Аccording to requirements of international standards

This means high quality in the eye of the users but now at low or reasonable cost.

definition: conformance to the expected use and to the expected price. To reach this goal you need to reduce the variability of the processes so that no products have to be discarded (and therefore none need to be checked). The only way of reaching this goal is to control the processes and not the products.

methods: - Statistical quality control (SQC)

- Stochastic process control (SPC);

- Providing feedback at each step;

- Promote participation of the workers in the design and improvement;

(7 QC steps and 7 QC tools)

SPC is a technique aiming at controlling the process by which products are made. The aim is to detect any disfunctioning of the process. Techniques are described in more details later in the chapter.

Each worker should provide some feedback on the work of his/her predecessor. The goal is first to detect any mistake as quickly as possible and second to allow some learning to take place.

drawbacks: - everybody can copy Examples are given by the four Asian tigers: Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore.

4) Fitness to latent requirement

This means high quality in the eye of the users and low cost.

definition: conformance to the unexpected needs Examples of products which fitted to latent requirements are the Polaroid camera and the

walkman. The idea is to give the company a monopoly for a while. Example: the watch The " fitness to standards" is reached when all parts are ok; the " fitness to use" means that the

watch gives the correct time; the " fitness of cost" means the watch works and its price is ok. Finally, the swatch is an example of the fitness to latent requirement.

Summary: specifications need to be derived from what

customers think;

Do not imagine what they want, ask them and select their needs as your objectives.

quality mechanisms are needed to assure the products meet the specifications;

You then need to be sure your product meet the objectives (their needs). these mechanisms should not increase the cost of the product - on the contrary.

The quality mechanisms need to be built-in (in the processes or in the people).

A four-level Model

In the paper The process of total quality management [in Managing Quality, London: Philip

Allan, 1990] Dales, Lascelles and Plunkett outline another four-level model of the evolution of quality management. In addition to the framework it proposes, clear definitions of quality terms are also provided.

Level 1. Inspection measure the characteristics of a product and compare them with its specifications; The goal here is the fitness of standards. This is the passive " inspecting" attitude.

Level 2. Quality Control inspection performed by the workers themselves

with a feedback loop to the production line; Here we avoid the " inspector" effect and allow some learning to take place.

Level 3. Quality Assurance set of (implemented) predefined and systematic

activities necessary to give confidence in the process quality;

One step further. Quality procedures are designed and planned as a whole to ensure that no bad products be delivered. We do not just rely on everybody's work and control. This introduces the notion of a coherent set of quality procedures/tests.

The given confidence (in the definition of QA) is important both for the producer and for the customer.

Level 4. Total Quality Management management centered on quality and based on the participation of everybody which aims at the customer satisfaction and at the improvement of the company's personnel, of the company and of the

society. The ultimate step. A quality assurance plan is operational but the management, the workers and the customers continuously interact to review / improve this plan.