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Quality Management (quality + management)
Kinds of Quality Management Terms modified by Quality Management Selected AbstractsCPA assessment , the regional assessors' experienceCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2007G. Guthrie With the introduction in January 2006 of the new posts of Regional Assessors, the process and focus of CPA assessment changed to reflect the inclusion in the current standards of Quality Management systems and processes. Regional Assessors, trained in Quality Management Systems and their assessment against international standards, now form a vital part of the CPA assessment teams, looking specifically at this aspect of laboratory service provision. Their role in the new assessment process will be explained. The presentation will cover differences and similarities in the nature and number of non-compliances experienced since April 2006 when the new format of assessment was introduced. It will also look at a new format of timetable for assessment visits and explain the benefits of good two-way communication between all parties involved in the process - the laboratory, the assessors, particularly the Regional Assessor assigned to that site, and CPA Office staff. Understanding what is required by the standards, particularly in terms of evidential material, their interpretation and their classification of status , Critical, Non-Critical or Observation - is an aspect of assessment which is often not well understood. The presentation will seek to clarify these issues. The successful and timely clearance by laboratories of any non-compliances raised during the visits is vital to the achievement of accredited status and the presentation will give guidance as to how this is best achieved. The current standards, based on the international ISO 15189 standards, are considerably more challenging than the old ones. There is now a significant emphasis on Quality Management and its understanding, ethos and implementation within the laboratory, a key element which underpins all aspects of a laboratory's service. The achievement of accredited status assures our users of,the type of client and patient focused service expected of a modern laboratory. [source] A Model for Evaluating Organizational Competencies: An Application in the Context of a Quality Management Initiative,DECISION SCIENCES, Issue 2 2005Ana Belén Escrig-Tena ABSTRACT Despite the important contributions made by the Competency-Based Perspective (CBP) to strategic thought, certain issues on the operational definition of the theoretical concepts that characterize this approach remain unresolved, thus limiting its empirical application. In addressing this issue, the present study puts forward a procedure for measuring the competencies that can be developed in association with a Quality Management (QM) initiative and analyzes the reliability and validity of the resulting scale. This procedure could be transferred to studies that aim to carry out an empirical analysis based on the theoretical position of the CBP. [source] Quality assurance and benchmarking: an approach for European dental schoolsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 3 2007M. L. Jones Abstract:, This document was written by Task Force 3 of DentEd III, which is a European Union funded Thematic Network working under the auspices of the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE). It provides a guide to assist in the harmonisation of Dental Education Quality Assurance (QA) systems across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). There is reference to the work, thus far, of DentEd, DentEd Evolves, DentEd III and the ADEE as they strive to assist the convergence of standards in dental education; obviously QA and benchmarking has an important part to play in the European HE response to the Bologna Process. Definitions of Quality, Quality Assurance, Quality Management and Quality Improvement are given and put into the context of dental education. The possible process and framework for Quality Assurance are outlined and some basic guidelines/recommendations suggested. It is recognised that Quality Assurance in Dental Schools has to co-exist as part of established Quality Assurance systems within faculties and universities, and that Schools also may have to comply with existing local or national systems. Perhaps of greatest importance are the 14 ,requirements' for the Quality Assurance of Dental Education in Europe. These, together with the document and its appendices, were unanimously supported by the ADEE at its General Assembly in 2006. As there must be more than one road to achieve a convergence or harmonisation standard, a number of appendices are made available on the ADEE website. These provide a series of ,toolkits' from which schools can ,pick and choose' to assist them in developing QA systems appropriate to their own environment. Validated contributions and examples continue to be most welcome from all members of the European dental community for inclusion at this website. It is realised that not all schools will be able to achieve all of these requirements immediately, by definition, successful harmonisation is a process that will take time. At the end of the DentEd III project, ADEE will continue to support the progress of all schools in Europe towards these aims. [source] Globalised management and local labour: the case of the white-goods industry in TurkeyINDUSTRIAL RELATIONS JOURNAL, Issue 1 2002Theo Nichols This paper is concerned with the situation where goods are produced by workers in underdeveloped countries, in this case, consumer durables, under the direction of managements which have access to modern management techniques. In particular, it considers the significance of new management methods, especially Total Quality Management, for workers employed in white-goods manufacture in Turkey. [source] Milk Processing and Quality ManagementINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DAIRY TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2009D D Muir No abstract is available for this article. [source] Measuring effectiveness of TQM training: an Indian studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2003Sasmita Palo Total Quality Management (TQM) is a never ending process of improving work processes. It operates according to the premise that organisations cannot rest comfortably without continuously improving whatever is being done. There has to be a culture of continuous improvement and everyone in the organisation must strive towards it. This could be accomplished only through continuous training. The present study seeks to examine the role of training as well as measuring its effectiveness for successful implementation of TQM. For this purpose, data have been retrieved from a public sector enterprise manufacturing crude steel in India. The findings of the study are based purely on primary survey. Pearson's Correlation Coefficient with their significance levels have been used to measure the effectiveness of TQM training and the correlation between TQM training and selected factors. The authors have found that training creates awareness, builds employees' commitment to quality policy and strategy, facilitates teamwork, enhances performance standards, and bolsters the skills and abilities of employees. However, the organisation needs to focus more upon improving communication competencies, multiple skill development and customer value training. Successful TQM training in the organisation needs more budgetary allocation and commitment, support and enthusiasm of the top management. [source] The Role of Fish Communities in Water Quality Management of a Large Shallow LakeINTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF HYDROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2003István Tátrai Abstract Management measures of Lake Balaton such as wetland reconstruction at the main inflow to the lake along with the "unplanned" commercial fishery led to great changes in the density and biomass of fish populations. There was no significant difference in CPUE data between the two, eastern and western, basins. Biomass of total fish stock in Lake Balaton has decreased substantially, 2,3 times between 1991,1999, and ranges between 120,194 kg ha,1. Bottom-up effects are more important than the top-down effects due to the impact of internal nutrient load. Changes in the biomass and thus the activity of omnivorous fish in the lake lowered the intensity of various indirect effects and feedback mechanisms causing changes in the nutrient metabolism of the lake. Intensified fishery effort in Lake Balaton did not result in an increased stock of piscivores. The ratio of piscivores and omnivores remained at 5% during the whole study period. Despite this low piscivores to omnivores ratio, the water quality has improved in all basins. [source] Geriatric Co-Management of Proximal Femur Fractures: Total Quality Management and Protocol-Driven Care Result in Better Outcomes for a Frail Patient PopulationJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 7 2008Susan M. Friedman MD Hip fractures in older adults are a common event, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. Hip fractures have been previously described as a "geriatric, rather than orthopedic disease." Patients with this condition have a high prevalence of comorbidity and a high risk of complications from surgery, and for this reason, geriatricians may be well suited to improve outcomes of care. Co-management of hip fracture patients by orthopedic surgeons and geriatricians has led to better outcomes in other countries but has rarely been described in the United States. This article describes a co-managed Geriatric Fracture Center program that has resulted in lower-than-predicted length of stay and readmission rates, with short time to surgery, low complication rates, and low mortality. This program is based on the principles of early evaluation of patients, ongoing co-management, protocol-driven geriatric-focused care, and early discharge planning. This is a potentially replicable model of care that uses the expertise of geriatricians to optimize the management of a common and serious condition. [source] The role and function of quality assurance officers in Ontario hospitalsQUALITY ASSURANCE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2005Kent V. Rondeau Abstract This article examines the role and job function of quality assurance officers in hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Results from a mail questionnaire suggest that hospital quality assurance professionals in our sample are much more likely to be female, at mid-career, and to have advanced graduate degrees, although most lack professional certification and formal training in quality management. Although the job duties of hospital quality assurance professionals are broad and varied, many report being engaged in traditional quality assurance managerial activities including hospital accreditation efforts, risk management assessment, and patient satisfaction measurement. Coordinating quality assurance activities, performance reporting, and leading the Total Quality Management (TQM)/Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiative remain central functions associated with their work efforts. Nevertheless, limited formal training in the principles and methods of quality management and improvement may be placing significant constraints on their effectiveness. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Exploring the suitability of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model as a framework for delivering clinical governance in the UK National Health ServiceQUALITY ASSURANCE JOURNAL, Issue 1 2001Sue Jackson Abstract In December 1997 the United Kingdom (UK) government publicized its vision for the National Health Service (NHS) to become the best health care system in the world. In line with this vision a number of consultative and directive documents were circulated, one of which was Clinical Governance: in the new NHS. This particular document provided insight into the principles and proposed framework for delivering clinical governance. However, the document suggested that health care organizations create mechanisms for delivering clinical governance which implied that the government had failed to recognize that suitable mechanisms were already available. The author suggests that one such suitable mechanism/framework is the EFQM Excellence Model. The article therefore examines the similarities of the principles behind clinical governance and the EFQM Excellence Model and recommends the latter as a suitable tool for ensuring that the country's people have the best health care system in the world. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Quality management and quality practice: Perspectives on their history and their futureAPPLIED STOCHASTIC MODELS IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, Issue 1 2009N. I. Fisher Abstract The purpose of this article and a companion article is to explore a number of topics in Statistics in Business and Industry. This article sketches the history of Quality Management, from its emergence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through to the present day. Particular emphasis is placed on activities in Japan immediately following the end of the Second World War, and subsequent developments elsewhere in the world. We draw a careful distinction between Quality Management and various methodologies that aid in its implementation, such as Six Sigma. In the words of one management practitioner, Norbert Vogel, ,TQM in its broadest sense examines all aspects of management and the alternative methodologies being promoted are merely sub-sets of what should be an integrated management system.' The article concludes with some speculative thoughts about the future of Quality Management from a statistician's point of view. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The effect of alcohol on radiographic progression in rheumatoid arthritisARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 5 2010M. J. Nissen Objective Alcohol consumption reduces the risk of development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and significantly attenuates the development of erosive arthritis in animal models. It remains unknown whether alcohol consumption influences joint damage progression in RA. This study was undertaken to compare the rates of radiographic damage progression in alcohol drinkers and nondrinkers in a large prospective cohort of patients with RA. Methods All patients in the population-based Swiss Clinical Quality Management in RA registry database with at least 2 sequential radiographs were included. Joint erosions were assessed in 38 joints in the hands and feet using a validated scoring method. The rate of progression of erosions was analyzed using multivariate regression models for longitudinal data and was adjusted for potential confounders. Results The study included 2,908 patients with RA with a mean of 4 sequential radiographs and 3.9 years of followup. A trend toward reduced radiographic progression existed in drinkers compared with nondrinkers, with a mean rate of erosive progression of 0.99% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.89,1.09) and 1.13% (95% CI 1.01,1.26) at 1 year, respectively. Alcohol consumption displayed a J-shaped dose-response effect, with a more favorable evolution in occasional consumers (P = 0.01) and daily consumers (P = 0.001) as compared with nondrinkers, while heavy drinkers demonstrated worse radiographic evolution (P = 0.0001). We found significant effect modification by sex, with male drinkers displaying significantly less erosive progression compared with male nondrinkers (mean 0.86% [95% CI 0.70,1.03] versus 1.35% [95% CI 1.02,1.67]; P = 0.007). Conclusion Our findings indicate a trend toward reduced radiographic progression in alcohol drinkers compared with nondrinkers, specifically in occasional and daily alcohol consumers. In particular, male patients with RA who consume alcohol demonstrate less radiographic progression than do male nondrinkers. [source] Establishing a standardized quality management system for the European Health Network GA2LEN,ALLERGY, Issue 6 2010L. Heinzerling To cite this article: Heinzerling L, Burbach G, van Cauwenberge P, Papageorgiou P, Carlsen K-H, Lřdrup Carlsen KC, Zuberbier T. Establishing a standardized quality management system for the European Health Network GA2LEN. Allergy 2010; 65: 743,752. Abstract Background:, Quality management is increasingly important in clinical practice. The Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA2LEN) is a network of clinical and scientific excellence with originally 25 allergy centres in 16 European countries, a scientific society (European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology), and a patient organization (European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations). Although some allergy centres adhere to internal quality criteria, the implementation of a standardized quality management system for allergy centres across Europe was lacking. Objectives:, To implement standardized quality criteria among allergy centres organized within GA2LEN and thus ensure equal standards of diagnosis and care as well as to establish a culture of continuous quality improvement. Methods:, Quality criteria covering, e.g., diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and emergency preparedness to assure patient safety were developed and agreed upon by all 25 participating centres. To assure implementation of quality criteria, centres were audited to check quality indicators and document deviations. A follow-up survey was used to assess the usefulness of the project. Results:, Deviations were documented mainly in the areas of emergency care/patient safety (27.3% lacked regular emergency training of doctors and nurses; 22.7% inadequate emergency intervention equipment; 22.7% lacked critical incidence reporting/root cause analyses) and handling of extracts/pharmaceuticals (31.8% lacked temperature logs of fridges; 4.5% inadequate check of expiration dates). Quality improvement was initiated as shown by findings of re-audits. Usefulness of the project was rated high. Conclusion:, The establishment of a quality management system with joint standards of care and harmonized procedures can be achieved in an international health network and ensures quality of care. [source] Quality management and Juran's legacyQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2007Soren Bisgaard Abstract Quality management provides the framework for the industrial application of statistical quality control, design of experiments, quality improvement and reliability methods. It is therefore helpful for quality engineers and statisticians to be familiar with basic quality management principles. In this article we discuss Dr Joseph M. Juran's important contributions to modern quality management concepts, principles and models. Many people have contributed to modern quality management. However, through his extensive writings covering more than six decades, Juran has managed to distill and synthesize the subject. He has provided us with a coherent framework and terminology and anticipated many of the principles that subsequently became incorporated under the Six Sigma umbrella. We briefly outline Juran's framework and discuss a number of key contributions he has made to the subject of managing for quality. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Quality management and quality practice: Perspectives on their history and their futureAPPLIED STOCHASTIC MODELS IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, Issue 1 2009N. I. Fisher Abstract The purpose of this article and a companion article is to explore a number of topics in Statistics in Business and Industry. This article sketches the history of Quality Management, from its emergence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through to the present day. Particular emphasis is placed on activities in Japan immediately following the end of the Second World War, and subsequent developments elsewhere in the world. We draw a careful distinction between Quality Management and various methodologies that aid in its implementation, such as Six Sigma. In the words of one management practitioner, Norbert Vogel, ,TQM in its broadest sense examines all aspects of management and the alternative methodologies being promoted are merely sub-sets of what should be an integrated management system.' The article concludes with some speculative thoughts about the future of Quality Management from a statistician's point of view. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Economic sustainability and the cost of poor qualityCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2005Raine Isaksson Abstract Sustainable development (SD) on the organizational level is often measured using the triple bottom line, which divides performance reporting into the economic, environmental and social dimensions. Since total quality management (TQM) over the years has proven to contribute to good economic performance, it is interesting to review synergies of the two concepts TQM and SD. Indicators commonly used in the triple bottom line are compared with quality related measurements and a synthesis is proposed. Focus is on the economic dimension and indicators in the form of cost of poor quality (CPQ). The CPQ as a sustainability indicator is discussed and exemplified. The results indicate that existing economic sustainability performance measurements based on distribution of surplus should be complemented with indicators for internal losses. A sound profit is in most cases necessary, but it is not the sole condition for economic sustainability. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] European guidelines for quality assurance in cervical cancer screening: recommendations for cytology laboratories,CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007H. G. Wiener The quality of a cervical cytology laboratory depends on adequate handling and staining of the samples, screening and interpretation of the slides and reporting of the results. These guidelines give an overview of procedures recommended in Europe to manage the balance between best patient care possible, laboratory quality assurance and cost effectiveness and will be published as a chapter 4 in the European Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Cervical Cancer Screening. The laboratory guidelines include protocols for personnel and organisation, material requirements, handling and analysing cervical samples, recording of results, quality management and communication. The section on quality management is comprehensive and includes protocols for all aspects of internal and external quality assurance. The guidelines are extensively referenced and as far as possible the recommendations are evidence-based. [source] Decision Sciences Research in China: A Critical Review and Research Agenda,Foundations and Overview,DECISION SCIENCES, Issue 4 2006Xiande Zhao ABSTRACT This article focuses on decision sciences research in China, providing an overview of current research and developing a foundation for future China-based research. China provides a unique research opportunity for decision sciences researchers, owing to its recent history, rapid economic development, and strong national culture. We examine recent economic reforms and their impact on the development of research questions in the decision sciences, as well as discuss characteristics of the diverse regions in China and their potential as sites for various types of research. We provide a brief overview of recent China-based research on decision sciences issues relating to national culture, supply chain management, quality management, production planning and control, operations strategy, and new product development and discuss some of the unique methodological challenges inherent in China-based research. We conclude by looking forward to emerging research opportunities in China. [source] The link between quality management and environmental management in firms of differing size: An analysis of organizations in ChinaENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2004Qinghua Zhu First page of article [source] Applying business management models in health careINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2002Michael G. Trisolini Abstract Most health care management training programmes and textbooks focus on only one or two models or conceptual frameworks, but the increasing complexity of health care organizations and their environments worldwide means that a broader perspective is needed. This paper reviews five management models developed for business organizations and analyses issues related to their application in health care. Three older, more ,traditional' models are first presented. These include the functional areas model, the tasks model and the roles model. Each is shown to provide a valuable perspective, but to have limitations if used in isolation. Two newer, more ,innovative' models are next discussed. These include total quality management (TQM) and reengineering. They have shown potential for enabling dramatic improvements in quality and cost, but have also been found to be more difficult to implement. A series of ,lessons learned' are presented to illustrate key success factors for applying them in health care organizations. In sum, each of the five models is shown to provide a useful perspective for health care management. Health care managers should gain experience and training with a broader set of business management models. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A review of the Chinese cultural influences on Chinese enterprise managementINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS, Issue 4 2000Kit-Fai Pun In order to create and sustain competitive advantage, a company should not only develop technologies to create products and processes that meet customer needs, but also stimulate a corporate culture that commits to continuous performance improvement. Managing corporate culture is one of a number of important factors that make for organizational change and business success. This paper reviews the cultural roots and identifies the characteristics of Chinese cultural values and management. A comparative analysis of the differences between Anglo-American and Chinese cultures is made. The cultural influences on Chinese management systems are then elaborated with reference to enterprise management in Mainland China and Hong Kong. With unique cultural heritage, collective orientation has a pervasive influence on the mode of Chinese management and organization. The prevailing Chinese culture values stress largely the paternalistic approach to management, acceptance of hierarchy and the importance of relationships. Today's Chinese enterprises need to determine changes in practice or value or both aspects of corporate culture in order to facilitate organizational change and maintain a competitive edge over their rivals. The paper also discusses the links of cultural values to employee involvement (EI) and total quality management (TQM), and initiates a need to manage cultural influences on EI/TQM practices to improve organizational performance in Chinese enterprises. [source] Performance measurement: a critical analysis of the literature with respect to total quality managementINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS, Issue 2 2000David Sinclair This paper represents a comprehensive review of the literature on performance measurement. The roadmap used for this analysis is from the evolution of performance measurement, to the way it is currently defined and how it is applied from a corporate-wide perspective. One useful contribution of this review is a special focus on performance measurement in a non-financial, non-traditional sense. This discussion was further amplified by referring to newly developed tools and techniques and by highlighting critical factors of success in the application of performance measurement. The key factors from this literature review reveal that, although interest in the area of measurement is growing significantly, this is not reflected by the tangible and credible experiences in the organizations concerned. There is a concurrent view amongst various writers that there are both hard and soft issues reflecting, for instance, the lack of strategic thinking and goal clarity, putting measurement systems in the driving seat and therefore trusting unreliable designs and not focusing on the true ethos of modern measurement towards continuous improvement and thereby not engaging employees and neglecting the culture change aspects. The paper concludes by highlighting the dearth in research in the important field of performance measurement and, in particular, the design and implementation of performance measurement systems that cover all the essential aspects through an integrated perspective. [source] A warm welcome for destination quality brands: the example of the Pays Cathare regionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 4 2003Megan Woods Abstract In this paper, the salient complexities characterising quality management at the tourism destination are outlined, and in light of these, a number of quality principles are deemed particularly appropriate for the further investigation of destination quality management (DQM). The complexities include the significant number of services provided at the destination, the highly fragmented nature of the tourism destination product and the large number of small businesses that go to comprise this product. General principles are drawn from the SERVQUAL, Kano and EFQM Business Excellence models in order to provide a tentative framework for investigating how one destination has striven to overcome these challenges. The example of the Pays Cathare Region in southern France, which has been recognised by the European Commission as an example of best practice in integrated quality management (IQM), shows how these quality tenets can be translated from the theoretical framework into actual practice by means of its destination quality brand. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley &Sons, Ltd. [source] Levels of quality management of blood transfusion services in EuropeISBT SCIENCE SERIES: THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INTRACELLULAR TRANSPORT, Issue 1 2008C. Seidl The European blood legislation has defined several key quality elements to achieve Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) in the field of blood transfusion. During the recent years, the blood legislation is in the process of implementation throughout its member states. Following the Directive 2002/98/EC, Directive 2005/62/EC has given further requirements for quality-management systems to be fulfilled by blood establishments. In addition, GMP/Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and ISO standards are used inter alia by blood establishments. In order to support the implementation of the blood legislation, the European Public Health Work Plan (2005/2007) has cofunded two projects, led by the German Red Cross and supported by the European Blood Alliance, delivering a common European Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) methodology (EU-Q-Blood-SOP) and criteria and standards for the inspection of blood establishments (EUBIS). The EU-SOP manual will assist blood establishments in preparing for the inspection of their services related to the implementation of quality relevant elements required by the EU Directive 2002/98/EC and its technical annexes. The standards and criteria for inspection of blood establishments will cross-reference existing quality standards to the directive requirements and define requirements for the structure of quality-management systems based on the directive 2002/98/EC and its technical annexes. Based on these requirements, inspection standards and criteria are developed to assist in the independent assessment of quality systems established by individual blood establishments. These assessments are done in relation to the requirements defined by the European Union legislation on blood, in order to safeguard the quality of blood and to achieve continuous improvement of its quality throughout Europe. [source] Rapid and accurate quantitative phase analysis using a fast detectorJOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2004A. F. Gualtieri The accuracy of the weight fractions calculated with the Rietveld method for various polycrystalline systems using data collected for very short times (5,45,min) with an RTMS (real-time multiple strip) detector was verified. The weight estimates were compared with those obtained using the same conventional Bragg,Brentano geometry, a gas proportional detector and a 13,h data acquisition. The analysed samples were monophasic and polyphasic mixtures with different degrees of complexity: the standard corundum NIST 676; a sample (labelled 1g) provided as a standard sample for the IUCr CPD Quantitative Phase Analysis Round Robin; a natural pyroclastic rock from Riano (Rome, Italy) containing zeolitic minerals and a glass phase; and a hydraulic lime. The results of the refinements show estimated weights consistent with both those obtained with a gas proportional detector and with the nominal values, indicating a very good accuracy. Only when variable slits are used, the accuracy of the estimated weights slightly decreases. The outcome of this work is a very important step forward towards fast and accurate QPA for production control and quality management, obtained by combining the use of a rapid detector and existing user-friendly software. [source] Implementing a Total Quality Management Approach in the Design, Delivery, and Redesign of a Statistical Process Control CourseJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE EDUCATION, Issue 3 2003L.J. Mauer ABSTRACT: The benefit of implementing total quality management(TQM)into university classrooms has been demonstrated. The objective of this work was to develop a TQM project to use as a teaching tool for TQM and statistical process control (SPC) concepts, an assessment tool for the course, and as a means for involving students in improving the course in progress. A plan-do-study-act (PDSA) assignment was developed to use SPC tools and the 4 concepts of TQM. The implementation of recommendations developed as part of the PDSA project significantly (p < 0.05) improved student performance on quizzes, student satisfaction with the course, student perception of instructor performance, as well as instructor satisfaction with the course. [source] Regulating Law Firm Ethics Management: An Empirical Assessment of an Innovation in Regulation of the Legal Profession in New South WalesJOURNAL OF LAW AND SOCIETY, Issue 3 2010Christine Parker The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) was the first jurisdiction to fully deregulate law firm structure and allow alternative business structures in the legal profession. At the same time it also introduced an innovation in regulation of the legal profession, requiring that incorporated legal practices implement ,appropriate management systems' for ensuring the provision of legal services in compliance with professional ethical obligations. This paper presents a preliminary empirical evaluation of the impact of this attempt at ,management-based regulation'. We find that the NSW requirement that firms self-assess their ethics management leads to a large and statistically significant drop in complaints. The (self-assessed) level of implementation of ethics management infrastructure, however, does not make any difference. The relevance of these findings to debates about deprofessionalization, managerialism, and commercialism in the legal profession is discussed, and the NSW approach is distinguished from the more heavy-handed English legal aid approach to regulating law firm quality management. [source] ,It Was Such a Handy Term': Management Fashions and Pragmatic Ambiguity*JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 6 2006Hélčne Giroux abstract This article builds on constructs that authors have labelled strategic ambiguity, interpretative viability, umbrella constructs, and boundary objects, and suggests that these constructs all articulate a central concern for collective action and the role of ambiguity therein. It characterizes as pragmatic ambiguity the condition of admitting more than one course of action, and elucidates and operationalizes this new construct. Drawing on the sociology of translation (Callon, 1986; Latour, 1987),[1] it argues that pragmatic ambiguity is both the result and the resource of a collective process of intéressement occurring during the rise in popularity of a new management approach. Following Benders and van Veen (2001), the article posits that pragmatic ambiguity increases during the rise of a management fashion. It provides empirical evidence in support of this claim by means of a longitudinal analysis of quality management (QM) concepts as articulated by several authors both before and during the Quality Movement of the 1980s and 1990s. The analyses of QM texts show that concepts became vaguer, more ambiguous, and more general as the Quality Movement gained momentum, suggesting the presence of a positive feedback loop between pragmatic ambiguity and popularity. In addition, the data illustrate how pragmatic ambiguity was achieved and sustained textually, and how it was supported by a variety of social, linguistic and rhetorical factors. [source] Factory Innovations And Management Machinations: The Productive And Repressive Relations of PowerJOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 7 2000Darren McCabe This article explores how power is exercised by managers in both ,repressive' ways so as to chase out or deny alternative interests/subjectivities and in ways which are ,productive' of the subjectivity of those they employ and indeed their own subjectivity. Rather than necessarily an intention of managers, exercising power in productive and repressive ways, is a condition and consequence of the strategies they deploy. Nonetheless, the concern here is to question the totalizing effects of power whether in relation to management strategy, total quality management, business process reengineering or culture change. Through exploring innovation in an established automobile manufacturing company, it is argued that a necessary though not sufficient condition of such a prospect, is that managers reconstitute themselves. It is demonstrated that such a reconstitution is problematic when one considers managers as thinking, social beings, situated in a historical context of power and inequality rather than structural automatons or agents that are free of power. [source] Theorizing TQM: An Austrian and Evolutionary Economics InterpretationJOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 2 2000Todd H. Chiles Born out of management practice, the principles of TQM (total quality management) have had a profound and unparalleled impact on modern business history. However, as a body of practical knowledge, TQM has been largely atheoretical. As a consequence, this important management philosophy has remained amorphous and shrouded in considerable conceptual haziness and ambiguity. Recent theorizing, primarily emphasizing the application of organizational behaviour theories to TQM, has begun to provide greater clarity, but much work remains to be done. This paper attempts to contribute to this nascent theory-building literature by employing theory from market process economics (MPE), namely, Austrian and evolutionary economics, which explains how processes of dynamic change, adaptation, and learning are driven by entrepreneurial creativity. We contend that the patterns in this body of theory match, to a remarkable degree, the patterns of practical knowledge contained in the TQM literature. We demonstrate this ,pattern-matching' by showing that MPE effectively provides the theoretical underpinnings of TQM's three main principles , customer focus, continuous improvement and teamwork , as well as the respective TQM topics of customer perceptions, adaptation in dynamic environments, and knowledge creation. Having established MPE as a credible theoretical lens for interpreting TQM, it can be used to clarify fuzzy areas that have remained in the TQM literature with the potential to take us beyond what we know now. We illustrate this with three examples that show how we can resolve debates in TQM over incentive systems, recognize that TQM embraces methodological pluralism in the collection and analysis of data, and highlight hidden dangers that attend benchmarking. While MPE has no monopoly on theoretical interpretations of TQM, it is unique in its ability to comprehensively cover the incredible breadth of this practical body of knowledge, and in its interpretation of TQM as a dynamic economic endeavour. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||