Chapter 33:Quality Assurance

TIGRAN BABAYAN

KAIZEN-Japanese term meaning continuous improvement

-Idea is that all workers have something to contribute to improving the way their business operates and the way the product is made.

-The Kaizen philosophy suggests that, in many cases, workers actually know more than managers about how job should be done or how productivity might be improved.

Necessary conditions for Kaizen

1. Management culture must be directed towards involving staff and giving their opinions and ideas importance – managers must accept that in many areas of the business work experience will count as much as theoretical knowledge.

2. Team working – suggesting and discussing new ideas to improve quality or productivity is best done in groups. Each Kaizen group should meet regularly – management must provide the time and necessary training – to discuss the problems that they have identified.

Necessary conditions for Kaizen

3. Empowerment – by giving each Kaizen group the power to take decisions regarding workplace improvements, this will allow speedier introduction of new ideas and motivate staff to come up with further ideas.

4. All staff should be involved.

Limitations of Kaizen - Some changes cannot be introduced gradually and may need a radical and expensive solution.

- There may be very real resistance from senior managers to such a programme due to their existing culture. Authoritarian managers would find Kaizen impossible to accept.

-Tangible costs at least in the short term, due to staff training to organize meetings and lost output as a result meeting time.

-The most important advances tend to be made early on during the Kaizen programme – later changes can be less significant. There could be “diminishing returns” from such an approach.

Good vs Bad quality• http://vinson.hagleyblogs.org/2012/03/09/the-yugo-the-worst-car-in-america/

• http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/06/20/lexus-tops-quality-survey-ford-stumbles-again/

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5-ywoLnFWg

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1yMZWeBXUg

The Regent’s Times

Andy Murray reaches Sony Open final 

QATAR AIRWAYS scores a repeat win being named the World's Best Airline in 2012 at the World Airline Awards held at Farnborough Air Show

Horse meat scandalIn January, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland found that 10 out of 27 hamburger products it analyzed in a study contained horse DNA, while 23 of them tested positive for pig DNA. In one sample from Tesco -- Britain's largest grocery chain -- the horsemeat accounted for about 29% of the burger. On Monday February 4, Swedish food producer Findus withdrew its frozen lasagna -- labeled with the British spelling, "lasagne" -- from British stores as a precaution after its French supplier, Comigel, raised concerns about the type of meat used.On Wednesday February 6, tests confirmed that horsemeat was present in a number of samples.

The survey measured passenger satisfaction across more than 38 key performance indicators of airline front-line product and service, including check-in, boarding, onboard seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food, beverages, in-flight entertainment and staff service. The Survey covered over 200 airlines, from the largest international airlines to smaller domestic carriers.

Date today 01/04/13

Andy Murray will meet David Ferrer in the final of the Sony Open in Miami on Sunday after completing a fine comeback win over Richard Gasquet in their semi-final.