They work best when they are used in a consultative management style because the members need to give their opinions to the managers..
Self Checking
This is where you make sure all of the components are good before using them in the production process. The basic principle is 'don't move onto the next stage until you are sure everything is satisfactory'. Workers under this principle are often given a sheet of instructions, which details what they should do on their part of the production line. As always the quality of M&S goods are high, however any problems that do arise are dealt with quickly and efficiently. M&S currently manufacture their products abroad.
There are also different types of quality control techniques:
Statistical Quality Control
This is where statistics are used to make sure that the right amounts of components are being used. For example, a system may be in place to weigh tins of food. If the weight is above a specified weight then you know that the upper control limit (UCL) has been breached. The UCL is the maximum number allowed. If the weight drops below another specified limit then you know the lower control limit (LCL) has been breached. Using this system allows for roughly the same amount to be used each time. M&S ensure all their products are spot on, so that there are no room for errors.
Pareto Analysis (the 80/20 rule)
This is used a lot in business. For example, 80% of profit is generated from 20% of the profits, or 80% of quality problems are caused by 20% of the faults. Studying this can allow organisations to identify the cause of a problem, which is costing them a lot. M&S have made profit in recent years, therefore the faults that are costing them money are minimal.
Cause & Effect
Systems in place to track down errors (and the cause of errors) are an important part of TQM. Emphasis is placed on preventing errors, rather than correcting them and systems are used to find where the errors are being caused so that they can be mended.
From these descriptions we can see that M&S are using the Total Quality Management and Self Checking quality assurance techniques.
We can see that they use the TQM system from such things as the fact that the all products are made for the customers needs, with various sizes available. They do not make the products without first finding out what exactly the customer wants. They achieve this through surveys and questionnaires. This is an example of 'the customer always comes first'.
We can also see that the Self Checking assurance system is in use from the way that the workers on the production line are trained. They are trained to check and make sure each item is cleared for despatch to the shops. They are also trained to always be trying to improve quality and are offered incentives like money if they come up with an idea that will improve quality. This is yet another example of the Total Quality Management system.
There are numerous benefits in using these systems. The TQM system puts the customer first and is always striving to make the customer happier. This is going to build a very large, satisfied customer base who will in turn recommend others to the company which will increase sales. It also means that the quality of the finished product is higher as there is emphasis on making a quality product for the customer and not cutting corners. The Self Checking system assures that the products are in good condition before they are used. This means that the amount of faults at the end of the production line is minimal because good quality parts are being used. This reduces wastage and so cuts costs which means the products can be sold at a lower price. It also means there are less faults in the clothes etc, that the customers buy so a reputation for reliability is created. Whilst M&S are using these Quality Assurance tests their quality targets still are not being met. The other systems may help to meet the quality targets if they are put to use within M&S.
Quality Circles are an area, which could benefit M&S. The M&S staff are already trained to put the customer first and to always be thinking of ways to improve the quality of the product, and the efficiency at which they work, and so the next logical step would be to set up Quality Circles so that the employees could work in teams rather than individually. Two heads are better than one, and having a whole team of people trying to find new ways of improving quality will yield better solutions than an individuals ideas.
The Quality Circles would not need to replace any current quality system but could run along side the current ones. The ideas they produced could help to cut costs of production, and improve work force ethic by promoting team building and co-operation. M&S emphasis this heavily, as team work is vital in the running of the day to day store.
In introducing the quality circles, the employees would feel they had more of a valid and important input into the company and would feel as if they were a valued member of the team rather than just another drone. This indirectly affects the quality of the products on the production line and the speed at which items are produced because the workers have a high morale and are happy to work. "A happy worker is a busy worker". The workers would also have a closer relationship with management from which they could propose new ideas.
Another system which could be introduced side by side with the others is a combination of two systems. Studying of the Pareto analysis alongside the Cause and Effect technique would allow workers to spot big problem areas within production (where 80% of the errors were being caused) and then these could be fixed so as to reduce the amount of errors dramatically. The method in which the problem is fixed may even be relayed onto the Quality Circles - the other introduction I suggested. The circle could address the problem discovered by the combined use of the Pareto Analysis and the Cause and Effect techniques. This will help pinpoint the location of the machinery that produces the large amounts of errors, allow the workers to think up an idea for how to fix/improve the machine, and therefore decrease the amount of defects.
The good thing about the two extra quality control and assurance methods I've outlined above are that they require very little change to the current system. Setting up quality circles would maybe require a little reorganising of the rotas if even that. The workers may decide to simply stay at work an extra 30 minutes to hold a quality circle meeting. The studying of the Pareto analysis could be done by a few of the staff, possibly those who were in a quality circle so that they can pass on information easily.
The implementation of these systems will reduce the amount of errors and faults in the products probably below M&S current targets. This will mean that they will have to make their targets and objectives even harder to achieve to keep pushing themselves so that they are always striving to be best. The objectives for the amount of errors may drop again till the amount of errors targeted each month is very low or even nothing.
Whilst M&S have adequate and functional quality assurance methods in place, they could expand on these by adding in more techniques side by side with the current systems. These would prevent even more wastage, and cut costs even more, whilst also cutting down on the number of problems in the finished cars as well as befitting the workers by involving them more in the operation of the company.