Theme 2 - 2.4.4 - Quality Managment Flashcards
What is the definition of quality ?
Quality is how well a product or service does what it’s designed to do
Real quality also means consistency so for e.g. every time you get coffee from Starbucks - u get a hot and tasty coffee
What is Quality Control ?
It is the traditional way of managing quality
QC is when you check and review work that has already been done
QC is all about detecting faulty output - rather than preventing it
It can be a very expensive process
What are some examples of Quality Control ?
For example getting a product and testing it by banging it on a wall - for example a Dyson hoover to check that it can take the damage
What is Quality Assurance ?
• Quality assurance is about how a
business can design the way a product of service is produced or delivered to
minimise the chances that output will be sub-standard
• The focus of quality assurance is, therefore on the product design/development stage
If the production process is well controlled - then quality will be built in
If the production process is reliable - there is less needs to inspect production output ( QC )
What does Quality Assurance mean for workers ?
Every worker is responsible for making sure that the work they do meets quality standards
- more time consuming for the workers
- each worker may have different standards - therefore no consistency
Whats the difference between quality assurance and quality control ?
Quality control:
• Quality control looks at the results of
the production process and checks
that the quality is consistent
• QC is designed to inspect the product
and correct any faults or defects
which is regarded as being reactive
• Aim of QC is to detect faults before it
is sent for sale
Quality Assurance:
• The quality is built into every aspect of the product or service
• The QA system is designed to prevent quality faults and defects from occurring and so is regarded as being proactive
• Aim of QA is to improve the design and development of the products so that there are no faults or defects in the production process
What is Total Quality Management (TQM) ?
TQM is a management approach change in business culture that puts quality at the heart of everything in the business
In essence its “getting it right first time every time”
It includes a customer concept that puts the customer first
What is TQM intended to do ?
TQM is intended to reduce wastage as well as increase the quality of the finished product
TQM means Kaizen - Japanese philosophy of constant improvement
TQM can improve processes and profits of a business
What are the advantages or disadvantages of TQM ?
Advantages:
✓Not paying for inspectors
✓Empowered employees are
motivated (esteem needs met)
✓Improved quality therefore more
satisfied customers
✓Enhanced reputation
✓Builds good partnerships with
suppliers
✓More involved workers
✓Less development time for new
products
Disadvantages:
Takes time to introduce
Some staff can be resistant to change
Will cost to train staff
Defects may not be spotted until the
end which can be expensive e.g.
mobile phones
What are quality circles ?
• A quality circle is a group of employees who meet on a regular basis to talk about quality
problems that are relevant to the part of the production process that they work on
• They are joined by employees from engineering, sales and marketing and quality to make sure they are producing products that satisfy their customers
What is Kaizen ?
It is the Japanese philosophy of constant improvement
It is a policy of constantly improving and introducing small incremental changes in a business in order to improve quality / and or the efficiency - the western model is to make large one off improvements - where the Japanese way is to constantly make small improvements
This approach assumes that employees are the best people to identify room for improvement - since they see the processes in action all the time - even the lower downs in the business get treated right and get questioned of how they can improve - they feel appreciated
In kaizen, where do the ideas come from ?
The ideas come from the workers themselves, they are less likely to be radically different and therefore easier to implement
In the kaizen method, what should the employees be seeking ?
The employees should continually be seeking ways to improve their own performance
It helps encourage workers to take ownership for their own work and can help reinforce team working, thereby improving worker motivation
How can a business achieve competitive advantage ?
A business can achieve competitive advantage through their quality
What are the advantages of seeking competitive advantage through quality ?
It may enable them to appear superior to their rivals in the eyes of the customers
Customers may be willing to pay more for quality
Customers may also repeat purchase products which they regard to be the best or most consistent quality
