The population's manner of services consumption--index of life quality.

Dumitrescu, Constantin Dan ; Dobren, Flavius Andrei

1. INTRODUCTION

The quality of life is determined by diversity, quantity and the quality of services, which are in a continuous increase within the territory of those countries with a modern market economy based on demand and offer. The services in the consumption sphere are addressed either to the completion of the range of goods, or to fulfill those needs that have no correspondent in the offer of material goods; furthermore, they can replace some products, ensuring in this way supplementary advantages, in comparison with the acquisition of the item it had been substituted for (Dickinson, 1989).

One can state that the services in the sphere of consumption are structured this way: independent services and services associated to general goods. Services dedicated to the population's need may be divided in:

* commercial services (paid by population) and

* Free-of charge services (services that are financed by the budget of the state).

Commercial services are fulfillments delivered to population at an equivalent cost through an "act" of selling-purchasing.

2. THE COMPONENTS OF THE QUALITY OF LIVE

After the 1990's, the Romanian society has passed a transitional stage from a centralized economy to a market economy, where took place removals of great depth that had leaded to an incessant increase of these services (Grigorescu & Mihai, 1992).

In this manner, a displacement of the active population towards new professional activities has emerged, from a clumsy inefficient economy to an economy of services, proper for the development countries. The total amount of the systems (commercial, banking, health, educational, touring etc) had to adapt to the new conditions, for Romania be able to adhere the European Union. (Jivan, 1996)

The quality of life derives of the quality of each good/ item, good/ item defined by its ability to satisfy the consumer's needs. Quality usually implies a comparison between the delivered service and that expected by the consumer (Kotler & Dubois, 1992).

One of the items which endorse the improvement of the quality in services takes into consideration three groups of elements, marked in the Fig. 1.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

This item presented under the shape of a triangle shows that in order to reach a high level of quality; the commercial society has to well-balance the three groups of elements.

An important dimension of the quality of life is the spare time, which is a result of the technical and social development.

Conceived at an extent sense, in contrast with the time dedicated to work, spare time represents that quantum of time meant for a number of activities to which one devotes him/herself in a free manner, willingly and in favor, either to repose or to entertain him/ herself, or to improve his/ her information, after he had released him /herself from the professional, social and domestic obligations.

The extension of the spare time is determined by the level of the economical and social development, by the policy of promotion in this respect.

Thus, over two centuries, the size of the average length of life was calculated for and included school, transport, but especially time benefit that increases from 5 to 31 years (see Fig.2).

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

[FIGURE 4 OMITTED]

Spare time is daily, weekly (weekend) and yearly (vacation/leave). This problem has to be viewed not as a personal problem, but as a social one.

In this respect, scientific research, the management, information technology, engineering design must be involved in creating all these conditions of spending the spare time

Figure no.3 and figure no4 present the statistics of the present interest regarding the number of working hours and days of vacation in Europe reported to our country. Concerning the increment in life's quality from the point of view of services, several aspects must be taken into consideration:

--respect for the relation quality--price

--decrease of the time of serving

--diversity in the manner of payment (cash, card, checks leaf, order for payment)

--access, at any moment to any type of service (preferably, where it is possible, for the service "to get" to you)

--wish and pleasure to appeal to a certain service

--state of comfort, good mood after the consumption of the desired service. (Ioncica. & Minciu, 1996).

Among the policies formulated nowadays to ensure quality, the most appreciated of all is the one that places on the first position the satisfaction of the client. Satisfaction is possible through a background of excellent services, continually improving and of efficient use of resources.

According to Kotler's conception, satisfaction is the state of a client, which arises from buying the quality of a service in accordance with his expectations. From such a comparison there should result 4 situations: dissatisfaction, indifference, satisfaction, enthusiasm.

According to Japanese outlook (exposed by S. Yamaguchi) on satisfaction, it appears through the attention offered for quality; we distinguish this way a "hardware" quality (technical characteristics), a software quality (services) and a human quality relation purveyor-client).

3. CONCLUSIONS

1. As a conclusion, the quality of life is linked to the quality of services. Achieving the quality of services implies (according ISO 9004/2):

--to have a social approach

--to be approached the human interrelationships

--to be given the proper importance to the trade mark of the service

--to be personally motivated.

2. The quality of a company can emphasize the quality of services it provides, at a time. It can be seen that in Japan, the number and quality of services compensated with 50% the number of working days a week compared with the United States, and 150 to 150% the number of working days in various states of Europe;

In the end, here are two definitions of quality proper to be taken into consideration:

--Quality is the very soul of work (A. Soljenitin)

--Quality is a range of excellence (Webster Dictionary)

3. The product quality is directly related to the quality of services that accompany them, on the other hand an increase in quality and services have the effect of a final quality social growth, meaning growth in the quality of the relationship producer--beneficiaries.

At the same time, we cannot ignore the inherent increase in product prices, supported by beneficiaries; of the desire to see the more and more diverse needs achieved, beneficiaries \will accept the price difference that occurs. This orientation towards services leads to the reduction in work effort, but develops the training/ instruction activities in the form of diversification and growth in time.

4. REFERENCES

Dickinson, G. Corporate Risk Management in the Age of Global Networks in "Strategic Trends in Services" (1989), Harper & Row, New York

Grigorescu, C. & Mihai, St. The Development and Specialization of Services (1992), Romanian Academy Publishing, Bucharest

Ioncica, M. & Minciu, R.--Service's economy(1996), Uranus Publishing. Bucharest

Jivan, A. Modern Services--a challenge for the theory and practice economy (1996), Mirton Publishing, Timisoara,

Kotler, Ph. & Dubois, B. Marketing. Management 7 Edition (1992), Publi Union Edition, Paris