International Quality Standards In Business
A business success depends basically on satisfying stakeholder holder and meeting their requirements. Through the old history managers and business owners had been applying quality practices without naming them under quality management concept until1920. By the early 1920s, quality management concept popularized and became an essential way to assures business success by overseeing all process and activities to maintain the desired level of outcomes. (Kelemen,2003). The core of quality management which enable it to work in professional manners and guarantees it effectiveness is Quality Standards.
QS is a set of terms that identify acceptable and unacceptable, constraints and limits with the operation of the business generally. QS stands as the guideline that drives the whole work of quality management and the entire firm as well. They differ based on the sector, industry, and the nature of the business. They also differ depending on wither the business is national or international. (Slack, 2013)
Each country has its unique quality standards which make firms and organizations operate accordingly. but international firms will face a difficulty operating differently in each country according to their standards. The international organization of standardization developed international standers to be officially used by the international businesses. (Krajewski ,2009)·
Total quality management (TQM)
Total quality management (TQM) is an approach made by the Japanese and the popularize to be an international philosophy. It treats quality as a part of the organization plan, not just an accident! It works to involves quality in every single process and activity and to cover all parts of the organization including members, cost, customer etc. In short, TQM becomes the heart of operations. In order to achieve total quality management, organizations need to adopt several essential principles includes customer focused, total employee involvement, process centered, integrated system, fact-based decision etc.
The ISO 9000 approach
ISO 9000 is another approach refer to a set of standards that determine the quality requirements and govern QM practices for quality assurance. It stresses many principles such as: customer - focused QM: meaning it focuses on customer satisfaction and the methods to measure it either through surveys, focus groups or any other methods. QM must be measured. measures include process and final products, or services and the results must be analyzed in order to develop proper enhancement plans. QM must be an improvement-driven approach.·QM is a continuous process requires a commitment and a continuous development in all aspects and dimensions. (Chambers,2010).
The ISO 14000 approach
It is Quality standards concern of the environment. It is defined as the required steps that ensure minimizing harmful practices and acquiring the right types of raw material in the right ways, treatment process, and disposal. It requires companies and organizations to develop plans for ongoing and continues improvement for the organizations’ environmental performance.
ISO 14000 encompass many areas such as·life-cycle assessment. It is a method used to ensure sustainability by analyzing the whole product life cycle starting from acquiring material until disposal or recycling.·Evaluation of environmental performance (EPE). It is a managerial tool used to provide accurate information about the firm performance in term of meeting environmental standards and criteria. Environmental labeling such as: environmentally friendly, reusable, recyclable, efficient use of energy etc.·
Environmental management system (EMS)
It is the set of systematic process that allows the firm to reduce the negative impact on the environment. For companies, it is normal to take a long time to fully and efficiently adopt international quality standards. But companies who adopt them gain benefits in both aspects internally and externally. In term of external benefits, companies will have potential sales advantages, more opportunities to contract with good suppliers, and for sure competitive advantage etc. For internal benefits, cost reduction is one of the most benefits many firms have experienced. Also, an increase in sales means an increase in profitability as well and other benefits. (Krajewski ,2009)
References:
- Kelemen, M. (2003). Re-defining quality. Managing quality. (First edition ed., pp. 7-9). India: SAGE.
- Slack, N. (2013). Quality management. Operations management (7th ed., pp. 540-555) Pearson Education Limited.
- Krajewski, L. j. (2009). Quality and performance. Operation management. process and supply chain. (9th ed., pp. 199-201) Pearson Education Limited.
- Charantimath, P. M. (2011). The philosophy of total quality managment. Total quality managemnt (second ed., pp. 58-78) Pearson Education Limited.
- Charantimath, P. M. (2011). Quality concept. Total quality management (second ed., pp. 1-23) Pearson Education Limited.
