Quality Management Theories - Term Paper Example

Basics of Quality Management Introduction Quality management involves monitoring of service and product features and ensures consistency in production (Heron 3). It can be used as a competition strategy by firms where they employ the management to guarantee quality assurance to the clients. Quality management assists in the control of production processes and their interactions with internal company factors such as employee and customer cultures that affect the quality level of goods and services. As a result, it focuses on the control, assurance and improvement factors of the organization’s quality trends. Thesis statement: Analysis of quality management reveals various tools that cause the perfection of its implementation process in an organization. Quality Management Theories Demings theory His research took place during the Second World War when there was a need for quality appraisal in strategic goods such as ammunitions and other products used during the war. His ideas were also borrowed from Japans need to improve the quality in the building of its country. The theory was based on 14 major principles that explained quality management processes (Adetule 50). Deming’s theory is also based on the principle of profound knowledge that is crucial in the success of an organization. Reflective knowledge is based on four principles that generalize the 14 pillars of the theory. System appreciation includes comprehension of the company’s ways of operation. Workers have to understand the code of conducts before employing quality management in the organization. Variation knowledge provides for changes in the organization that may happen before quality monitoring. Psychology knowledge assists the managers to understand customer and employee trends that may affect the operation of quality management procedures. Deming continued his research in countries with developing industrial environments and used his knowledge to come up with principles such as Plan-Do-Check-Act that can be used for continuous quality improvement (Adetule 49). Joseph Jurans Theory His research projects began during his career as an engineer where he used his knowledge in human relations to standardize production in companies that he worked. Joseph teamed up with other scholars to write books and campaign the need for a standardization organization that would monitor the quality of goods and services in the markets. The ‘Juran Trilogy approach highlighted on managerial processes that would affect quality management tactics in businesses (Adetule 49). They include quality improvement, control and planning. He also incorporated the use of statistical and scientific methods such as acceptance sampling and control charts in quality management. Basic Quality Tools They include high-performance means that can be used in troubleshooting problems in an organizations quality management. They include the following: Cause-and-effect diagram or the Ishikawa chart – it is used to identify the causes of various management problems in an organization. The chart categorized the problems depending on their similarity (Jones 12). It includes the problem statement and avenues for brainstorming among employees to come up with solutions to the statement. The provided ideas are then generalized and used to generate a perfect solution. Check sheet or defect concentration diagram – it is a generic tool of management that used to tabulate collected data. Information is gathered through repeat observations of the operations. The data is recorded based on the frequency of the problem or pattern of events in the organization. The data is then generalized using the patterns and frequency of the defects in the management processes. Concentration of ideas happens in areas of increased repetition while the other areas are attended to with fewer applications. Control charts or statistical process control – it is a standard tool that measure the process of management processes within a specified time. Most charts are used to determine, predict, analyze and control problems as they occur in the firms. The use of average limits makes it possible to predict the movement of the data. However, variable data requires two charts to distribution of all information. Histogram – it is specifically used for frequency distributions. It preferred to analyze numerical data since it shows the shape of the distribution frequencies. Histograms are used in cases where data on quality monitoring is collected and tabulated statically. It may be used to expose defects in sales and supply departments due to the use of numbers. Histogram worksheets are used to record data before it is transferred to the graphs. Pareto analysis or Pareto chart – they are bar graphs used to represent changes in cost or time against other variables. It focuses on the most significant problems based on the time consumed and cost of the defect to the company (Jones 12). For example, the chart may be used to expose customer complaints of various products based on the frequency of the problem. Scatter diagram – it is used to identify relationships in data plotted in the X and Y axis. Correlation of the data is used to recognize the statistical trends in the provided information. An expert has to compute individual variables from multiple values. Data from the fishbone diagram is used to plot points in the graph. Observation is the key principle where results from brainstorming are analyzed in the scatter diagram. The highest concentration of points reflects the major results that can be used to reduce the defects in management. Stratification – it is used in cases of large data analysis programs due to various sources (Jones 12). The collected data is stratified and categorized based on department and frequency. It is also used when information requires to be separated due to different causes. The procedure depends on departments, products, shifts, time, and suppliers among others. Implementing Quality Management The implementation entails various processes that ensure perfect results. Creating business environments with good quality cultures will guarantee customer satisfaction that plays a vital role in profit maximization (Hakim 25). However, customer satisfaction depends on quality products and services. The implementation process consists of quality control, quality assurance, planning and quality improvement. Examining organization culture It aids the expert to comprehend the current employee trends based on behavior and beliefs in the working environment. Firms have different cultures based on their visions, missions, objectives and employee culture that may determine ways of implementing quality management (Hakim 25). Workers interpersonal and group relationships also portray different results on the quality of products and services being produced. Customer cultures also depend on the organization’s objectives due to quality and efficiency. The expert can use the different kinds of cultures to move to the next implementation stage. Identifying critical success factors They include financial statements, customer satisfaction rates, product quality, and market share and employee satisfaction. Monitoring these factors assists the experts to be familiar with the organization’s success. Quality management may be implemented depending on the success of the critical factors (Hakim 25). Basic quality tools are used in the monitoring and control systems deployed in the organization. For example, low customer satisfaction rates reflect low-quality management levels in the firm. The main intention the firm is to ensure customer satisfaction that is provided for in the goals and objectives. Measures and metrics from the management tools reveal the magnitude of quality management needed in each department. Establish an implementation team The team should firsts familiarizes itself with the employee cultures in the firm and bonds with the employees to ensure that they adopt the a strategy. The professionals may implement quality management through setting various levels that have to be attained by the employees. Software is also used in some situations to monitor operations that are crucial to customer satisfaction. Constant supervision of the implemented strategy will help measure the firm’s changes due to installation of quality management policies. Team Building for Quality Management Team building is an important strategy of implementing quality management (Thorpe 3). It involves campaigning for the group culture in employees. Teamwork ensures brainstorming and sharing of ideas and innovations that are useful to quality management in the organization. Teams from various departments will set competition levels that will lead to quality products in the long run. For example, the sales department may set high levels of customer satisfaction causing the supply department to improve and attain the same levels. However, the presence of different cultures in the employees may be a setback to team building. Such difficulties call for coaching and training sessions to make the employees understand the positive impacts of team culture. Team building promotes social interactions at the workplace that proof vital during group assignments. Interactions will cause awareness to the employees on the need for quality management (Thorpe 5). Training sessions should provide more in-depth information on quality management and its impacts to the organization. This strategy will help in cooperation between employees and their superiors. Quality management cannot be successful unless cooperation from all departments in the firm. Group relations will prevent interpersonal hatreds among the workers that are a setback to quality management. Additionally, the firm will have a similar culture due to the formation of groups. As a result, customers will view the companys mission and vision as one despite being served by different employees. Teamwork leads to the implementation of quality management strategies. Conclusion Quality management strategies have been adopted with expectations of customer satisfaction (Rose 68). However, the process also maximizes employee satisfaction leading to a vibrant working environment that ensures quality management implementation. It has helped in monitoring the crucial success factors in the organization. Works Cited Adetule, Jide. Handbook on management theories. Bloomington: Author House, 2011. Print. Hakim, Latif. Information quality management theory and applications. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Pub., 2007. Print. Heron, Dr. Ralf. Quality management your key to success. S.l.: Lulu Com, 2010. Print. Jones, Erick C.. Quality management for organizations using lean six sigma techniques. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2014. Print. Rose, Kenneth. Project quality management why, what and how. Boca Raton, Fla.: J. Ross Pub., 2005. Print. Thorpe, Brian, and Peter Sumner. Quality management in construction. Aldershot, England: Gower, 2004. Print. Read More