Unpacking the Key Influencers for Customer Satisfaction in Tourism Mobile Applications Using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Fouman Faculty of Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Fouman Faculty of Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran.

3 Research Associate, Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Canada.

4 Associate Professor, School of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This research tries to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) for Tourism Mobile Applications (TMAs) and to evaluate their influence on customer satisfaction. Our process was twofold. Initially, a framework of potential CSFs was constructed through a comprehensive literature review and expert opinions in the field. Consequently, the interrelationships and relative influence of these factors were analyzed using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM). The data feeding the FCM model was derived from two distinct expert-administered questionnaires: one designed for the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to establish initial weights, and another to define the causal relationships within the FCM.  The results reveal that "perceived playfulness" is the most influential critical success factors. By providing strategies for service providers to attract more customers and users, the proposed framework aims to ensure satisfactory service delivery. This research contributes to the operational strategies that can enhance the competitiveness capability of TMAs and highlights the essential considerations for TMA developers.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Advances in Industrial Engineering
Volume 59, Issue 2
December 2025
Pages 359-375

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