Theory of attractive quality and the Kano methodology – the past, the present, and the future

Abstract

The theory of attractive quality and the Kano methodology were introduced about 30 years ago. Since then, research and practitioner communities have adopted both the theory and the methodology, as they help to explain the roles different quality attributes play for customers. This paper reviews 147 research papers published between 1984 and 2012 and identifies three distinct phases in the development of the research field; Emergence, Exploration, and Explosion. In addition to the review of existing literature, the present paper sets the scene for the next phase of the research – Explanation – to further develop the field.