The products that the company produces must meet certain characteristics and quality standards, otherwise the company will not survive in the market. Moreover, the goods must possess these qualities not only at the moment when the products leave the conveyor: the required properties must not disappear during the storage and transportation of goods. Naturally, they must be preserved even when the products are used by the end user.
What is quality and how can you manage it?
For each specific type of product, the state and international organizations establish their own quality standards. This is the minimum level that goods must meet in order for them to be admitted to the market. Of course, an enterprise, in an effort to better meet the expectations of potential customers, may place higher demands on its products and set higher standards. The set of measures that the company's management takes to ensure that the products comply with the established standards is called quality management.
The quality management process is complex and multidimensional. It involves all employees of the company, from top managers to ordinary employees. Naturally, the leading role in this process belongs to the top management, because it is they who develop the strategy and tactics of the organization, are engaged in setting goals, etc. It is the top management that develops solutions aimed at improving the quality of goods, and monitors their implementation at all stages of the product life cycle.
However, without the high motivation of each employee, the company cannot expect to produce truly high-quality products. Therefore, each enterprise seeks to involve its employees as much as possible in the work process for the fullest realization of their intellectual, creative and other capabilities.
Quality management mechanism
The quality management process does not begin in the production floor. First, the relevant structures of the enterprise (as a rule, this is the marketing department) study the state of the market and make a forecast of its needs. Based on the information received, the relevant specialists are engaged in the development and launch of new products, and also constantly improve the existing range of products and services.
The quality of the finished product directly depends on the raw materials and technical characteristics of the equipment, as well as on the qualifications of the employees. Therefore, the enterprise should pay close attention to working with suppliers, material support of production, and regularly re-certify employees.
Directly in the production process, the relevant divisions of the company monitor the conformity of the quality of manufactured goods to the planned standards: products are tested, and production defects are detected and prevented.
At all stages of production, there is constant internal reporting on the quality of the goods produced. Based on these reports, the company's management provides legal, informational, logistical and financial support to ensure the planned quality of products.
Quality Management Standards
Quality assurance is described in the ISO 9000: 2005 series of standards. This document was developed by the International Organization for Standardization based on the principles of total quality. ISO standards do not specifically describe the quality of products and do not constitute a guarantee. The purpose of the document is to help the manufacturer standardize the management system through internal audit, corrective actions, and a process approach to production management. In Russia, there are national versions of ISO standards developed by the Russian Scientific Research Institute for Certification.
In accordance with ISO requirements, the enterprise in its work must be customer-oriented and the maximum satisfaction of his needs and expectations. The most important principle of quality management is a process approach, which implies management of the very process of creating goods and services, and not just finished products. At the same time, it is important to use a systematic approach, because production consists of various stages, stages, elements that add up to a complex dynamic system. The greatest efficiency in the quality management process is achieved precisely in the case of a systematic view of production processes.
