Abstract
Likert scale items are used for surveys exploring attitudes by collecting responses to particular questions or groups of related statements. The common practice is asking respondents to express their level of agreement by applying the seven or five-point scale from ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’. Although the Likert scale methodology serves as a powerful tool for asking attitudinal questions and getting measurable answers from the respondents, the surveys fail to identify level of importance of the individual questions used for characterizing the explored phenomena. Moreover, the Likert scale methodology does not enable to distinguish which of the questions are the causes, and which of them are the effects of the explored problem. The objective of the research is to propose an original method for evaluating the cause-effect relationship and strength of interdependences among Likert scale items. The classical DEMATEL technique is modified for analysis of the interdependence among factors in order to overcome the subjective origin of expert evaluations, generally applied for its implementation. The Spearman Rank Order Correlations of Likert scale items were explored as a consistent replacement of subjective group direct-influence matrix. The modified influential relation map built for Likert scale items revealed improvement scopes by defining causal relationships and significance of the questions of the survey, and added value for long-term strategic decision making. The viability of the proposed model is illustrated by a case study of service quality survey data collected at the rehabilitation hospital in Poland.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Brown, S.: Likert Scale Examples for Surveys (2010). www.extension.iastate.edu/documents/anr/likertscaleexamplesforsurveys.pdf
Wu, C.-H.: An empirical study on the transformation of Likert-scale data to numerical scores. Appl. Math. Sci. 1(58), 2851–2862 (2007)
Gabus, A., Fontela, E.: Perceptions of the world problematique: communication procedure. In: Communicating with Those Bearing Collective Responsibility (DEMATEL Report no. 1), BATTELLE Institute, Geneva Research Centre, Geneva, Switzerland (1972)
Gabus, A., Fontela, E.: World problems, an invitation to further thought within the framework of DEMATEL. BATTELLE Institute, Geneva, Switzerland (1972)
Harpe, E.S., Pharm, D.: How to analyze Likert and other rating scale data. Curr. Pharm. Teach. Learn. 7(6), 836–850 (2015)
Hu, H.Y., Lee, Y.C., Yen, T.M., Tsai, C.H.: Using BPNN and DEMATEL to modify importance–performance analysis model—a study of the computer industry. Expert Syst. Appl. 36(6), 9969–9979 (2009)
Joshi, A., Kale, S., Chandel, S., Pal, D.K.: Likert scale: explored and explained. Br. J. Appl. Sci. Technol. 7(4), 396–403 (2015)
Kabengele, M.E., Chastonay, P.: Satisfaction of patients: a right to health indicator? Health Policy 100(2–3), 144–150 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2010.11.001
Kashi, K., Jiri, F.: Utilizing DEMATEL method in competency modeling. Forum Scientiae Oeconomia 2(1), 95–106 (2014)
Kriksciuniene, D., Sakalauskas, V.: AHP model for quality evaluation of healthcare system. In: Damaševičius, R., Mikašytė, V. (eds.) ICIST 2017. CCIS, vol. 756, pp. 129–141. Springer, Cham (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67642-5_11
Kriksciuniene, D., Sakalauskas, V., Lewandowski, R.: Process mining of periodic rating scale survey data using analytic hierarchy process. In: Abramowicz, W., Paschke, A. (eds.) BIS 2018. LNBIP, vol. 339, pp. 86–95. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04849-5_8
Likert, R.: A technique for the measurement of attitudes. Arch. Psychol. 22(140), 55 (1932)
Lin, Ch.J., Wu, W.: A causal analytical method for group decision making under fuzzy environment. Expert Syst. Appl. 34(1), 205–213 (2008)
Murray, J.: Likert data: what to use, parametric or non-parametric? Int. J. Bus. Soc. Sci. 4(11), 258–264 (2013)
Seleem, S.N., Attia, E.-A., El-Assal, A.: Managing performance improvement initiatives using DEMATEL method with application case study. Prod. Plann. Control 27(7–8), 637–649 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2016.1165301
Shao, J., Taisch, M., Ortega Mier, M., d’Avolio, E.: Application of the DEMATEL method to identify relations among barriers between green products and consumers. In: 17th European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production - ERSCP 2014, Portoroz, Slovenia, 14–16 October 2014, pp. 1029–1040 (2014)
Si, S.-L., You, X.-Y., Liu, H.-C., Zhang, P.: DEMATEL technique: a systematic review of the state-of-the-art literature on methodologies and applications. Math. Probl. Eng. 2018(1), 1–33 (2018)
Subedi, B.P.: Using Likert type data in social science research: confusion, issues and challenges. Int. J. Contemp. Appl. Sci. 3(2), 36–49 (2016)
Sullivan, G.M., Artino Jr., R.A.: Analyzing and interpreting data from Likert-type scales. J. Grad. Med. Educ. 5(4), 541–542 (2013). https://doi.org/10.4300/JGME-5-4-18
Tasso, K., et al.: Assessing patient satisfaction and quality of care through observation and interview. Hosp. Top. 80(3), 4–10 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1080/00185860209597996
Tsai, W.H., Chou, W.C.: Selecting management systems for sustainable development in SMEs: a novel hybrid model based on DEMATEL, ANP, and ZOGP. Expert Syst. Appl. 36(2), 1444–1458 (2009)
Warmbrod, J.R.: Reporting and interpreting scores derived from Likert-type scales. J. Agric. Educ. 55(5), 30–47 (2014)
Acknowledgement
This work was performed within the framework of the COST action “European Network for cost containment and improved quality of health care” http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/ca/CA15222, and was also supported by funding from National Science Centre, Poland (grant number: 2015/17/B/HS4/02747).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Kriksciuniene, D., Sakalauskas, V., Lewandowski, R. (2019). Evaluating the Interdependent Effect for Likert Scale Items. In: Abramowicz, W., Corchuelo, R. (eds) Business Information Systems Workshops. BIS 2019. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 373. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36691-9_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36691-9_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-36690-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-36691-9
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)