Unit 9: Quality

to produce a good or a service which meets customer expectations

quality

the checking for quality at the end of the production process, whether it is the production of a good or a service

quality control

quality assurance

the checking for quality standards throughout the production process, whether it is the production of a product or service

the continuous improvement of products and processes by focusing on quality at each stage of production

total quality management (TQM)

-quality represents the degree to which a product meets customer expectations through its durability, reliability, performance and conformance (n): sự tuân thủ to requirements.

1.What does the word ‘quality’ mean to you? Brainstorm as many ideas as possible.

-Quality control is about detecting defects after they happen. It involves random sampling (lấy mẫu ngẫu nhiên), spot checks (kiểm tra tại chỗ), inspection (thanh tra) and testing (thử nghiệm)

-Quality assurance is about prevention rather than detection. If a failure happens, then it’s isolated, the causes are analyzed, and there is a redesign of the process or of the parts to make sure it doesn’t happen again. The aim is zero defects, to get things right first time 

Differentiate quality control and quality assurance

• Cultural Shift: Quality becomes everyone's responsibility rather than a specific department's job.
• Empowerment: Workers are trained and empowered to check their own quality before passing work to the next stage.
• Cost Reduction: By aiming for "zero defects" and "getting it right first time," businesses eliminate the costs of faulty products.
• Market Demand: As quality is guaranteed and improved, demand for the company's products typically rises over time

How does TQM affect business?

Failure Management: Handling scrap (xử lý phế phẩm), rework (làm lại), re-testing, and reviewing materials/suppliers if defects are high.

Post-Sales (hậu mãi): Processing customer complaints, returns (hoàn hàng), warranty claims (yêu cầu bảo hành), and managing product recalls (quản lý thu hồi sản phẩm)

Development: Collaborating on design for manufacture (hợp tác thiết kế sản xuất), conducting supplier surveys (khảo sát nhà cung cấp), and providing employee training (đào tạo nhân viên).

5. How do companies spend time and money to ensure quality?