The Effectiveness of Kano-QFD Approach to Enhance Competitiveness of Technology-Based SMEs through Transfer Intention Model

Abstract

Despite the value of QFD (Quality Function Deployment), it has been applied to individual industries, or only to large companies with sufficient QFD-related human resources and sufficient financial resources. Most SMEs, which account for 80% of the world economy, have not been able to benefit from QFD, the tool designed to revamp the growth, due to the lack of financial and human resources to implement QFD and Kano Model. This paper is brought to assess the effectiveness of Kano-QFD approach for technology-based SMEs through the transfer intention model. In order to verify the effectiveness of the above approach, 860 technology-based SMEs in their establishment 3–7 years are researched for the learning transfer intention after the completion of Kano QFD education and training program. The results of this study are that the perceived content validity has the direct effect on learning transfer intention simultaneously with the partial mediating effect through the self-efficacy factor. The learner readiness does not directly influence the learning transfer intention and the self-efficacy completely mediates the learner readiness and the transfer intention. This research contributes to providing critical implications for the educators and training planners in in private sector as well as policy makers of technology-based SMEs in the public sector.