LEAN PRODUCTION AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT

• Quality


  The set of characteristics of an entity that give that entity the ability to satisfy expressed and implicit needs
• Quality


  • Measures the degree to which a product meets or exceeds the desire of the consumer
  • Normally measured in terms of performance, reliability and durability
• It should be the desire of every firm to maintain quality at all times, since defective products can quickly ruin a firm's reputation
• Firms that maintain quality can also gain a competitive edge over their competitors
• Customers often become loyal to any product that they believe give them the highest quality
• Firms should ensure that quality is always maintained within the firm
• Dimensions of quality


  Developed by David A. Garvin, a professor at Harvard Business School, in the late 1980s
• Performance


  • The primary operating characteristics of the product
  • What the product was created for
• Features


  • The secondary aspects of the product's performance
  • The characteristics of the product that are used to supplement its basic functioning or performance
• Reliability


  • The possibility of the product malfunctioning or breaking down within a specified period of time
  • Measured by average time of first failure, average time between failures, and failure rate per unit produced
• Conformance


  • The extent to which the product's design and operating characteristics adhere to the established standards
  • Measured against defect rates in the factory and frequency of service calls after the product is sold
• Durability


  • The expected lifespan of the product
  • Measured in terms of economic and technical dimensions
• Serviceability


  • The speed, courtesy, capability and ease of repair of the product
  • Includes the quality of the service personnel, the manner in which service appointments are kept, and whether servicing corrects the problem
• Aesthetics


  • How the product looks, feels, sounds, tastes or smells
  • Subjective and based on the judgements and preferences of the individual consumer
• Perceived quality


  • The perception of the consumer at the initial contact with the product
  • Consumers may infer quality from its various tangible or intangible aspects, including images, advertising and brand names