The underlying procedure when applying the evaluation methods described in the
following sections was to make an overall assessment which included all of the
participants in the survey first and then to compare these results with an evaluation
made according to gender and age.
In accordance with this evaluation strategy, the first phase was an evaluation
according to absolute frequency, whereby both responses given by a participant to the
functional and dysfunctional question on a certain aspect of performance was linked to
a pair of responses in each case. Using a Kano assessment table (Sauerwein, 2000, p. 38),
it was possible to determine for each combination of responses given whether, from
the point of view of the participant, the corresponding product requirement was a
must-be/basic requirement, a one-dimensional requirement, an attractive requirement
or an indifferent requirement (Karpe and Scharf, 2006).
Table II lists all 26 product requirements integrated in the Kano questionnaire and
shows in which Kano requirement category the participants allocated the corresponding
product attributes.
The graphics clearly show that six of the queried product characteristics were seen
by the majority of the participants as being must-be/basic requirements.
The product characteristics “low material fatigue” and “positive test rating” were
two of the queried product attributes classified in the Kano requirement category as a
one-dimensional requirement.
Finally, seven allocations were stated to be attractive requirements, for the ordering
party an unexpectedly high number. As the above table shows, the majority of those
participating find, for example, the “money back guarantee” when the product turns
out to be unsatisfactory or “a free re-sharpening service” in the shop where the
purchase was made attractive.
All those product attributes not yet addressed were allocated by the majority of
participants into Kano requirement category “indifferent requirements” and are hence
of minor importance for customer satisfaction.
To attain differentiated survey results, the evaluation of absolute frequencies was
supplemented by an assessment according to gender-specific frequencies and an
assessment according to age-specific frequencies.