Between Vehicle Quality and Driving Satisfaction: Driving Quality as An Intervening Variable

摘要

Quality improvement of a product becomes an important program, but if the products quality achieved at the highest level of criteria, will the customers always satisfy? Previous research and experience proved that statement but need deeper elaboration why not all of the users are satisfied by genuine quality of products. A case study of multi-purposes van (MPV) automobile and its user using Structural Equation Modelling with Partial Least Square (PLS-SEM) and Smart-PLS software supported the proposition of this work. In-depth data collecting with questionnaires from 516 car drivers conducted to reveal the role of users related to their post-purchase satisfaction. This research concluded that driving quality of MPV drivers intervened the relationship between variables. Lower quality of driving will reduce driving satisfaction whether the quality of MPV was excellent. Otherwise, high quality of driving will not only enhance the satisfaction but also leverage the effect of other variables to driving satisfaction. The intervening variable role will give a new approach in developing and maintaining driving satisfaction. A new approach to customer satisfaction improvement proposed and valuable programs of MPV producers with a new paradigm will improve manufacturer competitive advantage.