Quality management: The new challenges

This paper puts forward the argument that there are two kinds of quality management - 'old' or classical quality management and 'new' quality management. The aim of classical quality management was to analyse errors and eliminate their causes and associated variation by improved product and process design. In recent times a number of major changes have taken place resulting in increased volatility in key areas of a business, which 'old' quality management has difficulty in addressing. These changes are being driven by competitive pressure, the need for improved results from the financial market and increasing shrinkage of buying points. This has lead to pressure on prices, performance and innovation and the need for increased flexibility, agility and economics of scale, with a concentration on core competencies within the business. This situation demands a 'new' form of quality management. The paper examines the main problems caused by these changes in terms of improved longer term relationships, softer influences on customer satisfaction, growing importance of software, and closer cooperation between internal functions and externally between supply chain partners.

• View at Publisher
• View at Scopus
• View at Web of Science