Desarrollo de un indicador de calidad percibida sobre el uso de materiales cerámicos en arquitectura mediante análisis de encuestas: estudios preliminares

Abstract

The aim of this work in progress is to assess whether the “objective” quality of the materials and the “subjective” perception of that intrinsic quality determine the market value of properties. Presented here are the preliminary studies conducted to date to develop an indicator of perceived quality of ceramic material in comparison with other materials. In its initial phase, the research compared sample data on the subjective component based on the quality of ceramic materials perceived by users and experts, for which in the experimental stage two questionnaires were produced, one for users and another for technicians. In this way, a creation and implementation methodology was obtained to perform the sample calculation. The most relevant preliminary analyses conducted during the research were then released and discussed in order to produce an indicator of perceived quality. Under this premise, the aim of this paper is to report on sample conglomeration study using simple, transversal and anonymous random sampling, with no replacements, which began by creating surveys to be conducted directly and personally by an interviewer, followed by descriptive analysis to produce a comparative study. The sample for the study consisted of 400 surveys given to users and 35 given to technicians, but as the study is still in the data-implementation phase, the preliminary study has so far processed 340 of the 400 required user surveys, and 18 of the 35 necessary technician surveys. The study was conducted in public places in the province of Alicante (Region of Valencia). The surveys were conducted during the last two weeks of March and the first week of April 2009. The statistical analysis took place in two stages: a univariate descriptive stage and an inferential stage (comparing means and proportions). The initial results show that users and technicians alike consider wood (parquet and platform) to be the best option in general rooms, though technicians also have ceramic porcelain earthenware in high regard, and for other rooms prefer ceramic materials, particularly earthenware, closely followed by stone materials such as marble, commercial marble and granite. Furthermore, practically no statistical differences were found when contrasting how users perceived the aesthetics and quality of the material. As a result of the study, it can be initially concluded that users associate the aesthetics of a material to its quality, in contrast with technicians, who based their perceptions on the technical characteristics of the material. These findings are relevant in that they provide empirical support for the possibility of creating an indicator of perceived quality that can quantify the influence of this quality and produce an accurate estimation of market value.