Quality Circle Activities Research Articles

A Study on Quality Circles Improve the Productivity of MSME

Quality Circles have repeatedly been suggested as a technique for enhancing employees involvement in and satisfaction with their work. The relationship between employees’ participation in quality circle activities and their reactions to their jobs are very significant in MSMEs. The main aim of this study is to determine the factors responsible for quality circles in MSMEs. This study is completely based on primary data. The data is collected through a structured questionnaire. The researcher obtained 300 responses, each 100 from the MSME owners in Chennai guindy, Thiruvallur Ambattur and Kancheepuram perungudi through convenient sampling method. It is concluded that the Quality circle and its members in MSMEs optimistically perceived the goals of Quality Circles. They clearly ascertained the development of MSMEs is the primary aim of all the Quality Circles to remove flaws and negations in the work environment they meticulously identified the job evaluation methods pertaining to actual work assignments and nature of job in the organization.

A Study on the Effect of Customer-Oriented Quality Circle Activities on Business Performance for Service Firms

A Study on the Effect of Customer-Oriented Quality Circle Activities on Business Performance for Service Firms

An organisational learning perspective of knowledge creation and the activities of the quality circle

This study tests a new conceptual model for knowledge creation and the activities of quality circle (QC) members using an organisational learning perspective. It empirically identifies the relationship between these variables to propose 11 hypotheses. Structural equation modelling then examines the relationship. The study on South Korea, seeks to (1) evaluate the structural equation model fit and (2) identify the relationship between the variables and their mediating effect. Using purposive sampling, 770 employees of 154 enterprises were sampled. The results indicated that the model fit indices were within the acceptable range and showed mediating effects. By integrating an organisational learning perspective into the QC, a new framework for the logical flow of knowledge creation into QC activities is suggested, including recommendations for future research.

Effects of quality circle activities in reducing the ward red light times

Objective To use quality circle activities to improve work flow,enhance the sense of active service,reduce the times of ward infusion bell,and advance the satisfaction of patients.Methods By carrying out quality circle activities under the theme of Increasing inspection,reducing number of red light to analyze the present situation and reason for setting the countermeasures and putting forward which can provide continuous quality improvement.Results By comparison between before and after activities,the times of infusion red light were decreased from 534 to 126 times per week,while the degree of patient satisfaction increased from 90.5％ to 96％.Conclusion Quality circle activities can enhance the sense of nurse active service,optimize work flow,improve work efficiency,reduce the times of ward red light,and advance the degree of patients' satisfaction. Key words: Quality circle activities; Infusion bell; Continuous quality improvement

The Effect of Quality Circle Activities upon Quality Circle Performance and Business Performance

The purpose of this research is to identify the effect of quality circles activities upon quality circles performance and business performance. Empirical results indicate that quality circle activities influence on quality circles performance in both individual and enterprise level, Quality circles performance influences on not employment satisfaction but customer satisfaction, business performance (profitability and market values) of companies with quality circles is higher than that of companies without quality circles. In conclusion, quality circle activities influence on quality circles performance that effect on business performance.

The Effectiveness of Quality Circle Participation in Industrial and Service Organizations in Malaysia

Quality Circle (QC) proponents suggest a wide array of positive results when this participation technique is used either in manufacturing or in service sector. This study is to determine whether QCs in one sector are performing more effectively than the other. This assessment includes technical aspects, length of participation, training, members' feelings about QCs, job satisfaction and job commitment. The study illustrates the impacts of participation on 109 QCs members from five Malaysian companies participated in a survey. Results showed that Industrial QCs members were more enthusiastic than service QCs members in terms of involvement in QCs activities and showed higher job satisfaction and job commitment compared to members in service organizations.

Quality circle activities in the Turkish establishments

A research, which has been conducted to study quality circle activities in the Turkish industry, has revealed that quality circles are implemented by a limited number of establishments. 18 large scale industrial organizations that operate, or intend to operate quality circles have been identified. The patriarchal nature of the Turkish culture, the economic circumstances of Turkey, the educational and social backgrounds of quality circle members, and the policies of top managements and labor unions are the main obstacles for QC implementation. The sample studied in this research is too small to carry out reliable statistical tests. When the results are reviewed, however, it seems that quality circles are functioning just on the borderline.

Software Quality Improvement Activities at Nippon Steel Corporation

Our basic ideas to improve software quality are: (1) assuring quality of final products by assuring processes. That is, we control the software development process in order to reduce rework at the later processes, including maintenance and (2) assuring quality of the software under operation by practicing preventive maintenance.As the main elements in software development are, project managers, analysts, designers, programmers and testers, our approach is based on small groups or Quality Circle activities, which develop motivation to improve quality through mutual education, individual group activities and exchange of experiences. We have applied this approach both to the software system development process and to the maintenance process.In this paper, we present the current result of activités by one of our works. The error ratio per line of code in system development phase has been reduced and is almost constant regardless of current project size. And the number of software failures in operation has been reduced to one fifth in five years. These activities based on smal1-groups, are the most practical way to improve software quality, as long as human beings are the main elements of software development and maintenance processes. Therefore, this is our first step to zero-defect software.

Organizational Factors in Quality Circle Activities

At present, Quality Circle (QC) activity is prevailing in the world, because we recognize that it contributes to an improvement of product quality as well as productivity. This paper identifies the main factors that enhance QC activity, emphasizing the organizational ones. Through a survey of enterprises working with QC activity, we find out an interrelation of factors. Factor management influences the factor culture and this last one leads to workers' involvement in jobs and to higher productivity.

Employee participation in a Quality Circle program: Impact on quality of work life, productivity, and absenteeism.

The impact of participation in a Quality Circle (QC) program on employee quality of work life (QWL) attitudes and on productivity and absenteeism behaviors was studied among direct labor employees in a manufacturing firm. Participants (n = 46) and nonparticipants (n = 46) were surveyed before and after implementation of the QC program. Multiple regression analysis revealed a positive relation between QC participation and changes in QWL perceptions in areas directly involved in QC activities but not in more general work life areas. Given that participants' QWL scores tended not to change and nonparticipants tended to report decreases in QWL from before to after the QC program implementation, the results suggest QC involvement acted more to provide social support to buffer participants from negative contextual factors than to enhance equality of work life. Organizational records also were assessed from 6 months before to 24 months after adoption of the QC program and showed that QC participation led to improvements in employee productivity and absenteeism rates.

QUALITY CIRCLES AND EMPLOYEE ATTITUDES

Quality circles have repeatedly been suggested as a technique for enhancing employees' involvement in and satisfaction with their work. This study explored the relationship between employees' participation in quality circle (QC) activities and their reactions to their jobs. Specifically, the relationship of participation in QC activities and employees' perceptions of the influence they have on their jobs, the characteristics of their jobs, and their overall job satisfaction were examined. Four hundred and fifty‐five (455) QC members and 305 non‐QC members, all employees of a large electronics manufacturer, were surveyed. The effect of QC membership as well as tenure in quality circles on the above variables is reported. Involvement in a quality circle was found to have a significant relationship to employees' perception of influence, as well as to some job characteristics. No significant effect of QC membership on job satisfaction was found. The results are discussed in the context of the need for further validation of many arguments heard about quality circles.

British Quality Circles in Operation — Some Facts and Figures

This paper presents the results of a state of the art postal questionnaire survey from 132 manufacturing companies based in the UK. Also outlined are the trends in the profile of quality circle programmes of some 40 companies over a period of around 12 months. The main trends include circle leadership passing from supervision to a member of the shop floor workforce, an increase in the number of circles selecting quality as a project theme and a decrease in the circle meeting frequency. From the findings it is clear that some middle managers feel threatened by quality circle activities. A list of reasons for this is given along with suggestions to reverse such attitudes. It is also pointed out that a number of companies are still trying to short‐circuit the factors that are important in quality circle programme success.