CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS
Importance of Continual Quality Improvement |
Management's Role in Continual Improvement |
Continual improvement is success in the global marketplace. Competing in the global marketplace needs that all processes be continually improvement. This is because customer needs are not static; they change continually and as such, a competitive organization must innovate and strive for quality improvement.
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Management's role in continual improvement is leadership. Executive-level managers must be involved personally and extensively. The responsibility for continual improvement cannot be delegated.
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Kaizen Approach
Kaizen is the name given by the Japanese to the concept of continual improvement. It is a broad concept that encompasses all of the many strategies for achieving continual improvement and entails the following five elements: straighten up, put things in order, clean up, standardize, and discipline. Two important Kaizen tools are "Five W's and One H," and the "Five M Checklist." |
Lean System
It is a concept that targets reduction of waste. It focuses on doing it better while using less and wasting less. The service provided from a Lean organization results in competitive quality.
Lean Six-Sigma and its application to a Quality Management System
The objective of Lean Six-Sigma is to make the organization superior in its day-to-day work and processes, its products and services, and its business results. Applying Six sigma in a Quality Management System can bring significant performance gains to the company by improving processes, products, services, employees, customer satisfaction, and the business vision and motto. |
Benchmarking |
How to apply benchmarking data |
It is a widely accepted mean of improving company performance. It is the process of comparing and measuring an organization's operations or its internal processes against those of a best-in-class performer from inside or outside its industry. Benchmarking is finding the secrets of success of any given function or process so that a company can learn from the information-and improve on it.
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Benchmarking data is Information collected from industry sources to determine how other firms (especially the best in class ones) achieve their high levels of performance.
To apply benchamarking data the team should have already agreed to discuss a specific process(es). Observe, collect, and document everything about the partner's processes. the team should also make sure to understand a partners's processes to apply them back home. With this data in hand, the team must analyze them thoroughly in comparison with the data taken fro its own process. After this, the team will be able to establish and identify if the partners' process is superior to theirs and how it can be implemented in their company. |
Just-In-Time System
It is a management philosophy that seeks to eliminate all forms of waste in manufacturing processes and their support activities. JIT/Lean permits the production of only what s needed, only when is needed, and only in the quantity needed. This term must apply not only to manufacturers but also to suppliers if the system is to eliminate all possible waste. |
The Benefits of JIT/Lean
Automation System Ideas for JIT/Lean
Automation and JIT/Lean are mutually exclusive.