Quality Improvement

Quality Improvement

The term quality means different things to different people. As defined by (1988), quality is fitness for use. In addition, quality is conformance to specifications as promoted in the manufacturing industry. It is also defined as the judgment by customer or users of a product or service; it is the extent to which the customers or users believe the product or service surpasses their needs and expectations ( 1989). It also means delivering products and services that meet customer standards, meet and fulfill customer needs, meet customer expectations, and will meet unanticipated future needs and aspirations ( 1990).

Definition of quality varies to different people. As summarized by (1992), in customer-based quality is defined as fitness for use and meeting customer expectations. In manufacturing-based, it is conforming to design, specifications or requirements and having no defects. The product has something that other similar products do not have that adds value, as defined based on the product. If defined based on the value, the product is the best combination of price and features.

Total Quality Management is a management strategy aimed at embedding awareness of quality in all organizational processes. It is a management philosophy that seeks to integrate all organizational functions like marketing, finance, design, engineering, and production, customer service and others, to focus on meeting customer needs and organizational objectives. TQM has been widely used in manufacturing, education, government, and service industries, as well as NASA space and science programs (2006).

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a method by which management and employees can become involved in the continuous improvement of the production of goods and services it is a combination of quality and management tools aimed at increasing business and reducing losses due to wasteful practices.

The key principles of TQM are management commitment, employee empowerment, fact based decision making, continuous improvement, and customer focus.

Management commitment includes the four cycles of improvement which has been shown in the Deming’s wheel of improvement. These are the PDCA, plan, do, check and act. PDCA provides a method of any process systematically.

In plan,

Plan (drive, direct)

Do (deploy, support, participate)

Check (review)

Act (recognize, communicate, revise)

Employee Empowerment

Training

Suggestion scheme

Measurement and recognition

Excellence teams

Fact Based Decision Making

SPC (statistical process control)