TOWARDS A NEW DEFINITION OF QUALITY: IDENTIFICATION OF THE BEST EXISTENT DEFINITION AND AGENDA FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

It is easy for anyone who takes a look at the quality literature to note the absence of consensus in quality definition. In this article, we try to answer two questions. First one: which definition is the best? To compare and judge, we propose four criteria of “good quality definition”, and then, we list different definitions and enumerate the major existent classifications in the literature. The most important critics formulated are also listed. Finally, we balance between listed definitions in order to get the best one that meets the four criteria. The second question concerns the direction which should be taken for new research. Consumption of goods and services is directly related to consumer behavior. The 2008's financial crash has led changes in this behavior during and after the crisis. We believe that any new research should take into consideration these changes and mix it with a questioning of the relationship between business and consumer.