QUALITY CONTROL Introducti

This research reviews literature related to the control of quality in the production of goods and services. Where appropriate, the emphasis in this research is placed on the functioning and application of quality control concepts and procedures within American organizations.

The Development of Product Quality As An Issue

The accent on quality was lost in American industry in the postWorld War II era, when the country's firms could sell almost anything that they made, and at a time when the quality level of foreign made products was of no great worry (Halberstam, 1986, p. 5). Foreign producers, however, soon learned that the key to success was high product quality (Thomas, 1990, pp. 1021). Over the ensuing decades, the quality level of foreign products, particularly those from German and Japan, rose dramatically, while the quality of American products eroded (Harrington, 1987, p. 5).

Product quality, as an issue, came to the forefront in the American economy in the late1980s, as the top managements in American companies learned that American product quality was generally perceived to be inferior to products from other many other countries (Harrington, 1987, pp. 12). In the early1990s, the advent of the longestduration economic recession in the United States since the 1930s added urgency to the quality issue (Armstrong and Symonds, 1991, pp. 100103). Now, most American companies are addressing the quality i

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minate numerical quotas for the work force and numerical goals for management (Industry Week, 1988, p. 91). This point is not a part of TQM, although some of the companies employing TQM also observe this practice (Walton, 1988, pp. 3536, 7880). 12. Remove barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship, including the annual rating or merit system (Industry Week, 1988, p. 91). This point is not a part of TQM, although some companies employing TQM also observe this practice (Walton, 1988, pp. 36, 9092, 193, 195198). 13. Institute a vigorous program of education and selfimprovement for everyone in the organization (Industry Week, 1988, p. 91). This point is a part of TQM. 14. Put everybody in the company to work on accomplishing the desired transformation (Industry Week, 1988, p. 91). This point is a part of TQM. Few service companies have a formal quality control programTQM or other strategy (Armstrong and Symonds, 1991, p. 100). While only 10 percent of service companies have such programs in the early1990s, however, the estimate is that 70 percent of service companies employing 500 or more persons will have formal quality control programs by 2000 (Armstrong and Symonds, 1991, p. 100). In the production
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Approximate Word count = 3899
Approximate Pages = 16 (250 words per page)

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