QUALITY
MANAGEMENT
Quality refers to a parameter which decides the superiority or
inferiority of a product or service. It is the degree of excellence a product
or service provides. When it performs most preferably, it is believed that it
has quality. Quality denotes level of performance or level of excellence.
Definition
Quality can be defined as an attribute which differentiates a
product or service from its competitors. Quality can also be defined as the
totality of characteristics and features of a product or process which
facilitates realization of given requirements.
For a customer, quality depends on the
performance of the product. Some customers consider dependability and
durability of the product to express quality. Companies always try to increase
quality of their product as they believe that with better quality products,
they can effectively compete in the market. That is why companies started
quality management.
Quality Management
Quality management is the management process to ensure quality
of the product. Under quality management, the management team verifies all
activities related to design, development and manufacturing of the product and
ensure that all tasks are performed at the desired level.
Steps in Quality Management
Quality management has three steps. They
are
1.
Quality Planning, 2. Quality
control and 3. Quality improvement
Quality Planning: When the planning process, aims at improving and maintaining
quality output, such planning is called quality planning. When the planning is
done well, the next steps will also be well and good. Therefore, the first
plans such as vision, mission, goals, objectives, policy etc. should be well
set, considering all quality aspects.
Quality Control: Control is the process of evaluating the actual performance, and
comparing it with the planned performance, with a view to find out variations
and also to correct them. Quality control is the process of evaluating the
performances of different areas of organization so as to ensure that they are
functioning as per quality planning. Under this control process, continuous
evaluation of the performances is conducted with a view to detect the
deficiencies at the earliest and to correct them immediately.
Quality Improvement: When
the management reviews and revises the quality efforts of the organization,
with continuous evaluation process, it is called quality improvement. Thus, the
quality efforts are monitored regularly for further betterment of quality.