Approaches to Managing Quality

Once an organization makes a decision to enhance the quality of its products and services, there are a number of areas to be addressed.

STRATEGIC COMMITMENT. The starting point for quality is a strategic commitment by top management. This general commitment is often referred to as total quality control - a real and meaningful effort by an organization to change its whole approach to business to make quality a guiding factor in everything the organization does. Such commitment is actual for several reasons. First, the organizational culture must change to recognize that quality is not just an ideal but is instead an objective goal that must be pursued. Second, a decision to pursue the goal of quality carries with it some real costs - for new equipment, facilities and so forth. Thus, without a commitment from top management, quality improvement will prove to be just a slogan or gimmick, with little or no real change.

EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT. We noted earlier the importance involvement in enhancing productivity. It is no less important here. Virtually all successful quality enhancement programs involve making the person responsible for doing the job, responsible for making sure it is done right. By definition then, employee involvement is a critical component in improving quality. A common method for focusing involvement directly on quality is the use of quality circles.

TECHNOLOGY. New forms of technology are also useful in improving quality. Automation and robots, for example, can often make products with higher precision and better consistency than can people. CAD/CAM systems in particular have been shown to enhance quality. Individual machines used by workers are also a frequent source of quality improvements. Investing in higher-grade machines capable of doing jobs more precisely and reliably often improves quality. For example, AT&T has achieved significant improvements in product quality by replacing many of its machines with new equipment.

MATERIALS. Another effective way organizations can improve quality is to improve the quality of the materials they use. Suppose that a company that assembles stereos buys chips and circuits from another company. If the chips have a high failure rate, consumers will be returning defective stereos to the company whose nameplate appears on them, not to the company that made the chips. Thus, many firms have increased the quality requirements they impose on their suppliers as a way of improving the quality of their own products and services.

METHODS. Improved methods can improve product and service quality. Methods are operating systems used by the organization during the actual transformation process. Shearson Lehman Hutton, a large brokerage firm owned by American Express, recently found that its offices were late in redeeming customers' bonds 80 percent of the time and that the amount of the redemption was wrong 20 percent of the time. Basic operating methods were studied and improved. The results have been impressive. The time needed to redeem customers' bonds has been cut in half, and the accuracy of the redemptions has increased to 98 percent. Statistical quality control is another way to improve methods.

B) Work in pairs and think of 3-4 questions based on the subject of the text.

Try to discuss in small groups the problem of total quality control within

organization.

Task 5. A) Read more about Total Quality Management.

What is TQM /Total Quality Management/?

Experts on the subject offered this definition of total quality management:

TQM means that the organization’ culture is defined by and supports the constant attainment of customer satisfaction through an integrated system of tools, techniques and training. This involves the continuous improvement of organizational processes, resulting in high-quality products and services.

Total quality management is an organizational culture dedicated to training, continuous improvement and consumer satisfaction.

The Deming Legacy TQM is firmly established today thanks in large part to the pioneering work of Edwards Deming. Regarding the human side of quality improvement, Deming called for the following:

• Formal training in statistical process control techniques and teamwork.

• Helpful leadership, rather than order giving and punishment.

• Elimination of fear so employees will free to ask questions.

• Emphasis on continuous process improvements rather than on numerical quotas.

• Teamwork.

• Elimination of barriers to good workmanship.

One of Deming’s most enduring lessons for managers is his 85-15 rule. Specifically, when things go wrong, there is roughly an 85% chance the system (including management, machinery and rules) is at fault. Only about 15% of the time is the individual employee at fault. Unfortunately, as Deming observed, the typical manager spends most of his/her time wrongly blaming and punishing individuals for system failures. Statistical analysis is required to uncover system failures.

Principles of TQM:

1. Do it right the first time to eliminate costly rework and product recalls.

2. Listen and learn from customers and employees.

3. Make continuous improvement an everyday matter.

4. Build teamwork, trust and mutual respect.

Once again we see people as the key factor in organizational success.

B) Comment on 1) Deming’s TQM system

2) Deming’s 85-15 rule

Applying For A Job

Task 6. A) Read through this outline of the responses of three applicants to the same questions asked in an interview. Consider their answers carefully.

- Good morning, my name is Ms Martin. You've applied for the Laboratory Assistant's position right?

A. Yes.

B. Yes Ms Martin, I have.

C. Yes Ms Martin. When I saw it advertised I thought it would really suit me.

- Can you tell me why you replied to our advertisement?

A. I .... I 'm not really sure .... ahh ....

B. Well, I've always enjoyed science and felt that this position would offer me an opportunity to extend my skills in this area.

C. I think that I'd be really good at this kind of work. In fact I learn so fast that I'd be looking for promotion very shortly.

- Do you know exactly what you would be doing as a Laboratory Assistant?

A. Well, I don't really know for sure, but I think it's got something to do with helping out the scientists in the laboratory hasn't it?

B. A Laboratory Assistant helps to maintain scientific equipment, keeping a check on the supplies in the store, and preparing the chemicals for experiments.

C. Oh, a Lab. Assistant helps make sure that all the experiments are done properly.

- What sort of student do you regard yourself as . . . did you enjoy studying while you were at school?

A. I wasn't the best student. I didn't really like study all that much, but I did it when I had to.

B. I suppose I'm a reasonable student. I passed all my tests and enjoyed studying subjects that interested me.

C. I'm a really great student I didn't have to study much because I always seemed to get by without worrying too much about it.

- What were your favourite subjects at school?

A. I liked Science – it was OK…Well, at least the bits I understood were OK.

B. Maths and Science were my favourite subjects at school. I also enjoyed doing History.

C. I'm afraid that I only liked the ones I was good at. The others were so boring that I found them to be a thorough waste of my time.

- Do you have any further plans for further study?

A. I hadn't really thought much about it…I don't know what courses I could do.

B. Well, I've thought about doing the part-time Chemistry Certificate course at Technical College. I think I would really benefit from doing that.

C. Well, if I had to do it I suppose I would, but now I’ve finished school I'd much rather try to get my social life back into full swing again.

- Suppose our company wanted you to attend an institution to further your skills.... How would you feel about this?

A. Attend a what?

B. If the course would help me improve my prospects for promotion and help me to be better at my job I would definitely do it.

C. Attend a course? When? I hope it would be in the day time? Would I get time off from work to attend it? I hope it's not at night-my social life would be ruined.

- Have you ever had a job before?

A. No I haven't. I've never really been game enough to get one.

B. Yes. I have worked part-time at a take away food store-the one just round the corner. . .

C. No. I've really been too busy, what with all the study I've had to do to get a good result. . .

- We have a lot of other applicants for this position. Why do you think that you deserve to get the job?

A. I can't think of any special reason-I suppose I'm no different from most other people.

B. Well, I've found out a lot about this type of work and my research suggests that I would be quite capable of doing the work involved. I also think that I would be able to handle any training course reasonably well.

C. I reckon I'd probably be the best applicant you're likely to get for the job.

- Now, do you have any questions you'd like to ask me about the position?

A. No thank you. I don't think so.

B. Yes. Ms Martin, could you tell me what hours I'd have to work, and for whom I'd be working?

C. Yes. . . What's the pay like?

- I think I have asked you everything I wanted to. Thank you for coming along to the interview.

A. Thank you Ms Martin. Goodbye.

B. Thank you. When will I know if I am successful?

C. Oh, think nothing of it. . . Could I see where I'll be working?

B) For each applicant, choose three words/phrases from the list below, which best describes their answers to the interviewer's questions. Which applicant do you think would be successful? Why?

Has done some research; confident and prepared; ill-prepared; unsure; arrogant; hesitant; doubts ability to cope; lazy; not interested in the job; an upstart (presumptuous); modest but sure of him/ her self; adequate; pushy; polite; rude; interested; keen; underconfident; energetic; has good study habits; has sound attitude to study.

C) Make up a dialogue “A job interview “using the following vocabulary.

Below is a list of great verbs to help you express just exactly what you did

with impressive vocabulary. These verbs are used to express responsibilities

and tasks performed: act/accomplish/adapt/administer/advance/advise/allocate/analyze/apply/aprove/ assist/attain/blend/carry out /catalogue/classify/collaborate/compare/complete/compute/conceive/conduct/ consult/contract/control/cooperate/coordinate/correct/counsel/create/deal/decide/ decrease/define/delegate/derive/designate/detect/develop/devise/direct/discover/ distribute/document/double/encourage/engineer/enlarge/estimate/evaluate/examine/expand/experience/explore/facilitate/formulate/found/govern/group/guide/handle/head/identify/implement/improve/increase/initiate/inspect/install/introduce/invent/ investigate/justify/manage/maintain/moderate/motivate/negotiate/operate/organize/perform/pioneer/plan/prepare/present/process/programme/promote/provide/record/redesigne/repaire/replace/restore/review/revise/save/select/service/set up /solve/stimulate/strengthen/summarize/supervise/support/systematize/test/train/ transact/transcribe/transform/upgrade/validate/vary To describe your skills the following adjectives are useful accurate /active /adaptable/′adept/broad-minded /competent/conscientious/creative/dependable/determined/diplomatic/discreet /efficient/energetic/enterprising/enthusiastic/experienced/fair/firm/genuine/honest/ innovative/logical/loyal/mature/methodical/motivated/objective/outgoing/ personable/pleasant/positive/practical/productive/reliable/resourceful/ self disciplined/sense of humor/sensitive/sincere/successful/tactful/trustworthy

Task 7. A) Study the samples of classified advertisements: