Quality management

Question 1

Quality management

Answer 1

Is the management of the production process that ensures the outputs produced are consistently reliable and durable.
• Poor quality can lead to:
o Unhappy customers
o Increased wastage
Effective quality management aims to ensure all goods and services are reliable, easy to use, durable, well designed, safe, consistent and delivered on time.

Question 2

Aim and strategies of managing quality

Answer 2

• The aims of managing quality are:
o Minimise waste and defects thereby maximising efficiency and effectiveness
o Achieve set quality standards or benchmarks
o Obtain consistently high standards of product and service at every stage of production
o Reduce variance in final output

• Strategies:
o Quality control
o Quality assurance
o Total quality management

Question 3

Quality control

Answer 3

Involves the use of a series of checks at different stages of the production process to ensure goods and services meet predetermined standards. Quality control involves “check and reject” principle. This is a reactive process as the aim is to detect and reject the faults once they have occurred.

4 steps to quality control:

1. Identify the required standards
2. Determine how they will be tested and how often
3. Collect data (compare the results against the standard)
4. Take any corrective action necessary

Question 4

Efficiency and effectiveness of quality control

Answer 4

Efficiency
Identifying and fixing the cause of an error prevents the error from reoccurring which results in less waste being created during production.

effectiveness
Eliminating errors prevents customers from receiving faulty products

Question 5

Advantages and disadvantages of quality control

Answer 5

Advantages
• Prevents poor quality goods or services reaching the consumer
• Can reduce the number of refunds required for faulty goods or services
• Relatively inexpensive

Disadvantages
• Unless quality control is performed on every product some inferior goods may slip through.
• Is very wasteful
• Can be time consuming

Question 6

Quality assurance

Answer 6

Is a system where the business meets a set of predetermined quality standards often set by an independent body. Quality assurance can help improve consumer confidence.
Quality certification process:
1. Organisation employs a consultant to advise on quality standards to be met in order to obtain certification
2. Adjustments in processes and procedures made in line with standards expected in order to achieve certification
3. Certification granted by standards authority
4. Right to use standards authority logo in company literature and marketing
ISO9000:2015: Is an international standard that sets out criteria for a business’s quality management system.

Question 7

Efficiency and effectiveness of quality assurance

Answer 7

Efficiency
Preventing errors before they occur reduced the number of faulty products produced which reduces the amount of waste generated

Effectiveness
Customers are more likely to purchase a good or service with a certified standard of quality which can meet the objective of increasing business’s number of sales

Question 8

Advantages and disadvantages of quality control

Answer 8

Advantages
• Great for marketing
• Gives competitive advantage
• Reduces wastage as the proactive focus aims to stop errors occurring before the good or service is produced.

Disadvantages
• Can be expensive to have the certification
• Can take additional time preparing documents and processes prior to the inspection
• Employees may have to be trained and comply with the new procedures

Question 9

Total quality management

Answer 9

Total quality management is a holistic approach to quality and a commitment to excellence where all employees are involved in the continuous pursuit of quality in everything they do. The aim of TQM is to create zero defects. TQM was championed by William Deeming and taken up in a big way by Japanese manufacturing businesses such as Toyota.

Key elements:

1. Focus on customer. Quality is in accordance to the expectations of the customer. Find out exactly what the user needs and wants and ensuring that the process provides it.
2. Continuous improvement. Constantly seek ways to improve work performance. Continuous improvement never stops.
3. Quality improvement
4. Accurate evaluation
5. Employee Empowerment – Quality circles, Involve all employees

Question 10

Efficiency and effectiveness of total quality management

Answer 10

Efficiency
Continuously improving the quality of the production system to prevent errors reduces the number of faulty products that go to waste

Effectiveness
By determining the needs and wants of a customer, TQM can meet the objectives of improving customer satisfaction and increasing sales

Question 11

Advantages and disadvantages of total quality management

Answer 11

Advantages
•	Zero defects
•	Greatly reduced waste
•	Higher customer satisfaction
•	Employees may feel valued and satisfied by being empowered in the process

Disadvantages
• Requires a whole business cultural shift which can be time consuming and expensive
• Employees may feel confused about their role in improving quality if managers fail to communicate the TQM strategy clearly
• May incur costs as employees have to be trained