The Enterprise and Economic Development Glossary a resource of the .network library

quality:

... a property of goods and services which makes them acceptable to users and buyers; an inherent or distinguishing characteristic of performance excellence in terms of output that is free of defects, deficiencies, and significant variations. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) once stated that quality is the ... totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.

Quality systems identifies groups of linear interacting, interrelated, or interdependent steps, tasks, units or elements that make up whole processes of enterprise functionality. Such systems includes applications identified in various ways, but all being concepts, techniques, and methods of continual and continuous improvements that affect an organization's ability to fulfill its customers expectations and deliver what they are willing to accept. Voice of the customer speaks to poor quality. Customer speak means buyers abandon suppliers making poor quality delivery.

Quality manufacturing applies standards throughout a process in order to output production of predictable uniformity in terms of each unit and its parts consistently meeting specifications.

Quality management is a dedication to strategically controlling a productivity process in accord with continual improvement and pursuit of excellence. It may follow a reengineering of operations as a process of enterprise development that begins with top level management and moves through a whole production process, arriving finally at individual work stations. Ideally, the goal is workplace excellence. Savvy managers at all levels within a quality system use motivational skills in conjunction with results from time and motion studies. One expression used to identity perhaps the first level of managerial control is quality circle.

To see various quality related expressions put into play, take a look at information about Pinnacle Partners, Inc. of Oak Ridge, TN (www.pinnaclepartnersinc.com/htm/about.htm). PPI is suggested also as an example of .network participant listings in the Global Registry of Contacts.

go back

The Enterprise and Economic Development Glossary a resource of the .network library

quality circle:

... a group within an enterprise made up of employees who perform similar or interrelated duties that meets at periodic intervals to discuss work-related issues and to offer suggestions and ideas for production methods or quality control improvements; an employee participation method that essentially establishes members of a productivity team as the first line of managerial control under the umbrella of a continual improvement process. It is a best practices opportunity for management to share customer speak with workers, thus passing on an understanding of who ultimately make decisions that affect job security—see the definition of voice of the customer. Quality circles can be useful in motivating workers and developing their skills, capabilities, confidence and creativity. Quality circles should open the door to education, training, work experience and participation. If workers have the right outlook, i.e. a positive work ethic and motivation, and management is true in its concern for the well being of employees, i.e. the quality of life in their work, the quality circle can be a mechanism to develop and utilize the potential of people for pursuing excellence and improving productivity.

go back

FYI: definition of content="... definition of quality" />
< meta name="Keywords" content="define, quality, quality circle, quality circles, quality systems, quality methods, quality management, quality productivity, management, managers, excellence, in quality production, quality keeps the customer, with quality, quality output,