Prioritizing quality of product and service dimensions with respect to a product-service system in the public transport sector

摘要

Purpose:To propose and demonstrate a method to evaluate product-service system offerings based on the quality of product and service dimensions through the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.Summary:Maintaining the quality of a product and the related service being provided to an expected level are the key to success of any organization. A product-service system (PSS) is observed as a specific type of value proposition that a business offers to its clients. The article proposesand demonstrates a method to evaluate PSS offerings based on the quality of product and service dimensions through the fuzzy analytic process (AHP). A framework is proposed to prioritize quality of product and service dimensions with respect to the PSS in the public transport sector. For the study, data from public transport providers and their equipment supplier are considered. The product-related, use-related and result- related PSSs are used and the quality of product and service dimensions are prioritized using the proposed framework and fuzzy AHP. This helps find some dimensions that are more relevant for the three PSSs considered.Results:For any organization, quality of product and service being provided play a key role in achieving better business results such as improved competitive advantage and profitability. It is observed from literature that product and service are integrated as a system called product-service system (PSS) which serves as a specific type of value proposition that a business offers to its clients. The article proposes and demonstrates a method to evaluate PSS offerings based on the quality of product and service dimensions through the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP). From a detailed review of literature related to PSS offerings, important dimensions are obtained using which a conceptual model for PSS quality is developed. This model focuses on the product quality and service quality from the perspective of three PSSs that are result- related, use-related and product-related contracts.