Use Of Quality Tools Research Articles

Classification and application of problem solving quality tools

Purpose – The complexity of problem solving requires use of quality tools to assist in the organization and analysis of information and data surrounding the concern. A proposed classification scheme for problem‐solving tools allows the user to identify the correct tool at the proper time in the problem‐solving process. This may assist the problem solver to efficiently and effectively work toward problem solution. The classification scheme, in the form of a matrix, identifies, organizes, and defines tools of the six sigma problem‐solving process as taught and implemented at a large manufacturing company.Design/methodology/approach – Development of a problem‐solving matrix to enable more efficient and effective use of tools applied to a six sigma project in a large manufacturing company.Findings – The application of the methodology to a case study in a large manufacturing company related to an Air Conditioning (A/C) No Fill concern. The exercise of applying the six sigma tools matrix to this project would h...

Quality management approaches in Irish organisations

PurposeThe objectives of this study were to investigate the degree to which quality initiatives, including quality standards, have been adopted in Irish organisations and to provide comparisons with survey results of surveys in 1995/1996.Design/methodology/approachA national survey was conducted in 2002 of Irish employers in manufacturing/services within the private and public sectors. The questionnaire was sent to 2,487 organisations – 932 questionnaires were returned representing a 34 per cent response rate from the private sector organisations and 47 per cent in the public sector.FindingsThe survey illustrates the continuing importance of, and reliance upon, standards. Among organisations that had been awarded ISO 9000 certification, 93 per cent believed that it had improved their reputation and 90 per cent that it resulted in better products or services. Nearly two‐thirds of respondent organisations had adopted a total quality approach compared with less than one‐third in 1995/1996. The results demonstrate that total quality organisations did not differ significantly from non‐TQ organisations in relation to having been awarded ISO 9000. However, there were statistically significant differences between TQ and non‐TQM organisations in relation to: a commitment to quality, quality structures, measures to evaluate effectiveness in relation to customers, employees and suppliers, team working, quality assurance systems, use of quality tools and techniques and investment in training.Originality/valueThis study shows that interest and adoption of quality improvement in Irish organisations is growing rapidly, particularly since the mid‐1990s that has marked a distinct period of economic growth in the Irish economy.

The internal predictors of business performance in small firms

PurposeIn order to provide a deeper understanding of small business performance the study aims to analyse data from a national survey into small firms in the events sector.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis used logistic regression to determine a model which best predicts the performance of these firms. The data used were part of a larger scale and previously published survey into the business activities of small events firms in the UK. The resulting model identifies those organisational variables which greatly influence performance as well as identifying the business activities which have little or no effect on performance.FindingsThe greater influencing factors were found to be related to the age of the business, the variety of promotional methods used and the sources of finance employed. The more significant factors appeared to be those of a shorter term more operational nature whereas those factors having little effect were those that related more closely to areas of strategic planning.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that small firms in the event sector are likely to perform better if they use a variety of promotional methods, make use of quality tools, and use grants rather than family and friends for funding. The use of marketing planning and research and investment in training is unlikely to improve performance, although this may be only in the short term.Originality/valueThe paper highlights the areas of business operations which can significantly affect performance and is, therefore, of practical use for smaller firms operating in this industry. The analysis also uncovers aspects where further research is required if a more comprehensive understanding of small firm performance determinants is to be gained.

An exploratory study of the use of quality tools and techniques in product development

PurposeThe exploratory paper investigates the reasons for the adoption or non‐adoption of quality tools in industry. Although quality tools such as statistical process control and failure mode effect analysis are commonly practiced in manufacturing, the same cannot be said for product development.Design/methodology/approachWe adopted a case study approach in this study, which has been found to be the more suitable approach for exploratory research. Semi‐structured interviews ranging from half an hour to one and a half hours were conducted with seven industrialists and three academics. These industrialists are R&D managers, product development managers, project managers and engineers who have been involved in new product development (NPD) in one way or another.FindingsBuilding on previous studies, the study identified two categories of factor affecting the adoption of quality tools: internal and external factors. User‐friendliness, usefulness, time, monetary cost, flexibility and popularity of the tools are internal factors which may influence the usage of tools. External factors such as project nature, organization, industries and culture account for the external influence.Originality/valueBy identifying the possible reasons of (non‐)adoption of quality tools in NPD, researchers can better design tools and techniques which would be more readily adopt by companies.

Performance measures and quality tools in Portuguese small and medium enterprises: survey results

This paper describes a survey that was undertaken at the initial stage of a research project looking at performance measures and quality tools. Its objective was to determine the level of knowledge of performance measures and their degree of implementation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Portugal. It also addressed the level of use of quality tools in the same companies, since they provide some degree of integration between the external requirements of a business and its internal activities and performance (Gregory, 1993). Most research to date has concentrated on large companies and so an important part of this work is to assess whether or not SMEs can adopt similar approaches with respect to quality, or in general, to management methodologies. For example, are ISO standards, TQM, balanced scorecard, or other excellence models beneficial to all companies and how are they implemented? The paper starts with a brief literature review and then presents the methodology used for the survey, the questionnaire construction and the pilot study. The full survey is described together with a comprehensive analysis of the results, including respondent bias and questionnaire reliability and validity. The general opinions of Portuguese SMEs with regard to performance measurement, the most important measures to use and the biggest obstacles to their adopting new ones are discussed. The paper culminates with an analysis of quality tools and the conclusions drawn from the study.

Quality in Airline Safety: Quality Methods and Tools Are Needed to Manage New Directions

Approximately 650 million people fly on U.S. certificated air carriers annually (Department of Transportation: Federal Aviation Administration, 2003). Although statistically air transportation is one of the safest modes of travel, the few airline accidents that occur never fail to garner substantial media attention and concern of the public. The responsibility to seek ways to improve air transportation safety falls on all involved in aviation - practitioners and educators alike. The purpose of this article is to provide, through a review of literature, a brief examination of the past, present, and future state of efforts to address airline safety, and to encourage educators to become involved in promoting the use of quality tools to improve safety.

Use of quality tools and techniques in services

The purpose of this article is essentially twofold: to evaluate the use of quality control (QC) tools and statistical process control (SPC) in certain services and to underline the key management prerequisites that help ensure their effective use. It involves a study of a sample of case service organisations, namely banks, hospitals, courier services and utilities, to assess the (in)effective use of QC tools and SPC and what this could signify for the future. A theoretical model is proposed and conclusions are drawn on the basis of it. For the use of QC tools and SPC to be more readily accepted and valuable in service organisations, certain critical success factors are identified here. The question is also raised as to which tools and techniques might be more appropriate in services and why.

Quality management practices in a Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) environment

The use of Flexible Manufacturing Systems, hereafter FMS, and quality management practices cannot be separated. However, most of the studies by academics and practitioners in this area of inquiry, fail to examine this relationship empirically and comprehensively. This paper fills this void by examining how the use of FMS affects quality management practices in manufacturing firms. The uniqueness of our study is that it overcomes the shortcomings of previous studies by broadly examining a number of quality management practices that range from the importance of quality to the use of quality tools and techniques. The Human Resource Management (HRM) aspect of quality management practices was also examined in terms of employee involvement and participation. The data used in this exploratory study were collected from 102 companies in the following US industries: aerospace, electronics, industrial and farm equipment, metal product, and motor vehicle and parts. Our analysis reveals significant differences between FMS users and non-users. First, the users of FMS differ in most of their quality management practices from the non-users. Second, although both groups emphasize quality as a strategic objective, significant differences in the cost of quality as well as in the use of quality management tools and techniques were found between the two groups. Finally, the FMS users place heavy emphasis on the HRM aspects of managing quality. The implications of these results are useful for both academics and practitioners.

The strategic function of quality in the management of innovation

Quality management can be used to support strategically the management of innovation. Tools in strategic quality management can be useful in: creating the organizational conditions in which innovations can be developed; supervising and initiating innovation processes; producing innovation content; and implementing innovations in the primary processes of the organization. This conclusion is based on the results of a research project in the Dutch construction industry. In a large-scale house-building project the supportive use of quality tools in the management of innovation was studied. The study indicates that quality tools are used implicitly and sometimes explicitly to manage innovation processes.

Quality management practices: a comparative study between East and West

This paper compares quality management practices in manufacturing companies in the East and the West. It uses data collected from three countries in the East, namely Japan, Korea and Taiwan and compares these with data collected from four countries in the West, namely Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Australia. Twenty‐five Japanese companies, 105 Korean companies, 48 Taiwanese companies, 65 Danish companies, 88 Swedish companies, 18 Finnish companies and 62 companies from Australia responded to the questionnaire. Comparison between the East and the West is carried out on the following: formulation and communication of a quality policy; education and training of employees in quality management; top management participation in quality activities, quality motivation and suggestions; and the use of quality tools and methods. The comparison shows that quality management practices are relatively more widespread in the Eastern companies than in the Western companies. The key differences between the East and the West are identified and suggestions made to close the gap.

The use of quality tools and techniques in product introduction: an assessment methodology

Based on fieldwork carried out on two Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council‐funded projects in the area of design, the paper presents the details of an assessment approach which has been developed to assess the use and application of quality tools and techniques in the new product design and development process. Its use will help management recognise the symptoms, root causes, issues and problems that are adversely affecting NPDD, with respect to application (or lack of it) of quality tools and techniques.

Service From Within

Considers providing good Customer service is essential, especially for service companies. Asserts that to be truly effective, Customer service needs to start with satisfying internal customers. Looks at the problem facing Telecommunications Europe, of translating external service performance to an internal environment. Considers the application of structured Service quality performance to supplier cells. Describes the use of quality tools to reduce the service performance gaps. Concludes that some cells adopted mutual improvement programmes to increase customer satisfaction, and that the sales force and engineers designed a quality gating system which improved communication between them, ensuring that what the salesmen sold, the engineers could deliver.