International Journal of Academic Research in Management

Number 1, 2012

9
Accomplishment of Critical Success Factor in Organization; Using Analytic Hierarchy Process

Authors: Neda Jalaliyoon , Nooh Abu Bakar , Hamed Taherdoost

Abstract

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The importance role of performance evaluation in the organization has been proven. Complexity of decision making process will make strategic management as imperative affair. On the other hand, strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a specific goal. Strategy is all about gaining (or being prepared to gain) a position of advantage over adversaries or best exploiting emerging possibilities. As there is always an element of uncertainty about future, strategy is more about a set of options ("strategic choices") than a fixed plan. Critical success factor (CSF) is the term for an element that is necessary for an organization or project to achieve its mission. It is a critical factor or activity required for ensuring the success of a company or an organization. The goal of this study is to propose an appropriate methodology for designing and implementing strategy and critical success factors in the organization. In order to achieve these goals, analytical hierarchical process (AHP) technique has been used and discussed in an automobile company.

16
Perception of Service Quality in Higher Education: Perspective of Iranian Students in Malaysian Universities

Authors: Amran Rasli , Ahmadreza Shekarchizadeh , Muhammad Jawad Iqbal

Abstract

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Number of views: 429

This article presents a gap analysis by measuring the perception and expectation of service quality in higher education from the perspectives of Iranian postgraduate students. This article first tries to understand the phenomenon for Iranian students to change their preference from studying in universities in the West to those in the East, particularly Malaysia. In addition, this article seeks to assess their perceptions of service quality in the new environment based on a modified service quality (SERVQUAL) instrument to measure five constructs: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. After conducting a pilot study, the instrument was administered to 163 Iranian postgraduates who were selected based on stratified sampling on the top five public universities in Malaysia. The analysis started with descriptive analysis followed by factor and reliability analyses. Single mean t-tests were then conducted to assess the significance of the gaps based on all the 35 items of the modified SERVQUAL. The study uncovered that all of the items and constructs measuring the gaps are significantly negative with empathy representing the construct with the highest gap (-0.681), followed by reliability (-0.673), responsiveness (-0.670), assurance (-0.612) and tangible (-0.601).