Understanding Quality: Concepts, Dimensions, and Management
Quality Concept
The word “quality” has many meanings. It can be defined as:
- A set of inherent properties of an object that confer the ability to satisfy implicit or explicit requirements.
- The perception that the client has of a product or service; it is a consumer mindset that assumes compliance with the product or service and its ability to meet their needs.
Approaches to Quality
Definitions from the Product Perspective
The quality of a product is given by the customer’s perception of this product, depending on the set of features the consumer uses to evaluate the product.
Definitions from a User Perspective
Quality involves the ability to satisfy the wishes of people within their lifestyle. This involves a balance between objective/subjective and tangible/intangible, providing beneficial and healthy properties for people and their environment.
The quality of a product depends on how it responds to the preferences and needs of customers.
Definitions from a Production Perspective
Quality can be defined as conformity with regard to specifications. The degree to which a product meets design specifications, among other things, indicates higher quality.
From a Value Perspective
Quality means providing value to the client, i.e., offering conditions of use of the product or service beyond what the client expects to receive at an affordable price.
A Current View
A current view of the concept of quality shows that quality is not delivering to the customer what they want, but what they never imagined they wanted, and that once they get it, they realize that was what they always wanted.
Dimensions of Quality
Tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy.
Models of Quality Management
- Inspection: Appeared when production scale was replaced by mass production. The pieces were designed with patterns, and the end of the line was checked for conformity of the product. The aim was to detect errors.
- Statistical Quality Control: Is based on the assessment of the process, working well within the range of acceptable variation smoothly with statistical techniques.
- Quality Assurance: New concepts such as quality costs, total quality control, reliability engineering, and the theory of zero defects are introduced.
- Certificate of Quality: Is a set of quality management principles. It not only provides assurance of quality but also includes the need for companies to demonstrate their ability to improve customer satisfaction and continuous improvement processes.
Total Quality
Principles
- Customer orientation
- Continuous improvement
- Teamwork
Basics
Total quality encompasses all activities of the company, involves the participation and commitment of all members, extends the concept of internal customers, puts emphasis on prevention, and the goal is the satisfaction of work.
Assumptions
- The costs of non-quality are higher than those of implementing a total quality system.
- Employees must be equipped with tools, training, and recognition.
- Businesses are systems with interdependent parts.
- Management commitment is essential.
Implementation
- Committed leadership
- Exceeding customer expectations of quality
- Close relationship with suppliers
- Open internal communication
- Quality-oriented culture
- Orientation towards zero defects
- Flexible manufacturing systems
- Continuous improvement of capabilities