Quality Defined
„ ASQC – totality of features and
characteristics of a product or service
that bears on its ability to satisfy given
needs
„ fitness for its use – how well does the
product do what the customer thinks it
should do and wants it to do

Dimensions of Quality
„ quality of design - degree to which
quality characteristics are designed
into a product
„ products or services designed with
different levels of quality for different
types of customers
„ customer determines quality

Dimensions of Quality (cont)
„ customer dimensions of product
quality
„ performance, features, reliability
„ conformance, durability, serviceability
„ aesthetics, safety, other perceptions

Dimensions of Quality (cont)
„ customer dimensions of service quality
„ time and timeliness, completeness, courtesy,
consistency
„ accessibility and convenience, accuracy,
responsiveness
„ quality characteristics weighed by
customer relative to cost of product or
service

Dimensions of Quality (cont)
„ quality from producer perspective
„ quality of conformance – product is produced
according to design specifications
„ achieving quality of conformance
„ design of production process
„ equipment, technology, materials
„ employees, use of statistical quality control
(SQC)

TQM
„ TQM – total commitment to quality throughout the
entire organization
„ Deming approach to quality management
„ continuous improvement of production process to
achieve conformance to specifications and reduce
variation
„ two primary sources of process improvement
„ common causes of quality problems – poor product
design or insufficient employee training
„ special causes of quality problems – improperly
operating equipment or a poor operator

TQM (cont)
„ emphasizes extensive use of SQC to
reduce variability in production process
„ dismisses extensive use of inspections as
coming too late to reduce product defects
„ primary responsibility for quality is with
employee and manager, not quality
manager or inspection technician

TQM (cont)
„ Deming's 14 points
„ create constancy pf purpose toward product
improvement
„ prevent poor-quality products rather than acceptable
levels of poor quality
„ eliminate need for inspection to achieve quality and
rely on SQC to improve product and process design
„ select a few suppliers or vendors based on quality
commitment rather than competitive prices

TQM (cont)
„ constantly improve production process by focus
on two primary sources of quality problems, the
system and workers
„ institute worker training on prevention of quality
problems and use of SQC
„ instill leadership among supervisors to help
workers perform better
„ encourage employee involvement by eliminating
fear of reprisal for asking questions and
identifying quality problems

TQM (cont)
„ eliminate barriers between departments and promote
cooperation and a team approach
„ eliminate slogans and numerical targets that
encourage workers to achieve higher performance
levels without first showing them how to do it
„ eliminate numerical quotas which employees attempt
to meet at any cost without regard for quality
„ enhance worker pride, artistry, and self-esteem by
improving supervision and the production process so
that workers can perform to their capabilities

TQM (cont)
„ institute training programs in methods of quality
improvement throughout the entire organization
„ develop a commitment from top management to
implement previous points
„ Deming Wheel (PDCA Cycle) – plan, do,
study/check, act

TQM (cont)
„ Joseph Juran - included quality in strategic
planning process
„ strategic quality planning - determine desired quality
level and design production process to achieve desired
quality characteristics
„ emphasizes quality improvement by focus on chronic
quality problems and securing a ‘break-thru’ solution
„ hundreds, or even thousands, of quality improvement
projects going on at any one time

TQM (cont)
„ Phillip Crosby – author of 1979 book
Quality is Free
„ emphasized the cost of poor quality
„ cost of poor quality far outweighs cost of
preventing poor quality

TQM (cont)
„ Armand Feigenbaum – introduced ‘total
quality control’ in 1980s
„ total quality control – total commitment of
management and employees throughout the
organization to improve quality
„ Japanese adopt this approach – referred to as
company-wide quality control
„ Japanese believe all employees at all levels are
responsible for continuous quality improvement

The Shingo System: Fail-Safe
Design
„ Shingo’s argument:
„ SQC methods do not prevent defects
„ Defects arise when people make errors
„ Defects can be prevented by providing
workers with feedback on errors
„ Poka-Yoke includes:
„ Checklists
„ Special tooling that prevents workers
from making errors

TQM (cont)
„ TQM and continuous process improvement
„ focus of continuous process improvement is business
processes rather than business functions
„ continuous process improvement
„ identify critical processes
„ analyze processes to find out how all tasks and
functions are interrelated
„ objective is to determine how to improve process
while improving quality of work performed

TQM (cont)
„ principles of TQM
„ TQM is set of principles that focus on quality improvement
as driving force in all functional areas and in all levels in an
organization
„ principles of TQM
„ customer defines quality and customer needs are top
priority
„ top management must provide leadership for quality
„ quality is a strategic issue
„ quality is the responsibility of all employees at all levels

TQM (cont)
„ all functions within an organization must focus on
continuous quality improvement
„ quality problems are solved through cooperation among
employees and management
„ problem solving and continuous quality improvement are
SQC methods
„ training and education of all employees is the basis for
continuous quality improvement

TQM (cont)
„ TQM throughout the organization
„ marketing and R&D, engineering
„ purchasing, human resources
„ management, shipping
„ customer service

TQM (cont)
„ strategic implications of TQM
„ quality as core competency
„ quality as order qualifier or order winner
„ quality as means to position firm to compete