, the relationships and future trends of technical measures can be updated when the new information is available.     

基于问卷调查的盐城市物流服务需求分析

在调查问卷分析的基础上,对盐城市物流服务需求现状进行了分析,结果表明盐城市物流服务需求存在需求结构不完善、行业间外包比例差距明显、物流服务商选择欠妥、物流管理人才缺乏等问题。针对这些问题,从三个方面提出了完善盐城市物流市场的措施。     

Increasing HR's strategic participation: The effect of HR service quality and contribution expectations

Strategic participation is important for HR professionals who wish to have increased influence in their organizations. While a number of previous studies have suggested a link between strategic human resource management and firm performance, few have explored the specific factors enabling HR strategic participation. This study examines the impact of HR service quality and expectations of HR contributions on HR strategic participation. A total of 244 survey responses were received from 42 companies in Taiwan. All hypotheses were supported, thus signifying significant relationships between HR service quality, expectations of HR contributions, and HR strategic participation. The study results also indicate that HR professionals are able to proactively increase the value of HR in organizations by enhancing HR service quality and addressing potential internal customers' needs accordingly. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

第三方物流参与物流金融运作的模式及其风险防范

物流金融可以帮助中小企业突破“融资难”的困境。文中从物流金融的概念出发,分析了物流金融运作的模式,指出了物流金融在实践中存在的问题及其发展瓶颈,最后提出了第三方物流企业参与物流金融业务风险的控制策略。     

我国铁路货运发展现代物流的思考

与公路、民航及水运等行业相比．铁路长期以来形成的政企舍一的管理模式和服务功能单一的经营模式已经越来越不能适应市场变化的要求。逐渐将物流理念融入我国铁路货运已经刻不容缓。论文正是从铁路货运的实际问题出发,分析了铁路货运所面临的形势、剖析铁路货物运输发展现代物流的必要性与可行性,确定铁路货运发展现代物流的思路与目标。提出铁路枢纽发展现代物流的措施。     

The antecedents of employee commitment to customer service: evidence from a UK

This paper provides a first attempt at conceptualizing and operationalizing the notion of commitment to customer service (CCS) as part of a broader concern to explore the determinants of key aspects of service quality and of individual-level performance in service organizations. Based on an explicitly behavioral definition of commitment to customer service, we first set out a model of the antecedents of CCS. We then test it using data from a representative sample of 717 employees of a major food-retailing organization in the UK. The results suggest that commitment to customer service is primarily a non-calculative phenomenon driven above all by affective. normative altruistic concerns, rather than by overtly instrumental considerations. Additional significant determinants of CCS were job pressure, job routinization. job competence and employees' understanding of customer service requirements. Research and policy implications of the study are discussed.     

A structural compendium on service quality and customer satisfaction: A survey of banks in India

ABSTRACT

The core aim of the research is to measure and analyze the quality of services offered by the top three public- and private-sector banks in India and to attempt to know how bank services quality affects customer satisfaction. By administering both questionnaires and personal interviews, researchers garnered the opinions of a total of 600 respondents with BANKQUAL statement. The authors applied Cronbach’s alpha to test reliability and the selected hypotheses have been proven with Chi-square tests and t-tests. All the public-sector banks chosen for the study lead in the satisfaction index over the private-sector banks by demonstrating differences in the dimensions of credibility, influence, and geographic spread. The research is most precious to diverse stakeholders of the Indian banking industry, particularly to banks who want to know about their existing service quality for further improvement. For the first time, the researchers introduced the comprehensive BANKQUAL statement to test out the quality of bank services in India.     

企业物流系统的经济评价方法探析

文章通过对物流成本概念及其特性和物流成本系统化控制的分析,运用物流活动的经济评价的方法对物流系统的成本进行动态的经济评价,为企业提供物流成本控制与管理依据,以便企业能够及时准确的进行调整更有效更迅速的优化系统,使企业的物流成本大大降低,从而增强企业的竞争力。     

我国汽车逆向物流发展对策研究

阐述了汽车逆向物流的概念及特点,通过对我国汽车逆向物流的现状和汽车逆向物流的作用分析,解释了研究并发展汽车逆向物流的必要性。最后,从政府、企业、消费者三个角度提出了废旧汽车回收的发展对策及汽车生产企业对废旧汽车回收模式的选择建议。     

建设武汉新港 发展循环经济和绿色物流

分析了规划建设武汉新港的时代背景和战略意义,在介绍武汉新港的选址、临港产业布局特征与战略定位的基础上,探讨了武汉新港以发展循环经济和绿色物流为重点的发展方略问题。     

现代物流是中国·香河家具城可持续发展的助推器

随着中国经济的持续健康发展,中国家具人均消费量持续攀升,中国香河家具城逐渐成为了中国家具行业中的佼佼者。在中国家具产业持续发展的进程中,现代物流的配套发展成为必然趋势。现代物流将成为中国香河家具城新一轮可持续发展中的助推器。文中将对中国香河目前物流体系中存在的问题以及如何发展现代物流作详细分析和规划。     

Feasibility on the integration of passenger and freight transportation in rural areas: A service mode and an optimization model

Public transport operators in rural areas have been under pressure from weak profitability and emission issues. At the same time, scattered demand for transport has been preventing logistics systems from reaching the last mile in residential areas. Multimodal transport can synergistically integrate passenger and freight demand, increase transportation network coverage, and reduce the cost of transportation, while demand-driven services improve the flexibility and reliability of operational decisions. Therefore, this paper proposes a demand-driven passenger-and-freight-integration service (DDPFIS) mode. From the perspective of routing decisions, a new mixed-integer linear programming model based on the green vehicle routing problem is formulated to assist public transport operator’s complex decision-making. In the proposed model, vehicle capacity is fully utilized through a combination of passenger and freight demand so that optimal decisions are made about vehicle routing. Numerical experiments are designed and conducted based on realistic instances with the results indicating that: the DDPFIS mode enables effective integration of different demands, leading to high-level vehicle capacity utilization and cost reduction; and compared with two conventional models of vehicle routing problems, the proposed model achieves lower fuel consumption and cost for all problem sizes. In addition, some important management insights are provided, e.g., a greater proportion of integrated service nodes is not necessarily better; and it is more suitable to provide a service for rural residents who are relatively insensitive to time.