Search results

Asserts that to help convince everyone in the company that quality improvement is worthwhile, a way of linking the improvements with business results is required. Discusses the waning of commitment which often follows the early days of a quality initiative. Contends motivation is improved if the costs of quality are identified and measured on a regular basis, and that it helps if improvement efforts are linked to the needs of business. Asserts that taking a quality approach to business can benefit the bottom‐line. Discusses business models and their use. Concludes it involves examining costs in minute detail, and tracking back the costs to each customer order.

Reports on the creation of the Northern Ireland Quality Centre, established to improve the standard of the business community, exchange information on TQM and reward companies for their improvements. The centre provides extensive resources and advice for companies implementing TQM, or those that are interested in finding out more about it. It also organises the Northern Ireland Quality Awards, using the Baldrige Award as a base for its model. Covers one of the companies that was an award winner in 1992, looking at the quality programme which it implemented.

Describes the introduction of a TQM culture at Pitney Bowes plc in the United Kingdom in order to make it more competitive in a receding market. Reports on the formation of corrective action teams and continuous improvement teams in order to help implement the change process. Details how these teams worked together to identify areas for improvement and the effects of the success of the TQM programme on the organization′s performance.

Even though GEC Sensors started its total quality programme six years ago, it is only recently that it has become a real part of the company's business improvement culture. The turning point in its quest for quality was the attainment of senior and middle management commitment.

Discusses whether the monetary effectiveness of Training, development and empowerment is easily measured or whether measurement is even necessary. Describes the attitudes of some companies towards the evaluation of these concepts. Concludes by considering the steps taken by Motorola to quantify the benefits. Records the company′s need to keep the whole chain competitive. It is the consumer who will determine what they will permit to last over what period of time.

Explains the decision of Ulster Carpets to choose “total customer satisfaction” (TCS) over traditional “total quality management”, in order to involve the entire workforce in their quality programme. Details the company′s use of awareness sessions and Training to involve employees, as well as the display of successful project teams′ achievements on the TCS noticeboards. Indicates how the directors saw winning the Northern Ireland Quality Award for manufacturing as an opportunity to recognise the employees′ contribution to the company′s success, and also as a way of making more improvements, using the feedback from the award judges.

Discusses the philosophy and practice of Richer Sounds plc, a hi‐fi separates company with the highest sales per square foot of any retail outlet in the world, focusing on its motto “provide second‐to‐none service and value‐for‐money for our customers”, and exploring its recognising quality service.

John Cotton Automotive realised that it needed to change the company's culture to one of growth in order to survive.

Examines the commitment of Milliken Contract Carpets in the United Kingdom to improve the quality of product and service as perceived by the customer. Describes the background to the adoption of TQM by the parent company, which has defined its approach as “pursuit of excellence”, and which constantly strives to improve quality by benchmarking competitors and by Training managers. Reports on its uses of process improvement teams, customer action teams and supplier action teams which work together to improve quality throughout the organization.

Reports on the introduction of a quality culture to Mercury Communications in order to help the company control and direct its growth. Examines the reasons why the quality Customer services programme which was implemented did not succeed as well as expected. Observes how the quality culture was later successfully implemented and at subsequent developments made by the company, including process quality teams, quality action teams and quality improvement teams.