Cornerstones of Quality

Advantage Session #16

Objectives of this session:

To look

at ways that companies progress in

becoming a total quality organization through four
guiding principles
To evaluate leadership skills needed in promoting
a total quality environment
To consider ways to reduce resistance to change

What is Quality?
A quality

good or service exceeds customers

expectations

The Vision Thing

TO THRIVE, COMPANIES/ORGANIZATIONS
MUST PICK ONE PRIMARY GOAL:

TIME First to Market FAST

COST Lowest Cost CHEAP
QUALITY Customer Intimacy GOOD

1-

Four Guiding Principles

Continuous

Improvement
Customer Focus
Employee Involvement
Measurement

Continuous Improvement
No

process is ever complete

Constantly in pursuit of new and tougher goals
Goals are set, met, and celebrated

Four Guiding Principles

Continuous

Improvement
Customer Focus
Employee Involvement
Measurement

Customer Focus
The

customers are the ones who judge success

When a question arises, the customer test is
applied
Company needs to ask which customers it needs to
please
Determine what customers want in quality and
what price they are willing to pay

Four Guiding Principles

Continuous

Improvement
Customer Focus
Employee Involvement
Measurement

Employee Involvement
Meetings,

self-directed teams, suggestion box

Management must be open and receptive to ideas
Employees must willing to communicate problems

Four Guiding Principles

Continuous

Improvement
Customer Focus
Employee Involvement
Measurement

Measurement
Company

needs to know how it is doing before

setting realistic goals

Quality-Centered Company
Living

with change
Personal responsibility
Communication and Trust

Living with Change

Continuous

improvement can cause stress

Need clear, continuous communication
Good training
Employees need to know their goals and what to
expect

Quality-Centered Company
Living

with change
Personal responsibility
Communication and Trust

Personal Responsibility
Employees

take responsibility for products and

services they produce

Quality-Centered Company
Living

with change
Personal responsibility
Communication and Trust

Communication and Trust

Employees

want to feel they do meaningful work

Workers that feel exploited arent open to change
and then employers become less open to
suggestions
Trust is built on integrity and two-way
communication
Goals must be clear

Continuous
Improvement

Employee
Involvement

Quality
Measurement
Customer Focus

Challenges that Quality

Companies Face
Living

with change
Personal responsibility
Communication and trust

Evaluation Questions
Use:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Dont know

I found the presentation of material easy to understand.

This Advantage session increased my knowledge on the subject
presented.
I will be able to use some of the information from this Advantage
session in the future.
The presenter was well prepared for this Advantage session.
This presentation should be repeated in future semesters.