The purpose of this study was to apply statistical quality control (SQC) techniques and tools to assess the customer’s experience of quality as offered by Kenya Power Ltd. It also seeks to determine whether or not the services of the company were in statistical control. The study was designed as a descriptive survey. The population consisted of 65,830 customers within Nakuru town and its environs from which four hundred customers were sampled. The sample population was stratified so that 286 were domestic consumers while the remaining 114 were non-domestic consumers. Stratified random sampling was used. The collected data was coded and summarized in the form of tables and entered into the SPSS program. Customers’ experiences were obtained and used to draw control charts, which were analyzed. It was found that the customers’ experience of service as regards the restoration of supply after unplanned interruptions was not in statistical control for both domestic and non-domestic consumers. These results are an indictment of the qualities of service of Kenya Power. The implication for the managers of service processes at Kenya Power is that they must ensure optimal service quality in the firm. In particular, urgent steps must be taken to identify the root cause or causes of special variation that result in service invariability and instability. We strongly advocate for the intensified use of statistical quality control tools in the utility services sector and particularly at Kenya Power, as a means of monitoring the production and service quality, and enabling the firm to take timely and appropriate action to correct undesirable deviation in production quality.
| Published in | International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences (Volume 3, Issue 3) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16 |
| Page(s) | 194-203 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Statistical Quality Control, Control Charts, Quality of Service, Utility Services
| [1] | Bitran G.R., and Lojo, M., (1993). A Framework for Analyzing Service Operations. European management Journal, 11(3), pp. 271-282 |
| [2] | Chandra M.J., (2001). Statistical Quality Control. CRC Press LLC |
| [3] | Doty, L.A., (1996). Statistical Process Control. Industrial Press Inc.,U.S. |
| [4] | Feather, J. and Sturges, P. (2003). International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science. 2nd Ed.. Routledge; London. |
| [5] | Garvin, D.A. (1998). Managing Quality – The Strategic and Competitive Edge. The free press. New York. |
| [6] | Heizer, J., and Render, B., (2011). Operations Management, tenth edition. Pearson. |
| [7] | Hossain M.M. (2008). Development of Statistical Quality Control: Evolution or Revolution?. Available at: www.decisionsciences.org/Proceedings/DSI2008/docs/196-3623.pdf [Accessed 4 September 2013] |
| [8] | Juneja, D., Ahmad, S., and Kumar, S., (2011). Adaptability of Total Quality Management to Service Sector. International Journal of Computer Science & Management Studies, Vol. 11, Issue 02, pp 93-98 |
| [9] | Kathuri, J.N., and Pals, D.A. (1993). Introduction to Educational Research. Njoro: Egerton University Press. |
| [10] | Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, (2009). Facts and Figures. |
| [11] | Kothari, C.R., (2004), Research Methodology, second edition. New Age International Publication, New Delhi. |
| [12] | Krejcie and Morgan. (1970). “Determining Sample Size for Research Activities”. Educational and Psychological Measurement, No 30, pp. 607-610. |
| [13] | Li, J. and Tsung, F., (2013). Statistical Quality Control for the Service Sector. Available at: www.statistics.gov.hk/wsc/IPS091-P2-S.pdf [Accessed 15 September 2013] |
| [14] | Mahesh, B.P. and Prabhuswamy, M.S., (2010). Process variability reduction through SPC for quality improvement. International Journal for Quality Research, 4(3), pp. 193-203. |
| [15] | Mauch, P.D., (2010). Quality Management: Theory and Application. CRC Press. |
| [16] | Montgomery, D.C., (2009). Introduction to Statistical Quality Control, Sixth Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
| [17] | Moraa, S.O., Etyang, M. and Mwabu G. (2011). The demand for Energy in the Kenyan Manufacturing Sector. The journal of Energy and Development, 34 (2), pp. 265-276. |
| [18] | Mukherjee, A., (2012). Services Sector in India: Trends, Issues and Way Forward. World Economic Outlook. |
| [19] | Mutua, J.W., (2010). The influence of business process re-engineering on customer satisfaction in Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited. Master’s Thesis. University of Nairobi. |
| [20] | Nakhai, B., (2009). The challenges of six sigma in improving service quality. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management. Vol. 26 No. 7, pp. 663-684 |
| [21] | Njau, E.W., (2011). An investigation of factors affecting performance appraisal in Kenya Power. MBA. Nairobi. Kenyatta University. |
| [22] | Njoroge, J.K., (2003). Analysis of customer perception of service offered by Kenya power and lighting company ltd in Mount Kenya Region: The Case of Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited. Master’s Thesis. University of Nairobi |
| [23] | Nyaoga, P., (2003). Analysis of customer perception of service offered by Kenya power and lighting company ltd in Mount Kenya Region. Master’s Thesis. University of Nairobi. |
| [24] | Oakland, J., (2008). Statistical Process Control, sixth edition. Butterworth-Heinemann |
| [25] | Ograjenšek, I., (2002). Applying Statistical Tools to Improve Quality in the Service Sector. Available at: www.stat-d.si/mz/mz18/ograjen.pdf [Accessed 8 September 2013] |
| [26] | Olatunde, A.A., (2009). On the Importance of Statistical Process Control in Health Care. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, Vol: 3, Issue: 2, pp 87-90. |
| [27] | Ombui, J.M., (2003). Contribution of Information Technology in Business Process Reengineering the case of Kenya Power and Lighting Company. Master’s Thesis. Egerton University. |
| [28] | Orumi, N.H., (2009). An assessment of customer perception about service quality at public organizations. (A Case Study of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company LTD). Master’s Thesis. University of Nairobi. |
| [29] | Otiso, K.N.; Chelangat, D.; Bonuke, R.N., (2012). Improving the Quality of Customer Service through ICT Use in the Kenya Power and Lighting Company. Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics & Management Sciences, Vol. 3 Issue 5, pp461. |
| [30] | Owuor, M.O. (2007). Differences in perception of service quality by customers and managers of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company Ltd. Master’s Thesis. University of Nairobi |
| [31] | Radhakrishna B. R. (2007). Tips for Developing and Testing Questionnaires/Instruments. Journal of extension. Vol. 45 No. 1, pp. 363-364 |
| [32] | Roberts, L., (2005). Applying statistical process control in a Service Environment. Available at: www.r2assoc.com/SPC%20in%20a%20Service%20Environment.pdf [Accessed 7 September 2013] |
| [33] | Scordaki, A., and Psarakis, S. (2005). Statistical process control in service industry an application with real data in a commercial company. In Proc. 7th Hellenic European Conference on Computer Mathematics and Its Applications. |
| [34] | Wood, M., (1994). Statistical Methods for Monitoring Service Processes. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 5(4), pp. 53-68. |
| [35] | M. Young, The Technical Writer's Handbook. Mill Valley, CA: University Science, 198. |
APA Style
George Yogo Odongo, Christopher Ngacho. (2015). An Assessment of the Quality of Services of Kenya Power (KP) Ltd in Restoring Supply After Unplanned Interruptions Using Statistical Quality Control. International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences, 3(3), 194-203. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16
ACS Style
George Yogo Odongo; Christopher Ngacho. An Assessment of the Quality of Services of Kenya Power (KP) Ltd in Restoring Supply After Unplanned Interruptions Using Statistical Quality Control. Int. J. Econ. Finance Manag. Sci. 2015, 3(3), 194-203. doi: 10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16
AMA Style
George Yogo Odongo, Christopher Ngacho. An Assessment of the Quality of Services of Kenya Power (KP) Ltd in Restoring Supply After Unplanned Interruptions Using Statistical Quality Control. Int J Econ Finance Manag Sci. 2015;3(3):194-203. doi: 10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16
Share This Article
Twitter
Linked In
Facebook
Copy
Download@article{10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16,
author = {George Yogo Odongo and Christopher Ngacho},
title = {An Assessment of the Quality of Services of Kenya Power (KP) Ltd in Restoring Supply After Unplanned Interruptions Using Statistical Quality Control},
journal = {International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences},
volume = {3},
number = {3},
pages = {194-203},
doi = {10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijefm.20150303.16},
abstract = {The purpose of this study was to apply statistical quality control (SQC) techniques and tools to assess the customer’s experience of quality as offered by Kenya Power Ltd. It also seeks to determine whether or not the services of the company were in statistical control. The study was designed as a descriptive survey. The population consisted of 65,830 customers within Nakuru town and its environs from which four hundred customers were sampled. The sample population was stratified so that 286 were domestic consumers while the remaining 114 were non-domestic consumers. Stratified random sampling was used. The collected data was coded and summarized in the form of tables and entered into the SPSS program. Customers’ experiences were obtained and used to draw control charts, which were analyzed. It was found that the customers’ experience of service as regards the restoration of supply after unplanned interruptions was not in statistical control for both domestic and non-domestic consumers. These results are an indictment of the qualities of service of Kenya Power. The implication for the managers of service processes at Kenya Power is that they must ensure optimal service quality in the firm. In particular, urgent steps must be taken to identify the root cause or causes of special variation that result in service invariability and instability. We strongly advocate for the intensified use of statistical quality control tools in the utility services sector and particularly at Kenya Power, as a means of monitoring the production and service quality, and enabling the firm to take timely and appropriate action to correct undesirable deviation in production quality.},
year = {2015}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - An Assessment of the Quality of Services of Kenya Power (KP) Ltd in Restoring Supply After Unplanned Interruptions Using Statistical Quality Control AU - George Yogo Odongo AU - Christopher Ngacho Y1 - 2015/04/24 PY - 2015 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16 DO - 10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16 T2 - International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences JF - International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences JO - International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences SP - 194 EP - 203 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2326-9561 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijefm.20150303.16 AB - The purpose of this study was to apply statistical quality control (SQC) techniques and tools to assess the customer’s experience of quality as offered by Kenya Power Ltd. It also seeks to determine whether or not the services of the company were in statistical control. The study was designed as a descriptive survey. The population consisted of 65,830 customers within Nakuru town and its environs from which four hundred customers were sampled. The sample population was stratified so that 286 were domestic consumers while the remaining 114 were non-domestic consumers. Stratified random sampling was used. The collected data was coded and summarized in the form of tables and entered into the SPSS program. Customers’ experiences were obtained and used to draw control charts, which were analyzed. It was found that the customers’ experience of service as regards the restoration of supply after unplanned interruptions was not in statistical control for both domestic and non-domestic consumers. These results are an indictment of the qualities of service of Kenya Power. The implication for the managers of service processes at Kenya Power is that they must ensure optimal service quality in the firm. In particular, urgent steps must be taken to identify the root cause or causes of special variation that result in service invariability and instability. We strongly advocate for the intensified use of statistical quality control tools in the utility services sector and particularly at Kenya Power, as a means of monitoring the production and service quality, and enabling the firm to take timely and appropriate action to correct undesirable deviation in production quality. VL - 3 IS - 3 ER -
Email: