Lean Production And Quality Management Flashcards
What is the importance of quality?
Quality is important as the measures the degree at which the product meets or exceeds the desires of the consumer. The quality of a product is usually measured based on performance, reliability and durability. Firms should always want to seek to obtaining good and high quality, as bad quality can lead to the firm obtaining a bad reputation.
Explain performance
Performance deals with the primary operating characteristic of the production. Therefore what the product was created for( its intended purpose). Performance is measured based on different attributes by which each brand is ranked objectively.
Explain features
This deals with the secondary aspects of the product’s performance. It has to do with the supplementary characteristics that supports the basic functions of the products. Therefore consumers must be able to make judgements on the quality of the product using these features and not be subjected to their own prejudices.
Explain reliability
Reliability is judged against the possibility of the product breaking down or malfunctioning over a specific period of time. The three measures of reliability are the average time of the first failure, average time between failure and the failure rate per unit produced. This measure would only be relevant to consumer durable goods and not services which are consumer instantly.
Explain Conformance
Measures the extent to which the product’s design and operating activities adhere to the established standards. Usually measure against the defective rate in the factory and frequency of service calls after the product is sold
Explain durability
Durability is a measure of the expected lifespan of the product. It measures the products lifespan intern of economic and technical dimensions.
Technical durability refers to the amount of use the consumer gets from the product before it deteriorates and has to get repaired.
Explain serviceability
This measure the speed,courtesy, capability and ease of repair of the product. Serviceability also includes the quality of the service personnel, the manner in which service apportionment is kept and whether or not servicing corrects the problem.
Explain aesthetic
This dimension is subjective in nature and relates to how the product looks,feels, sounds, tastes or smells. This is based on judgements and preference of individuals consumers. Making it difficult to please everyone in term of this dimension of quality
Perceived quality
This is the perception of the consumer at the initial contact with the product that is, what comes to mind the first time the product is seen. At this stage the consumer usually has insufficient information about the products attributes an so quality may be inferred from its various tangible and intangible aspect.
