Challenges In Quality Management Research Articles

Using anchoring vignettes to study quality management across cultures

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to suggest and demonstrate how anchoring vignettes, as a survey instrument, can be applied to study quality management (QM) across cultures. Cultural differences may create challenges in QM. Quantitative surveys are commonly used to study QM practices but do not consider the cultural bias in the survey results. An important question is how to study QM so that the results are comparable across cultures. Herein, the use of anchoring vignettes is suggested to reduce the problem of cross-cultural incomparability.Design/methodology/approachThis paper focuses on developing and testing vignettes for studying QM. Based on previous survey studies, two vignettes for each QM dimension are developed. The vignettes are then tested with two pilot tests on the web-based survey platform.FindingsThe paper provides a concrete example of how a survey using anchoring vignettes could be designed and used to deal with cultural bias in QM survey Based on hypothetical examples from Swedish and Indian cultures, the results from pilot studies evaluating vignettes are promising and show the applicability of the proposed method. Anchoring vignettes may help to provide more accurate survey results and thereby contribute to understanding of cross-cultural differences in QM practices. One of the challenges is the design of vignettes, which requires high precision and several tests to make the method work.Originality/valueThe paper discusses the potential of using anchoring vignettes to study QM practices across cultures. This may contribute to better understanding of QM practices in an international context, and thereby help improve QM practices in multinational organisations.

Challenges for quality management in implementation, maintenance, and sustainability of research tissue biobanks.

Availability of high-quality human tissue samples and access to associated histopathological and clinical data is essential for basic and translational biomedical research, especially in areas of personalized medicine, drug, and biomarker development and mechanistically oriented biomedical research projects. Therefore, it is pivotal to establish and maintain quality-assured tissue biobanks that provide high-quality biomaterial to research thereby increasing the impact and reliability of scientific results. Quality concerns do not only address the biomaterial specimen itself but include all biobanking-related procedures. Tissue biobanks thus face essential challenges that encompass the implementation of adequate structural components, documentation of tissue sample collection and storage (procedures), as well as data and project management and IT. An integral and indispensable component of tissue biobanks is expert-driven evaluation (entry and exit controls) of tissue specimen to guarantee provision of high-quality assured biomaterials.

Wyzwania w zarządzaniu jakością na uczelniach w Polsce – dobre praktyki

Quality management in universities is often perceived in Poland as a determinant of quality of education. According to the author, it is too narrow approach. The next challenge of quality management in Polish higher education institutions is the problem with accreditation of activities, which is closely identified with control. Examples of foreign universities: Pompeu Fabra University in Spain and Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland show that quality management can generate large benefits for universities. Keywords: quality, higher education, management, best practices, benefits.

Challenges of Quality Management in Education

Today we are facing the great challenges of adopting education to the changing needs of the society. The transmission in information and explosion of knowledge is very fast and it is very urgent to take immediate steps to make the education more useful and relevant .For the quality of management in education is very important. Education quality effect all the system of education and the whole system. Therefore the quality management of education is very important. Quality has been the goal of an eternal through the corridors of human history. It has been the driving force for all human endeavors. Quality is the inspiration for transcendence from the mundane to the higher realms of life. It is the source of craving behind the unfolding human civilization through ages immemorial. Our paper discuss the concept of quality and challenges of quality management of education with respect to quality frame work, Self-evaluation and the sources of quality management in education.

The challenge of establishing, growing and sustaining a large biobank: A personal perspective

Laboratory medicine professionals have a unique understanding of the wealth that biological samples bring to clinical research, and of the need for quality standards for the collection, transportation, storage and analytical phases. The expertise of laboratory physicians and scientists also adds value to the interpretation and publication of the results of clinical research studies. This is an account of the evolution of over thirty five years of the Biobank/Clinical Research Clinical Trials Laboratory at one Canadian health sciences centre. The logistical, financial, and quality management challenges are presented in growing from a small-scale facility to one that now stores three million well-characterized samples from more than seventy countries, representing five continents and five major ethnic groups. This is an account of a journey, it is not intended as a guide as to how to create an ‘ideal’ biobank. Collaboration, collegiality, consistency, creativity and clinical collaborators, are the keys to progress, but there must first be a vision, one that can expand to embrace new opportunities.

Challenges of Quality Management: A Case Study at Malaysian Electronics Manufacturing Services Company

The majority of Malaysian electronics manufacturing companies are electronics contract manufacturers (CM) and the industry is known as electronics manufacturing services (EMS). The industry is lucrative yet challenging. Companies in this industry need to have strong and flexible production system as well as supply chain to cater for diverse customer requirements such as high mix low volume demand. The objective of this paper is to identify the challenges in managing quality effectively and efficiently in a contract–manufacturing environment. Observation and semi–structured interviews were conducted to understand and identify the operational problems in a local EMS company. The problems are then analyzed and generalized against existing quality theories. Interestingly, the findings showed that all the problems have been addressed in the quality theories some 30 years ago.

Total Quality Management in Ghana: Critical Success Factors and Model for Implementation of a Quality Revolution

In this study, the authors aim to identify the critical success factors and challenges of total quality management (TQM) implementation and propose a model for the successful implementation of a quality revolution in Ghana. The approach in this study was to review existing literature followed by case studies of 15 firms. Three employees (quality manager/director and any two “ordinary employees”) were interviewed to identify the critical success factors that would be appropriate for the implementation of a quality revolution in Ghana as well as the main challenges of quality management they face. Findings revealed that top management commitment, empowerment and involvement of employees, resource availability, competition and increased customer awareness, and a well-functioning quality network are the major factors that are critical and essential if any TQM program is to be successful. Three main problems—management resistance, employee resistance, and resource paucity—were identified as principal impediments to TQM programs.

A Comparative Analysis of the Air Quality Management Challenges and Capabilities in Urban and Rural English Local Authorities

Local authorities in Great Britain have (in the main) completed their air quality review and assessments, the aim of the process being the identification of local hotspots where national air quality objectives are not likely to be met. Across Great Britain approximately 120 Air Quality Management Areas are in the process of being declared. Local authorities, in partnership with others, are required to write and implement an action plan outlining remedial measures to improve the air quality situation in these areas. This paper compares and contrasts the challenges facing urban and rural authorities in carrying out these responsibilities. The capabilities of urban, rural and those authorities defined as 'mixed' in implementing the review and assessment process also are discussed. The data presented indicate that, although urban authorities appear to be facing greater and more complex air quality challenges, rural areas are not without their own air quality challenges. The issues facing urban authorities are different from those facing their more rural counterparts. It is hypothesised that urban authorities have more effective frameworks in place for tackling the challenges of air quality action planning. This hypothesis is tested by questionnaire surveys and in the context of an urban and a rural case-study authority.

Quality management: a survey on accomplished results

Best practice in quality management has been addressed in a number of publications, but to date, there has been little broad empirical research within the field. This article reports on a study of quality management in 270 Danish enterprises, selected at random at the beginning of 1995. Today, most Danish enterprises work with quality explicitly, and as a result of their efforts, production errors have declined in parallel with customer complaints. However, a number of enterprises lack the capacity to measure directly the benefits realized from quality initiatives. Almost one‐half of the responding enterprises have established an independent quality department, and, correspondingly, these enterprises have derived the highest benefits from their quality efforts. An additional one‐third of the enterprises have become certified, yet these enterprises claim that it has not noticeably affected their competitive power. In general, Danish enterprises do well when it comes to discussing quality issues. In relation to measuring the benefits from their quality efforts, their performance leaves much to be desired. As Danish enterprises have a long‐standing tradition for design and quality work, the results of the survey have wide implications for other organizations faced with the challenge of quality management.

Integrating Productivity and Quality Management

Productivity and quality management concepts productivity and total quality management challenges, opportunities, and scope of activities the productivity-quality connection productivity measurement productivity and quality improvement through statistical process control productivity and quality planning techniques for resolving quality problems productivity and quality improvement strategies and techniques techniques for improving employee productivity, morale and employment establishing and managing a productivity and quality improvement program consumer satisfaction - a drive for quality and productivity improvement. Appendices: statistical tables blank work forms for statistical control implementation constants and formulas for control charts blank work forms for the implementation of task analysis technique (TAT) for cost of quality computations selected productivity and quality centers.