Strategies to improve customer satisfaction with Industrialised Building System (IBS) houses and IBS adoption using Quality Function Deployment (QFD) application : a Malaysia based study / Nuzul Azam Haron
The Malaysian government has brought the Industrialised Building System (IBS) to the attention of all professionals in this industry. Due to certain barriers, the actual projection of the IBS adoption could not be achieved. One of the factors identified is the lack of customer satisfaction with I...
| Summary: | The Malaysian government has brought the Industrialised Building System (IBS) to the
attention of all professionals in this industry. Due to certain barriers, the actual projection
of the IBS adoption could not be achieved. One of the factors identified is the lack of
customer satisfaction with IBS houses. This research aims to determine the factors
pertaining to customer satisfaction of IBS houses, the strategies to improve customer
satisfaction, to determine IBS adoption factors and the strategies to improve IBS adoption
in the Malaysian construction industry. This research methodology uses a mixed method
approach. The research process was conducted in four (4) phases. Relevant respondents
were divided into two groups, namely, the IBS house occupiers and the construction
industry stakeholders. The quantitative study is based on a self-administered questionnaire
survey. Purposive sampling was carried out to determine the sample from three types of
IBS houses. Data were obtained from 391 IBS house occupiers to determine customer
satisfaction in the first part of the first phase. In addition, data from 105 valid respondents
of construction stakeholders were obtained to determine IBS adoption factors in the second
part of the first phase. Then, the researcher continued the study using a structured focus
group discussion, qualitatively, in the second and third phase. Respondents who are IBS
house occupiers, construction stakeholders and academicians took part in the discussion.
The QFD matrixes were developed from the Quality matrix and Function matrix, which led
to the compilation of the QF matrix. The researcher also developed a list of strategies on
how to improve customer satisfaction on IBS house development and strategies on how to
improve the IBS adoption in the Malaysian construction industry. The researcher used
descriptive and gap analysis for the quantitative study. A statistical analysis was conducted
to confirm the reliability of the instruments used. The qualitative study of the structured
focus group discussion is continued further by using QFD application. Lastly, the
researcher applied semi structured interviews to achieve its validity in phase four (4).
Respondents for the validation process consisted of ten (10) experts – academicians, and
construction stakeholders. The study discovered nine (9) customer satisfaction factors
related to IBS house construction. The nine (9) factors were identified as critical factors in
IBS adoption. Five (5) strategies were identified from the QFD application on how to
improve customer satisfaction in IBS house construction and five (5) strategies were
identified from the QFD application on how to improve IBS adoption. Several major
recommendations to improve customer satisfaction and to enhance IBS adoption were
made. This research will contribute to four (4) kinds of new knowledge. First, it will
provide strategies to address the issue concerning the lack of customer satisfaction in IBS
housing projects. Second, it will provide strategies to improve and enhance IBS adoption.
Third, it highlights the major roles of related organizations to enhance the IBS adoption
industry. Finally, yet importantly, it provides new knowledge and a new dimension to QFD
application in the IBS planning and management system. |
|---|