MODERN TRENDS IN MANAGING QUALITY

By DR. S. A. ABDULLAHI

Introduction
There is no option for Quality in Aviation Industry Its unthinkable for players to aim for anything less than perfection in what they do It is not the province of a specialist but the responsibility of every one.

Definition of Quality
Quality refers to the reliability of performance, durability, timeliness, appearance, integrity, purity and individuality of an output (product or service).
Quality of a product or service is the ability to conform to requirements and satisfy the needs and expectations of the customer

Factors that Impact on overall Quality

the operational facility -physical condition, building utilities. tools and equipments input materials the organization's staff (workers and management).

Steps for Maintaining Quality

Maintain certain standards, such as with interchangeable replacement parts with service levers. Meet customer specifications. Meet legal requirements. Find defective products that can rework.

Steps for Maintaining Quality Contd

Identify inferior services. Find problems in the production & delivery process. Grade products or services . Provide performance information on individual workers and departments.

Modern Techniques of Managing Quality

Zero Defect Programme Attempts to create a positive attitude towards the prevention of low quality. To heighten everyones awareness of quality by making everyone aware of his or her potential impact on quality. Naturally leads to more attention to, and concern for accuracy.

Characteristics of Zero Defect Programme

Extensive communication regarding the importance of qualityquality-signs posters for contests, etc. Organization wide recognition-publicly granting reward recognitioncertificate and plaques for high-quality work. high Problem identification by employees- employees point employeesout areas where they think quality can be improved. Employee goal setting-employees participate in setting settingquality goals.

Quality Circle Approach.

A quality circle consists of a supervisors from various units. Members meet periodically to discuss & solve quality problems and identify ways of improving quality. Meetings are normally held once or twice per month and last for few hours. Specialize training relating to quality is given to members. The circle as needed may call upon staff expert.

Employee Involvement
The key to the prevention of quality problems is employee involvement. The following 10 guidelines facilitate building quality job habits among employees:

Implementation Guidelines
Guideline 1: Start new employees off right, Make sure the new employee understands that high quality is expected, Set the quality standards high, and make sure they are clearly communicated. Guideline 2: Keep employee relation on an individual basis. Talk with the employees individually. Tell them what they are doing that is good and what they are doing that is so good with regards to quality.

Implementation Guidelines Contd

Guideline 3: Dont setting for less than desired. Dont accept inferior work or reward an employee for it. Find cause of inferior work, and take the necessary corrective action. Guideline 4: Communicate the value of top quality. Explain why high quality is necessary. Get down to naira and kobo. Explain the potential costs of inferior quality.

Implementation Guidelines Contd

Guideline 5: Perform through inspection. Careful inspections help ensure high quality. This is another way for the supervisor to set the example. A careful inspection should not only find quality problems but also locate their causes. Guideline 6: encourage suggestions. Actively solicit suggestions from the employees. Implement and give credit for good suggestions.

Implementation Guidelines Contd

Guideline 7:

learn from the past. Investigate the areas that have historically cause quality problem. How could these problems have been prevented? What can be done to prevent these problems from recurring? solicit the help of other departments and supervisions, use individual accountability, and Implement systems that make clear the quality responsibilities of each individual employee.

Guideline 8:

Implementation Guidelines Contd

Guideline 9: assign individual responsibility whenever possible. Use individual accountability. Implement systems that make clear the quality responsibility of each employee. Guideline 10: set the example. If the supervisor strives for high quality in everything that he or she does, so will the employees On the other hand if a supervisor performs certain activities sloppily, so will the employees.

Strategy for Implementing Employee Involvement Programme

Develop an Implementation Strategy. Strategy should match practices with Organization's Culture Readiness Assessment to identify:
barriers to implementation of E.I. and the associated practices, and the present climate or culture. Such information can help decisiondecision-makers to make choices about the practices that best fit the ability of the organization to adapt to them.

Strategy of Implementation Contd

Communication of specific goals for employee involvement set by management. Support is demonstrated through such means as policy statements, rewards, sharing work-related information and publicizing workefforts and accomplishments in employee newsletters. Training to enable managers and employees alike to learn the skills required for E.I. practices. eg training in group leadership, providing feedback, and problem-solving. problem Evaluation of the program features and effects include formal measurement of target results and monitoring the implementation and support of employee participation in planning, problem solving and decisiondecision-making.

How to Start
Conduct an assessment of the organization's existing attitudes, structures, culture, systems and barriers to the desired change; Develop a vision statement for the future; Involve management in the design of the E.I., strategy to increase ownership; Develop a formal policy on the role of Employee Involvement (E.I.), and specific goals and objectives;

How to Start Contd

Publish the E.I., policy, goals and objectives; Communicate the above to employees at all organizational levels; Implement E.I., strategies that will fit the ability of the employees and management to adapt to them; Provide facilitators, quality advisors, and other change agents to support the group structures;

How to Start Contd

Train employees in problem solving, group skills and other skills needed to identify problems, make decisions and problem-solve. problemEvaluate the E.I. strategies to determine that the program:
methods are working; is implemented as intended; is producing the results as expected.

Constraints to Implementing Employee Involvement Programme

Fundamental conflict between the traditional organization structures and systems and those required to support employee participation Many of today's managers still resist any system they see to be a threat to their authority and their traditional roles.

Facts About Managing Quality

The philosophy of quality management is customercustomer-oriented. All members of a quality organization strive to systematically manage the improvement of the organization through the ongoing participation of all employees in problem solving efforts across functional and hierarchical boundaries.

Facts About Managing Quality Contd

Managing Quality incorporates the concepts of product quality, process control, quality assurance, and quality improvement. Consequently, it is the control of all transformation processes of an organization to better satisfy customer needs in the most economical way.

Facts About Managing Quality Contd

Quality management is based on internal or selfselfcontrol, which is embedded in each unit of the work system (technology and people). Pushing problem solving and decision-making down in decisionthe organization allows people who do the work to both measure and take corrective action in order to deliver a service that meets the needs of their customer.

Conclusion
The Most widely used and generally accepted system of managing quality globally is through Participative Management

Quality is a Journey, not a Destination

Thank you for Listening