The American Society for Quality - Essay Example

QUALITY MANAGEMENT affiliation Introduction The American Society for Quality defines quality as s view of a product or services contrive and how well the design matches the initial specifications (Comments & Source 2011). Also, ISO 8402-1986 modifies quality as the totality of characteristics and features of a service or good that assume its capability to meet stated needs of the customer. Quality is often revealed by customers in the market, a service or product that attract many consumers is that which adequately meet the needs of customers and possess not only the authentic features but also the effectiveness as well efficiency (Sousa & Voss 2001). Customers determine the rate of supply of goods and services, rise in the demand means that customers appreciate the value and quality. As a response, business organizations increase the supply of their products and service while not compromising quality. To achieve sustainable quality of products and services there must be an organized system of quality improvement and performance of operation. This paper expounds on quality management as well as total quality management as used in improving performance operation and overall production quality. Quality Management Quality management is an organized system of communication that is responsible for channeling information to employees. Information is always about the methods and techniques needed to produce the coveted quality of products and services (Linderman et al. 2004). It also makes employees to act vigilantly with the aim of accomplishing tasks according to specifications of quality required. Quality management serves more than one purpose in motivating employees to achieve quality produce and services. It is by quality management that employees get the clear meaning of the organizations vision and establish working standards to realize quality work. Furthermore, quality management builds the overall motivation in the company besides helping in setting comprehensive employees’ goals and undoing internal resistance to change within the company. It also gives direction to corporate culture of the organization as a way of promoting employer-employee unity and sense of direction. Success in a business organization is preceded by the fame of its quality products and services in the market. Businesses are termed successful if their products and services are of high quality and satisfy customer needs as compared to their competitors. Quality management is crucial in sustaining the survival and competitiveness of a business organization in the market. Organizations confidently conform to current quality level, retain their employees in a competitive environment, appreciate new technology and meet their employee’s requirements to achieve quality through appropriate implementation of quality management system (Excellence 2001). Quality management system is built on a number of principles that are mostly applied in higher management levels as a master course to improving organizations performance. The principles are a product of varied experiences and knowledge of a team of international experts. The principles are also relevant in stepping up the performance of an organization (Ludwig-Becker , 1999). Customer focus; As customers are the main determiners and modifiers of quality, it is important that organizations create a good working relationship with them. The organizations are also charged with the responsibility of understanding customer preferences and changing trends in their lifestyle. Most importantly organizations must strive to address and predict their customers’ requirements. Once an organization effectively address customer focus there is a rise in revenue and market share due to flexibility and swift responses to market opportunities. There is improved effectiveness in the use of organizations resources to meet customer needs as well as enhanced customer trust and loyalty leading to business survival. Leadership; In a business organization, leaders are known to bring unity of purpose and direction. They hatch and sustain a favourable internal environment within the organization so as all people in the organization are fully engaged in realizing the set organization’s goals. Good leadership motivates employees to work towards achieving organizations expectations. It is through effective leadership that all organization activities are monitored and evaluated as well as communication errors minimized. It is only by embracing this leadership principle that most of the organization deficits and demands are fully addressed. Moreover, employees are inspired and encouraged when their contributions to the organization are recognized (Excellence 2001). Involvement of all people in the organization; In a business organization, individuals at all levels work towards achieving the set goals and objectives. Their full participation enables them to apply the best of their abilities in skills and knowledge to the advantage of the organization (Excellence 2001). Once people learn of their contributions and full participation in the organization, they get motivated, devoted and become more accountable for their work performance. Innovation and creativity are drastically improved as a means of achieving the organizations goals. This principle therefore helps improve on quality by helping people realize the relevance of their participation and roles in the organization. Furthermore, the employees learn to appreciate responsibility and accountability of their actions while at work. The freedom to share knowledge promotes constant evaluation of performance and solving of work challenges. Process approach principle Managing activities and resources as one process is one of the significant factor used to achieve a desired goal. The logic lies behind the fact that the cost of operation is minimized through eliminating work duplication. Results are ameliorated, made consistent and certain. The main focus of this principle is to prioritize on improving organizations opportunities through producing high quality goods and services at an affordable cost. To ensure that process approach works efficiently, the management works to provide clearly defined responsibilities and accountabilities for all middle level managers and employees. The management also has the responsibility of determining risks, results and impacts of organization activities on its internal and customers as well as suppliers and other influential parties. System approach to management principle Understanding, discovering and managing interlinked processes as a single unit reliably contributes to achieving of organizations objectives in improving service and product quality. Consolidating and streamlining processes in an organization is important in realizing desired goals. The system approach to management also builds trust and confidence in interested partners due to its efficiency, consistency and effectiveness in running the organization. This principle also betters the employees understanding of their roles and responsibilities required to achieve desired organizations objectives by mitigating cross-functional bias. Quality is achieved by continually enhancing the system via monitoring and evaluation of organizations interrelated processes. Continual Improvement principle Most organizations take continual improvement of their performance as a lasting practice to ensure quality products and services for their customers. Benefits associated with this principle include; increased organizational capacity, flexibility to tap available opportunities and promoting organizations strategic design. To effectively step up performance, organization take the initiative of training their employees on skills and knowledge necessary to implement continual improvement. Training is individualized to ensure that continual improvement is adopted at a personal level in the organization. Factual approach to decision making principle Organizations have to rely on relevant information and data analysis to make appropriate decisions. Informed decisions are important in averting possible erroneous conclusions that can compromise the desire of an organization in achieving its goals. Analysis of data equips managers with the ability to make good decisions by comparing with previously recorded decisions of the organization. This also helps prevent repetition of mistakes made previously and thus improving the overall quality of products and services to customer satisfaction. There is room to challenge suggestions and decisions basing on facts found after data analysis. Making sound decisions requires that information provided must be acquired through credible channel as well as data analyzed using valid methods. Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relations Principle Both the organization and suppliers enjoy an interdependent relationship in which all benefit and significantly create value. A cordial relationship is a fertile ground for enhancing quality of products and services. A lot of benefits come along when the association is favourable to both the organization and suppliers, besides increased ability to create value, both parties optimize on costs and resources available. The organization becomes more flexible in conforming to dynamic customer demands and expectations. This principle is employed in building relationships that strike a balance between short-term profits with long-term conditions. Experts from both the organization and suppliers are able to work together in pooling resources with the aim of promoting quality at a cheap production cost. The organization and suppliers can establish an articulate improvement and development services. Elements of Quality Management System Quality management system comprises of a number of building blocks that make it work efficiently and effectively in an organization (Yang 2006). These include; Participative management; the whole of quality management process involves different aspects such as vision and values, developing a clear plan as well as communication. The very first step of management is to clearly state organizational vision and values. Organizational values and vision are relevant in recognizing the relevance of quality management and instilling motivation for current market changes. Values play an influential role in forming a working culture for the employees in the organization (Ravichandran & Rai 2000). Moreover, organizational values are important in drafting agendas for all processes of quality management. Although different organizations have their own unique way of planning, their plans share similar characteristics. These plans are always clear and have measurable objectives; they are consistent with visions and values of the organization apart from being sources for quality determination. Planning is also important in enhancing employee flexibility and empowerment. Communication; flow of information either on an up-downward trend or horizontal fashion is important in an organization as it helps promote understanding through clear instructions (Yang 2006). Communication is the most important tool that links management, employees, stakeholders and customers. Throughout the production process, communication is important that quality procedures are followed to achieve quality products and services. Feedback from various sectors of an organization heavily relies on effective communication. Quality System Design Quality management system has an effective way of ensuring that the desired level of quality is sustained in all units of products or services. Designing is important is ensuring sustainability of quality; it has several steps to oversee a successful retention of quality of products and services (Li et al. 2008). Designing involves understanding and mapping all relevant business processes. Another important step is to create organizational performance priorities besides acknowledging the present performance evaluation system. It is also important to include indicators for performance development which basically measure the organization’s performance and processes. Furthermore, there is need to establish reporting and data representation thereafter performance measurement system is tested and adjusted accordingly before full implementations. Customers Including customers in quality management system can take several approaches. This includes receiving customers’ view on quality and their satisfaction status. Customer retention rate is a direct measure of quality of service and products in an organization. Creating new customers while retaining the old ones requires that services and products fetch a good reputation in the market, the quality must be outstanding (Li, Blumenfeld, & Marin, 2008). Purchasing This is a special practice through which an organization can have significant quality gain through effective implementation of designed organizational procedures and policies. Combining all organizational inputs improves on quality of services and products. Purchasing also works to the advantage of quality improvement by imparting knowledge and skills in purchasing personnel about the importance of observing quality standards (Lindgreen et al. 2009). Education and Training Education servers the purpose of getting employees of an organization to attain high quality standards in their work (Yang 2006). Educating and training both the managers and employees on methods used in achieving quality significantly reduces errors that slow down the process of achieving organizational goals. As most quality problems begin with inefficient management, educating all members of the organization will help mitigate managerial and supervision errors while improving on quality of services and products. Education also empowers the work force with the necessary skills and expertise on how to sustain quality throughout the production and servicing process. Auditing Auditing gives room for all members of an organization to evaluate the quality management system. It is during this time that strengths and weaknesses of the quality management system at all levels are identified and discussed (Hao & Zhang 2010). Auditing in business organizations can take different forms including new customer measures, quality in services and customer surveys. Auditing is concerned with pointing out areas that need improvement to better quality and maintaining strengths of the organization in attaining quality of services and products. Data Development and Statistics Data storage and analysis is very important in promoting quality management system. It works closely with auditing to achieve quality improvement. Data provides information on customer characteristics and trends that are vital in determining areas to improve in terms of quality. It is only through collected data that an organization can obtain information on the changing patterns of customer preferences and consumption of its products and services (Yang 2006). Total Quality Management (TQM) and Organizational Performance Organizations rely on TQM to improve quality across all levels of production and servicing. Every aspect of management is also affected by TQM. Successful business organizations are known to employ TQM in enhancing their competitiveness through improving the quality of their services and products (Sadegh et al. 2013). Customer satisfaction is the main focus of TQM hence all organizational sectors are shaped and modified to work and achieve one goal which is quality for customer demands. When customers enjoy products and services of an organization due to their distinguished quality it also means that the organization continues to make large profits. The relevance of having a continuous TQM system is to ensure sustained profitability and supremacy of organizations products and services on the market (Sadegh et al. 2013). Apart from improving the competitiveness of an organization, TQM also promotes growth of human resource management. Proper human resource management directly improves performance management system of an organization. TQM works through a series of interconnected systems in the organization making proportional contribution in each sector. Advantages of Quality Management Quality Management is a tool in emphasizing the needs of the market by highlighting various demands from customers. It is applied worldwide and aids the organization to discover and address the current market needs in the best way possible. Secondly, TQM guarantees better quality performance in every sphere of organizations activities. Degrading and non-participative behaviours of the employees are the major setbacks in the organizations success, development and advancement.TQM is concerned more with addressing the attitudinal alterations and improvements in the overall performance of workers to enhance proper working culture and sense of team work. This becomes one of the perfect chances for self-development and elevation of employee’s interest in the work. Thirdly, TQM is a useful strategy used in checking non-productive activities and wastage in the organization. That every organization is determined to improve on its productivity as well as minimizing costs while maximizing on increasing profit, TQM is the tool to apply. Quality improvement team is responsible for minimizing wastage of resources and correcting inefficiency throughout the organization. Furthermore, TQM is the method of choice for any business that wants to remain high in the competitive market field. Virtually all stages of TQM are vital in enhancing understanding market competition and also devising a suitable combating mechanism.it is through TQM that many business organizations get to learn of their customers’ needs and changing market trends. The organization is put in a good position to survive in the cut throat market completion by applying the various strategies and plans elaborated in the quality management system. TQM also is useful in developing an excellent communication system both with the organization and the immediate external environment. Proper communication means that information reaching both employees and employers is credible with little alterations and delays. Finally TQM is the best available method of continuous review of the organizations progress both internally and externally Conclusion Quality management is important is enhancing the competitiveness and survival of an organization in the market through improving on product and service quality as well as operation performance. Customers are the main determinants of quality and their perceptions are largely used to shape the quality management system. Quality management process has principles such as process approach, Continual Improvement, System approach to management and Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relations. Quality management elements include; participative management, quality system design, purchasing, education, training and auditing. Both quality management principles and elements are applied in achieving quality improvement and outstanding performance of the organization. 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