Quality Management - Nike Air Shox Hyperballer - Case Study Example

Running Header: Quality Management Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Name & Code: Date of Submission: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Executive summary 3 Introduction 4 The assumptions 5 Six Sigma method of quality management 6 Quality Management Implementation 7 Communicating quality 8 Organisational change 9 Appendices 12 Executive summary This study shows the benefits of quality management within an organisation. It first explains how quality management is managed for example by use of six sigma method. It also shows the implementation of quality management and the various principles needed in order to achieve quality goals. The study also gives an example of a product by Nike Air and describes how the product has enabled the company achieve more benefits. Finally, the study shows how quality is communicated within a business environment and how the employees are engaged in order to achieve performance. To achieve quality goals, it is important for every business to carry out a market research. This enables the organisation to establish the true requirements for the product and the needs and expectations of the customers. Market research form a significant part of the business strategy that shows an organisation which direction to take in order to attain a competitive advantage against the competitors. Introduction As customers become sophisticated and as their expectations and information grow, the only way that that businesses will survive is by being committed to quality management. Total quality management involves a way by which businesses manage for the future. It also involves managing people and business processes in order to ensure complete customer satisfaction at every stage of production. Caves and Greene (1996) describes that once quality management is linked to other business aspects such as leadership it enables the organisation to do the right things right at the first time. The main aspect of quality management is the customer-supplier interfaces where there are various processes at every interface. This is also surrounded by commitment to quality production, communication of quality message to the right customers and the recognition of the need to change the culture of the organisation in order to create a quality producing environment. The major foundations that surround and support total quality management include people, processes and systems of the organisation. Quality is a way of delighting customers by producing goods and services that that fully meet their needs and expectations. Some of the needs include in terms of performance, appearance of the product, availability, delivery, reliability and maintainability. They may also include the price of the product and cost effectiveness. The organisation must also be capable of meeting the above measures in order to satisfy its customers. To achieve effectiveness, quality must involve all functions, people, departments and activities carried out in an organisation (Caves and Greene, 1996). The assumptions This study assesses a product made by Nike Air designed for use in a specific sport which is basketball. The product under study is Nike Air Shox Hyperballer as illustrated in appendices figure 1. This shoe is versatile and explosive and is mostly used by basketball players. John (2011) shows the shoe is of high quality and has a light hyperfuse technology in the upper side which makes it easier for the players. Its midsole is in a way that the shoe can bounce and get up higher and stable set for dagger corner jump shot. The players are also able to contribute anywhere in the game due to the effective effectiveness of Shox. John (2011) explains that the product has a zoom hyperfuse with a radical DNA flowing through and is less industrial and more airmax due to the availability of translucent tubes. As compared to other types of brands for example the Adidas, Airwalk, Diadora and diesel, Nike air shox may be rated at 4.5 due to its shox technology. The Adidas one would be rated at 4.3, Airwalk at 4.0, Diadora at 4.1 and Diesel at 3.8. The maximum quality of the shoe is achieved through various principles of quality management principles. One includes customer focus as most organisations depend on their customers. Organisations therefore ought to understand their customers needs and should meet their requirements to exceed their expectations. To attain customer focus every member within the organisations should know their customers needs and should aim at ensuring that these needs are effectively met. Leadership is the other principle that that enhance quality management. This is because it establishes unity of purpose and gives direction. Leaders should ensure creation and maintenance of the working environment where people are able to fully achieve quality objectives (Kaufman and Atsusi, 2002). Six Sigma method of quality management Six sigma process is designed to increase outputs through the improvement of product quality. Anand, et al. (2010) describes that the main focus brought about by the process is the maximisation of designs and operation margins thus minimising overstress. It also tends to minimise various defects that occur in business processes thus maximising the companies output This is by ensuring that all the products produced are of high quality and that they perform their work effectively for example the Nike Air had introduced the process in all its operations in order to achieve their goal for quality. This is because it reduces process variation thus achieving stable results in the manufacturing process. According to Anand, et al. (2010) lean manufacturing can also be applied to six sigma method in order to bring about effective effects. The application involves spreading the processes of lean manufacturing. The problems involved in lean manufacturing can also be solves through deviations derived from standards. Maintenance applied in lean manufacturing can also be developed through the use of the methods used in Six Sigma. Lean manufacturing works basing on certain principles which includes zero waiting time, no inventory, use of internal customer pull, the use of process time and line balancing. These principles are applied in the analysis of the problem. After the problems have been identified the group involved generates an idea which is to be applied in the production process. This idea generation process involves carrying out a pilot test where an implementation plan is drawn up. The past studies have indicated that the reduction of inventory and the scheduling of the production cycle in a manner that the cycle flows in batch sizes bring about effective changes (Richardson 2007). Quality Management Implementation Quality management implementation is a method used by firms aiming at achieving competitiveness, effectiveness and flexibility and also an organisation that aims at meeting all the needs of their customers. To achieve this, an organisation has to integrate all its processes such as planning, organising and controlling. In all these activities, wasted effort should be eliminated to ensure success. Leaders on the other hand should ensure that they adapt to a strategic overview of quality in a way that they will be capable of initiating these skills to the rest of the members. Leaders have to focus on detecting organisational issues that would slow down the implementation process (Kaufman and Atsusi, 2002). Involvement of people is also a quality management principle which ensures that members at every level of management are essence of the organisation. These members’ complete involvement enables the organisation to achieve expected goals. Richardson (2007) shows every member of the firm should be ensuring that their responsibilities are well set in order to avoid delays in some departments. This is necessary as is ensures that the right attitudes are spread across all departments. A sound quality policy is also fundamental since people need to be controlled using set policies. Process and systems approach also contribute to quality management. The process process approach ensures that desired results are achieved according to the activities and resources provided by the organisation. The systems approach ensures organisational effectiveness and efficiency in achieving quality objectives. It helps in identifying, understanding and managing interrelated processes. Continual improvement is also necessary as it is a permanent quality objective. There should also be mutual beneficial supplier relationships. This relationship increases the ability of adding value to the product. Communicating quality According to Thareja (2008) to enable employee be ware of what is required of them and to also reinforce the importance of quality. It is necessary to undertake quality improvement processes. This involves using communication which means transfer of understanding and not just sending messages. The organisation uses various communication channels in spreading messages around the working environment. Communication channels are important in the development of an organisational structure. In this organisation, the channels of communication follow a hierarchical system where the top management gives directions and communicates to the lower level managers who then communicate the message to the entire firm. Decisions and directions flow from the higher level to lowers levels and so the reports and responses flow upward the organisation (Richardson, 2007). To avoid communication barriers it is important to form committees which serve as a link between the top managers or the decision makers and the staff members. To establish clear and formal communication, the channels should be improved in order to reduce the amount of degradation. The channels used in every firm play a big role as it should maintain the quality of the original message. If this is not looked at then the staff members will receive the wrong message which will cause ineffectiveness. It is therefore necessary for the sender to choose a channel that that best guarantees transfer of message and its meaning without distortion or barriers (Thareja, 2008). To ensure effective spread of the message, the message to be communicated should attract the attention of the members, contain redundancy or be repetitive. An attractive message should be different from the usual messages for instance if a firm used typed memos to spread a message a different one would be to give a short handwritten message that will attract the attention of staff members. Rose (2005) describes that the organisation should also differentiate various methods of communication such as formal, informal and unofficial. Formal communication should be limited to that message that transmits goals, directions and policies. The informal communication should be one that links the gaps around the organisation and the unofficial or the interpersonal communications should be limited to the social structure of the organisation. It is important for management to be continually aware of the barriers to effective communication and take major steps in order to maintain the channels open. The approaches to solving communication problems include maintaining a good relationship which involves superior-subordinate relationship. Managers should also avoid overlooking the importance of a decision made by a subordinate as it would be of major importance to the firm. Channels of communications should not be clogged thus distorting the original message. Managers should also ensure that they give more information to the subordinate as this brings about the feeling of confidence and security (Rose, 2005).  Organisational change Organisational change involves adding new people or modifying programs. It also include change in mission and restructuring operations such as restructuring self managed teams or layoffs, improved new technologies, mergers etc. Montgomery (2009) explains that change occurs not for any reason but to accomplish an overall goal and it is usually provoked by outside driving force such as addressing new markets or need for dramatic increases in productivity. Most organisations change in order to keep up with the increasing trends in the market for example once a new brand is introduced by a competitor the organisation will want to also introduce a new brand. Other changes occurring within a business environment involve empowering employees to develop their respective skills and to enable them focus on quality management. Change within an organisation is driven by various factors which include leadership skills good communication among members and setting up organisational goals and objectives (Montgomery, 2009). Conclusion and Recommendations To increase the organisational performance and effectiveness, all members should aim at changing various aspects in the organisation. One is that the employees should be respected to enable them improving their efforts. Employees must feel as part of the firm and should be involved in the decision making process. Corporate culture should also be maintained to improve flexibility. Free flow of information is necessary in every firm as it improves effectiveness thus improved performance. Other factors that managers should consider is to improve customer satisfaction as this improves market share thus enabling the firm to have a competitive advantage. To ensure quality management implementation, every individual in a firm must be able to identify a various bad practices that would not lead to an effective management. References Anand, G., Ward, T. & Tatikonda, V. (2010). Role of explicit and tacit knowledge in six sigma projects: An empirical examination of differential project success. Journal of Operations Management. 28 (4) 303-315. Caves, R. & Greene, P. (1996). Brands’ quality levels, prices, and advertising outlays: Empirical evidence on signals and information costs, International Journal of Industrial Organization, 14(1), 29–52. John, B. (2011).What the Nike Air Shox Hyperballer looks like under an x-ray, viewed 20 July 2011,http://counterkicks.com/2011/07/19/what-the-nike-air-shox-hyperballer-looks-like-under-an-x-ray/ Kaufman, R. & Atsusi, H. (2002). Ten steps to TQM plus. Educational Leadership Journal. 50(3), 33-35. Montgomery, C. (2009). Statistical quality control, A modern introduction, John Wiley & Sons, 6 ed., New Jersey. Richardson, K. (2007). The Six Sigma factor for home depot, Macmillan, California.  Rose, H. (2005). Project quality management: Why, what and how. Fort Lauderdale, Florida: J. Ross Publishing, 41. Thareja, P. (2008). Total quality organization through people, Each one is capable. Springer, Michigan. Appendices Figure 1. Nike air shox hyperball (source: http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikebasketball/2011/06/14/the-collection-shawn-marion-finals-edition-nike-air-shox-hyperballer) Read More