Quality Assurance Essays (Examples)

The underlying theory is simple: a company can still fail even if it produces high quality goods. It could, for example, have a bloated management structure. hat TQM does is it allows the company to manage everything so that senior management knows the value that all parts of the company contribute to the bottom line.

ith this high level of control, the total quality movement focuses on enhancing quality through the synthesis of structure and strategy (Lowder, 2007). For example, a firm that derives competitive advantage through its reputation for high quality will design its organization and its systems so that every aspect of the organization supports that strategy. The same is true of a firm with a cost leadership strategy. At al-Mart, for example, every aspect of that company is designed to lower the cost per unit sold. Companies that rely on innovation likewise have designed their organization and…

Works Cited:

Lowder, T. (2007). An analysis of the total quality movement: In search of quality enhancement through structure and strategic synthesis. White paper. Retrieved October 14, 2011 from  http://ssrn.com/abstract=1016588

Assurance Program

Why/How to create an Information Assurance

Just as paramount as the availability and access to information is significant in every company or business outfit, certain concerns always come to the fore: the kind of information is to be made. How the information is going to be organized? How will it be possible to ensure that the information released represents the judgment of the management of the company and gives assurance that the very information required is available?

This document contains the solutions to the concerns mentioned above; an Information Assurance Program is necessary in every organization. This project explains why information assurance program is needed in every viable company and also explores ways it can be affected, integrated into the organization and organized. The program encompasses different models which span through finding the reason why such program is needed to analyzing whether the finding is practicable. This takes…

Reference:

Harwood, I.A. (2006). Confidentiality constraints within mergers and acquisitions: gaining insights through a 'bubble' metaphor, British Journal of Management, Vol. 17, Issue 4., 347 -- 359.

Parker, Donn B.] (2002). "Toward a New Framework for Information Security." New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0471412589.

Elsayed, E. (1996) Reliability Engineering, Addison Wesley, Reading, California: USA.

SACA (2006). CISA Review Manual 2006. Information Systems Audit and Control Association. pp. 85. ISBN 1-933284-15-3.

Quality Management and Effective Cost Reduction Achieved at Bosch GmbH, Germany by Implementation of Its Systems with Special Emphasis on otal Quality Management

Company Profile

"Prevention" -- Quality Management

Product Design

Process Design And It Enabled Solutions

I Involvement

Material, Manpower, Knowledge and Its Quality

Cost Of Quality

Operations Objectives -- Application Of Quality Management Principle For Better Productivity And Profits

Gap models qm - Quality Management

qm - otal Quality Management

ISO - International Standards Organization

CAM - Computer Aided Manufacturing

CAD - Computer Aided Design

In Robert Bosch GmbH, quality management is a holistic approach to a comprehensive assimilation of precise customer requirements, and satisfying customer aspirations by making consistent quality deliveries at the right price, in time and with least hassles to the community around you. Quality management, therefore, involves the effective design of the products, and the processes focused on customer specifications, besides planning the product…

They have achieved all this with great diligence by pooling of information on common purchase requirements and holding on to a consistent policy in their purchase, and by expanding the cooperation between departments for a better understanding, and consequently, increase in efficiency. They are also setting up a global cross divisional purchasing center for automotive parts to enable economical purchasing activity on several components that are being standardized both for inventory reduction purposes and for the benefit of bulk purchase leading to price reduction (UPCOMING, 2009).

Manpower

Robert Bosch GmbH has always maintained the human resources development systems in line with the latest business practices, and the latest production technologies that accrue from a highly advanced system of information and production technologies that have been sweeping

Quality Evaluation

Explain how each of the five evaluation factors for a secondary source influences its management decision- making value.

The globalizing nature of our economy has foisted certain challenges upon business managers and organizational decision-makers. Particular among them is the need to remain abreast of shifting research, newly advanced findings and cutting-edge market theories. In order to do this, an organization's research department must remain steeped in an array of secondary sources with proper discretion of data quality. The Five Evaluation Functions of Purpose, Scope, Authority, Audience and Format help to avail this discretion.

First and foremost, it is recognized that qualifying the credibility of secondary sources is essential to meaningful decision-making. According to ang et al. (1995), "use of the term 'data manufacturing' encourages researchers and practitioners alike to seek out cross-disciplinary analogies that can facilitate the transfer of knowledge from the field of product quality to the…

Works Cited:

Nannapaneni, S.K. (2008). Business Research Methods. Morehead State University.

Wang, R.Y.; Storey, V.C. & Firth, C.P. (1995). A Framework For Analysis of Data Quality Research. IEEE Transactions of Knowledge and Data Engineering, 7(4).

Operations anagement

This a asters Business Administration (BA) Paper Operations anagement There a paper required, due parts. Each part a maximum 4 pages long , counting text exhibits, excluding bibliography references.

Current state

Offset and digital printing often faces quality issues related to several factors. The differences and similarities that exist between offset and digital print in the quality assurance process though the two methods share common demerits. Offset printing, which is applicable to a wide range of materials, produces more frequent quality issues than digital print, which has been referred to by White (1975) as sharper and suffering from less technical constraints such as resolution. However, for digital print, resolution also serves as an issue because where a lower-resolution design is used, the print quality suffers as well. oreover, digital printers suffer from lack of digital printing standards which means providers who use digital print have few tools and…

Materazzi, A.R., & Meade, C.B. (1977). GPO's Quality Assurance Through Attributes Program.: TAGA Proceedings.

Norberg, O., Westin, P., & Lindberg, S. (2001). A Comparison of Print Quality between Digital and Traditional Technologies. Paper presented at the International Conference on Digital Production Printing and Industrial Applications.

White, I.C. (1975). The Print Quality Index - A Management Tool (pp. 259-269): TAGA Proceedings.

healthcare organizations fail to implement sound quality improvement initiatives? Identify barriers and constraints to QI (quality improvement)

Improving the overall quality of any organization is a challenge -- yet the challenge often seems much greater, given the institutional barriers and constraints faced by the health care industry. First of all, there is the difficulty of measuring quality of care given the financial constraints imposed by insurance. The Institute for Health Care Improvement has suggested health care organizations be publicly profiled and assigned to varying rated tiers on the basis of their performance on quality. But currently, physicians and hospitals are often compensated solely based on the sheer dollar amount of care they provide, which is usually greater depending on the patient's length of stay. This discourages the use of new treatments and therapies that may send patients home sooner. Even serious medical errors may be financially rewarded if they justify…

Works Cited

NCQA: National Committee on Quality Assurance. (18 Sept 18, 2003) "New Report Finds Health Care System's Quality Gaps Cause 57,000 Deaths Annually." Official Website: Press Releases. Retrieved 25 Feb 2005  http://www.ncqa.org/communications/news/sohc2003.htm 

Institute for Health Care Improvement. (2004) Official Website. Retrieved 25 Feb 2005

 http://www.ihi.org/IHI/Programs/ConferencesAndTraining/16thNationalForum.htm

Quality control, quality assurance, and quality management are taken for granted as essential components of organizational theory and behavior. Although Karoru Ishikawa framed quality control from a Japanese perspective, his suggestions have become entrenched in international business, particularly in manufacturing and industrial engineering sectors. The Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) already had a quality control division in place when Ishikawa joined the organization; yet his contributions to quality control in science and engineering were so tremendous that over 50 scientists at JUSE recently contributed to a book commemorating the Ishikawa. Ishikawa’s primary contributions to quality control include integration quality control methods into organizational management and systems, particularly with regards to the concept of Total Quality Control (TQC). The TQC concept distributes personal responsibility for quality control to each team within the organization, even within the most hierarchical and bureaucratic companies. Ishikawa also showed how TQC could provide industrial…

Quality Improvements in Emergency Services

Consumers in the form of patients and other stakeholders are increasingly demanding for proof that the care being delivered or rendered to them is of high quality. In general, the public is cognizant of, demand quality from the medical sector or industry, and anticipates action and improvements to be undertaken when quality is not existent. There are very clear expectations and anticipations for improved health, improved efficiency and in overall improved quality. It is important for an Emergency Medical Services agency or organization to have programs and agendas in place that not only analyze, evaluate and assess the manner in which the organization and its employees are operating. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the aspect of quality improvement in Emergency Medical Services. The paper will take a look into the background of quality improvement and advancement in the emergency medical services sector.…

References

Angelini, K., Klein, S. (1989). The QA guarantee. Emergency, 20-23.

Bingaman, D. (1994). Continuous quality improvement in emergency service: what and why. Dallas: American College of Emergency Physicians.

El Sayed, M. J. (2011). Measuring quality in emergency medical services: a review of clinical performance indicators. Emergency medicine international.

Estepp, M., Crabtree, S. (1988). Quality assurance in EMS. Fire Command, 20-23.

Quality Management

The PIVOT Initiative at Midwest Bank - Part I - The MAIC Process

Finding the basic problem was easier said than done. As an example, initially, not much significance was attached to the errors caused by manual strapping. There was no evidence of a pattern until multitudes of graphical analyses were performed. The widely felt minor problems seemed more relevant initially and the course of investigation had to be overhauled completely.

Not much significance was given to quantify the different solutions proffered. Amongst the solution, the most capital intensive was that of procuring the strapping machine. A proper financial and works audit of the expenditure involved was warranted. The improper deposits accrued to the clients was also a point of contention and a feedback for the same from the clients was found wanting. Instances of double entries could be easily avoided by setting up a parallel, independent entry…

Work Cited

Andaleeb, S.S., & Conway, C. (2006). Customer satisfaction in the restaurant industry: An examination of the transaction-specific model. Journal of Services Marketing, 20(1), 3-11.

Bitner, M.J. (1990). Evaluating service encounters: the effect of physical surroundings and employee responses. Journal of Marketing, 54, April, 69-82.

Bolton, R.N., & Drew, J.H. (1991). A longitudinal analysis of the impact of service changes o customer attitudes. Journal of Marketing, 55 (January), 1-9.

Cronin, J.J., & Taylor, S.A. (1992).Measuring service quality: a re-examination and extension. Journal of Marketing, 56(3), 55-68.

The hotel and the LST core values are aligned in customer service and hospitality, meeting the customer needs as often as humanly possible. (LST websites)

Measurement and Feedback and Cultural Change (Yee Tsang & Antony 2001) measurement and feedback systems are currently lacking, other than in the nature of the fact that booking groups often return, though individuals not necessarily. (Mccarville 1993)

7 Essentials for Successful Leisure Programming

1. Establish programming priorities. LST has adequately developed a set of priorities regarding both what the consumer will see, as a cultural reflection and from an historical perspective. The company has also effectively developed a TQM approach to the development of programs that meet the consumer's expectations of a tour. Individualization and keeping the costs of such within the expectations of individuals and groups will be the key in the future.

2. Discover clients' needs. Client's needs discovery is currently produced by…

References

Dabrowska, K (2005) "The Lure of Libya: Weekend Breaks for Londoners in Libya? This Is Not a Desert Mirage but One of the Dreams Amelia Stewart Is Determined to Turn into Reality before Long." The Middle East, August/September, pp. 54.

"Establish Trade Links in Libya; IN ASSOCIATION WITH Rensburg Sheppards." (2006) Daily Post (Liverpool, England), September 20, p. 4.

Ford, N (2003) "Diversifying Success: Change Is Afoot in Libya Where Economic Growth Continues at a Healthy Rate." The Middle East, May, pp. 50.

"GADDAFI'S SECRET POMPEII. Caroline Hendrie Finds Roman Ruins in Libya to Match Italy's Finest - but Don't Tell a Soul, REVIEW." 2005. The Mail on Sunday (London, England), January 16, p. 94.

Quality

Supporting Policies for an Airline

In quality management, supporting policies is an essential aspect of quality strategies. Without the supporting policies, quality strategies may not function well. The adoption of supporting policies channels quality management techniques into action.

In an airline industry, ensuring that customers get the best service is perhaps the most important factor every airline management places its focus on. The response to this goal can be well demonstrated and delivered through effective policies that support quality strategies. One supporting policy that serves to be the most important is the dissemination of quality strategies to the diverse department of an airline company. The proper communication of quality techniques presents a first method of solution in quality management.

Some of the basic supporting policies relative to quality management an airline industry may implement are the following.

Strict implementation of airline strategies, including rules and regulations

Quality strategy is…

Furthermore, run charts can be quite labor intensive to produce, which means they may not be appropriate QC / QA tools for every it project scenario.

Control Chart: Used to grahically display resultive data gleaned from process analytics, a control chart is one of the primary it project management techniques used to ensure that the triple constraint of scope, schedule, and budget are strictly controlled throughout the duration of the project life. At the heart of QC / QA methodology lies the conviction that proper "quality planning identifies which quality standards are relevant to the project and how to satisfy them, (while) quality assurance involves evaluating overall project performance to ensure that the project will satisfy the relevant quality standards" (Schwalbe, 2011), and without the use of control charts to quantify and interpret process data, this crucial it project management task would border on the unfeasible. Control charts enable it…

References

Fotopoulos, C., & Psomas, E. (2009). The use of quality management tools and techniques in ISO 9001: 2000 certified companies: the Greek case. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 58(6), 564-580.

Liang, K. (2010). Aspects of Quality Tools on Total Quality Management. Modern Applied Science, 4(9), 66.

Schwalbe, K. (2011). Information technology project management. (6th ed.). Boston: Course Technology Ptr.

Managing and Improving Quality

Methodology for implementation of performance measurement

Information technology applications of Mayo Clinic

How benchmarks and milestones are involved in quality

Performance and quality measures are aligned to the Mayo Clinic's mission, vision, and strategic plan

Quality assurance and improvement is incorporated through various techniques. The organizations that is willing to invest in their growth and attain a satisfactory level of consumer satisfaction through quality improvement. The quality measures that are incorporated are also investigated and improved through various methodologies in performance measurement. Technology and learning are basic elements required to improve quality and performance measurement. The BSC model for performance measurement and quality improvement, benchmarking, balanced scorecard, and quality mile stones are discussed below. Mayo clinic is one of the progressive organization providing healthcare facilities to patients. The features of information security are identified as a sector for improvement in Mayo clinic.

Introduction:

Mayo clinic is…

References:

Berry, L. & Seltman, K. (2008). Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic: Inside One of the World's Most Admired Service Organizations. USA: McGraw Hill Professional.

Coers, M., Gardner, C., Raybourn, C., & Higgins, L. (2001). Benchmarking: A Guide for Your Journey to Best Practice Processes. USA: APQC.

Lighter, D.E., & Fair, D.C. (2000). Principles and Methods of Quality Management in Health Care. Maryland: Aspin Publishers Inc.

Olsen, L., Goolsby, W.A., McGinnis, J.M. (2009). Leadership Commitments to Improve Value in Health Care: Finding Common Ground. USA: National Academies Press.

U.S. Healthcare

[QUALITY]

To analyze and compare the U.S. healthcare, internationally, it is important to know what really constitutes a good health care system. The U.S. Institute of Medicine describes this quality as, "the degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge." This system, in its broad sense, should comprise of two main branches of preventative and curative medicine, both of which should cover different aspects of health, such as travel medicine, school health, occupational health, mental health, reproductive health and so on. Furthermore, a well established health care system does not act independently but in co-ordinance with other industries, such as the agricultural industry. Therefore, since a well developed nation has better access to proper sanitation, housing and adequate nutrition, it is more likely to have a better developed health care system. Other factors,…

References

Atrash, H.K., Alexander, S., & Breg, C. (1993, Feburary 05). Maternal mortality in developed countries: not just a concern of the past Obstetrics and Gynecology, 15(3), Retrieved from  http://www.inamay.com/?page_id=86 

Docteur, E. & Berenson, R.A. (2009, August). How does the quality of u.s. health care compare internationally?. Timely Analysis Of Health Policy Issues, Retrieved from  http://www.urban.org/uploadedpdf/411947_ushealthcare_quality.pdf 

Health care for all: a frameworkfor moving to a primary care-based health care system in the United States. (2011). American Academy Of Family Physicians, Retrieved from Kurt, H. (2008). A success story in american health care: eliminating infections and saving lives in michigan. Healthreform.gov

Mark A., S., McGlynn, E.A., & Brook, R.H. (1998). How good is the quality of health care in the United States? The Millibank Quarterly, 76(4), retrieved from  http://www.milbank.org/760401.html

Efforts should be made to meet these needs and strive harder to excess those expectations. Second principle is the proper leadership within an organization. Good leaders develop unity of purpose and direction of any organization, Leaders should make an effort to create such an environment within an organization that every member works hard to meet the goals. Third principle suggests the involvement of every member of an organization. Their abilities and full involvement will enable the organization to reach high. Fourth principle involves the activities and resource management as a process. Fifth principle says about the systematic approach to management which involves proper identification, management and understanding of interrelated processes for the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization. Sixth principle states that continuous improvement should be the primary objective. Seventh principle involves the proper decision-making which should be based on the collected data and information. Last principle is about the…

References

Anton, D. And Carole, a. (2006). ISO 9001 Survival Guide, Third Edition. AEM Consulting Group, Inc.

Cianfrani, C.A.; West, J.E. (2009). Cracking the Case of ISO 9001:2008 for Service: A Simple Guide to Implementing Quality Management to Service Organizations. Milwaukee: American Society for Quality.

Rose, K.H. (2005). Project Quality Management: Why, What and How. Fort Lauderdale, Florida: J. Ross Publishing.

Thareja, P. (2008). Total Quality Organization Thru' People, Each one is Capable. Foundry Publications.

Ensuring Quality Ensurance Measures
The Problem
The problem discussed within this document is the inconsistent levels of quality assurance reflected in the business models and practices of both Wal-Mart and Sprint. For the most part, each of these retailers evinces a culture in which quality assurance is prioritized. Nonetheless, there are a couple of salient instances in which each of them is remiss in their quality assurance measures. Wal-Mart, for example, has neglected some important components of the Juran philosophy (Kuei, 1998, p. 21)—the most noticeable of which is a dearth of managerial presence on its sales floor. There is a poignant similitude between this chain and Sprint’s chain; the managerial concerns of the latter are seemingly focused on profit margins as opposed to quality assurance. Sprint directs customers to 800 numbers instead of directly assuaging any issues; Wal-Mart is perpetually understaffed and regularly disorganized.
The Solution
The solution is…

In larger establishments, this would require specific focus on personnel management as well. Managers could, for example, be appointed in teams in order to ensure that personnel are managed effectively.

In the lodging industry, a secondary component of quality assurance is the products that customers receive in terms of accommodation and food. To ensure that quality is maintained in terms of these aspects, personnel should be trained to effectively and thoroughly clean rooms once they are vacated, and regularly throughout a client's stay. Towels, sheets, and bathroom equipment should be replenished on a regular basis. Personnel should be trained to do this as unobtrusively as possible, so that clients always feel that they receive excellent quality for the price that they pay.

The same is true of restaurant and room service food. The best kitchen personnel should be secured for the lodging industry, as food is often a major aspect…

Reference

NIST (2010, Feb 18). The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Improvement Act of 1987. Retrieved from:  http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/about/improvement_act.cfm

Managing Quality in Practice Settings: Six Sigma at Floyd Medical Center

By examining an organization's approach to establishing, measuring, and evaluating performance and outcomes, it is possible to develop a firmer grasp on how the quality control process functions in practice. To this end, this paper provides a review of the literature concerning quality management practices at Floyd Medical Center in ome, Georgia, followed by a summary of the research and important findings concerning these issues in the conclusion.

Meaning of "managing quality" and what it means at Floyd Medical Center

Managing quality at Floyd Medical Center is the responsibility of all staff members and the hospital's stated goal in this regard is to "provide excellent care while ensuring the comfort, privacy and safety of our patients and visitors"; the medical center adds that its healthcare teams are "dedicated to continually improving your experience by providing quality health care that…

References

Cohen, J. (2008, May). CHAP and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Nursing and Health Care

Perspectives, 21(3), 151.

Gowen, C.R., Stock, G.N. & McFadden, K.L. (2008). Simultaneous implementation of Six

Sigma and knowledge management in hospitals. International Journal of Production

CQI is often seen as more forward- or futures-based compared to TQM, which is more of a series of techniques and initiatives to unify an organization around a common theme of quality and performance to customers' expectations (Lonial, Menezes, Tarim, Tatoglu, Zaim, 2010).

Unique Contributions To Quality Each Provides

TQM is ideally used for enterprise-wide shifts in strategy to be more quality and customer-driven while CQI is more oriented toward a specific process or strategy area where statistical analysis can be used to define parameters and predict an outcome based on improving quality. Of the two, CQI can deliver more immediate impact within a healthcare organization as it defines a specific strategy within a given process area. TQM on the other hand is better for redefining an entire corporate culture and making it more quality-based (Talib, ahman, Azam, 2011).

Implications for the Quality of Health Care

CQI is best suited…

References

Lonial, S., Menezes, D., Tarim, M., Tatoglu, E., & Zaim, S.. (2010). An evaluation of SERVQUAL and patient loyalty in an emerging country context. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 21(8), 813.

Suchy, K.. (2010). A Lack of Standardization: The Basis for the Ethical Issues Surrounding Quality and Performance Reports. Journal of Healthcare Management, 55(4), 241-51.

Talib, F., Rahman, Z., & Azam, M.. (2011). Best Practices of Total Quality Management Implementation in Health Care Settings. Health Marketing Quarterly, 28(3), 232.

Mosad Zineldin, Hatice Camgoz-Akdag, & Valiantsina Vasicheva. (2011). Measuring, evaluating and improving hospital quality parameters/dimensions - an integrated healthcare quality approach. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 24(8), 654-662.

Total Quality Management (TQM) is the practice of continuously and thoroughly working on improving the proficiency and excellence of the product or service so that it exceeds customer expectations. TQM involves the involvement of anyone associated with the product / service - management, workforce, suppliers, and customers -- in order to ensure its continued excellence.

In its essence, TQM would be defined as a management approach to product excellence in order to achieve customer satisfaction.

Enterprise risk management (EM)

Enterprise risk management is the sector that deals with recognizing possible risks within the operation of the enterprise, assessing possibility and magnitude of these risks, controlling these risks, preventing other risks from occurring, and monitoring occurrence and reiteration of these partial risks.

Quality assurance

Quality assurance is the act of analyzing processes and monitoring operations to ensure that high quality standards are being met at all times. In contrast to 'quality…

References

Alexander, Carol and Sheedy, Elizabeth (2005). The Professional Risk Managers' Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Current Theory and Best Practices. PRMIA Publications

Brigitte J.C. Claessens, Wendelien van Eerde, Christel G. Rutte, Robert A. Roe, (2007) "A review of the time management literature," Personnel Review, Vol. 36 Iss: 2, pp.255 -- 276

Chron,.com. Advantages & Disadvantages of Total Quality Management Strategies

 http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-total-quality-management-strategies-22160.html

Political Interest in Quality Management of Higher Education in the UK and the U.S.A.: Case Assignment

A change is being witnessed in regional methods of approaching the association between development and higher education quality. A novel emphasis is being placed on quality of research, with organizational quality assurance being brought into some regions, whereas other areas are also seen increasing their share of students in postgraduate courses as a means for improving national &D quality. The idea that attaining formal education is the fundamental mechanism behind a number of citizenship features is essentially accepted (Skolnik, 2010). Consistently, education is shown to enhance political involvement, turnout at elections, political knowledge, democratic outlooks and attitudes, and civic involvement.

Political Involvement in Higher Education

United Kingdom

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for British higher education was founded in the year 1997, for rationalizing higher education's external QA existing till then. The agency is…

References

Childers, C., Williams, K., & Kemp, E. (2014). Emotions in the classroom: examining environmental factors and student satisfaction. Journal of Education for Business 89(1), 7-12.

Dill, D. D. (2014). Assuring Academic Standards in U.S. Higher Education: A Way Forward. Change Magazine, 46, 3, May/June 2014, pp.53-59.

Fulfors, A. (2013). Satisfaction, settlement and exposition: conversation and the university tutorial. Ethics and Education, 8(2), 114-122.

Gecer, A (2013). Lecturer-student communication in blended learning environments. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 13(1), 362-367.

Quality Standards

Data Quality Standards

This paper examines the different ways of assessing the quality of clinical trial data submitted for regulatory purposes compared to data submitted for academic publication.

esearchers and pharmaceutical firms do clinical trials for the purposes of collecting data and sharing with industry, scholars and regulators to help make policies and decisions about the efficacy/safety of illness, disease or preventative drugs being studied. To make sure that researchers are adhering to protocol and best practices in their investigations, sponsors of such studies often monitor these trials in one way or the other (Quality Management in Clinical Trials, n.d). The main objectives of monitoring are to guarantee patient safety and the integrity of the collected data. Monitoring could entail spontaneous visits during the study so as to check on the progress.

One of the most important documents in clinical trials is the CS (Clinical Study eport). This…

References

(n.d.). Pfizer: One of the world's premier biopharmaceutical companies. Quality Management in Clinical Trials. Retrieved February 17, 2016, from  http://www.pfizer.com/sites/default/files/research/research_clinical_trials 

Williams, E. (2007). Federation of American Scientists -. Clinical Trials Reporting and Publication. Retrieved February 17, 2016, from  http://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32832.pdf

So, there would be lesser availability of resources to help with environmental stewardship. Not only that, but there is no clear process in order to determine what to do as it pertains to this subject. Although the bulk of the standard allows for efficient communication and understanding with the company/organization, it has little clear instructions or details as it pertains to environmental stewardship, therefore limiting its use.

IV. ISO 14000

A. Historical background

The ISO 14000 series of environmental management standards is meant to aide organizations in management of the environmental effect of their business practices. The ISO 14000 series and ISO 9000 series are very similar with the ISO 9000 series being published in 1987. ISO or International Organization for Standardization was in charge of their publication and intended for ISO to encourage and become a viable platform for international trade and cooperation in various areas such as: commercial,…

References

Dash Inspectorate Pvt Ltd. (2013). ISO 14000 / ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard. Retrieved from  http://www.dashinspectorate.com/training-services/iso-certification-courses/iso-14000/ 

Dept of Trade and Industry (2007). Total Quality Management (TQM). Retrieved from  http://www.businessballs.com/dtiresources/total_quality_management_TQM.pdf 

Doganata, Y., & Curbera, F. (n.d.). Effect of Using Automated Auditing Tools on Detecting Compliance Failures in Unmanaged Processes. Retrieved from IBM TJ Watson Research Center website: http://www.doganata.us/papers/57010310.pdf

ISO 9000 Resources (2013). The 8 Basic principals of ISO 9001. Retrieved from  http://www.iso9000resources.com/ba/principals-iso-9001.cfm

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a term that refers to the process of continuously striving to improve quality assurance in an organization's operations, procedures, and results. A key component of this definition is the fact that TQM is essentially a program and not a project; it requires more than a one-time implementation and is a never-ending series of steps to constantly improve quality. This management approach was initially begat in the middle of the 20th century, and became popularized and virtually ubiquitous at its end and at the beginning of the 21st. Total Quality Management strives to get things right the first time they are attempted, and to be as efficient and as productive as possible in doing so.

The proper implementation of TQM encompasses various aspects of a company's culture, organization and attitude. It requires a fundamental concern for ethics and integrity, as well as a dedication to leadership…

References

Hackman, J.R., Wageman, R. (1995). "Total quality management: empirical, conceptual and practical issues." Administrative Science Quarterly. 40 (2): 309-342.

Houston, A. Dockstader, S.L. (No date). "Total quality leadership: a primer." TQLO Publication Number 97-02, Department of the Navy. Retrieved from  http://www.balancedscorecard.org/Portals/0/PDF/primer.pdf 

Jarrar, D., Qawsmi, T. (2008). "The reality of Total Quality Management in the Ministry of National ?Economy: Analytical study from the point-of-view? "of" ?administrators ?and beneficiaries." An-Najah University Journal for Research -- Humanities. 22 (4): 1099-1138.

Nasrullah, A.M. (2009). "Total Quality Management (TQM in Islam and the west: a comparative analysis." American Academic & Scholarly Research Journal. 1 (1): 38-49.

Business Case Quality for Athens Medical Center

A cost reduction, and high quality healthcare delivery are paramount to the values of a healthcare organization. Typically, a cost reduction is driven by operational quality, and clinical improvement leading to removal of harm, variation and waste. The objective of this paper is to present a business case to achieve quality improvement for Athens Medical Center to deliver optimal quality improve patients outcomes. Moreover, the business case develops the implementation plan to enhance the quality of healthcare delivery for our Medical Center. The implementation plan will focus on health education for diabetes patients. After 6 months of the plan implementation, the paper previews that 50% of diabetes patients who receive the health education will record a lower HA1C by 1 point. At least, 25% of the patients will be able to lower their HA1C by 2 points. (Homer et al., 2004, Swensen et…

References

Bailit, M., Dyer, M. B. (2004). Beyond bankable dollars: Establishing a business case for improving health care. The Commonwealth Fund.

Finkler, S. A., Jones, C. B., & Kovner, C. T. (2013). Financial management for nurses and executives (4th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Goudreau, K. A. & Smolenski, M. C. (2014). Health policy and advanced nursing practice. New York, NY: Springer.

Henriksen, K., Battles, J. B., Keyes, M. A., Grady, M. L., Hagg, H. W., Workman-Germann, J., ... & Doebbeling, B. N. (2008). Implementation of systems redesign: approaches to spread and sustain adoption.

After the change process has been developed a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) would need to be done. This analysis is done in order to project the likelihood that the process improvement plan will not fail. The interdisciplinary team for this entire process will consist of an emergency room physician, an N, an LPN, a clinical quality consultant, an H representative and an a patient safety advocate.

The process for conducting an FMEA is straightforward. A sturdy analysis can be obtained from interface matrices, boundary diagrams, and parameter diagrams. A lot of breakdowns are due to noise factors and shared interfaces with other parts or systems. In order to begin it is necessary to describe the system as a whole and its function. A good understanding simplifies further analysis. This way a person can see which uses of the system are desirable and which are not. It is imperative…

References

Crow, Kenneth. (2002). Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA). Retrieved March 25,

2010, from Web site:  http://www.npd-solutions.com/fmea.html 

Lewin's freeze phases. (2010). Retrieved March 25, 2010, from Changing Minds Web site:

 http://changingminds.org/disciplines/change_management/lewin_change/lewin_change.htm

Mass Health

Access, Cost, and Quality of the Massachusetts State Health Program: A Model for the Nation?

Few issues are as controversial or as pressing in terms of national policy than healthcare, which was and continues to be a prominent election issue and matter of public debate and scrutiny. Technological and pharmaceutical advancements and innovation have created a wealth of opportunities for improved quality of life and quality of care for many nations and individuals, but paying for this care -- and determining how much care should be paid for -- remains a complex and divisive issue throughout the developed world. Innovation is not cheap and neither is the use of many newer medical technologies, and aging populations that require greater levels and longer periods of care are also placing a strain on many healthcare systems.

The United States is one of the only developed nations that lacks an implemented…

References

Chen, C., Scheffler, G. & Chandra, A. (2011). Massachusetts' Health Care Reform and Emergency Department Utilization. New England Journal of Medicine 365: e25.

Gabel, J., Whitmore, H. & Pickreign, J. (2008). Report From Massachusetts: Employers Largely Support Health Care Reform, And Few Signs Of Crowd-Out Appear. Health Affairs 27(1): 13-23.

Heslop. K. (2010). How does U.S. healthcare compare to the rest of the world? Guardian. Accessed 15 October 2011.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/mar/22/us-healthcare-bill-rest-of-world-obama 

Maxwell, J., Cortes, D., Schneider, K., Graves, A. & Rosman, B. (2011). Massachusetts' Health Care Reform Increased Access To Care For Hispanics, But Disparities Remain. Health Affairs 30(8): 1451-60.

First, builders and developers could stop subbing out work to sub-contractors for the lowest bids. This may save some money, but in the long run it can affect quality and the overall consumer satisfaction with the builder. Accepting the lowest bid means the sub-is going to cut corners wherever they can to make their own profit, and that leads to poor quality and problems down the line. In addition, many subs hire pieceworkers to complete their jobs at the cheapest rate possible, and this leads to shoddy work completed on the fly, rather than quality work done right and with pride. Pieceworkers want to complete as many jobs as possible in the shortest amount of time, and this never leads to quality. For example, a finish carpenter is paid $100 to complete the trim in a condo unit. He or she does not work for three days, and then, in…

Conclusion

In short, data integration and data quality are not the same things, but they are very closely linked. Can a company have one without having the other? Yes, but to what benefit? If a company has high quality data in every aspect but does not use it for anything, the company is losing out. If a company is very serious about data integration but the data that they are using is low in quality, that company is also losing out. While these two areas are not technically the same, they must be used in concert with one another in order to assure the success of a company, both now and in the future. Often, integration takes place throughout a company but the quality of the data is not as good as would have been hoped for. People ignore problems with data, customers fail to correct discrepancies that they see…

Even in my current extracurricular activities, such as on my Varsity football team, sacrificing my need to be a 'star' and instead serve the common good is a necessity. Teaching the novice debaters is an integral part of my duties on my school's Lincoln-Douglas Debate team. I must help them see the world from competing perspectives, and to see issues in terms of grey, rather than stark black and white.

I am so thankful for the people in my life who have taught me this spirit of community: the people I met over the summer in Texas taught me what it means to be a good neighbor, the children and senior citizens I have befriended who have shown me that friendship knows no age or socioeconomic status. I have, despite the shortness of my life, tried to craft an open soul with few fences, with no barbed wire around my…

Quality Measurement Proposal

The focus of quality measurements is, generally, care processes or structures having an established relationship with positive healthcare outcomes, and being under the healthcare system's control. The technical definition of quality measures provided by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is: a mechanism for assigning quantity to care quality through comparison to some criterion. One can apply quality measures to the evaluation of managed care organizations, healthcare providers, health programs/plans, and hospitals (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012).

Healthcare quality measurement denotes a process of utilizing data for the purpose of performance assessment of healthcare professionals and health plans against accepted quality standards. There are many forms a quality measure may assume. These measures assess healthcare across the entire array of care settings, right from hospital systems to physician offices and imaging facilities (Families USA, 2014).

Measurement of healthcare quality is an essential…

Bibliography

Aligning Forces for Quality. (n.d.). The Case for Measuring Patient Experience of Care. Retrieved from Good for Health: Good for Business:  http://forces4quality.org/case-patient-experience 

Families USA. (2014). TheVoice for Health Care Consumers. Measuring Health care Quality: An Overview of Quality Measures. Retrieved from www.familiesusa.org

National Academies of Sciences. (1999). Measuring the Quality of Health Care. In Institute of Medicine. Washington DC: The National Academy Press. Retrieved from www.nap.edu/read/6418/chapter/2

US Department of Health and Human Services. (2012, September). Advancing Excellence in Health Care. Retrieved September 2012, from www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality/patient-safety/quality-resources/toolschtoolbox/understand

Quality Management

Improving Service Delivery and Knowledge Acquisition

Through Quality Management

Creating a solid foundation for continual improvement of a quality assurance program needs to take into account the customer-centric aspects of ISO 9001:2008, balancing them with the greater precision of quality objectives and measurement. As a graduate-level program is by nature longitudinal in scope encompassing many different experiences, the use of quality plan auditing and continual Corrective Action Preventative Action (CAPA) programs are essential. Only by incorporating the foundational elements of IS0 9001: 2008, quality plan auditing and CAPA can a graduate-level program stay aligned to quality requirements while also remaining agile enough to change with quality standards over time.

Triangulating a graduate-level curriculum to these objectives of fidelity to ISO standards while remaining agile enough to change with industry requirements is exemplified in the presentation given by Milton Krivokuca DBA titled Quality and Effectiveness Assessment in Higher Education.…

Service Quality of Singapore Airline

The focus of this work in writing is the examination of the SERVQUAL model as it applies to a case study of Singapore Airlines in regards to service quality and the application of a conceptual model of service quality. This study will additionally explain the gap in service quality between firm and customer.

The work of Prayag and Dookhony-Ramphul (2010) report that the SERVQUAL model "is still the most widely used scale for measuring service quality. The SERVQUAL scale has been applied to airlines, hotels, financial services, health care, and the public sector." (p.3) uttle (1995) reports that SERVQUAL makes provision of a technology "for measuring and managing service quality (SQ). Since 1985, when the technology was first published, its innovators Parasuraman, Zeithaml and erry, have further developed, promulgated and promoted the technology through a series of publications." (p.8) It is reported that the AI/Inform…

Bibliography

Buttle, F. (1995) SERVQUAL: Review, Critique, Research Agenda. European Journal of Marketing 30,1. Oct 1994.

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. And Berry, L.L. (1985), "A conceptual model of service quality and its implication," Journal of Marketing, Vol. 49, Fall, pp. 41-50.

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. And Berry, L.L. (1986), "SERVQUAL: a multiple-item scale for measuring customer perceptions of service quality," Report No. 86-108, Marketing Science Institute, Cambridge, MA.

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. And Berry, L.L. (1988), "SERVQUAL: a multi-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of the service quality," Journal of Retailing, Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 12-40.

Application Quality Improvement Models Organizations Systems, Part I Analysis equired esources eadings Course Text: Applying Quality Management HealthCare: A Systems Approach eview Chapter 9, "Improving Processes Implementing

oot cause analysis

According to Nicolini (2011)

the first step in CA is identifying the incident to be analyzed. This step requires for the problem or incident to be clearly defined and identified. Identifying the problem will assist in determining what caused the incident and how the incident occurred. In the case study, the mother requested for pain medication, and this was within her right. The nurse performed the request, and it was approved by the pharmacist, but the incident occurred when the nurse did not check the IV line correctly. The nurse confused the infants IV line with the mothers, which resulted in the infant been administered with Morphine. This should be an indicator, and it should be recorded as a fact.…

References

Brown, J.E., Smith, N., & Sherfy, B.R. (2011). Decreasing mislabeled laboratory specimens using barcode technology and bedside printers. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 26(1), 13-21.

Brunner, L.S., & Suddarth, D.S. (1986). The Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania J.B. Lippincott Company.

Cooper, M.R., Duquette, C.E., McWilliams, T., Orsini, M., & Klein, A.A. (2009). The unintended consequences of being friendly: A case study. Journal for Healthcare Quality: Promoting Excellence in Healthcare, 31(5), 43-47.

Nicolini, D., Waring, J., & Mengis, J. (2011). Policy and practice in the use of root cause analysis to investigate clinical adverse events: Mind the gap. Social Science & Medicine, 73(2), 217-225.

Service Quality esearch

The research discussed in this paper is based on the application of the SEVQUAL model to the restaurant sector of the hospitality service industry. The SEVQUAL model was developed in 1985 and has been refined since for use in the service industry. In contrast to goods, service quality has been difficult to measure because of the intangibility, variability and heterogeneity of the service. Moreover, the service quality depends on the interaction between service provider and consumer. The SEVQUAL model was developed to overcome these limitations. The research articles discussed in the following sections were all conducted to apply the model in the restaurant sector to evaluate the service quality of various kinds of restaurants.

In addition to the SEVQUAL model, another useful model is the DINESEV model which has also been used by a couple of the researches discussed in this paper. The researches discussed in this…

References

Chow, I.H., Lau, V.P., Lo, T.W., Sha, Z., & Yun, H. (2007). Service quality in restaurant operations in China: Decision- and experiential-oriented perspectives. Hospitality management, Vol. 26, pp. 698-710. Accessed from www.sciencedirect.com

Fitzsimmons, J.A., & Fitzsimmons, M.J. (2006). Service management. 5th ed. Tata McGraw-Hill.

Fu, Y., & Parks, S.C. (2001). The relationship between restaurant service quality and cnsumer loyalty among the elderly. Journal of hospitality tourism research, Vol. 25, pp. 320-336. doi: 10.1177/109634800102500306.

Grigoroudis, E., & Siskos, Y. (2009). Customre satisfaction evaluation: Methods for measuring and implementing service quality. Springer Publications.

Also, ratings of performance on a questionnaire can be highly subjective, and one person's rating of 'excellent' may be another person's 'acceptable.'

How can Sam maximize the response rate to the survey?

Personalizing the submitting responses is essential -- sending follow-up emails to individuals who do not respond is a good idea as is electronically 'thanking' those who do submit a response. The latter practice will ensure that responders will continue to respond to such surveys in the future. Also, if at all possible, having a small prize for a randomly selected questionnaire, such as a gift certificate, will likely improve the response rate.

The extracts of Sam's questionnaire you have seen do not include any of the amendments suggested by her pilot test. What amendments to these questions do you think Sam made after the pilot testing?

The extract measured the gap between expected service and actual service. Describing…

Supplier Service Quality

THE IMPORTNCE OF SUPPLIER SERVICE QULITY

Suppliers are an integral part of the value chain as they provide the raw materials, components and parts that are needed to manufacture a finished product. Their strategic value in the value chain has traditionally been obscured because of lower visibility and poor specialization and integration among suppliers. Firms have traditionally put increasing pressure on suppliers to offer supplies at lower prices, frequently switching over to competing suppliers, thereby leading to the erosion of loyalty in the supplies market. On the other hand, newer approaches to supplier-buyer relationships have shed light on the impact of strategic supplier-buyer relationships on reduced time-to-market and enhanced quality for manufacturing firms.

The Role of Supplier Service to Business Success

With the development of a globalized economy that has made national and geographic boundaries irrelevant for competition, the importance of strategic supplier-buyer relationships has become recognized.…

Ad Straub, "Competence of Maintenance Service Suppliers Servicing End-Consumers," Construction Management & Economics, 28, no. 11 (2010): 1187-1195, 10.1080/01446193.2010.500672. (accessed August 20, 2012).

Ram Narasimhan, Sriram Narayanan, and Ravi Srinivasan, "Explicating the Mediating Role of Integrative Supply Management Practices in Strategic Outsourcing: A Case Study Analysis," International Journal of Production Research, 48, no. 2 (2010): 379-404, 10.1080/00207540903174916. (accessed August 20, 2012).

Fred Morgan, "Product liability obligations of component parts suppliers: JPP&M JPP&M JM & PP," Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 18, no. 2 (1999): 189-96.

Management and Control of Quality

The HMO pharmacy crisis

One has to understand the role played by the science of statistics in managerial decision-making. It is vital that managers think statistically in order for them to understand the processes, which would offer the context to determine variation effects and proper managerial actions. Looking at work as a process, a manager can apply the tools of statistics to identify consistent, predictable processes. Armed with such information or knowledge they would be able to study and improve upon the processes. Variation does occur everywhere, but many business decisions fail to account for variation. It is vital that one understand the variation nature for them to concentrate on reducing variation.

Dover was able to pick up some solid statistical thinking when he attended the "Statistical Thinking for Continuous Improvement" course offered to all employees of the organization. From the course, he also received…

References

Gomez, M., Oliete, B., Rosell, C.M., Pando, V., & Fernandez, E. (2008). Studies on cake quality made of wheat -- chickpea flour blends. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 41(9), 1701-1709.

Morrow, C., Moore, D., & Lockner, D. (2000). The effect of mineral bond strength and adsorbed water on fault gouge frictional strength. Geophysical Research Letters, 27(6), 815-818.

Quality Management System and Continuous Improvement

Six Sigma Strategy for Continuous Improvement

Implementing Six Sigma

Lean Strategy for Continuous Improvement

Lean and Sig Sigma Interrelated

Industrial application of lean / six sigma

Lean / Six Sigma in Service Industry

Lean / Six Sigma in Manufacturing Industry

Lean / Six Sigma in Construction Industry

Lean / Six Sigma in Mining Industry

Effectiveness of the Lean / Six Sigma in the Industry

Population and Sampling

In the business management strategy, quality plays a major role for global organizations that seeks market competitive position through achieving customer satisfaction more successfully, advancing on internal business processes and reducing cost. The process of globalization is shrinking the market place, creating new avenues for business and confronting them with more challenges and international competition. Under such scenario customer expectations are growing as they can find variety and easy substitute of product and service whereas the products…

References

Antony, J, & Banuelas, R. (2002). Key ingredients for the effective implementation of six sigma program. Measuring Business Excellence, 6(4), 20-27.

Antony, J. (2004). Some pros and cons of six sigma: an academic perspective. The TQM Magazine, 16(4), 303-306.

Bernett, R, & Nentl, N. (2010).Opinions and Expectations about Continuous Improvement Programs. Journal for Quality & Participation, 32(4), 35-38.

Berwick, D. (1989). Continuous improvement as an ideal in health care. The New England Journal of Medicine, 320(1), 53-56.

Mayo Qi

Mayo Clinic Quality Improvement (QI) Plan

The Quality Improvement Plan laid out here centers on the Mayo Clinic. The healthcare system has an international reputation for providing patient-focused and cooperative medical care for individuals suffering from the most severe illnesses. In addition to maintaining a highly collaborative atmosphere within which physicians, nurses and practitioners work together to resolve medical challenges, the Mayo Clinic is renowned for its innovations in the areas of service delivery and positive treatment outcomes. This is why the focus of a discussion on Quality Improvement has less to do with improving the Mayo Clinic itself than with demonstrating ways of replicating its successes in other healthcare systems.

Goals/Objectives:

The goal that drives the Mayo Clinic is drawn from a patient-centered treatment philosophy. The Mayo Clinic strives to incorporate its patients in the process of achieving desired treatment outcomes. The clinic uses feedback from patients…

Works Cited:

Mayo Clinic. (2012). Helping Fix the Broken Health Care System. Mayo.edu.

Mueller, P.S. (2009). Incorporating professionalism into medical education: the Mayo Clinic experience. The Keio journal of medicine, 58(3), 133-143.

Business

Manufacturing Business

Owning a business can be difficult and challenging, but can also be highly rewarding. This paper will address a manufacturing business that will employ a minimum of 20 people. When a person has employees, how he or she operates the business changes drastically as compared to a business where the owner is the only "employee." With that in mind, it is vital to be aware of the issues the business will face and how those issues should be handled in order to allow the business to grow and prosper. The first thing that needs to be done is to create a good strategy by which the business will operate. That will be addressed in the following pages, along with how the strategy impacts the process selection and product design. Additionally, supply chain management and total quality management will also both be discussed, along with just-in-time manufacturing and…

References

Cooper, M.C., Lambert, D.M., & Pagh, J. (1997) Supply chain management: More than a new name for logistics. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 8(1): 1 -- 14

Cua, K.O., K.E. McKone, K.E., & Schroeder, RG. (2001). Relationships between implementation of TQM, JIT, and TPM and manufacturing performance. Journal of Operations Management, 19(6) 675-694.

Hines, T. (2004). Supply chain strategies: Customer driven and customer focused. Oxford: Elsevier.

Hirano, H. & Makota, F. (2006), JIT Is flow: Practice and principles of lean manufacturing. New York: PCS Press, Inc.