Perceived Quality of Hard Ware

5.2.1.3. Perceived Quality of Hard Ware

  The variable perceived quality is divided into two parts as a consequence of preceding experiences, thereby hard ware and human ware should be measured as individual variables. The term hard ware refers to the quality of the productservice attributes, whereas human ware represents the relations and personal interactions customers have with the personnel. 102 Below, an individual evaluation of the variable hard ware is carried out and it is determined whether or not the variable will be included in the conceptual model.

  5.2.1.3.1. Definition Hard ware is the physical product (or service offering), in this specific case the newspaper (WLN). Quality can be a subjective matter, where the consumer’s previous expectations about the product and experiences with the product determine if the product’s quality is evaluated as being either good or bad. According to Zeithaml, quality can be defined as:

  ”The consumer’s judgment about a product’s overall excellence or superiority 103 ”

  This definition is very general and to make it more specific, it can be said that the consumer judgment is based on the consumption experience, which Fornell et al. argues

  100 Oliver, R.L. (1980), pp. 495-507 101 Martensen, A. et al. (2000), pp. 52-65 102 Kristensen, Kai et al. (2000) European Quality Congress, p. 56 103 Quote: Zeithaml, Valarie A. (1988), p. 3 100 Oliver, R.L. (1980), pp. 495-507 101 Martensen, A. et al. (2000), pp. 52-65 102 Kristensen, Kai et al. (2000) European Quality Congress, p. 56 103 Quote: Zeithaml, Valarie A. (1988), p. 3

  5.2.1.3.2. Empirical Research In research involving Post Danmark, Martensen et al. 106 found that hard ware had a larger effect on customer satisfaction than perceived quality of human ware and image. How large an effect hard ware has on customer satisfaction depends on how much influence the given product has on the customers’ budget. Perceived quality will have a stronger relation to satisfaction, the more expensive the product is, compared to the customers disposable amount. 107 WLNs are free of charge, and it therefore seems to be an obvious assumption that the relation between the variable perceived quality of hard ware and satisfaction is relatively diminutive.

  Customization, as Fornell et al. refer to as being a part of perceived quality, is not relevant when speaking of WLNs. 108 The product is of course “customized” to fit the citizens in the local area where the paper is published, but individual customization is not possible, in the form the product is today. Nevertheless, as will be revealed later on, each specific variable will be evaluated on, how well it fits the needs of the reader, and it will thereby be possible to see how well the paper fits the overall needs of the local community. Reliability as Fornell et al. explain it, can also be transferred to the specific variables, and will be elaborated on later in the thesis. 109

  Perceived quality of hard ware is connected to a physical product and its attributes. A WLN contains many different attributes e.g. sports results, articles about local news, and adverts for local sales and offers. These attributes are assumed to be the main reason why the readers actually read their WLN. Hard ware thereby contains many different aspects, and to measure it as one variable is evaluated as being too generic for the industry to get some valuable and valid results, let alone for a specific WLN to gain insight into their readers’ loyalty. Therefore, when hard ware is included in the

  104 Fornell, Claes et al. (1996), p. 9 105 Quote: Fornell, Claes et al. (1996), p. 9 106 Martensen, Anne et al. (2000), pp. 52-65 107 Ibid. 108 Fornell, Claes et al. (1996), p. 9 109 Ibid.

  conceptual model, it will be done through the specific attributes, presented in individual variables such as local news etc. Thereby, there will not be a variable called hard ware in the final model, however, most of the “additional” variables could indirectly be placed in the superior category of hard ware. It will be evident that the additional variables of the model are as before mentioned (in section 5.2.1.2.) very specific and are all attributes of the WLN therefore hard ware will only serve as an “invisible” superior category. This implies that hard ware is divided into more specific variables illustrated by features of the WLN, when placed in the conceptual model.