Productivity And Quality Management

INTRODUCTION 

The efficiency of an organization in terms of the ratio of output produced with respect to inputs needs to be tracked properly. Productivity in general concept, we consider the quality of being productive as productivity. 

But, productivity is a tool of measurement that determines the important ratio. Various factors like technology, plant layouts, equipment, and machinery are important components of productivity.

Hence, a regular review of all these factors will help operations managers carry out to maintain organization operations properly. Moreover, they will help improve productivity. Productivity can be either evaluated as total productivity or as partial productivity. 

The measurement relies on a single variable or multiple variables. And, operations managers are required to consider those variables. It is relatively easy to measure productivity in production organizations. 

However, what is difficult is measuring productivity for knowledge workers. And, it is performed in service organizations. The time spent on each task and the quantity of work done has to be measured properly. 

Until the mid-seventies, periodic maintenance was used to define quality. But, companies today are relying on quality as a competitive advantage against the competitors. Quality helps businesses gain a competitive advantage over competitors. And, the market through quality, organizations improved significantly by adopting the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach.

TQM PHILOSOPHY  

The quality control department is tasked with maintaining and improving quality. Quality control is a very important aspect of an organization. And, each and every employee of an organization is equally responsible. The TQM philosophy states that quality control is well managed and looked after.

Advertising has to be clever and well-executed. This type of advertisement may attract customers initially. But, if the product supplied fails to satisfy the customer’s quality expectations, then in all probability, the customer will favor your competitor’s product. 

A competitor’s product Quality is likely to fulfill a customer’s conformance to requirements. 

The customers may not perceive a properly produced product without any error as a quality product or a well-designed product if it does not satisfy their requirements.

A company can leverage eight different quality dimensions to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. They are:

Performance, features, reliability, conformance, durability, serviceability, aesthetics, and perceived quality. 

Quality control requires several tools for function. They are random samples, statistical control charts, and acceptance plans.

Supervisors to find out if the quality of the product is within acceptable limits use control charts (X-Charts, R-Charts, P-Charts, and C-Charts).

The P-chart helps supervisors control the percentage of defectives in the sample. 

Supervisors to control sample means and sample ranges use X-chart and R-chart. 

Average outgoing quality (AOQ) curves and operating characteristics (OC) curves control the workings of acceptance plans. 

Productivity and quality management are key factors that are used by competitors for competitiveness. These key factors have always been a concern for the productive sectors, especially in countries with open economies.

Improving productivity and quality management of an organization requires focused efforts. The efforts often result in greater internal and external satisfaction. These efforts both help prices and reliability in general.

Quality management system techniques, combined with BPM technologies can help businesses in process mapping, testing, and cost-benefit analysis. Achieving a sustained improvement in all processes and workflows isn’t impossible. 

As a result, sustained improvement can help businesses achieve. The improvements lead to better productivity results with decreasing defects, reduced delays, and lower costs.

6 Steps To Improve Productivity And Quality Management In Organizations

Step 1: Analyze Processes

The task is more important than the person who performs it. No matter who does the work, the tasks they perform will always be more important. Standardizing policies and procedures will help companies to maximize efficiency. 

All staff needs to be trained appropriately. Trained staff can produce high-quality products. And, their works become efficient. And, they can take pride in their work.

Step 2: Align Business Processes With Other Companies In The Sector

Find out how other competing companies organize and perform certain jobs to possibly integrate this and therefore lead to improvement. All information is important as it can result in time and money savings, as well as good ideas for improvement.

Step 3: Develop Performance Measures

Current processes are likely to present companies with benchmarks. The benchmarks will help the companies to identify problems. Additionally, businesses can project future outcomes and measure productivity. These improvements will, later on, function as key performance indicators for the industry.

For example, the customer support center needs to have the quality and productivity adequately measured. Certain factors will help organizations measure the average time for solving problems and client satisfaction rate in cases of support.

Step 4: Build Quality Tests In Processes

Experimenting during the process doesn’t mean the process reached at the end. This notion is more prevalent when it becomes more expensive to repair.

If possible, businesses can focus on implementing automated tests. The tests can be performed without human intervention. As the tests are performed automatically often, the results can be easy to interpret, modify or correct and approve or disapprove processes.

Step 5: Use Business Strategies To Improve Productivity And Quality

Management has to determine the root cause of problems. Management allows businesses to perform design interventions to improve or optimize processes.

Step 6: Pay Attention To Feedback

Measure the productivity and quality management gains related to customer satisfaction increases. Collect feedback from employees, customers, suppliers, and business partners to know their opinion about products or services.

SUMMARY 

Maintaining Quality Control Management is pivotal in the service industry. Measuring productivity helps determine the factor in the services industry. Quality is one of the key issues. Quality defines an organization’s competitive position in the market. 

References:

1. https://www.inderscience.com/jhome.php?jcode=ijpqm
2. https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/principles-of-management/productivity-and-total-quality-management/productivity-and-quality

Last Updated on January 24, 2022 by