Definitions of Quality in Terms of Business and Services Provision - Essay Example

Quality Management in Business Section Definitions of ‘quality’ in terms of business and services provision: Quality is animportant factor for the business activities, but at many times it can be difficult to find a good definition. The simplest definition of quality which can apply to all businesses; whether small or large is that quality is how the expectations and needs of the customers are fulfilled. Customers are an important part of every business and the quality of the products and services depend on what the customers need, expect and price that they are paying. The value for money and quality of product is proportionally related as the customers demand products where price reflects quality. Under this principle, the business will adopt a pricing strategy that suits the quality of their product. Another definition of quality states that quality is the process of satisfying the customer’s implied and stated needs. This is where the business creates products in accordance to the needs and expectations of the customers. The business would carry out market researches and consider what kind of products and services are being expected by the customers, and then the quality of the products will be determined. The levels of quality and pricing strategies also depend on the needs of the customers. For example if the customer is ready to use a product of high quality and high price, the business will produce only high quality products, but if there are customers who want to spend less and compromise on quality, then the business will produce the same product with varying levels of quality (Black, 2011, p. 736). Another definition states that quality is the combination of process power and people power. It is linked to the efficiency in production and the improvement of processes. It may also include the technical processes, designs, engineering and management processes. The features and characteristics of the tools and materials provided by the suppliers also include in the quality of the product. In manufacturing businesses, quality can be regarded as the process which is free from defects, delays and deficiencies. Processes of inspection and assurance: The quality assurance processes include all activities that prevent, detect and remove all the defects that tend to occur in between the business processes. The processes include several steps to ensure that the delivery of products and services is being carried out efficiently. The steps include plan, do, check and act. In the plan stage, the business has to ensure that a plan is made in an order keeping in consideration all the processes, activities and methods to be used. The next step is doing, where the business will implement the processes just in the way that they have planned. The next stage is to check that all the processes are being carried out efficiently and no defects are detected. In the last stage, the actions to resolve the issues and make corrections will take place. The processes of inspection are that of quality which ensure that the processes are being monitored to correct any error as it occurs. Quality control standards are set and licenses are given to the inspectors who inspect the activities to ensure that they are being carried out efficiently. The inspector would not only identify the errors and correct them but will also identify the broader issues with the files, programs and documents being used. Quality control inspections can be unannounced and can be done by the owners or the licensed inspectors. This is so that the business can deal with the errors in accordance to the business quality control processes as well as the general standards set by the local government. The quality assurance processes are to prevent the errors and mistakes form happening during the processes and quality control processes ensure that the errors are identified and corrected. The quality management department in every business should work to manage the assurance and control on the activities. Quality control managers and inspectors are hired who keep records and prepare graphs to keep a check on the quality management over the time (Steyn, 2008, p. 336). Approaches to quality management: The approaches to quality management can include systems that are formal and informal. Formal systems include ISO9001 which is the quality management system that has to be followed by every business despite the size or type. It specifies that the business must produce and provide the products that fulfill the customer’s needs and expectations under the statutory regulations and that the business should aim to satisfy the customer to the most with continuous improvements. ISO14001 specifies that an organization must have an effective environmental management system which reduces waste, saves energy and materials and lowers the distribution costs. The BEM system ensures that the organization is achieving and sustaining good levels of performance. The model lets the business managers understand the causes and effects of the activities of the organization and the result which is achieved. PQASSO is the Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organizations which evaluates their performance through various management indicators. The IIP standard enhances the business’s performance through its staff members. The objectives and activities of the business are managed through the employees. There are certain indicators and principles that the organization must follow to develop its workforce. A commitment needs to be made with all the employees including senior managers. These are the formal methods applied to businesses for quality management (Mitra, 2012, p. 16). There are certain informal methods too which mostly deal with the internal policies of the business. Self-assessment is a way to assess the activities and policies to identify where the business is going wrong in following its own plans and policies. The employees must carry out self-assessment tools to assess their own performances and judge where the mistakes are being committed. The Total Quality Management is a method which ensures that continuous growth is taking place in the business activities and errors are being corrected. The process eliminates the errors and improves the customer experience through improving the performance of the employees. This method focuses on all the parties that are involved in the production process and affect the quality of the overall performance (Nigam, 2005, p. 65). Similarities and differences between the methods: These methods include formal and informal methods. The formal methods are those which are set by the quality management standards and systems and have to be followed under law by every business despite its size or type. The informal methods are those which are set by the business for their own staff and activities. The IIP focuses on the people of the organization while the ISO14001 focuses on the environment management. The self-assessment methods focus on the performance of the employees’ own performances while the PQASSO is a system for the small organizations. These models and systems are specified for specific controls and activities and differ from one another in application. They target different aspects to focus on the quality management of the products, activities and customer satisfaction. The similarity in all these methods is that they have been set out to improve the quality management and enhance the quality control methods in the business. By focusing on different stakeholders and activities, the methods ensure that the quality is controlled and improved. The formal methods and systems are those that are mandatory for the businesses to follow no matter what their activity type is. The informal methods can be designed and built by the businesses according to their own convenience. They can choose their methods and apply them where necessary. The combination of all the standards and methods would collectively result in improvement in quality management and control. References Black K. 2011. Business Statistics: For Contemporary Decision Making. USA: John Wiley & Sons Steyn H. 2008. Project Management for Business, Engineering and Technology: Principles and Practice. Canada: Elsevier Mitra A. 2012. Fundamentals of Quality Control and Improvement. USA: John Wiley & Sons Nigam S. 2005. Total Quality Management: An Integrated Approach. India: Excel Books India Read More