Managing Supplier Relationships
Effective supply chain management (SCM) can provide companies the competitive edge by adding stability and predictability to their supply stream. Manufacturers can identify vendors that provide high quality service and developing close,...
College and University Programs in Quality
A list is provided of more than 100 colleges and universities offering courses, programs, and degrees in quality related fields. The list is both alphabetical and geographical and indicates the type of institution and certificates or degrees offered....
Developing a New Kind of Certification
One of ASQ's newest certification exams, the certified quality improvement associate (CQIA), is a unique example of process management and response to customer needs. While most certifications are geared toward quality practitioners, CQIA...
Customer Satisfaction: Turning Temporary Scores into Permanent Relationships
While the format of these respective processes and the procedures employed in each may differ from company to company, they generally share the same ultimate objectives: to generate a mutual interest in strengthening the customer- supplier relationship; ...
Getting Suppliers in on the Quality Act
The supplier quality assistance program of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) provides set-up guidance and on-site reviews of inspection and test functions; quality system audits; inspection and testing training; and certification. Some...
Involve Employees at Every Level of Strategic Planning
The search conference allows all employees to participate in continuous organizational learning and active adaptation to turbulent change. A typical search conference involves 20 to 40 employees who work on planning tasks for two to three days....
Bored With the Same Old Reference Books?
Registrars for ISO 9000 and QS-9000 certification look for well documented, clear, controlled, and compliant relationships among an organization's entities. Whether the relationships are handled through interface agreements, corporate interlinks, or...
What Should Higher Education Be Teaching About Quality?
These results correspond closely with the three generally accepted core values of TQM: � Customer focus � Continuous process improvement � Teamwork and participation That is, respondents generally agree that college graduates should: � Have an understand...
A Report from the Automotive Trenches
QS-9000 compliance helps supplier tiers contribute to the satisfaction of new-car buyers. Supplier quality assurance departments of the Big Three automakers have improved product launches and decreased defects by demanding quality from their tier 1...
Continuous Improvement Through the QS-9000 Road Map
Sections II and III contain sector- specific and customer- specific requirements, respectively, that the task force wanted to communicate to the suppliers, but could not fit neatly into the ISO 9001 format of Section I. Section II requires: � Compliance ...
A History of Managing for Quality
The history of managing for quality extends for millennia. In ancient Rome, standardization was essential and included: a uniform measurement system; size normalization for manufacturing bricks and pipes; and building regulations. In the building...
Quality and Business Practices: Essential Ingredients for Success
Integrating quality improvement into daily operations is the philosophy of Merix Corporation. The firm won the 1994 Oregon Quality Governor's Award and received a 1994 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) site visit. Elements of its...
Quality Management Benchmark Assessment
A series of task-oriented checklists with 253 requirements enable a firm to compare itself and its suppliers to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria and to the Q9000 standards of ANSI/ASQC (American National Standards Institute /...
