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What are the 2 main approaches to quality management?
Quality control:
Based on inspection
Takes defects out
Quality assurance:
Based on processes
Builds quality in
What is quality assurance?
Quality control:
Based on inspection
Takes defects out
Quality assurance:
Based on processes
Builds quality in
What are the different parts of quality assurance?
Focus on processes
Achieved by improving production processes
Targeted at the whole business
Emphasises the customer
Quality is built into the product
What is quality control?
Focus on outputs
Achieved by sampling and checking (inspection)
Targeted at production activities
Emphasises required standards
Defective products are inspected out
What is the approach to quality assurance?
A management philosophy committed to a focus on continuous improvements of products and services with the involvement of the entire workforce
What is total quality management (TQM)?
TQM is essentially an ‘attitude’
The whole business understands the need for quality and seeks to achieve it
Everyone in the workforce is concerned with quality at every stage of the production process
Workers but not inspectors ensure quality
What are the advantages of TQM?
Puts the customer at the heart of the production process
Motivational since workers feel more involved and are making decisions
Less wasteful than throwing out defective finished products
Eliminates cost of inspection
What are the disadvantages of TQM?
Requires strong leadership- often missing in a business
Substantial investment in training and support- but return on investment not immediate
May become bureaucratic
Disruption and cost may outweigh the benefits
What is Kaizen?
Another kind of quality assurance
Based on the concept/culture of continuous improvement
Encourages employees to engage fully with finding ways to improve quality processes
