Quality Management Process Research Articles

Operations management body of knowledge and its relevance to manufacturing and service organizations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the differences in importance assigned by manufacturing or service organizations to topics related to operations management and its attendant body of knowledge.Design/methodology/approachThe authors did this by cataloguing and analyzing vacancy announcements related to operations management, presented by manufacturing and services companies in major Brazilian human resources websites.FindingsThe results show that manufacturing companies primarily hire personnel with skills in routine process management, quality management, lean manufacturing, ergonomics and work organization. Service companies generally seek professionals with knowledge and experience in logistics, supply chain management and project management.Research limitations/implicationsThis study presents some limitations that reduce the power of its conclusions. There is some degree of subjectivity in the interpretation of the contents of the analyzed ads. In order to reduce this problem, the authors who did the tabulation of data marked the situations for which there were some doubts about the classification, discussing them with the other author, until they reached a consensus on the best way to classify each one.Originality/valueThe discussion about the importance assigned by manufacturing and service companies to the topics of operations management is crucial for not only the results obtained, but also to stimulate the debate on topics that comprise or should comprise the body of knowledge of operations management, and the way they are incorporated into business practice. This provides an additional opportunity to reflect on the potential of operations management in supporting business managers now and in the future.

Application of the Snowball Sample in the diagnostic based on factors that affect the productivity of Cherimoya production in MSEs: A case of study of Callahuanca and San Mateo de Otao, Peru

It is evident that economic poverty is one of the problems presented by underdeveloped countries, and that their reduction is related to the increase in productivity in MSEs, given the high impact they have represented over time. Many entities have identified the importance of agriculture in the economic sector of the country. Therefore, a diagnosis is necessary in the area. The purpose of this diagnosis is to have a reference of the environment from the general point of view, in which all the interactions, descriptions, particularities and existing processes can be observed. In this first stage of the diagnosis, it is carried out using a non-probabilistic sampling, which is a common method in the investigation. One of the many methods used for identifying diagnosis is the snowball sampling that allows finding the diagnosis of hidden populations where there is no way to know all the characteristics of a population. The benefit of using this type of sampling is that a single initial informant can put the researcher in contact with other sources. Further, based on the results obtained, it was identified that the causes of the problem of the Cherimoya sector were associated to 3 critical processes that reflected the non-productivity of this sector: process of planning management and production control, process of logistic management and process of quality management.

Development and Realization of Approach for Defining Quality Objectives of Carmaker According to Results of Cars Warranty Period

Approaches based on such quality management principles as “consumer orientation” and “decision making on the basis of factual data” are of particular importance for the development of Russian automotive industry under current conditions. In order to solve key problems concerning quality and product competitiveness it is necessary to take efficient and substantiated management decisions which are based on a detailed analysis of the results in respect of cars warranty period. Such technology contributes to improvement of quality management processes, creation of opportunities for enhancement of customer satisfaction and sustainable development of carmakers. The paper is updating a problem of development and realization of a new approach to define quality objectives for automotive corporations. Historical analysis has been made in respectof changes in cars quality indicators for one of the leading Russian automakers. The paper presents conventional methodology which is used at enterprises to define quality objectives for new cars being under warranty period. A new approach for determination of target indicators for product quality in automotive industry has been proposed on basis of the analysis of the best practice in organizing process to monitor quality of cars in operation. The approach takes into account a number of indicators of key importance in the formation of product competitiveness of automotive corporations. A common platform has been implemented for development and monitoring of quality objectives for cars in operation. The developed platform meets current and prospwctive tendencies. Application of the platform and its elements in the carmakers practice provides opportunities for harmonious improvement of the quality management system and it is aimed at improvement of product competitiveness.

Performance of processes in quality management of wood-processing enterprises

A measuring and evaluating of quality are critical factors that are responsible for customer satisfaction. This article deals with the issue of measuring and evaluating of processes’ performance in the quality management of Slovak wood-processing enterprises. A questionnaire method was used at the primary level of information gathering. The questionnaire targeted 300 most significant Slovak wood-processing enterprises. It was found out that the most common methods of measuring and evaluating of processes’ performance in the quality management of Slovak wood-processing enterprises are universal indicators of process performance, indicators for measurement of production and non-production processes and benchmarking. Conversely, the least used methods are EFQM, Six Sigma and process controlling of quality. Based on the analysis of primary and secondary sources, a model for measuring and evaluating of processes’ performance in the quality management system for small and medium enterprises as for large wood-processing enterprises was proposed. Keywords: Quality management, processes, performance, wood-processing enterprises, model

Pharmacy quality improvement project to enhance the medication management process in pediatric patients.

Improvement in the quality of the medication management process is a crucial component of twenty-first-century medicine. To improve the quality of medication management process within pediatric specialty through designing a quality improvement project for the pharmaceutical care services in a children' hospital to solve the drug-related problems during drug prescribing, administration, and monitoring. A total of 900 medical files were evaluated (100 file/month) from the pediatric medical ward to detect any medication errors during prescribing, administration, or monitoring of the drugs. Three pharmacy quality indicators were designed to detect any medication errors during prescribing, administration, or monitoring of the drugs, then a collective datasheet was designed to record any defect in the system during drug management process within the hospital. A quality improvement project was designed using many quality improvement techniques to decrease the rates of medication errors in each drug handling stage. Brainstorming, fishbone chart, questionnaire, and voting were the main quality tools used to detect the causes of medication errors problem in pediatric patients. Certain actions were implemented which included educational program, implementation of clinical pharmacy, intravenous admixture, and drug information services. The quality improvement interventions succeeded in decreasing the rates of medication errors in each stage. These interventions succeeded in decreasing the rates of medication errors in prescribing, administration, and monitoring stages from 47, 60, and 56% respectively to ≤ 15% within 9months. Pharmacists can have a key role in improving the health-care system's quality in developing countries' health-care systems.

Determinants of the State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) Total Quality Management process: SEM analysis

Determinants of the State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) Total Quality Management process: SEM analysis

Prediction of air quality indicators for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region

Abstract The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is facing a very serious air pollution problem. To obtain the future trend of air quality, the GM(1,1) model with the fractional order accumulation (FGM(1,1)) is used to predict the average annual concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, 8-h O3, and 24-h O3 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 2017 to 2020. The concentrations of PM2.5 and SO2 will decrease and the 8-h O3 and 24-h O3 will increase in this region. The concentrations of PM10 and NO2 will decrease in the Taihang-Mountain-adjacent region (Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, Handan and Hengshui) and increase in the Northern region (Zhangjiakou, Chengde and Qinhuangdao). The concentration of PM10 will decrease and NO2 will increase in the Bohai Sea region (Tangshan, Tianjin, Cangzhou, Beijing and Langfang). Our results can be directly exploited in the decision-making processes for air quality management.

Background and method of the Striving to be Strong study a RCT testing the efficacy of a m-health self-management intervention

BackgroundOsteoporosis is a prevalent and debilitating condition affecting >50% of post-menopausal women. Yet, a low percentage of women regularly engage in health promoting behaviors associated with osteoporosis prevention. Complex, multidimensional, m-Health interventions hold promise to effect engagement in health behavior change related to calcium and vitamin D intake, balance, core and leg strength, and physical activity. MethodsStriving to be Strong study (R01NR013913-01) tests the efficacy of a research and theory based, patient centered, dynamically tailored intervention delivered via smart phone apps. Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMAs) enhance immediate feedback and complement traditional measures. The desired outcomes are the maintenance of osteoporosis self-management behaviors and a decrease in the loss of bone density over time. The Individual and Family Self-management Theory provided the conceptual foundation for the study. The sample consists of 290 healthy women between the ages of 40 and 60 with an anticipated attrition of 33%. This three group repeated measures Randomized Clinical Trial spans a 12-month time period. Data collected occurs via web site, smart-phone app, self-report, observation, and measures. Proximal (engagement in osteoporosis health behaviors) and distal (serum vitamin D, DXA, and body composition) outcomes are collected for testing of the efficacy of the intervention and theory evaluation. DiscussionActive and rigorous quality management processes continually evaluate enrollment and retention goals, functionality of the automated intervention delivery and data collection systems, EMAs, and dispersion of incentives.

PROCESSOS, MÉTODOS E PRÁTICAS DE ENGENHARIA DE SOFTWARE EM PROJETOS SOFTWARE LIVRE: UM ESTUDO DE CASO OWNCLOUDE NEXTCLOUD

Software Engineering practices aim to improve the softwaresquality, which includes Open Source Software (OSS). This work aims to identify software engineering practices in the OSS projects OwnCloude Nextcloud. We perform a scientific literature review, using digital databases such as the Google Scholar and CAPESPeriodic Portal, and also search using the gray literature. We conclude that good practices of software engineering are applied into both cloud storage projects OwnCloudand Nextcloud. However, we found that the major focus is still on coding, and therefore, other development processes, such as documentation, effective control of change management and quality management processes, should receive more emphasis

Methods and Techniques of Quality Process Improvement in the Milk Industry in the Republic of Serbia

Abstract A long standing presence of process orientation in economic theory and practice reflects its use for achieving the goals of the company and its stakeholders. However, this does not mean that there is no space for improvement in this area. On the contrary, the context in which companies do business is changing significantly, even on a daily basis, and therefore it is necessary to look for new ways for process improvement in order to meet not only current, but also future needs of the consumers. The main aims of the study are to define concepts related to business processes and business process management, and to research the application of methods and techniques of a continuous improvement of processes and management systems in general. The aim is also to research the application of methods and techniques for quality process improvement in milk production companies in the Republic of Serbia, with the starting hypothesis that quality process improvement directly influences the competitive position of the company. Relevant literature has been used for the theoretical part of the study dealing with process management and quality management, while a structural questionnaire on which the whole research is based has been used for the empirical part of the study. Based on the data analysis it can be concluded that in the milk production companies in the Republic of Serbia there is a dominant use of the method based on the PDCA cycle for business quality improvement

Internal Quality Process Management Evaluation in Higher Education by Students

Abstract With the increasing importance of higher education, there is also growing public concern about its productivity. Therefore, the aim of the study is to evaluate the key internal quality management processes by student evaluation and to reveal the key factors of an effective internal quality process management. The indicators used are based on student satisfaction with the education process. The results are based on a quantitative survey using questionnaire data collection within a sample of students, and qualitative research within target groups. Descriptive statistics and two dimensional statistical methods were used to evaluate the quantitative results. The results show student evaluation of five key areas of the internal quality process management evaluation: leadership and strategic planning, student and stakeholder focus, measurement of student learning outcomes, human resource planning and educational process management. A limitation of the study is its narrow focus on a case study of a single private university.

A software quality framework for large-scale mission-critical systems engineering

Context:In the industry of large-scale mission-critical systems, software is a pivotal asset and a key business driver. Production and maintenance costs of systems in domains like air/naval traffic control or homeland security are largely dependent on the quality of software, and there are numerous examples where poor software quality is blamed for major business failures. Because of the size, the complexity and the nature of systems and engineering processes in this industry, there is a strong need yet a slow shift toward innovation in software quality management.Objective:We present SVEVIA, a framework for software quality assessment and strategic decisions support for large-scale mission-critical systems engineering, and its application in a three years long industry-academy cooperation.Method:We started with the analysis of the industrial software quality management processes, and identified the key challenges toward a satisfying quality-cost-time trade-off. We defined new methods for product/process quality assessment, prediction, planning and optimization. We experimented them on the industrial partner systems and processes. They finally conflated in the SVEVIA framework.Results:SVEVIA was integrated into the industrial process, and tested with hundreds of software (sub)systems. More than 20 millions of lines of code – deployed in about 20 sites in Italy and UK – have come under the new quality measurement and improvement chain. The framework proved its ability to support systematic management of software quality and key decisions for productivity improvement.Conclusion:SVEVIA supports team leaders and managers coping with software quality in mission-critical industries, yielding figures and projections about quality and productivity trends for a prompt and informed decision-making.

ВДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ УПРАВЛІННЯ ЯКІСТЮ ПРОДУКЦІЇ ВИСОКОТЕХНОЛОГІЧНИХ ПІДПРИЄМСТВ

The center of economic policy at the present stage is the task of comprehensive upgrading of the technical level and quality of products, which should implement the latest achievements of scientific thought, to satisfy the highest techno-economic, aesthetic and other requirements of consumers. Improving the quality of domestic products in a market economy is one of the components of the mechanism of accelerating the socio-economic development of society, requires the strengthening of the effectiveness of state standards to its technical level. The mechanism of product quality management is considered one of the elements of the general economic mechanism of the enterprise. With this in mind, quality policy is an element of overall policy and is endorsed by senior management. It represents the general intentions and direction of the enterprise to the quality, formally formulated by the supreme leadership. In other words, quality policy is a guideline for the general direction of the enterprise's activities in quality management of products. Quality policy is aimed at choosing the areas of work on product quality management, goals and the choice of real means for their achievement, which will allow the production of high quality products. The main focus of quality policy should be to maximize the use of all internal reserves to achieve a high level of product quality, as well as to find solutions that would reduce costs without compromising quality. The mechanism of product quality management is a set of methods and techniques of influence from the management of the company to its employees in order to effectively direct their actions and use of potential properties to quality work. Product quality management includes those aspects of management functions that define goals and responsibilities in the field of quality. Therefore, quality management functions are used for quality management, quality assurance, quality control, training and motivation of employees in the field of quality. All these functions are interlinked in the form of loops of quality and collectively represent a process of quality management within the entire enterprise.

Success factors of quality management in higher education: intended and unintended impacts

ABSTRACTExpanded and increasingly diversified systems of higher education are generally differentiated vertically and/or horizontally. National quality management systems attempt to identify both kinds of differences in quality and standards across their higher education systems. But different quality management systems and processes can pose different questions about such differences and provide different answers. In so doing, they can change what is regarded as important in higher education. Institutions respond to the perceived requirements of quality management with either change and innovation or with compliance and conformity. Institutional policies may change. Cultures of quality can be either strengthened or weakened. Impacts on quality differ, with unintended impacts often more significant than the intended ones.

Using machine-learning methods to analyze economic loss function of quality management processes

During analysis of quality management systems, their economic component is often analyzed insufficiently. To overcome this issue, it is necessary to withdraw the concept of economic loss functions from tolerance thinking and address it. Input data about economic losses in processes have a complex form, thus, using standard tools to solve this problem is complicated. Use of machine learning techniques allows one to obtain precise models of the economic loss function based on even the most complex input data. Results of such analysis contain data about the true efficiency of a process and can be used to make investment decisions.

Regulatory Considerations for Hemodiafiltration in the United States.

Online hemodiafiltration provides greater removal of higher molecular weight uremic retention solutes than conventional high-flux hemodialysis. However, online hemodiafiltration is used sparsely in the United States in part because of a paucity of delivery systems cleared for clinical use by the US Food and Drug Administration. Although a pathway for regulatory approval exists in the United States, concerns remain, particularly regarding online production of the large volumes of sterile, nonpyrogenic substitution fluid infused directly into the bloodstream to maintain fluid balance. Clearly defined testing protocols, acceptable to Food and Drug Administration, will be useful to show that an online hemodiafiltration system is capable of routinely achieving a sterility assurance level of 10-6 and nonpyrogenic levels of endotoxin. Large-scale clinical experience has shown that systems providing this level of performance when combined with certain design features, such as redundancy, and an appropriate quality management process can routinely and safely produce substitution fluid for online hemodiafiltration.

Economic crisis and business excellence: a comparative multi case study assessment

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact that crisis had on quality management and basic business processes using INSEAD’s industrial excellence framework (IEF) towards large Greek industrial units. This study proposes a modified version of the IEF which can help firms to operate through a turbulent environment.Design/methodology/approachData that were collected during the current financial crisis were compared with a matched sample of business units surveyed a decade earlier. The variables that were used to measure performance were grouped into two categories, quality management and process improvement.FindingsThrough the examination of these cases, the authors identify the characteristics that empowered those BUs so as to remain alive during the turbulence. According to the results, the survivors train their staff systematically, have closer relationships with their suppliers, assess their processes and follow up with action plans. Findings also suggest cultural differences between survivors vs non-survivors. Survivors display a cultural profile typical to adhocracy since they describe themselves as more flexible and externally focused instead of being stable and internally focused. These findings are discussed and avenues for future research are presented.Practical implicationsThe results of the study can be applied by quality managers of industrial organizations to achieve higher performance and overcome a turbulence of the external environment.Originality/valuePrevious research on the business excellence frameworks neglects the essential issue of sustainability and how an organization can survive a crisis. The study provides new insights into the long-term benefits of applying an excellence framework.

Utilizing text recognition for the defects extraction in sewers CCTV inspection videos

This paper proposed a novel automated framework for analyzing and tracking sewer inspection close-circuit television (CCTV) videos. The proposed model mainly supports the off-site examination and quality management process of the videos and enables efficient revaluation of CCTV videos to extract sewer condition data. The study discusses an important module for any automated analysis and defect detection in CCTV video. It includes two main modules: text recognition and cracks extraction. In the first module, multi-frame integration (MFI) was applied to reduce the background complexity, time and computational requirements needed for the video processing. Then maximally stable extremal regions (MSER) was used on the grayscale channel and HSV channel to effectively detect all the text edges. Saturation color channel was also applied to verify the detected text line and remove false alarms. In the second module, by utilizing the text information on each frame, the operator’s operation during the inspection is simulated which would indicate valuable clues about the location and severity of the cracks. The proposed methodology was validated using a set of video provided by the Korea Institute of Construction Technology.

Construction quality management based on a collaborative system using BIM and indoor positioning

Abstract Quality is one of the most vital aspects of a construction project, and inspection is the most important task in construction quality management. Despite the application of advanced information technologies, the omission of check items and in-efficiency of entering inspection results from paper-based inspection records into computers and collaboration among the construction stakeholders remain to be major problems. This paper proposes an approach to make the process of construction quality management more effective and collaborative by developing a system based on the integrated application of building information modeling (BIM) and indoor positioning technology. First, the system requirements of the collaboration platform are analyzed based on the standards for construction quality inspection in China, the technologies to be used for its implementation are justified, and a process model for the collaboration of multiple stakeholders is established. Next, the system architecture is developed, and the algorithm for generating inspection tasks and the technique for integrating with indoor positioning technology are formulated. Finally, the implementation of a prototype system is presented, and the effectiveness and efficiency of the approach for construction quality management are verified by using the system in an on-site test.

Stakeholder Concern-Driven Requirements Analytics

The requirements engineering (RE) process and resultant requirements usually inform and interact with downstream (e.g., design and testing) and side-stream (e.g., project management, quality management) processes in various ways. Each of these processes involves numerous internal stakeholders (e.g., managers, developers, architects, etc.) who, in turn, have different concerns with regard to the impact of requirements on their respective processes. In other words, the various stakeholders need different types of requirements information and measurements in order for them to manage, control, and track their respective process activities (e.g., design traceability information for architects, requirements progress for project managers, etc.). The burden of providing this information usually falls within the realm of the requirements management process. However, due to the lack of identified metrics and analytical methods, the process of providing the various stakeholders with the information that addresses their various concerns becomes cumbersome. This is further complicated by large project sizes, numerous stakeholders, time pressure, large numbers of requirements, other software artifacts, and others. This proposal aims to address this problem by proposing to provide stakeholders with concern-driven requirements analytics that will address their various concerns. We intend to achieve this through identifying metrics and analytical methods that can be readily used in the requirements management process. We further propose to provide the stakeholder with a dashboard that allows them to choose from the various requirements analytics options along with visualization techniques that would best visualize the data and address their concerns.