Aim of the course is to offer a pragmatic approach to quality management. The first part analyze the numerous and complex relations between: quality management and firm’s revenues and costs, quality management and product-service typology, and, last but not least, quality management and customer satisfaction. The second part is mainly concerned to discuss major problems in the measurement and interpretation of quality levels and customer satisfaction, which remain an indispensable basis to continuous improvement policies. The third part illustrates some techniques and instruments for the implementation of continuous improvement, mainly in the project activity, in the use of technology to manage customer-relationship and in maintenance activities. At the end of the course, the student will acquire the skills needed to improve jointly service quality and customer satisfaction
1) The evolution of the concept of quality
2) Some basic economics of quality
3) The relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction
4) How service quality and customer satisfaction influence customer behavior
5) Pros and cons of the Servqual model
6) The influence of the type of service and the type of customers on the determinants of quality and satisfaction
7) The role of interaction design in different types of services
8) The maintenance and service performance
Lecture-based class. Teaching materials will be made available on the elearning platform of the course. Weekly office hours will be posted on the professor web page.
Oral exam. Students could ask for a written test at the end of the course. The assessment will be mainly referred to the analytical skills demonstrated by the student, especially for what concerns the identification and explanation of relationships between quality management and other variables.
