Effect of Product Prototyping on the Purchase Intention of BJ50 Among 3-Wheeler Tuk-Tuk Users in Laikipia County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t7034Abstract
This study examined the effect of product prototyping on the purchase intention of the BJ50 tuk-tuk among three-wheeler tuk-tuk users in Laikipia County, Kenya. Utilizing a descriptive research design, the study collected quantitative data through a structured questionnaire conducted with a census of 149 tuk-tuk operators. Guided by the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) model, the research investigated how customer feedback involvement, feature-based prototyping, and rapid prototyping influence purchase intention. Descriptive and inferential analyses reveal that active customer involvement in the prototyping process, including the integration of their feedback, significantly enhances purchase intention. A correlation coefficient (R) of 0.288 and regression model results (p = 0.001) confirm a statistically significant relationship, with product prototyping explaining 8.3% of the variance in purchase intention. The study concludes that prototyping fosters a customer-centered approach, aligning product features with user needs, building trust, and ultimately driving purchase decisions. It recommends investing in advanced prototyping technologies, iterative refinement based on customer feedback, and leveraging social media to create an engaged community around the product. These strategies can enhance product-market alignment and increase purchase intent.
Keywords: Product prototyping, Purchase intention, BJ50 tuk-tuk, Customer engagement, Design thinking
References
Akao, Y. (1997). QFD: Past, present, and future. International Symposium on QFD, 97(2), 1-12.
Akao, Y., & King, B. (1990). Quality function deployment: Integrating customer requirements into product design. Productivity Press.
Beaudouin-Lafon, M., & Mackay, W. E. (2009). Prototyping tools and techniques. In Human-Computer Interaction. CRC Press.
Dalton, J., & Kahute, T. (2016). Why empathy and customer closeness is crucial for design thinking. Design Management Review, 27(2), 20-27. https://doi.org/10.1111/drev.12004
Devadasan, S. R., Kathiravan, N., & Thirunavukkarasu, V. (2006). Theory and practice of total quality function deployment: A perspective from a traditional pump‐manufacturing environment. The TQM Magazine. https://doi.org/10.1108/09544780610647865
Hiebeler, R., Kelly, T., & Ketteman, C. (2012). Best practices: Building your business with customer-focused solutions. Simon and Schuster.
Kaitila, J. (2019). From innovation to labour costs: Change of emphasis in Finnish competitiveness policy ideas after the Eurocrisis. Competition & Change, 23(1), 47-70. https://doi.org/10.1177/1024529418802457
Lauff, C. A., Kotys-Schwartz, D., & Rentschler, M. E. (2018). What is a prototype? What are the roles of prototypes in companies? Journal of Mechanical Design, 140(6), 11-19. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4039340
Mazur, G. H. (1996). The application of quality function deployment (QFD) to design a course in total quality management (TQM) at the University of Michigan College of Engineering. Proceedings of International Conference on Quality-1996 Yokohama, JUSE, 1-7.
Mat Isa, C. M., & Mohd Saman, H. (2018). Integration of design thinking and conceive-design-implement-operate within OBE framework in entrepreneurship course for civil engineering students. ASEAN Entrepreneurship Journal (AEJ), 4(1), 45-58.
Niaki, M. K., Nonino, F., Palombi, G., & Torabi, S. A. (2019). Economic sustainability of additive manufacturing: Contextual factors driving its performance in rapid prototyping. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 11(3), 19-24.
Shakhshir, A., Badran, A., Qasrawi, A., Radad, R., & Saadeh, S. (2018). Implementation of quality function deployment in cartoon industry. ANNU Digital Library.
Shuen, A., Feiler, P. F., & Teece, D. J. (2014). Dynamic capabilities in the upstream oil and gas sector: Managing next generation competition. Energy Strategy Reviews, 3(1), 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2014.05.002
Sugiarto, S., & Octaviana, V. (2021). Service quality (SERVQUAL) dimensions on customer satisfaction: Empirical evidence from bank study. Golden Ratio of Marketing and Applied Psychology of Business, 1(2), 93-106. https://doi.org/10.52970/grmapb.v1i2.103
Venter, C., Mahendra, A., & Hidalgo, D. (2019). From mobility to access for all: Expanding urban transportation choices in the Global South. World Resources Institute.
Yang, C., Cheng, J., & Wang, X. (2019). Hybrid quality function deployment method for innovative new product design based on the theory of inventive problem solving and Kansei evaluation. Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 11(5), 1687814019848939. https://doi.org/10.1177/1687814019848939
Zahraee, S. M. (2016). A survey on lean manufacturing implementation in a selected manufacturing industry in Iran. International Journal of Lean Six Sigma. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLSS-03-2015-0010
Zhang, Q., Vonderembse, M. A., & Cao, M. (2009). Product concept and prototype flexibility in manufacturing: Implications for customer satisfaction. European Journal of Operational Research, 194(1), 143-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2007.12.013
