Quality management evaluation for tobacco commercial enterprises in Shandong province based on factor-clustering method

Abstract

To evaluate the quality management level of tobacco commercial enterprises in 17 cities of Shandong province, an improved method combining factor analysis and clustering algorithm is developed. Meanwhile, with the comprehensive thought of the quality management and performance management, we use both the result-oriented and process-oriented indexes. Based on factor analysis, the main factor score rankings of 17 tobacco commercial enterprises are obtained. Then, we get the clustering result of quality management level with the main factors. On the one hand, 'good' or 'bad' of quality management of a tobacco enterprise is sensed through factor analysis intuitively. On the other, clustering can provide a regional division that can help government better to manage. What's more, just by simple information visualization way, the macroeconomic policy makers can realize 'good' or 'bad' of different clustering groups accordingly, and then they can allocate resources better. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.