A Study of Quality Management Systems

Management of businesses in the 21st century has become challenging given the heightened levels of competition among companies accelerated by innovations. Consequently, managements have explored various methods to gain a competitive edge over their competitors to ensure sustainable profits and to remain in the market. To achieve this goal, managers have given particular attention to effectiveness and efficiency of business operations through optimal allocation of resources and quality management systems. This paper examines the various concepts of quality management and lean systems, with a specific focus on dimensions of quality and Just-In-Time system. Furthermore, the essay discusses the significance of Deming’s research to the foundation of quality.

Quality management systems are organizations’ policies, methods, and steps needed to plan and execute a service, development or production of the central business idea. Quality management system aims to develop a product or service that meets the expectations of the customers. For the better understanding of quality management, it is necessary to define some of the basic concepts of quality management systems.

Dimensions of Quality

This concept refers to the various aspects of determining the customer satisfaction with the product. These aspects include product performance, features, reliability, conformance, durability, serviceability, aesthetics and perceived quality of a product. These aspects influence the preference of customers (Heizer, 2016).         

Cost of Quality

This refers to the totals of incurred costs in maintaining the production of a standard commodity and the cost the firm would incur if it fails to sustain producing quality products (Heizer, 2016).

Six Sigma

This concept combines the philosophy of quality and statistics in the production. The idea hinges on the argument that it is only after measuring the success of a process that a firm can improve the quality of its products (Van Der Aalst, La Rosa, & Santoro, 2016). In retrospect, Six Sigma employs statistical tools to establish the performance of a commodity. The results then form the basis for quality improvement.

ISO (International Organization for Standardization)

ISO 9000 series was created following the World War II to ensure uniformity and commonality in the quality of products in the world market.   The standards were developed by a committee of experts selected from all over the world to facilitate international trade through creating international standards for commodities (Van Der Aalst, La Rosa, & Santoro, 2016).

Quality Tools

These are instruments used by organizations to measure quality. Different businesses use different quality tools in analyzing their performance (Brandenburg, Govindan, Sarkis, & Seuring, 2014). Such instruments include Pareto charts, control charts, scatter diagrams, check sheets, cause and effect diagrams (Ishikawa diagrams), histograms and flow charts. These tools help organizations address different concerns.

Lean Systems

As already noted, management is also concerned with the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations. Consequently, organizations adopt a systematic approach (Lean System) to identify and eliminate non-value added practices through the development of the employees and improving all the commodities (Heizer, 2016). The following are some of the basic concepts of the Lean system:

i) JIT (Just-in-time) is an inventory control method that considers inventories as wastes. JIT argues that this waste is in terms of storage space, labor and time. To eliminate these wastes, the approach advocates for the production of only the specific amounts of the ordered commodity, at the required time and of quality needed (Van Der Aalst, La Rosa, & Santoro, 2016).

ii) A lean production is an approach that emphasizes on waste minimization while maintaining the product quality in the process.

iii) Kanban method facilitates smooth flow of work as it projects the likely challenges and helps in designing a workable means to attaining the cost-effectiveness.

iv) Kaizen involves coordination of work among departments and employees to attain regular improvements in product manufacturing.

v) Poka Yoke is a lean strategy applied to eliminate errors in the production process (Brandenburg et al., 2014).

Dimensions of quality

There are eight dimensions of quality as follows:

i. Performance: this is the commodity’s significant operating characteristics. It comprises all quantifiable attributes such as brand which can be ranked (Brandenburg et al., 2014). 

ii. Features: these are other characteristics that make the product more appealing to the customers.  

iii. Reliability: refers to the chances that the commodity will survive in a given timescale.

iv. Conformance: refers to the ability of the commodity to meet the standards required.

v. Durability: this is the measure of a commodity’s life. The durability of a product becomes complex in the case of commodities that can be repaired

vi. Serviceability: refers to how fast a commodity will take to be repaired in case of breakdown and the behavior and competence of the serviceperson.

vii. Aesthetics: indicates the customers’ feedback based on their consumption of the commodity.

viii. Perceived Quality: are qualities associated with a commodity resulting from indirect measures (Brandenburg et al., 2014).                     

JIT (Just-In-Time)

The application of this approach in the management process varies between organizations. However, two principles are guiding its application –use of systems that help in the inefficiency in management of operations and employing corrective tools to avert the inefficiencies (Van Der Aalst, La Rosa, & Santoro, 2016). In this approach, it is only the orders that activate the JIT system. A sale of a commodity indicates the demand for the parts of the finished goods. The components can then be drawn from the existing inventory until their depletion which necessitates the start of the JIT system with supplies directed to provide new raw materials.

Conclusion

To sum up, use of statistical tools in quality management as pointed by Deming ensures efficiency and effectiveness in activities of a business. Managers should employ quality management systems that aim at reducing costs in the operations while maintaining the quality of their products. This will help companies register sustainable profits besides ensuring that they remain in the market.

References

Brandenburg, M., Govindan, K., Sarkis, J., & Seuring, S. (2014). Quantitative models for sustainable supply chain management: Developments and directions. European Journal of Operational Research, 233(2), 299-312.

Heizer, J. (2016). Operations Management, 11/e. Pearson Education India.

Van Der Aalst, W. M., La Rosa, M., & Santoro, F. M. (2016). Business process management.