Throughout the management literat ure , as elegantly trumpeted by management consultants and gurus, there seems to be a common message: tor a firm to be competitive it must produce quality goods or services. This means that firms, to remain competitive, must at the same time produce at the least cost possible to be price competitive and deli ver high quality products and services. As a result, quality has become strategie overnight, involving all, both in and out of the firm, in the management of its interfaces with clients and the environment. To give quality, suppliers, buyers, operations and marketing managers, as weIl as corporate management must become aware of the mutual relationships and inter-dependencies to which they are subjected, so that they will be able to function as a coherent whole. This involves human relations and people problems, organizational design issues, engineering design options, monitoring and control approaches and, most of all , a managerial philosophy that can integrate, monitor and eontrol the multiple elements which render the firm a viable quality producing and profitable whole. To realize the benefits of quality it is imperative that we design products to be compatible with market needs, market structure, eompetition and, of course, that we are constantly aware and abreast of consumers' tastes and the manufacturing technologies that are continuously emerging.

Quality management (QM) practices are the basis for the successful implementation and maintenance of any QM system. Quality control (QC) is identified as a QM component. Therefore, QM effectiveness is dependent on the QC strategy. QC practice is more or less complex depending on the type of production. The book is focused on new trends and developments in QM and QC in several types of industries from a worldwide perspective. Its content has been organized into two sections and seven chapters written by well-recognized researchers worldwide. Several approaches are debated based on sample traceability, analytical method validation, required parameters, class of exponential regression-type estimators of the population means, determination of impurities, viewpoints, and case studies.

There is a narrow view of control which is about delivering projects in accordance with their plans, using disciplines like earned value and risk management already championed by APM. That view is about doing projects right. This Introduction to Project Control offers a wider perspective, which includes doing the right projects. It involves integrating all the disciplines of project management.

Quality Management in Plastics Processing provides a structured approach to the techniques of quality management, also covering topics of relevance to plastics processors. The book's focus isn't just on implementation of formal quality systems, such as ISO 9001, but about real world, practical guidance in establishing good quality management. Ultimately, improved quality management delivers better products, higher customer satisfaction, increased sales, and reduced operation costs. The book helps practitioners who are wondering how to begin implementing quality management techniques in their business focus on key management and technical issues, including raw materials, processing, and operations. It is a roadmap for all company operations, from people, product design, sales/marketing, and production – all of which are impacted by, and involved in, the implementation of an effective quality management system. Readers in the plastics processing industry will find this comprehensive book to be a valuable resource. - Helps readers deliver better products, higher customer satisfaction, and increased profits with easily applicable guidance for the plastics industry - Provides engineers and technical personnel with the tools they need to start a process of continuous improvement in their company - Presents practical guidance to help plastics processing companies organize, stimulate, and complete effective quality improvement projects

Now, Toyota's top quality control expert shows managers in any business how to improve quality and cut costs using his management techniques. Used successfully by companies worldwide--these techniques have already been proven to increase productivity and dramatically improve quality in administrative, marketing, service and technology-related functions, as well as on the manufacturing floor.

Mastering Project Time Management, Cost Control, and Quality Management gives managers powerful insights and tools for addressing the "Triple Constraints" that define virtually every project: time, cost, and quality. This book is part of a new series of seven cutting-edge project management guides for both working practitioners and students. Like all books in this series, it offers deep practical insight into the successful design, management, and control of complex modern projects. Using real case studies and proven applications, expert authors show how multiple functions and disciplines can and must be integrated to achieve a successful outcome. Individually, these books focus on realistic, actionable solutions, not theory. Together, they provide comprehensive guidance for working project managers at all levels, including highly-complex enterprise environments. These books also provide indispensable knowledge for anyone pursuing PMI/PMBOK or PRINCE2 certification, or other accreditation in the field.

We are in what many call “The Age of the Customer.” Customers are empowered more than ever before and demand a high level of customer attention and service. Their increasing expectations and demands worldwide have forced organizations to transform themselves and prepare for the customer experience (CX) battlefield. This landmark book addresses: What customer experience really means Why it matters Whether it has any substantial business impact What your organization can do to deliver and sustain your CX efforts, and How we got to this particular point in CX history This book is the result of exhaustive research conducted to incorporate various components that affect customer experience. Based on the research results, the authors make a case for seeing CX and associated transformations as the next natural evolution of the quality management system (QMS) already in place in most companies. Using an existing QMS as the foundation for CX not only creates a more sustainable platform, but it allows for a faster and more cost effective way to enable an organization to attain world-class CX.