Quality Practices in Ireland and the United States - Essay Example

Quality Practices in Ireland and the United s Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 0 Introduction 3 2.0 Similarities and Differences of Quality practice of Ireland and USA with Examples 4 3.0 Quality Awards 7 3.1 Comparison and Contrast between Deming Prize, Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award with EIQA 8 4.0 Conclusion 13 5.0 References 14 1.0 Introduction The quality practices are widely applied in present industrial sectors. It is extensively used in all types of organizations for maintaining the quality standard of their work. The vital practices that are involved in quality management policy are Total Quality Management and Six Sigma process. The implementation of these two processes in organizations can lead towards bringing positive and beneficial results. The quality management practices of Ireland and the USA is discussed in the paper with various examples. This will help to learn about the practices that have been undertaken by the two countries’ business sectors. The paper covers the brief explanation of Deming Prize which is a Japanese based award and The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award which is an award presented in the USA. These two prizes are awarded for the quality and standard maintenance of an organization. The paper also includes the EIQA (Excellence Ireland Quality Association) of Ireland. 2.0 Similarities and Differences of Quality practice of Ireland and USA with Examples The quality management practices are used in both the USA and Ireland considerably. In the USA six sigma practices have been broadly used in various business sectors. The Total Quality Management (TQM) is also implemented with an intention to attain effective performance from the workplace. In Ireland both six sigma and TQM are executed in industries by removing the existing traditional procedures. Various examples are cited below that may clearly indicate the quality management practices in both the countries. Roadstone is one of the leading suppliers as well as manufactures of building materials in Ireland. The organization is extensively committed towards efficiency of energy as well as environmental sustainability. It implemented both six sigma and TQM for improving the performance standard. For improving the projects undertaken by the organization, the technique of TQM practice is widely used. The performance of energy and quality are increased considerably by the execution of six sigma (SEI, “Quality Techniques Boost Performance”). The approach of Total Quality Management is executed in Bus Eireann for the provision of bus services around Ireland. Bus Eireann is committed to provide customers with high quality service at an affordable price. The organization in order to maintain the quality develops excellent culture throughout their organization. For improving the methods of quality procedures the organization introduced top quality bus service for customers. The organization for keeping the high quality received IS EN 9001-2000 Standards. Queries and complaints of customers are efficiently handled by the staffs. Various facilities are provided by the Bus Erieann to customers (Bus Eireann, “Overview”). Information of each terminal is displayed repeatedly through electronic methods and the website of the organization covers entire journey planner. Telephone service is provided for customers, computerized complaints facilities are provided and total information regarding journey is available on Aertel regularly. In order to overcome traffic congestion the company provides extra service along with the existing one so as to maintain the quality standard. Regular monitoring of external as well as internal services on a gap of six months facilitates the organization to be aware of the rising demand of customers in the market. The implementation of TQM throughout the organization ensures to provide standard services regularly to customers. All these aspects led to an increase in the reputation of the organization by drawing new customers and also enhanced the motivation level of employees with augmented job satisfaction (Bus Eireann, “Overview”). The total quality management is followed in industries of America since 1920. In due course of time, the managers have changed their opinion that without TQM excellence may not be attained. The TQM practices benefits both customers and organizations as customers receive quality products and organizations acquire advantage from cost saving along with efficiency in the operational process of the organization (Department of Administrative Reforms & public Grievances, Government of India, “Quality Management in Government: Theory and Practice”) In the US, six sigma quality practices are in much use in all the sectors. Six Sigma is highly applicable in defense sector and the sector acquires benefits from six sigma in procurement, training, logistics and operations. Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is the extension of Six Sigma that detects the faults in the design stage. The defects in the weapons of army are detected through DFSS. It also facilitates the Army to save billions of Dollars which would have arise from re-work and also maintenance cost of rifle, tank and other weapons (Welman & Et. Al., “Potential Six Sigma Applications In The Army”). The service industries of the USA have extensively applied six sigma methods similar to manufacturing industries. As the economy of the country is primarily based on service sectors, the six sigma process is working efficiently to improve its growth. The managers of service organization have blended the efficiency of Lean Flow with Six Sigma by making it to be Lean Six Sigma. This results in significant performance in the organization. The tools that are required to improve Lean Six Sigma are different to a major extent. The quality and efficiency maintenance in service organization is achieved through effective interaction with customers. It is quite challenging task to analyze the performance standard but through the process of Lean Six Sigma, it becomes a simple task. There is a long term development in service organization by the methodology of Lean Six Sigma (Peterka, “Applying Lean Six Sigma to Service “). The main focus of Lean Six Sigma is to reduce the time of process cycle, maintain on-time delivery and decrease costs. This process assists an organization to be committed towards customers, controls complexity in process and improves performance of the provided services (Peterka, “Applying Lean Six Sigma to Service “). America II is one of the largest electronic components distributors throughout the world. The company has never compromised with its quality for the growth and as a result the company has reached its goal. The company is highly committed towards quality as well as total customer satisfaction. Due to the development of quality management practices the company has been ISO 9002-certified since the year 1994. It also achieved certification of ANSI/ESD S20.20 and in 2003, it received ISO 9001:2000 standard. The team of America II along with its customers was of the opinion that independent distributor status provides rapid responses in relation to the changing need of customers as well as pricing trends. The company has increased reputation through its products that are accessible by customers regularly. The company is committed towards customers for providing them with dependable and global source of information and always satisfies the need of the customers by maintaining the quality (America II Electronics, “History”). 3.0 Quality Awards Quality awards are regarded as rewards or prizes that are awarded to companies for attaining the utmost quality in performance standards in different business aspects. Organization for providing quality awards to companies is developed in order to appreciate them for various efficient works. The quality award organization may evaluate the companies’ performance based on a few criteria. The outcomes of company’s performance can be examined through customer’s satisfaction regarding the product developed by a company. There is a continuous competition among the applicants for achieving this award. An international level award in this aspect is the Deming Prize i.e. an award provided by Japan and a national level award is the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award which is provided by the USA (Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, “Quality Awards”). In Ireland the award for quality process has been established named as Excellence Ireland Quality Association (EIQA). 3.1 Comparison and Contrast between Deming Prize, Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award with EIQA In 1950, Deming Prize was initiated in order to reward the Japanese companies for improvement in quality. The prize gradually has been honored to non-Japanese companies as well. In an annual basis, three categories of awards are designed that include The Deming Prize for Individuals, The Deming Application Prize and ‘The Quality Control Award for Operations Business Units’. This award is presented on the basis of distinct improvement of performance of an organization by the implementation of total quality management process. Any organization has the ability to apply for the award but the selection is conducted based on the performance standard (Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, “Quality Awards”). A company is evaluated based on various perspectives such as TQM framework, top management level leadership, vision and strategy, quality assurance system, information management, management system related to business elements, standardization, and human resource development, implementation status of quality control, future plans, and finally overall effects (Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, “Quality Awards”). Deming Prize involves various categories of prizes. ‘Deming Prize for Individuals’ is awarded to individuals who make excellent contribution towards Total Quality Management as well as other statistical methods. An individual with outstanding role in the distribution of TQM is liable to be the recipient of the prize. Deming Distinguished Service Awards for Dissemination and Promotion is an award that is given to an individual with excellent performance in dissemination along with promotion of TQM. Deming Application Prize is awarded to an organization which executes TQM in management driven philosophy and environment along with scope of business (JUSE, “Various Deming Prizes”). An organization enhances its day-to-day operation by propagating the concept of quality as well as efficiently managing the business. As a result customers are provided with quality products as well as services. The quality maintenance of operations also reduce defects in manufactured parts, production defects as well as service defects, design related troubles as well as complaints among others. This results in increase in product reliability and safety to meet the need of customers. The improvement in such areas may facilitate an organization to enhance reputation (JUSE, “Various Deming Prizes”). The improvement in productivity reduces the chances of defects in various stages of new product development. The manufacturing defects will become lower and there will be lesser number of rework along with work adjustment in manufacturing stage. The winner of this prize attains customer satisfaction and this result in the improvement in their sales. The management system of an organization also gets stronger. The implementation of TQM in an organization is cost effective, thus the members of organizations work mutually to attain greater profits from the improved performance standard. The organization which is a receiver of the prize continuously focuses on improving the category of products to maintain the quality standard (JUSE, “Various Deming Prizes”). The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was developed in the year 1987 by Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Improvement Act. This award is honored by United States National Institute of Standards and Technology. The main purpose for establishing this award was to identify quality as well as achievement of business in the US organizations. The award is organized only for the US organizations and it is awarded by the president of the country. It is presented on different sectors such as service, small business, manufacturing, education, health care as well as non-profit organization. In 1999, the health and educational sectors were included in the list for award and in 2007, non-profit along with government organizations were included. The applicants who get included in the award lists are examined by the independent board of examiners (Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, “Quality Awards”). The selection is done based on the fulfillment of seven areas of Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. The organizations that are evaluated based on seven criteria which include leadership, customer as well as market focus, human resource focus, strategic planning, process management, business results and eventually measurement along with analysis and also knowledge management (Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, “Quality Awards”). EIQA was established in the year 1969 with a view to generate hygiene and quality programs. The customers are offered various suggestions by EIQA regarding the improvement of hygiene along with quality standard. The programs are conducted so as to ensure success of the organization. There are several functions of EIQA towards organizations which include improvement of hygiene standard, service performance and quality standard along with customer experience (EIQA, “Company Profile”). EIQA is one of the leading organizations for the development of quality practices as well as improvement of business in Ireland along with international organizations. In Ireland other organizations are not much efficient as EIQA in the promotion of quality. The organizations are provided tools for development and provide them with resources in order to improve the continuous development program (EIQA, “Welcome to EIQA”). More than 3000 audits as well as assessments are performed in each year by EIQA for business organizations in public along with private as well as non-profit sectors. A number of services are also provided by EIQA termed as member services such as customer satisfaction related measurement; customer services related measurement, customized business related assessment and balanced scorecard as well as employee surveys. EIQA performs in various sectors such as retail groups, food service organizations, prison services, manufacturing, health care, transport, educational, governments departments, financial institutions, nursing homes, leisure centre and business as well as professional services (EIQA, “Company Profile”). It provides the organization with independent certification standard depending on the improvement of business performance. The certification assists an organization to enhance profitability, possess happier customers, efficient operation, low turnover rate, achievement of broad recognition, and high level of customer services and cost reduction by means of improvement in management process (EIQA, “Company Profile”). EIQA collaborated with Rehab to provide ABLE Business Excellence Awards to organizations in the areas of both quality and disability. This award is recognized as Q mark for accessibility; here Q mark symbolizes quality as well as excellence (REHAB, “The Partners”). This award differentiates an organization from its competitors. It facilitates to develop strong customer base. The award generates to provide services to customers along with staffs who have disabilities. There are three modules such as ABLE Employee, ABLE Customer and Built Environment (EIQA, “ABLE Business Excellence Awards”). 4.0 Conclusion With reference to the above discussion it has been observed that quality practice is highly significant for an organization in order to endure in competitive environment. The organizations of the USA and Ireland both use quality practices for maintaining the quality standard of the products and to satisfy customers. TQM and six sigma procedures are applied in different organizations in different ways. From the analysis it is observed that the quality award is given to those organizations that can maintain their quality standard in their products and operations and maintain customer satisfaction. The major awards that are provided to the organizations are Deming Prize, The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and EIQA. If an organization receives these awards then it enables the organization to develop its reputation as well as standard in the eyes of the customers. These awards facilitate an organization to sustain their continuous improvement in operations by maintaining the quality process. As a result the customer base increases considerably. It can be concluded that as quality management facilitates the organizations to be managed in efficient way, it needs to be developed regularly. The quality process assists in bringing effective as well as long term success of an organization by fulfilling the needs of the customers. It will also help to increase the motivation level of the customers as well as employees which will enable to build strong reputable image of the organization. 5.0 References America II Electronics. “History”. May 10, 2011. Certified Quality. 2011. Bus Eireann. “Overview”. May 10, 2011. Total Quality Management. 2008. Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, Government of India. Quality Management in Government: Theory and Practice Allied Publishers, 2003. EIQA. “Welcome to EIQA”. May 10, 2011. Home, No Date. EIQA. “ABLE Business Excellence Awards”. May 10, 2011. Certification, No Date. EIQA. “Company Profile”. May 10, 2011. About Us, No Date. JUSE. “Various Deming Prizes”. May 10, 2011. The Deming Prize Guide, No Date. Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering. “Quality Awards”. May 10, 2011. Enterprise’s evaluation according to the Polish Quality Award’s Criteria, 2009. Peterka, Peter. “Applying Lean Six Sigma to Service“. May 10, 2011. Six Sigma, 2005. REHAB. “The Partners”. May 10, 2011. The Q Mark for Accessibility, No Date. SEI. “Quality Techniques Boost Performance”. May 10, 2011. Case Study: Roadstone TQM, No Date. Welman, Richard. & Et. Al. “Potential Six Sigma Applications In The Army”. May 10, 2011. Six Sigma And The Us Army: A Potential For Excellence, 2003. Read More