Edexcel Quality management 2.4* Flashcards
Quality
Meet or exceed requirements of customers.
Why is Quality important?
Business needs to meet minimum legal requirements
Affects prices a business can charge if low quality
Satisfy customers
Quality Assurance
Inspecting the quality of production throughout the process.
Advantages of Quality Assurance
Issues are identified early so products may be reworked rather than rejected
Cause of defects is the focus so future quality issues may be prevented
Disadvantages of Quality Assurance
Skilled workforce so labour costs might increase
Reworking may lengthen the production process
Quality control
Inspecting the quality of output at the end of the production process.
Advantages of quality control
Quality specialists will be employed
Inexpensive and simple way of checking
Disadvantages of Quality control
Significant waste of resources if rejected
Little focus on cause of defects
Quality circles
Groups of workers meet regularly to solve quality problems identified in the production process.
Advantages of Quality circles
Workers motivated as involved in decision making
Relevant and focused decision making
Disadvantages of Quality circles
Management needs to have trust in workers
Meetings and structures may be organised regularly.
Total Quality Management
Every worker responsible for quality.
Advantages of Total Quality management
Improves efficiency
Culture of constant improvement
Disadvantages of Total Quality management
All workers must be committed so significant training costs
Careful monitoring and control required
Kaizen
Involves a business taking continuous steps to improve productivity through the elimination of all types of waste in the production process.
