Abstract This report is a review of some of the modern-day quality processes. Successful corporations today gain competitive advantage from increased efficiency, higher quality, and improved customer relationships. Customers continue to become ever more informed through research on the Internet, consumer advocacy, and other sources. In turn, customers have raised their level of expectation for products and services. This report presents insight into tools and/or methodologies that corporations have implemented in order to meet those high customer expectations. The focus is on key terms, such as the cost of quality, the house of quality, ISO9000:2000, the Malcolm Baldridge Award, the plan-do-check-act cycle, and Six Sigma.
From the Paper "From an internal perspective, all companies have a bottom line that involves being a profitable entity. In other words, there is an inherent Cost of Quality. BF Goodrich recently was forced to recall millions of tires simply because of a lack of quality which cost the organization billions of dollars in current and future revenues not to mention the cost of rebuilding their image in the customers view. When a company can reduce waste through new efficiency methodologies, profitability is often right around the corner."
Abstract This paper in APA style describes the implementation of TQM and manufacturing awards within the organization and suggests its benefits and drawbacks as a necessity to improvement and productivity. 20 pgs.
Abstract This paper summarizes several concepts of performance management that are utilized within the corporate world and within organizations. The paper provides details on each of these concepts and, in some cases, discusses their pros and cons.
Paper Outline
The Economic Value added Strategy
The Balanced Scorecard (BSC)
Change Management
Quality of Service Issues Faced
The Baldridge Criteria for Performance Excellence
EFQM Excellence Model
Organizational Culture and Structure
Shortcoming of the Quality Models
Bibliography
From the Paper "This award focuses on interdependent core values and concepts that exist within the organization. Some of these variables are ?Leadership; Strategic Planning; Customer and Market Focus; Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management; Human Resource Focus; Process Management; and Business Results.? (NIST, 2004a) The award process lists ten steps that can be used by organizations to complete the process and model the company based on these awards. It is clear that ?the Baldrige model is the same as quality management plus results.? (Dean & Tomovic, 2004) It has also been observed that companies that employ TQM practices achieve "better employee relations, higher productivity, greater customer satisfaction, increased market share and improved profitability" (Dean & Tomovic, 2004)"
Abstract This paper explains how the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has embraced a commitment to superior quality service as means of maintaining a competitive edge. The paper explains the hotel company's efforts at quality customer service, improved productivity among employees, and the fostering of product loyalty among its customers. Also discussed is the company's history, awards it has received, its Total Quality Management approach to change, and the improvement of customer service.
Introduction
Company
History
Awards
Gold Standards
Empowering Employees to Implement an Award Winning Approach
Using TQM to Drive Change and Improve Customer Service
Challenges and Benefits
From the Paper "In today's society, consumers are often seen more as numbers than actual people. Customer service is talked about frequently, but rarely delivered upon. Customer's requests or needs that go beyond what employees typically experience often fall upon the deaf ears of apathetic employees. Complaints are often handled equally as careless. One company, however, has a reputation for being different ? Ritz-Carlton Hotels."
Abstract This essay covers the ?who,? ?what,? ?when,? ?where,? ?why,? ?how,? and other details about the award.
From the Paper "Congress named the Malcolm Baldrige award after the most honored Secretary of Commerce in January 22, 1981. Malcolm Baldrige is known for his strong support for quality management, and for having a hand in the drafting and passing of the Quality Improvement Act. Malcolm was considered to be the most lively, loved, and finest Secretary of Commerce. Even though he died in a rodeo accident in July1987, the memory of him lives on in the prestigious award."
Abstract This paper identifies the role of performance appraisal as a management tool to increase productivity of an employee and the organization as a whole. The paper contends that performance appraisals and reviews can be used in conjunction with various other management tools such as Total Quality Management (TQM) to improve the overall performance. The paper examines the salient features of performance appraisal and the role it plays in quality awards such as the Malcolm Baldrige award in the United States, the Deming Award in Japan, and the EFQM in Europe. Performance appraisal approaches, both in theory and practice, are not without flaws. Japan has been selected for a study of the strengths and weaknesses of the performance appraisal approach, and special focus is placed on the effect of culture on the use of this tool.
From the Paper "Japanese products enjoy high demand all over the world and industries in Japan are constantly looking for ways and means of improving their competitive advantage with respect to the other Asian countries. Many of the Japanese industries also have "transplant manufacturing sector" all over the world where similar products are manufactured in different environments. (Munday and Peel, 1997) Performance appraisals and worker reviews are not new to Japan. An empirical study conducted with respect to performance appraisals revealed "the development and subordinates express purposes were not currently practiced extensively, while documentation was found to be among the most highly used purposes. Pay is based primarily on seniority; the pay-purpose was found to be related to appraisal effectiveness." (Milliman et al., 1995) Excessive use of this tool has however created a negative impact on the worker. (Kleeman, 1992)"
Abstract This paper considers ways in which metrics are used to track performance in business. It describes what metrics measure and argues that without metrics to track performance, business plans and goals are ineffective.
From the Paper "Without metrics to track performance business plans and goals are ineffective ..."
The paper examines how the Australian National University and the University of Colorado at Boulder's strategic IT plans measure against the Baldrige criteria for assessing strategic planning.
Abstract The paper discusses the strategic IT plans of the Australian National University and the University of Colorado at Boulder. The paper examines the Baldbridge criteria for performance excellence and whether these universities will attain this level of quality. The paper concludes that despite impressive strategic IT plans, each university has much work to do in order to to reach and stay at the level of quality performance as defined by the Baldrige standard.
Outline:
Executive Summary
Baldbridge Criteria for Performance Excellence
The Essence of any Strategic Plan: Goal Alignment and Agility
Goal-based diagnosis
Making Change Last
Summary
From the Paper "In comparing the strategic IT plans of the Australian National University and the University of Colorado at Boulder, similarities and differences become quickly evident. When the Criteria for Performance Excellence (2007) are taken into account in conjunction with comparing each strategic plan, the variation in depth of commitment to customers (end users of the systems) needs both today and into the future, and the role of Web Services and XML to streamline availability of data to the many applications that students rely on was much more evident on the University of Colorado at Boulder plan. Further, the assumptions of how educational technology, web-based student services, the role of the middleware layer in ensuring enterprise application integration (EAI) between systems, and the role of systems and IT governance were also more prevalent in the University of Colorado at Boulder plan. The Australian plan however did focus on how to streamline help desk and support processes to better serve users who were in need of assistance."
