Title: New service development using GAP-based QFD: a mobile telecommunication case

Authors: Jing-Hua Li, Lei Xu, Xiu-Lan Wu

Addresses: Centre of Technology Innovation and Service Management, School of Management, Zhejiang Gongshang University, 18 Xuezheng Road, Hangzhou, 310018 P.R. China. ' Centre of Technology Innovation and Service Management, School of Management, Zhejiang Gongshang University, 18 Xuezheng Road, Hangzhou, 310018 P.R. China. ' Centre of Technology Innovation and Service Management, School of Management, Zhejiang Gongshang University, 18 Xuezheng Road, Hangzhou, 310018 P.R. China

Abstract: Quality function deployment (QFD) is a customer-oriented structural development approach. Along the gaps in the circle of service satisfaction, a new model of service quality function deployment (SQFD) has been established to develop new service. The purpose of this paper is to provide a new service development approach both in terms of academic model and practical application. A Chinese mobile telecommunication case study (tariff package design) has been employed to verify and revise the model. The findings are that, although a concise model is adopted unusual according the actual service situation, the GAP-based QFD model expands the investigative scope of GAP study from GAP 1 and/or GAP 5 to GAP 1 to GAP 5. It has also been found that it is a useful tool to develop new service using a reasonable and delicate combination of Kano model, SERVQUAL scales, and GAP circle, although several further directions are presented in the latter part of the study.

Keywords: quality function deployment; service QFD; GAP model; new service development; NSD; tariff package design; telecommunications; China; case study; mobile communications; services.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2009.025232

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2009 Vol.12 No.2, pp.146 - 174

Published online: 17 May 2009 *

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