Custom «Quality Dimensions» Essay Paper Sample

Total quality in an organization is a more people-focused system of management aiming at increasing customer satisfaction at a lower cost. The implementation of the quality framework takes place horizontally in all functions and operations in the company. Besides, it involves all employees and supply chain elements. Modern-day quality management principles come from philosophies developed by Deming, Juran, and Crosby, trying to address deficiencies existing in management during their time (Evans, 2017). Since then, the term of quality has been used with referring it to performance excellence. To achieve quality excellence, it is necessary to focus on its various dimensions. The majority of managers view quality as a simple method to control production processes instead of thinking about needs and preferences of consumers (Zikmud, Babin, Carr, & Griffin, 2013). In other words, quality is not a problem itself, but it is a competitive opportunity to be explored.

Performance, features, dependability, conformance, permanence, usefulness and perception are among the major quality dimensions. All of these are different from one another depending on various industries and organizations. In the manufacturing industry, the dimensions of quality interact differently to achieve excellence as compared to the service one. A single dimension has its implication, which means all of them should be considered for quality excellence (Fiedler, Hossfeld, & Tran-Gia, 2010). However, performance is the most eminent quality dimension in this study. It is involved in the major features of the operation of every product. As for the case of an automobile, performance involves handling speed, controlling acceleration, and providing comfortability. In relation to the media, this dimension is concerned with the clarity of pictures and the ability to convey information distinctively. Brands are graded in an endeavor to rank them based on the measure of performance. However, developing performance ranking for the entire system is the most challenging. On the other hand, some performance standards are measured on the individual basis, but these are generated from a universal framework.

In the traditional set-up, organizations viewed performance by looking at organizational processes vertically. However, it is important to note that work success and the accomplishment of tasks happen horizontally or cross-functionally as opposed to the hierarchy way. Therefore, enterprises cannot be viewed as a collection of distinct specialized individual performers and business units loosely connected by the functional hierarchy. A process can be defined as a sequence of activities geared towards producing a particular outcome. Additionally, it is how work improves the value of products and their performance for its customers and clients. When people hear about a process, the first pictures in their mind relate to production. In this case, the latter means putting together activities and operations to transform inputs such as energy, human resources, capital, and other materials into outputs, which are products and services (Heizer, 2016). Examples of production processes are machining, filling orders, mixing, assembling, and approving loans. Major activities of the processes are not limited to a specific business unit, but mostly crosses the existing traditional boundaries. For example, in case of order fulfillment, a salesperson is responsible for placing an order, and a marketing representative enters it in the organization computer system. Similarly, a finance officer will perform credit checks, the distribution and logistics team will package and ship the order, and finally, field service engineers will do its installation. Total quality gives a view of an enterprise as a system made up of interdependent processes that have a cross-functional link and a network of collaborating suppliers and customers.

Every single process is usually in line with the organization’s purpose and mission through the hierarchy of processes both on the micro and macro levels. Sub-processes are embedded in every single process. A process perspective links all activities together and boosts one’s understanding of how the whole system operates rather than focusing only on a given part. Spaces in between the boxes of the organizational chart are ones that provide opportunities for improving organizational performance. Good practices commonly found in organizations today to support quality performance include establishing solid accountability and responsibility for all key processes (Evans, 2017). Additionally, they define activities that yield the desired outcome, gauging capabilities of processes, identifying interfaces of key operations within the latter, and laying more emphasis on organization’s resources and methods to improve innovations and the study of client needs and preferences to ensure they are efficiently met.

The effect of a performance evaluation on quality excellence is inevitable in every organizational set-up. One of the impacts is that it improves work processes. A performance evaluation helps to develop well-designed and well-executed systems of administration, which focus more on the prevention of challenges. Better work processes result in a lower cost and the reduction of scraps and defects. Besides, they help in improving flexibility responsiveness and the cycle time. With the present-day increased market competition, organizations should have a capacity to change and more so increase their flexibility. A good example is the rise of e-commerce, which requires customized flexible and rapid changes as compared to traditional markets. Flexibility is the general ability to be able to adapt to changing requirements quickly and effectively. A change may come regarding products, demands, and the ability to offer more services. It is devised after conducting a performance evaluation. It involves coming up with new strategies, such as sharing components and manufacturing lines, creating modular designs, and special training for the workforce (Fine, 2009). It also includes making agreements with suppliers, partnering arrangements, and outsourcing decisions. A cycle time comes as a compliment to flexibility. It is the duration taken to complete one single cycle of a process. An example is the duration of time between the point when a customer orders a product and when it is delivered, or the time necessary to bring a new commodity to the market. Reducing the cycle time is so much important as it decreases the response time to meet client’s needs. It also helps to streamline processes and reduce the number of non-value added steps that lead to work repetition. Potential defects and errors are eliminated. Unnecessary costs due to rework are also curtailed. A reduction of the cycle time does not only enhance quality but also productivity and costs. To achieve this for any process, it is important to examine both sub-processes and cross-functional processes as it helps in understanding duties at the organizational level and engagement in cooperative behaviors.

Additionally, a performance evaluation enables learning. In this case, the latter refers to having a clear understanding of why changes are better accomplished through a feedback and results. Learning leads to the creation of new approaches and overall goals. It has four stages, namely planning, implementation of plans, evaluation of progress, and revision as a result of the evaluation. Some of the effective practices that support improvement in the performance dimension include the implementation of a systematic approach across the whole organization and continuous training of human resources on methods and use of tools. Other aspects are the production of better products by the use of improved systems and processes, having clear goals to guide the workforce, developing measures to track the development, and recognizing improvements made. All these practices are a result of a good performance evaluation system being important for quality excellence because of improving organizational processes.