RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
研究方法

Research framework
研究框架

The research method used is case study approach. A characteristic of case study research is the combination of data collection methods, such as interviews, questionnaires, and observations which provide both qualitative and quantitative data (Eisenhardt 1989; Marshall and Rossman 1989; Yin 1989). Case studies provide a special way of collecting, organizing, and analyzing data to gather comprehensive, systematic, and in depth information about each case of interest. Detailed and practical data of research area can be gained through case study. Although findings could not be extend to whole industry, it enriches academic thesis with practical case. It also provides good reference for organizations which share similar business model. Three ways collecting data in case studies are ask, observe, and use system documentation. Various sources like documents, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant-observation, and physical artifacts could be reached to get the data needed (Yin 1989). In this study, questionnaire, interviews are used for primary data collection. Official website and annual report of organization studied were accessed to gather the secondary data.
所采用的研究方法是案例研究的方法。個案研究的一個特點是相結(jié)合的數(shù)據(jù)收集方法，如提供了定性和定量的數(shù)據(jù)（1989年艾森哈特;1989年馬歇爾和羅斯曼，尹1989）的訪談，問卷調(diào)查和觀察。案例研究提供了一種特殊的方式收集，組織和分析數(shù)據(jù)，收集全面，系統(tǒng)，深入地了解每個利益的情況下。研究區(qū)，通過案例分析，可以得到詳細(xì)而實用的數(shù)據(jù)。雖然調(diào)查結(jié)果不能被延伸到整個行業(yè)，它豐富了與實際情況的學(xué)術(shù)dissertation。它，組織共享類似的商業(yè)模式也提供了很好的參考。三種方式收集案例研究中的數(shù)據(jù)，詢問，觀察，使用系統(tǒng)文件。各種來源，如文件，檔案記錄，訪談，直接觀察，參與觀察，可以達(dá)到物理構(gòu)件來獲得所需要的數(shù)據(jù)（1989年尹）。在這項研究中，問卷調(diào)查，訪談是用來收集原始數(shù)據(jù)。訪問官方網(wǎng)站和研究機構(gòu)的年度報告，收集輔助數(shù)據(jù)。

To conduct the study, Crocs, Inc - a rapid growing casual footwear manufacturer which is founded in 2002 was selected. The footwear manufacturer is international in terms of supply sources and selling markets. This study is focused on Australian market, especially Victoria which is the organization’s dominant market in Australia. Australian TCF industry faces intense competition in a continuous changing global market. As a new comer with rapid growth rate, Crocs, Inc developed competitive advantages to expand market. Managing customer service is extremely important for such a new organization because customer satisfaction influences organization’s profit. Based on the literature review, the author was aware that getting accurate information of customer expectation is the first priority in customer service management. A customer satisfaction survey was carried out between February and March 2007. There are two approaches in investigating expectation in literature – an inferred approach and a direct method. This research adopted direct method which asked customers to rank directly the extent to which the service experience exceed, met or fell short of expectations (Yuksel and Rimmington 1998).#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
According to conceptual model of logistics process, manufacturer’s flexibility and customer service raised by Tracey (1998), there is strong linear relationship within these variables. To get in-depth understanding of such relationship in organization studied, interview with target organization’s management was conducted. Crocs. Inc’s documents and archival records were accessed. A detailed supply chain diagram, related logistics process, and Crocs, Inc customer service level were described according to qualitative data collected. The relationship among logistics processes, manufacturer’s flexibility and customer service is then discussed based on quantitative data and qualitative data collected.
物流過程中，制造商的靈活性和客戶服務(wù)之間的關(guān)系，然后討論了基于定量數(shù)據(jù)和定性數(shù)據(jù)收集。

Research instrument
研究工具

Interview and organization documents review
面試和組織文件審查

Crocs Australia Operation Director was interviewed in regards to the logistics process, customer service management, and company’s performance (See Appendix I for questions list). Documents like SOP (standard operation procedure), related performance reports, and annual report were accessed to get further understanding how Crocs Australia delivers customer service and what extent logistics processes influence service quality delivered.
澳大利亞Crocs操作主任接受在物流過程中，客戶服務(wù)管理，以及公司的業(yè)績方面（見附錄一的問題列表）。 SOP（標(biāo)準(zhǔn)essay程序），相關(guān)業(yè)績報告，年度報告等文件被訪問，以獲得進(jìn)一步的了解，Crocs澳大利亞如何提供客戶服務(wù)和什么程度的物流流程影響服務(wù)質(zhì)量交付。
http://ukthesis.org/dissertation_sample

Customer satisfaction survey
客戶滿意度調(diào)查

Sample
樣品

140 Victorian retailers’ info was provided by Crocs Australia customer service manager. 112 of them were selected. Selecting criteria is one year or above customer-supplier relationship with Crocs Australian. Crocs’ product is quite new and during introduction period in Australia. Select retailers maintaining stable relationship with Crocs ensures data quality.

Selection of informant
被調(diào)查者的選擇

The selection of an appropriate informant was of critical importance, as failure to do so could undermine the validity of the research (Collins et al. 2001). It was decided to use a single informant. Theodoras, Laios, and Moschuris (2005) suggest asking supplier’s logistics manager and the sales supervisors, who, bearing in mind the context of the list indicated one key person with responsibilities covering order placement, inventory control, receiving, handling returns, to select the informant. This method was adopted. Crocs Australian Logistics Manager provided contact information of 112 target retailers.#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
適當(dāng)?shù)谋徽{(diào)查者的選擇是至關(guān)重要的，因為不這樣做可能會破壞研究的有效性（Collins等，2001）。

Questionnaire design
問卷設(shè)計

The questionnaire includes two parts, one is current customer service received evaluation and the other is overall satisfaction evaluation. A five-point scale was used (1= Very Dissatisfied, 5 = Very Satisfied). Informants were asked to rate from 1 to 5 in regards to attribute perceptions and customer satisfaction. The last two questions pertain to overall service quality and overall level of satisfaction.
該問卷包括兩個部分，一個是當(dāng)前的客戶服務(wù)獲得的評價，另一個是總體滿意度評價。五點量表（1=非常不滿意，5=非常滿意）。線人被要求從1到5的速度屬性認(rèn)知和客戶滿意度方面。最后兩個問題，涉及到整體的服務(wù)質(zhì)量和整體滿意程度。

According to the relevant literature, there are several ways to identify customer satisfaction measurements, like interviews with customers and the management; the adoption of customer service elements established in the literature (Collins et al. 2001; Emerson and Grimm 1996). A similar way was applied in this research. Firstly, 30 items were selected from attributes well-established in the literature as well as used in previous studies conducted in Australian TCF industry (Byrne et al. 1991; Holcoby 1994, Gunasekaran 2000; Perry and Sohal 2000; Perry and Sohal 2001; Buxey 2005). Secondly, Crocs Australian Operation Director, Logistics Manager and Marketing Manager modified the items to ensure that customer expectations were properly captured (See Table)
本研究采用了類似的方式。首先，30個項目中挑選出來建立在文獻(xiàn)以及TCF行業(yè)在澳大利亞（Byrne等人1991年在以前進(jìn)行的研究中使用的屬性; Holcoby1994年，2000年Gunasekaran;佩里和SOHAL2000;佩里2001年SOHAL; Buxey 2005年）。其次，Crocs的澳大利亞運營總監(jiān)，物流經(jīng)理，營銷部經(jīng)理修改的項目，以確保客戶的期望正確捕獲（見表）