Search results

Outlines the main findings of a longitudinal study into the use and application of quality management tools and techniques in a speciality chemicals manufacturer. Finds that the use of a particular tool or technique is related to the stage of development of the organization’s improvement process and, in the early phase of the improvement process, tools and techniques were used in a haphazard manner, which improved with operating experience. Points out that those tools and techniques which were introduced in relation to a defined need were better understood and utilized than those which were applied company‐wide and without a specific use in mind at the time of the training. Highlights the fact that soundly based training delivered by credible trainers is vital to early success in the use of tools and techniques.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the use of quality management tools and techniques and their integration into the ISO 9001:2008 standard in a wind power (WP) sector supply chain (SC).

The research project was carried out in 119 WP sector SC companies (i.e. component suppliers, wind turbine assemblers and wind farm operation and maintenance services) using the questionnaire method. The companies selected employ quality management systems (QMSs) which conform to the ISO 9001:2008 standard.

The survey findings reveal that the degree to which quality tools and techniques are used in the WP companies can be characterised as “high”. The results show that internal audits, flowchart diagrams and cost of poor quality are the most-commonly applied tools and techniques, although they also indicate some areas for further improvement, for instance, when using advanced and complex quality techniques such as design of experiments, quality function deployment or business process management. In addition to this, the findings reveal that ISO 9001:2008 establishes a favourable environment for the use of quality tools and techniques.

The study was based on the perceptions of quality managers, quality engineers and company managers (subjective data) and did not examine the reasons for either not implementing and/or the difficulties encountered while implementing quality tools and techniques.

The specific findings indicate that employing quality tools and techniques is useful for managers, not only when implementing a QMS, but also when suggesting recommendations for improvement.

A change of developing a framework integrating the main QT&T procedures into the main ISO 9001 processes.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of use of quality management tools and techniques as well as employees' training in ISO 9001:2000 certified companies.

A research project was carried out in 370 Greek companies, using the questionnaire method. The selected companies have been implementing a quality management system in accordance with the ISO 9001:2000 standard. Independent Samples t‐tests and One‐Way ANOVA tests were used to identify significant differences between selected companies.

The level of quality tools and techniques used in the ISO 9001:2000 certified companies can be characterised as low. The majority of companies use the easiest to understand and implement quality tools. However, the more complex quality tools and techniques are barely used. As far as employees' training is concerned, it mostly addressed specialized issues, while training on quality tools and techniques was not highly performed.

The study was based on the quality manager's perceptions (subjective data) and it did not examine the reasons for not implementing and the difficulties encountered while implementing quality tools and techniques. These constitute research limitations but also future research orientations.

Given the increased rate of companies adopting a quality management system, continuous improvement through a Total Quality programme can be achieved through the implementation of quality tools and techniques.

This paper describes the implementation status of the quality tools and techniques in companies with a four‐year experience in ISO 9001:2000 standard.

This paper describes the use and application of a structured approach to the basic implementation of quality management tools and techniques such as the QC7 tools.

A methodology based around the application of a structured approach to the use of basic quality management tools is adopted, and provides a simple yet powerful means by which the steps of problem solving can be sequentially linked together.

Everyday process examples are used to highlight the benefits of such tools and techniques in contributing to a greater understanding of the process by the process operator or owner. For each example, the use of appropriate tools or techniques are examined and their application analysed. The paper then goes on to discuss the wider implications of quality management tool application within industry and business.

It is not suggested the examples detailed are thoroughly scientific in methodology but they do serve to illustrate that by applying the tools in a systematic manner, even the simplest of processes can be understood in greater detail.

The following are key for the successful implementation, use and success of applying the QC and M7 tools and techniques: in‐depth knowledge of the process; formal training in problem‐solving techniques; appropriateness of tools selected for use; and apply simple models at all levels in the organisation to aid communication and learning.

The paper concludes by arguing that the wider use of the tools, ideally by the process operatives themselves, tangibly lead to a fuller understanding of specific processes. This will ultimately impact upon their organisation.

Outlines the key factors in the successful use of quality management tools and techniques in a process of continuous improvement. Examines some of the common difficulties in use and application together with tips to overcome and steer around them. Details of a health check for assessing tools and techniques is also given.

Quality management (QM) cannot be assured unless some objective assessments are undertaken. A number of tools and techniques are available to conduct such analysis. Although some of them are product or service specific, however, a few basic tools and techniques are commonly used in manufacturing firms. This study focuses on the state of application of QM tools and techniques in small and medium industries (SMIs). The findings reveal that by‐and‐large, lack of methodical analysis is a major weakness of SMIs. Still some rule‐of‐thumb and subjective observations are dominating over objective evaluation in the process of quality control decisions. A few case studies which have been conducted, and one that has been briefly reported here, also support this conclusion. The methodology of the study has three folds: literature review, survey in SMIs and case studies.

Most successful companies have adopted some type of improvement methodology to achieve optimum performance, high quality, lower costs and productivity. Some of the structured methodologies employed indiscriminately are total quality management, quality control, agile, lean and Six Sigma which yield varied results. The purpose of this paper is to explore how to harness the power of an integrated system of quality tools and techniques to create operational excellence. An integrated framework involves matching quality tools and techniques to the multi-phases (input, transformation and output) of lean manufacturing or service ecosystem.

Current research of lean quality systems provides a conceptual understanding of core tools employed by manufacturing and service organizations. Interviewing domain experts from a series of manufacturing and service organizations highlighted a common challenge. The challenge was lean tools and methodologies were selected and employed arbitrarily for the different operational phases, which resulted in selective synergies of tools between operational phases. This limitation resulted in rework and duplication of quality efforts through the diverse phases of the transformation system. This study is based on the hypothesis that all phases of an operational system must be linked by common tools and methodologies which enables harnessing quality benefits and synergies throughout the entire operational system. The study methodology trailed through cooperative inquiry using a case study approach to design an integrated framework of tools that facilitates a common platform for manufacturing or service ecosystems.

This study suggests that quality systems in a complex competitive environment must consider an integrated iterative approach. An iterative development of lean quality tools for multiple phases produces an integrated quality system. Such systems employ blending and extending of lean quality tools to multiple phases of the transformation system to synthesize agile and versatile quality system.

A limitation of this study is that the research of integrated framework is based on repertory grid technique only; it should be supplemented by other methods. Second, the proposed framework does not consider the complexity added by the internal and external stakeholders as they interface with the integrated system at different points with reference to phases of the system.

One of the advantages of this method is its generality, instead of delivering a monolithic system at the culmination of long transformation process we rely on smaller quality sprints which are implemented sequentially at each stage or phase of the transformation system. The phenomena of incremental clustering of time-series of quality sprints for different phases results in true integration from end to end for a transformation system.

This study helps investigate the personal constructs that users and managers employ to interpret and select quality tools or methodologies for the different phases of lean transformational system.

This study aims to understand the impact of blending quality and business process improvement tools and methodologies to enhance outcomes. The basis of this study is “the power of multiplicity” through which a diverse collection of improvement paths is pooled into an integrated framework of quality tools for lean and efficient operations.

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.

The purpose of this paper is to determine, first, the level to which ISO 9001 certified manufacturing companies adopt process management and improve quality, second, the latent factors of process management and quality improvement, and finally, the relationships between the latent factors extracted.

A research project was carried out in 196 ISO 9001 certified manufacturing companies operating in Greece. A structured questionnaire was designed and pilot tested and then addressed to management representatives of the companies. Descriptive statistics were used in order to determine the level of process management adoption and the level of quality improvement. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were also applied to extract the latent factors of process management and quality improvement and to assess their reliability and validity. The relationships between the latent factors were determined through structural equation modelling.

Two latent factors were extracted with respect to process management (the core process management practices and the supporting quality tools) and one latent factor with respect to quality improvement. The findings revealed that the ISO 9001 certified manufacturing companies implement to a high degree of the core process management practices, in contrast to the supporting quality tools. Notwithstanding, significant quality improvement is achieved. According to the structural model, the core process management practices have a strong, positive and direct effect on quality improvement. The supporting quality tools have an indirect effect on quality improvement through their significant correlation with the core process management practices.

This paper describes a reliable and valid model that analyzes process management in two latent factors (the core process management practices and the supporting quality tools). The model also depicts the effects of these latent factors on quality improvement of ISO 9001 certified manufacturing companies.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the contribution from the use of quality tools and the implementation of quality management systems (QMSs) to the management of an organization. The question is if these aspects have an impact on the important elements of a QMS, like critical success factors (CSFs), but more on the performance derived from its functioning.

A questionnaire was created and addressed to Greek companies which were certified with at least one QMS standard, in this case ISO 9001:2008.

It was concluded that companies implementing more than one QMS and more than nine quality tools gave more importance to specific CSFs of the QMS and also displayed better performance from the rest of the companies. The final conclusion is that the utilization of tools, techniques, and the implementation of more than one QMS – integration of management systems (MSs) – can contribute to many aspects of organization functioning.

This study was based on the perception (subjective data) of only one quality manager/representative of each company. The companies were not asked about specific actions they have established to integrate their MSs.

This paper provides a closest look to the utilization of more than one QMS and the use of quality tools. These actions, as concluded, can play an important role in the management of organizations, and managers could use them in an appropriate way.

This paper aims to evaluate the value of QMS integration and the utilization of quality tools to specific issues of QMS as CSFs and performance in Greek companies.