Application Of Quality Management Research Articles

Quality management in dental health care: Present and future development

The standards ISO 9000 series, brought in 1987, were the driving force for the development and application of quality management (QM) in various areas, including health care. Currently, there are over one million certificates for quality management (QMC), and they were main initiators of quality improvement. In addition to the model for quality management of products/services, other models are also in use. The aim of this study was to present methods and techniques for quality improvement of health services, with special emphasis on dental health care services (DHS), and possibility for enhancement.

A four‐fold regional‐specific approach to TQM

PurposeThis paper aims to increase understanding of the application of total quality management (TQM) initiatives in business environments that differ from those where it emerged. Organisations within such environments, which are often less developed, may wish to adopt relatively sophisticated initiatives such as TQM. The adoption of TQM programmes by a variety of private and public sector organisations in South Eastern Europe (SEE) is a prime example. Little has been said about the awareness and applicability of TQM in this region.Design/methodology/approachA combination of quantitative and qualitative research approaches was used. The quantitative results emerged from the investigation of 782 managers working in 123 service organisations in public and private sectors (51 and 72 respectively) in four major SEE countries, namely Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece. Subsequently, for triangulation and to provide richer data, 34 follow‐up semi‐structured interviews were conducted with managers from these four countries.FindingsAfter having carried out quantitative and qualitative analyses, a four‐fold model emerged, through which key features of the application of TQM practices in the SEE region could be explained. The components of the model are categorised in two major groups; first, the influences of the business/management culture and modernisation pressures, and second, two key aspects of the business systems – the education level of managers and the sector of employment.Research limitations/implicationsBoth cultural and structural features of the business systems in SEE create pressures either promoting or retarding TQM adoption within organisations. The paper provides a four‐fold factors model that aims to explain key regional‐specific issues related to TQM adoption. This approach provides insights into the region studied, but also provides a prototype for similar studies in other regions.Practical implicationsIn the SEE context, the tension between traditional business/management culture and modernisation logic is the key to the evolution of TQM. SEE managers adopt a more pragmatic view of TQM application through the use of “hard” quality management systems and practices, while placing less importance on concepts such as empowerment and employee involvement.Originality/valueThe study argues for the adoption of a regional‐specific view of TQM, applicable to particular regional business systems.

Establishing Total Quality Management Application System For School Building Projects in Iraq

Establishing Total Quality Management Application System For School Building Projects in Iraq

Quality management practices in the US homebuilding industry

PurposeLimited research has been conducted on quality management practices in the US homebuilding industry. The purpose of this paper is to establish which practices are actually applied, to what extent and to discuss how quality management can be best advanced in the industry.Design/methodology/approachA literature review is conducted on the application of quality in the construction and US homebuilding industry, followed by the analysis of 22 case studies of US homebuilders to provide details of quality implementation.FindingsWhile quality management continues to expand and be adopted by industries globally, its application in the homebuilding industry is limited and immature. While quality management systems and quality award criteria are making an impact, the key focus is still being heavily placed on inspection processes, with limited use of structured and advanced quality approaches. Senior managers still see quality as a peripheral issue and are not convinced of its value. There is a need for leaders in the industry to embrace quality and to adopt consistent company‐wide systematic and strategic‐based approaches.Originality/valueLimited research has been conducted into the application of quality management in the homebuilding industry. This study of 22 leading homebuilders provides insights into the actual practices of quality management. Recommendations are provided as a guide for future direction for quality in the industry.

Process Improvement Method Based on Evaluation Results of Establishment Level and Performing Level for Product Realization Rules : Process Improvement Applying Quality Management System Evaluation Method

Process Improvement Method Based on Evaluation Results of Establishment Level and Performing Level for Product Realization Rules : Process Improvement Applying Quality Management System Evaluation Method

Comparison of statistical clustering techniques for the classification of modelled atmospheric trajectories

In this study, we used and compared three different statistical clustering methods: an hierarchical, a non-hierarchical (K-means) and an artificial neural network technique (self-organizing maps (SOM)). These classification methods were applied to a 4-year dataset of 5 days kinematic back trajectories of air masses arriving in Athens, Greece at 12.00 UTC, in three different heights, above the ground. The atmospheric back trajectories were simulated with the HYSPLIT Vesion 4.7 model of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The meteorological data used for the computation of trajectories were obtained from NOAA reanalysis database. A comparison of the three statistical clustering methods through statistical indices was attempted. It was found that all three statistical methods seem to depend to the arrival height of the trajectories, but the degree of dependence differs substantially. Hierarchical clustering showed the highest level of dependence for fast-moving trajectories to the arrival height, followed by SOM. K-means was found to be the least depended clustering technique on the arrival height. The air quality management applications of these results in relation to PM10 concentrations recorded in Athens, Greece, were also discussed. Differences of PM10 concentrations, during certain clusters, were found statistically different (at 95% confidence level) indicating that these clusters appear to be associated with long-range transportation of particulates. This study can improve the interpretation of modelled atmospheric trajectories, leading to a more reliable analysis of synoptic weather circulation patterns and their impacts on urban air quality.

Total Quality Management Principles that Influence the Integration of Information and Communications Technology into the Classroom

In light of the recent focus on applications of Total Quality Management (TQM) elements to bring about change in educational settings, a survey instrument was developed to examine teachers' perceptions of the degree to which TQM principles have the potential to influence their personal integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into the classroom. The purpose of this study is to field-test this instrument which measures 70 Singapore secondary school teachers' perceptions on the impact of Deming's fourteen principles for quality in organization on ICT implementation and integration. The results show that teachers perceived that by and large TQM principles, in particular constant training and upgrading as well as leadership responsibility, could positively influence ICT implementation and integration. The findings suggest that in order to promote quality ICT integration on the part of teachers, adequate training in addition to strong leadership needs to be provided. This is to our knowledge the first study which attempts to apply the principles of TQM in the context of integration of ICT in education.

Application of Quality Control Principles to Herbal Drugs.

Quality is conformance to requirement and meeting stated as well as implied needs of customer. The word quality is derived from Latin ‘qualis’ means ‘of what kind’ and encompasses composition and properties of object. Quality is of paramount importance when it is specifically related with drugs. And when it comes to herbal drugs, because of several reasons is a herculean task. The quality of pharmaceuticals has been a concern of the World Health Organization (WHO) since its inception. The setting of global standards is requested in Article 2 of the WHO Constitution, which cites as one of the Organization’s functions that it should “develop, establish and promote international standards with respect to food, biological, pharmaceutical and similar products”. The World Health Assembly - in resolutions WHA31.33 (1978), WHA40.33 (1987) and WHA42.43 (1989) - has emphasized the need to ensure the quality of medicinal plant products by using modern control techniques and applying suitable standards. This manual describes a series of tests for assessing the quality of medicinal plant materials. The tests are designed primarily for use in national drug quality control laboratories in developing countries, and complement those described in ‘The international pharmacopoeia’ which provides quality specifications only for the few plant materials that are included in the WHO ‘Model List of Essential Drugs'. In this review, we have addressed some important issues related to quality of botanicals and discussed possible application of total quality management for herbal drugs. Keywords: WHO, Herbal Drugs, Quality Control.

Qualitätsmanagement in der Dialyse – Aufbau und Vorteile eines QM–Systems

Quality management is a basic requirement for the provision of effective and economical patient care at a high level. An actively applied quality management system has numerous advantages for both patients and personnel. The introduction of such a system results in greater patient satisfaction with the treatment afforded. The practical benefits for the nursing staff include ”standardised” tasks, promotion and education, improved interchange of information and cooperation, as well as greater motivation and job satisfaction. Major and relevant aspects of a quality management system include the management of complaints and coping with errors.

Development of a water quality loading index based on water quality modeling

Water quality modeling is an ideal tool for simulating physical, chemical, and biological changes in aquatic systems. It has been utilized in a number of GIS-based water quality management and analysis applications. However, there is considerable need for a decision-making process to translate the modeling result into an understandable form and thereby help users to make relevant judgments and decisions. This paper introduces a water quality index termed QUAL2E water quality loading index (QWQLI). This new WQI is based on water quality modeling by QUAL2E, which is a popular steady-state model for the water quality of rivers and streams. An experiment applying the index to the Sapgyo River in Korea was implemented. Unlike other WQIs, the proposed index is specifically used for simulated water quality using QUAL2E to mainly reflect pollutant loading levels. Based on the index, an iterative modeling-judgment process was designed to make decisions to decrease input pollutants from pollutant sources. Furthermore, an indexing and decision analysis can be performed in a GIS framework, which can provide various spatial analyses. This can facilitate the decision-making process under various scenarios considering spatial variability. The result shows that the index can evaluate and classify the simulation results using QUAL2E and that it can effectively identify the elements that should be improved in the decision-making process. In addition, the results imply that further study should be carried out to automate algorithms and subsidiary programs supporting the decision-making process.

An Evaluation of the Opinions of Hospital Employees Regarding the Contribution of Internal Marketing to the Application of Total Quality Management in Turkey

SUMMARY This research was conducted in a training-research hospital in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, in order to assess the contributions of internal marketing to the success of TQM applications by means of employee communication and participation. The key findings of this research indicate that the cultural changes needed to maintain the success of TQM applications in the organization were not achieved, there were problems in the internal communication system, effective participation of employees was not achieved, and public relations and internal marketing activities were not employed in a sufficient manner. Specific managerial recommendations are offered in regard to ensuring effective employee support and participation in TQM applications, improving internal communication, and effective application of modern internal marketing tools and methods.

MBNQA‐oriented self‐assessment quality management system for contractors: fuzzy AHP approach

Many construction clients are not satisfied with the quality performance achieved on their projects though many contractors are ISO9000:1994 certified. Total quality management (TQM) has been a widely applied quality management system for obtaining the benefits of better quality and higher customer satisfaction through the spirit of continuous improvement, which is also adopted by ISO9001:2000 version. It is believed that TQM can help to raise quality and productivity in the construction industry. Self‐assessment systems provide an opportunity to design in quality on an organization‐wide basis, in which the self‐assessment process allows the organization to identify its strengths and weaknesses for continuous improvement actions. A MBNQA‐oriented self‐assessment quality management system (SQMS), which is based on the seven criteria of Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA), for construction contractors to benchmark, is proposed. A questionnaire survey of Hong Kong construction quality management experts, in which a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was employed to calculate the weights of the seven criteria, was carried out. Remarkable differences for the allocation of weights in the seven criteria particularly in the input criteria (leadership, strategic planning and customer and market focus) and the ‘results’ criterion compared with the original weights of MBNQA were observed.

The evolving theory of quality management: The role of Six Sigma

While Six Sigma is increasingly implemented in industry, little academic research has been done on Six Sigma and its influence on quality management theory and application. There is a criticism that Six Sigma simply puts traditional quality management practices in a new package. To investigate this issue and the role of Six Sigma in quality management, this study reviewed both the traditional quality management and Six Sigma literatures and identified three new practices that are critical for implementing Six Sigma's concept and method in an organization. These practices are referred to as: Six Sigma role structure, Six Sigma structured improvement procedure, and Six Sigma focus on metrics. A research model and survey instrument were developed to investigate how these Six Sigma practices integrate with seven traditional quality management practices to affect quality performance and business performance. Test results based on a sample of 226 US manufacturing plants revealed that the three Six Sigma practices are distinct practices from traditional quality management practices, and that they complement the traditional quality management practices in improving performance. The implications of the findings for researchers and practitioners are discussed and further research directions are offered.

Enhancing construction quality inspection and management using RFID technology

Existing methods for tracking and managing the inspection in material test labs utilize manual recording by paper-based documents. However, information collected using such labor-intensive methods is unreliable and ineffective when managing inspection results. Moreover, inputting, retrieving, analyzing and disseminating the result data instantaneously require a significant amount of time and effort. Therefore, an automated and user-friendly quality management system is necessary. This study proposes Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based quality management system, which functions as a platform for gathering, filtering, managing, monitoring and sharing quality data. The integration of promising information technologies such as RFID technology, mobile devices (PDAs) and web portals can help enhance the effectiveness and flexibility of information flow in material test management. Radio frequency identification is suited to various construction applications and generates cost savings via increased speed and accuracy of data entry. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of an RFID-based quality management application called the RFID-based Quality Inspection and Management (RFID-QIM) System for concrete specimen inspection and management to enhance automated data collection and information management in a quality test lab. This study focuses mainly on evaluating the potential for utilizing RFID-based techniques to accumulate, manage, monitor and distribute data related to quality. Additionally, the RFID-QIM system is then applied to a case study in a test lab (construction division) in Taiwan to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in information management for concrete specimen quality testing. A generic system architecture is also proposed, and its implementation is described.

Evaluando el logro de los principios de la gestión de la calidad en empresas constructoras certificadas según ISO 9001:2000

Desde mediados de los anos noventa, las empresas constructoras habitacionales chilenas comenzaron a incorporar la gestion de calidad y han implementado sistemas de gestion de la calidad (en adelante SGC) optando principalmente, por utilizar las directrices dadas por la familia de normas ISO 9000. Las constructoras han invertido una gran cantidad de recursos, especialmente economicos y humanos, en implementar sus SGC con el fin de aumentar la satisfaccion de sus clientes a traves del mejoramiento de la calidad de sus procesos constructivos y de la calidad de las viviendas que construyen. Entonces, para ellos es muy importante saber si esta inversion esta dando los frutos que esperan. Por lo anterior, se realizo una investigacion para determinar el impacto real de los SGC en el desempeno de las empresas constructoras certificadas ISO 9001:2000 en cuanto al nivel de aplicacion de los principios de la gestion de la calidad sin considerar el impacto que puede generar la implementacion de otro tipo de normas como las de manejo ambiental y de prevencion de riesgos. Para lograrlo, se empleo un instrumento de medicion que consistio en una encuesta aplicada como entrevista personal, que fue respondida por 118 personas de 11 constructoras habitacionales chilenas, de un universo de 34 empresas certificadas ISO 9001:2000. Estas personas entregaron sus percepciones sobre el cumplimiento de los principios de gestion de la calidad en la empresa. El principal resultado de este estudio indica que las personas perciben que los principios de gestion de la calidad se estan aplicando de manera insuficiente. Rev. ing. constr. [online]. 2007, vol.22, n.3, pp. 197-213. ISSN 0718-5073. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-50732007000300006.

Measuring business transformation at a small manufacturing enterprise in the UK

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to validate the applicability of Strategic Quality Management (SQM) methods at a UK based manufacturing Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) for changing the organisational culture and improving the business performance results.Design/methodology/approachAction research was conducted in the form of a single company case study where an existing SQM methodology (Hoshin Kanri) was adapted and applied at the company.FindingsThe paper finds that this application of Hoshin Kanri is particularly innovative, as Western applications of this Japanese approach at SMEs are few as reported in the academic literature. This achievement represents a significant delivery of a cultural transformation to achieve business transformation by adopting a holistic performance measurement methodology.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper has limitations due to the single case study approach and possible influence of the researchers during the application. Further applications at other SME companies are required to verify the significant findings.Practical implicationsThe discussion and conclusions from this paper are practical and have business relevance to both manufacturing and service sector organisations.Originality/valueThis paper focuses on UK industry, and is of value to both academics and practising managers at an international level.

Long‐term probabilistic forecast of climate impact on air quality: Model development and t* distribution

Models are great tools to test ideas. Their usefulness, however, depends on their ability to simulate the current reality and to predict the future. In this study, I have derived a new t* distribution. I show that a statistical model based on the t* distribution of station temporal data is capable of predicting the probability of any future outcome to exceed a specific value using only the currently available sample statistics assuming a normal random variable. In an air quality management application the model has demonstrated categorically an average success rate of over 80% both in simulating the current ozone nonattainment areas and in forecasting the rate of future violation of the 8‐hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards in the United States for up to 12 years. While the predictability of deterministic climate models is still limited by large uncertainties, the probabilistic forecast by this model provides a promising alternative in assessing the climate impact on environment for decades.

Exploring TQM awareness in the Greek national business context: between conservatism and reformism cultural determinants of TQM

This paper develops the theoretical understanding of the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) in business environments that differ from those from where it emerged. Business systems that are less developed tend to adopt more ‘sophisticated’ and formal strategic initiatives. The adoption of TQM by Greek organizations is a prime example. However, less has been said about the understanding of TQM or its cultural determinants in such environments. This paper, based on the results of 73 semi-structured interviews conducted with managers working in Greek public and private organizations, argues that there are two antithetical business-cultural ‘forces’ – conservatism and reformism – that seem to substantially affect the awareness and application of total quality concepts. Both features create pressures in the system, either restraining or promoting TQM implementation. In this context, the tension between traditional business culture and a modernization logic is the key to understanding the development of TQM.

TQM implementation in the Indian automobile sector: insights using system dynamics approach

Application of Total Quality Management (TQM) approach has played an important role in the survival and growth of many industries. Indian automobile sector has also adopted TQM path but it is still a player of little consequence in the global auto market. One of the major reasons for dismal performance of the Indian automobile sector can be attributed to the fact that it has not been able to prioritize and focus on the key variables, which are instrumental in enhancing TQM index. For the success of the Indian automobile sector, it is equally important to understand the implications of key variables in two different market scenarios and take policy decisions accordingly. TQM initiatives also fail due to lack of understanding of the complex interactions among different TQM variables. To overcome these limitations causal loop diagram has been developed to provide better insight regarding interactions and policy experimentations using system dynamics methodology has been used to prioritize the key variables in two different market scenarios. These experimentations reveal that the main contributing variables to enhance TQM index are leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, and human resource focus in both the market scenarios. However, the contribution of each variable and the priority of variables change in two different market scenarios.

Total Quality Management in a Chosen Section of the Hospitals in Amman, Jordan

In this article an investigation was carried out to assess the extent of the individual as well as the collective application of total quality management (TQM) factors in five hospitals in Amman, Jordan. The investigation was conducted using a five-point Likert scale survey. Cronbach's alpha was computed to establish the consistency and reliability of the survey data. Using the mean score of the collective application of TQM factors in each hospital as the independent variable, the impact of the TQM application for each hospital, expressed in terms of chosen performance indicators, was related as the dependent variable. Although the extent of the TQM application showed some variation, the investigation established that each hospital applied TQM at a relatively high level. It also showed that the correlation between the extent of the overall application and the values of the chosen performance indicators were direct and positive.