Operations - Methods of Ensuring Quality

Question 1

List the 6 methods of ensuring quality

Answer 1

1. Quality Control
2. Quality Assurance
3. Quality Circles
4. Benchmarking
5. Total Quality Management
6. Quality Inputs

Question 2

Define Quality Control and give 2 advantages and disadvantages of this.

Answer 2

• Products are checked at the start and end of the production process only. If is doesn’t meet the standard it is either reworked or discarded

ADVANTAGES
* Ensures customers don’t get faulty goods
* Keeps the business’s reputation high

DISADVANTAGES
* Wastage is created if products aren’t checked until the end of production
* Products have to be reworked from scratch which costs time and money.

Question 3

Define Quality Assurance and give 1 advantage and 2 disadvantages of this.

Answer 3

• All staff check ALL items at all stagees of production
• Aims to prevent faulty products from reaching the end.

ADVANTAGES
* Less wastage - errors spotted quickly

DISADVANTAGES
* Can slow down production as many processes are inspected
* Increases cost of wages (QA Manager)

Question 4

Define Benchmarking and give advantages and disadvantages of this

Answer 4

• Businesses compare their practises to the best in the industry and try to imitate them.

ADVANTAGES
* Product will be as good as the top in the market
* Saves the business time developing their own approach to quality

DISADVANTAGES
* Difficult gaining info on other businesses quality methods
* The business will only ever be as good as the best on the market at that time

Question 5

Define Quality Circles and give advantages and disadvantages of this

Answer 5

• Small groups of workers from different levels in the organisation come together to discuss and solve problems in production.

ADVANTAGES
* Increased employee motivation - they will feel valued
* Employees that do the job frequently will know what needs to be changed

DISADVANTAGES
* Production time is lost when employees meet