Quality management takes aim at attraction

“It’s both desirable and necessary to complement modern quality management with a stronger focus on consumers’ positive emotions,” says Johan Lilja, who recently defended his doctoral dissertation at Mid Sweden University.

In his dissertation, ”The Realization of Attractive Quality” Johan Lilja shows how modern systems for quality management can practically go about supporting the creation of strong positive emotions among customers. This represents a major shift in relation to previous approaches. Historically, quality management has aimed to create “the satisfied customer.” This has proven to be something very different from the extremely delighted customer that is truly the aim.

“In my dissertation I present insights, metaphors, and new models. The aim is to contribute to new ideas and a more nuanced discussion about this shift in perspective. My contribution can facilitate and guide steps in the actual implementation of such a positive shift,” says Johan Lilja.

This argumentation is deepened in the dissertation. A greater focus on customers’ positive experience and emotions is important according to fundamental insights from motivation theory. Humans do not merely wish to avoid pain and problems. They also want to maximize happiness and enjoyment in order to make life interesting and stimulating.

“The vision is for our quality management systems soon to focus just as much on realizing customers’ happiness, delight, and high point experiences as they do today on reducing dissatisfaction, complaints, and problems,” says Johan Lilja.

Facts: Quality technology is a subject area that disseminates and develops knowledge through customer-focused product and operational development. Quality management systems are designed to support this in practice within an organization. An example of a modern quality management system is Total Quality Management (TQM). Other modern initiatives in the field Lean and Six Sigma.

For more information, please contact Johan Lilja +46-63 16 59 23; +46-70 213 37 54; johan.lilja@miun.se

Pressofficer Helena Lindh; helena.lindh@miun.se; +46-70 389 7772

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http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?searchId=2&pid=diva2:354550 dissertation