Papers

Author(s)
Fatemeh Sarfi

Majid Azizi
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of Tehran
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Amin Arian

Publication date: Mar, 2013

Journal: Forest Science and Practice
Vol.: 15- Issue: 1- Pages: 61-69

Publisher: Springer

Abstract: Of considerable importance and a principal goal in business is the creation of customer satisfaction. Evaluation of end user preferences for producers of particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF) requires indices for the assessment of markets and modification of product quality. However, only sporadic research has been carried out in this field. Therefore, the goal of this survey was to identify indices with respect to the points of view of: 1) consumers in order to select particleboard and MDF, 2) suppliers in order to consider production strategies, improve product quality, improve competitive ability of domestic producers in the market and help industry to be more customer oriented. This survey consisted of two stages. In the first stage, factors affecting customer preferences in the selection of particleboard and MDF were determined using a Delphi method, with the help of experts and a group of principal users of these products. Then these factors were categorized in three groups: qualitative, technical and technological and marketing factors. Furthermore, questionnaires were prepared and distributed among consumers and responses evaluated and weighted by using an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) using expert choice software. Our results show that at both stages, the consistency ratio was less than 0.1, indicating that all results and judgments were stable and acceptable. The results obtained from questionnaires about particleboard rank the priorities for factors in the selection by consumers as follows: nail and screw holding ability, homogeneity in structure, edge strength of panel, durability and bending strength. The most important factors for MDF were machinability of panels, homogeneity in structure, nail and screw holding ability, edge strength of panel, durability and bending strength.

Keywords: AHP, Expert Choice software

URL: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11632-013-0110-4.pdf