Description

Quality Management Initiatives and Tools

Quality is free. But it is not a gift.

—Phillip Crosby

The field and study of quality management is continually growing and developing. Those in today’s competitive business world understand the impact that quality has on strategic success and competitiveness. In most cases, a higher quality item fetches a higher price, just as a lower quality item will cost less. Additionally, if a company develops a reputation for being of low quality, then it is less likely to attract customers. At the center of the quality movement is consumer satisfaction and how to meet or exceed expectations. Quality excellence has become the standard. Many founding theorists have influenced the quality movement and provided valuable tools to aid organizations in learning and achieving quality standards.

This week, you will explore the different tools and applications involved with overcoming organizational challenges in quality implementation. In the Discussion, you will describe challenges that organizations face when implementing quality standards and will identify some ways to address them. In the Assignment, you will continue your report from last week as an analyst in the operations department of XYZ Corporation. In the second part of the report, you will analyze a company using the criteria of the Baldridge Award and recommend ways the company can make some improvements based on your analysis.

 

Discussion: Overcoming Challenges Using Quality Management Tools

Changes in operations can create challenges. The nature of quality management is to continually adjust operations so that processes can improve through change. By adopting quality tools, operations managers can remove obstacles or resolve challenges more easily. These tools have been proven in business organizations across the globe.

In this Discussion, you will describe some challenges that organizations might encounter when implementing quality standards and identify some tools to address those challenges.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review this week’s Learning Resources.
• Review the Academic Writing Expectations for 2000/3000-Level Courses, provided in this week’s Learning Resources.

By Day 3

Post a 225- to 300-word (3- to 4-paragraph) explanation of how organizations can overcome challenges related to quality standards implementation in order to reach their goals. In your explanation, do the following:

• Describe two or three challenges organizations might face when implementing quality standards.
• Identify at least one quality management tool that could be implemented to effectively address each challenge you identified.
• Provide specific examples to support your response and be sure to reference at least one properly cited scholarly source.

Refer to the Week 6 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond with at least 75 words (1 paragraph) each to two or more of your colleagues’ postings by identifying one additional quality management tool that could prove beneficial for one of your colleague’s identified challenges, along with a rationale for your selection.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.