Quality costs in education

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the relevance of Feigenbaum's quality costs model to managers in higher education and to put forward a possible way of implementing such a model in an educational area.Design/methodology/approachFollowing the author's Master's project into the relevance of TQM to a higher education institution, the need to increase student numbers without pro‐rata increase in costs is discussed along with the subsequent need to “measure”. Feigenbaum's model is described in detail with examples of industrial costs compared with higher education costs. A possible way of implementing the model is suggested with justification for the approach taken. The scope of the paper is limited to the model and its possible use.FindingsThe paper finds that taking the decision to implement the model requires a willingness to incur costs before realising savings. The examples show that planning the incurring of costs can result in the realised savings – but accurate measurement of the savings is difficult.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is a pilot study of the implementation of the model which would enable a clearer picture to emerge as to the willingness to view costs in a different way from that prevalent in the sector.Practical implicationsThe paper shows that managers will need to be prepared to relinquish some control of financial resources to pay for the planned costs. Academic and non‐academic staff will need to be prepared to identify failings, be prepared to identify practical ways of preventing those failings and be prepared to involve themselves in making the new procedures work.Originality/valueThe model is old, but the costs it describes are being incurred in many institutions in a haphazard way today. This paper suggests a route to making expenditure on day‐to‐day activities planned.