Quality Control & Quality Assurance.
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Introduction
Quality Control & Quality Assurance Quality control and Quality Assurance are very different even though their ultimate objective is the same - to provide a guarantee of product quality to the end user. The difference perhaps best illustrates by showing how attitudes to quality have changed. Quality Control is an inspection process in the production process. Quality Assurance is based on the concept that quality is the responsibility of everyone working in the business. Quality could be described as those features of a product or a service that allows it to satisfy consumer wants. Quality control is concerned with ensuring products: Physical appearance Reliable and durable Special features Suitable After sales service Image Reputation Parts I would make sure that my business's quality control involves inspection of output to ensure that it meets the quality standard with satisfactory output being passed, unsatisfactory output being rejected and, maybe, re-worked or just scrapped. While this approach may result in customers receiving satisfactory products there are a number of disadvantages. Inspection is most likely to find all the faulty items because the normal inspections procedure is to simple say 10% of the output. ...read more.
Middle
Total Quality Management (TQM) TQM is a method designed to prevent errors, such as poor quality products from happening. Every department is organised to take into account quality at all times. This involves: Quality Chains Company Policy & Accountability Control Monitoring the Process Team Work Consumer Views Zero Defects TQM is a way of managing to improve effectiveness, flexibility and competitiveness of business as a whole. In my business to be truly effective every part must work together because every person and every activity affects and is in turn affected y every other. The effectiveness of TQM depends on total team working. Benefits of TQM & Team Working Everyone is committed to improving the quality of the goods Can result in high levels of motivation and involvement - leading to better quality standards and generally higher productivity Drawbacks of TQM & Team Working Management cannot choose the bits of TQM it likes and ignore the others It needs the time and total commitment of everyone - if this does not occur then the systems may end up creating more problems than it solves. ...read more.
Conclusion
If others are doing better, then so can we. Benchmarking involves a number of stages: To decide what in the business needs benchmarking - production time? Delivery time? After sales service? To choose another business for standards of excellence to benchmark against Gathering information about the standards of excellence Setting standards and making sure everyone in the business knows about them Advantages of Benchmarking It is a very simple concept and gives the business a target at which to aim. Disadvantages of Benchmarking It only works if suitable benchmark data is available and the comparison is valid - eg. like is being compared with like. Another criticism of benchmarking is that the approach is rather simplistic and does not help a business resolve quality problems. Quality certification - BS EN ISO 9000 BS EN ISO 9000 is a set of international standards. For all the activities involved in the business it sets down rigorous standards covering: * Supply of goods * Quality control * Training * Internal documentation * Procedures for dealing with faults * Management of the system These all ensure that the finished product will be of a standard that will meet customer requirements. The certification process is very demanding but businesses are increasingly finding achievement of the quality 'kitemark' worthwhile. ...read more.
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