Quality - Market Leader
UNIT 10 – QUALITY
QUESTIONS 1. What does it mean by “Quality” and “ Quality Control”? 2. What should companies do to maintain the quality of their products/services effectively? 3. What do you think about the quality of Vietnamese products? What should companies do to enhance their competitiveness in competition?
ANSWERS
1. The definition of quality depends on the different circumstances and perceptions. The meaning of quality is also time-based or situational. a. The definition of quality in manufacturing organizations is often different from that of services. Quality definitions in manufacturing usually focus on tangible product features. The most common quality definition in manufacturing is conformance, which is the degree to which a product characteristic meets preset standards. Other common definitions of quality in manufacturing include performance— such as acceleration of a vehicle; reliability— that the product will function as expected without failure; features— the extras that are included beyond the basic characteristics; durability—expected operational life of the product; and serviceability— how readily a product can be repaired. The relative importance of these definitions is based on the preferences of each individual customer. It is easy to see how different customers can have different definitions in mind when they speak of high product quality. b. In contrast to manufacturing, service organizations produce a product that is intangible. The intangible nature of the product makes defining quality difficult. Also, since a service is experienced, perceptions can be highly subjective. In addition to tangible factors, quality of services is often defined by perceptual factors. These include responsiveness to customer needs, courtesy and friendliness of staff, promptness in resolving complaints, and atmosphere. Other definitions of quality in services include time— the amount of time a customer has to wait for the service; and
QUESTIONS 1. What does it mean by “Quality” and “ Quality Control”? 2. What should companies do to maintain the quality of their products/services effectively? 3. What do you think about the quality of Vietnamese products? What should companies do to enhance their competitiveness in competition?
ANSWERS
1. The definition of quality depends on the different circumstances and perceptions. The meaning of quality is also time-based or situational. a. The definition of quality in manufacturing organizations is often different from that of services. Quality definitions in manufacturing usually focus on tangible product features. The most common quality definition in manufacturing is conformance, which is the degree to which a product characteristic meets preset standards. Other common definitions of quality in manufacturing include performance— such as acceleration of a vehicle; reliability— that the product will function as expected without failure; features— the extras that are included beyond the basic characteristics; durability—expected operational life of the product; and serviceability— how readily a product can be repaired. The relative importance of these definitions is based on the preferences of each individual customer. It is easy to see how different customers can have different definitions in mind when they speak of high product quality. b. In contrast to manufacturing, service organizations produce a product that is intangible. The intangible nature of the product makes defining quality difficult. Also, since a service is experienced, perceptions can be highly subjective. In addition to tangible factors, quality of services is often defined by perceptual factors. These include responsiveness to customer needs, courtesy and friendliness of staff, promptness in resolving complaints, and atmosphere. Other definitions of quality in services include time— the amount of time a customer has to wait for the service; and