Applying the IPA and DEMATEL models to improve the order-winner criteria: A case study of Taiwan’s network communication equipment manufacturing industry

The purpose of this study is to use the gap-analysis method to calculate the performance of quality characteristics and apply the multiple regression analysis method to establish the overall level of satisfaction and implicit importance of quality characteristics. In addition we will use the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to analyze the cause-effect relationship and level of influence among different quality characteristics in order to make revisions to the traditional IPA model and find the core problems that are involved with winning orders. The methodology that we propose for this research not only makes revisions to the IPA model’s method of directly using explicit information from customer responses, we also solved the influence of the cause-effect relationships of quality characteristics. For our research we analyzed the case of a company from Taiwan’s network communication equipment manufacturing industry in order to make our corrections to the IPA model and gain the benefits of using the DEMATEL model. The findings of our research show that with the corrections to the IPA and the methodology of DEMATEL we can find and correct the core problems of the company that was analyzed, improve quality control and therefore improve the company’s ability to win and be compatible for orders.

Research highlights
► We developed a modified IPA model which integrated multiple regression analysis and DEMATEL to solve the complex decision-making problems easily, and to improve manufacturer’s ability to win orders. A case shown the benefit of this methodology, and found out the brand management is the core issue to be improved in this case.