5.3 Flashcards
What is lean production?
Lean production is a philosophy or organizational culture about streamlining production processes in order to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
What is kaizen?
Kaizen is the Japanese process and philosophy of lean production that involves the process of making continuous small, incremental improvements to various production processes in order to achieve greater efficiency.
What is Just-In-Time?
Just-in-time (JIT) is a lean method of stock control whereby materials and components are scheduled to arrive precisely when they are needed in the production process.
How does quality assurance differ from quality control?
Quality control (QC) refers to the most traditional form of quality management in which a supervisor or inspector periodically checks and examines output for possible defects, usually at the end of the production process.
Quality assurance (QA) is a lean approach to quality management as it involves all employees in the quality process.
What are quality circles?
Quality circles are small groups of employees who meet on a regular basis to assess quality issues and make recommendations to improve quality standards.
How do quality circles impact total quality management (TQM)?
Quality circles can help you achieve several benefits that align with the principles and goals of TQM, such as increased employee involvement and empowerment, improved problem-solving and decision-making skills, enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty, and reduced costs and waste
What is benchmarking?
Benchmarking is the routine process of an organization comparing its products, processes (operations) and performance to that of its competitors or its own historical standards.
How can benchmarking help a business achieve quality assurance?
Benchmarks are crucial for Quality Assurance (QA) testing because they provide a standardized measure for assessing the performance, reliability, and efficiency of software or systems. By establishing benchmarks, QA teams can set clear expectations and criteria for acceptable performance levels.
What is TQM?
Total quality management (TQM) is a philosophy that involves all workers having responsibility for maintaining quality standards throughout the production process. TQM aims to achieve zero defects by preventing mistakes being made in the first place. Instead, it focuses on getting things done right, first time round.
What is zero defects?
An aspect of lean production that focuses on preventing mistakes being made by getting things done right, first time round.
Advantages of zero defects
Zero defects mean higher customer satisfaction and improved customer loyalty, which invariably leads to better sales and profits
Disadvantages of zero defects
A zero defects goal could lead to a scenario where a team is striving for a perfect process that cannot realistically be met.
Importance of quality management for multinational companies
National and international quality standards provide certification or recognisable mark of quality assurance that the product has met certain minimum standards to meet the needs of customers. These quality standards provide a framework or benchmark for organizations. Awards like ISO 9000
Potential problems of quality management as companies expand into other markets
Expanding into new markets presents quality management challenges for businesses. Cultural differences can impact customer expectations, requiring tailored quality standards that align with local norms. Language barriers may lead to miscommunication in quality assurance processes and employee training. Regulatory variations across markets demand compliance with diverse quality regulations, complicating standardization. Supply chain complexity increases, introducing risks of inconsistent material quality and delays in production. Coordination among globally dispersed teams can become difficult, leading to fragmented quality control. Moreover, expansion can dilute a company’s focus on core quality principles as it adapts to varying market conditions, potentially eroding overall quality.
