International Journal for Quality Research

8

Authors: Ipek Deveci Kocakoc, Aysun Kapucugil Ikiz, Emre Goktep

The EFQM Excellence Model is a framework that helps organizations to achieve competitive advantage by measuring where they are on their path to excellence. However, it does not tell the o rganization what to do or how it should manage any of these areas. In this study, we suggest a structure to overcome this gap. We present a method, matrix reflections, to find a tool set that can be used for designing improvement approaches in order to rea ch desired results.

10

Authors: Milos Jelic

As organizations have become more complex and sophisticated to meet future demands, the reliance on audit results as a ground for proper decision - making is amplified. It is usually believed that ordinary moral sensibility, along with good example of more experienced colleagues, will be sufficient to safeguard ethical side of the business. H owever, the evaluation on audit quality is a rather difficult to conduct because researchers are not in position to monitor in vivo how an audit is carried out. Therefore, the influence of audit team competence becomes crucial to judge about quality audit results. Auditor technical skills are important and they can be measured and tracked. On the other hand, personal ethical skills remain mainly hidden although their influence may bias quality audit results. The paper deals with various aspects of influence s that may jeopardize objectivity of quality audit results, including the relations between the team leader and the team member whose joint performance may also generate adverse effects on final audit result.

12

Authors: Goutam Kundu, B. Murali Manohar

Many studies have been done to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) in for successful lean implementation in the manufacturing firms. But, till date, no systematic study has been done to identify the CSFs from the perspective of lean implementation in IT support service sector. This paper aims to address this area. A detailed literature review was undertaken to identify CSFs for lean implementation in manufacturing and services context and to consider their applicability to the IT support services sector. This paper is based on a conceptual discussion of CSFs as applied to the IT support services sector. The authors proposed a set of CSFs which is believed to be suitable for IT support service enterpri ses. The relevance of CSFs will need to be tested and qualitative research is needed to inform further work. The proposed CSFs are aimed at being useful to IT support services sector as a guideline, so as to ensure a positive outcome of the lean implementa tion process in IT support services sector.

12

Authors: Juan José Tarí, Inaki Heras-Saizarbitoria

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of the European Foundation for Quality Management model self - assessment process and its effects on performance in a private manufacturing firm. A case study is used, considering the analysis of primary and secondary data. This paper explains the self - assessment process using a workshop approach, and identifies benefits, difficult ies and success factors. It also shows that self - assessment has partly improved performance and the attitudes and behaviour of management and employees, reinforcing the firm's competitiveness. The contribution of this paper is to provide lessons for manage rs of other organisations to learn from.

16

Authors: Shahab Alam Malik, Arslan Mushtaq, Kanwal Naseem, Shujah Alam Malik

This study examines the relationship among service quality, customer satisfaction and behavioral responses across public and private banks in Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted and data was gathered from 437 customers of public and private sector banks located in Islamabad city, the Capital of Pakistan. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted to measure frequency, ranking of services, and correlation and multiple regression analyses. Findings of this study revealed that service quality is a significant determinant of customer satisfaction across public and private sector banks. However different dimensions of service quality were found significant in both public and private sector banks. Customer satisfaction has a positive impact on propensity to recommend whereas no significant relationship is found between customer satisfaction and switching intention. The study is unique in its finding and provides insightful thoughts for determinants of favourable customer's responses across public and private sector banks of Pakistan.

6

Authors: Bulent Eker

Today, engineering has become a disciplined field. The demand in food products caused the agricultural engineers to consider the matter in a different way. This consideration led the engineer to resolve the biological issues together with electronic and information disciplines and also advanced con trol, advanced technological materials and developed sensor systems. The subject has persuaded them to design solutions for problems related with living things and their environment. Bio - system engineering which has been developed for this purpose has beco me the application of technical knowledge aiming to fulfill the human requirements. The pursuit of bio - system engineering discipline are automation, new developed technologies, information technologies and human interaction, sensitive agriculture techniqu es, power and work machines, product technologies after harvest, structures and relation with environment, animal production technology, soil and water sources, rural development and planning. Bio - system engineering which covers such a wide area should re ach the solution by using its system engineering feature first and then determine the process parameters of the subjects that it resolves. Therefore it has to attribute the reason - result relation in every stage to quality parameters. Therefore, in this a nnouncement, the quality issues necessary for explaining the subjects dealt in bio - system engineering basis are examined one by one and solution models are created depending on these issues.

7

Authors: Dragana Milin, Slobodan Moraca, Nikola Radakovic, Sabahudin Jasarevic, Miodrag Hadzistevic

Project Management Office (PMO) is an organizational unit established to help project managers, project teams and the various levels of management in carrying out the principles of project management. The research was carried out in Serbia, in 2011, with the aim to establish which methodologies and techniques are used for project m anagement, and which of them are used the most frequently. Furthermore, the need for establishment of PMOs in Serbia is discussed. These offices should help in establishing a standardized methodology (at the organization level) and thus overcome the obviou s poor use of any project management methodology at all.

11

Authors: Kunal Ganguly

This project aims to address the problems that are facing a large aluminum company in a) Developing Hot Rolling Mill Capabilities for Wider Widths Hard Alloys Rolling and b) Eliminate down time due to strip /coil slippage during hard alloys 5xxx rolling at Hot Mill. The challenge for the company was to cater the fast changing export demand for Flat Rolled products with its existing resources. By applying Six Sigma principles, the team identified the current situation that the rolling mills operations were in. Si x Sigma DMAIC methodologies were use d in the project to determine the project's CTQ characteristics, defining the possible causes, Identifying the variation sources, establishing variable relationships and Implementing Control Plans. The project can be useful for any company that needs to fi nd the most cost efficient way to improve and utilize its resources.

12

Authors: Srdjan Nikezic, Sveto Puric, Jelena Puric

The success and rewarding are mostly expressed in business performance at the end of the year. Transactional and transformational leadership as a new paradigm of quality effects on creation of roles and processes in the organizat ion. From the leaders are expected to use leadership as a process of ensuring the long - term goals of the organization, especially in turbulent competitive environment. Therefore, this paper points out the impact of leadership competencies through transactional and trans formational leadership, characteristics and processes that show different levels of participation of transformation and transactional leadership of organizations.

14

Authors: Ashwini Sharma, Dixit Garg, Ashish Agarwal

S upply chain management is used by most of the organizations worldwide, therefore the large number of studies has been done to explore this field. Moreover, its interlinking with the quality management perspective is still very limited. It is worth mentioning here that, in the present compe titive world, the dynamics of market does not allow any deviation in quality of end product. Therefore, the importance of quality management is universally espoused by the researchers and practicing managers working in this area. It has been found by the a uthors that the focused approaches in evaluating quality management issues within inter and intra organization supply chain contexts are indispensable. During review of the open literature available in this area, the authors investigated that in present sc enario there are number of quality related issues (either at the suppliers end or at manufacturers end) in supply chain management which needs immediate attention of the researchers. In this context the quality of supply chain itself can provide a path bre aking solution at different levels of supply chain management. Moreover, this concept may be applied to address the problems such a s product recall, d elay in delivery of products etc. regardless of type of industry. In this paper, the authors have reported intensive studies based on the work carried out by various researchers in the area of supply chain management. Further , an attempt has also been made to identify conceptual interlinking between S upply chain management and Quality management through litera ture review.

17

Authors: Pradip P. Patil, B. E. Narkhede, M. M. Akarte

This paper presents finding of a survey on manufacturing strategy implementation (MSI) adopted by the Indian packaging product manufacturing companies (IPPMC). Though the companies differ in terms of prod uct types (shape, method, content and material of packaging), conversion system, sales volume and sophistication of machinery used, they share common purpose that are used for packaging the product s . With growth in demand for consumer products, packaging f orms basis of differentiating products from competitors. The survey shows emphasis on implementation of manufacturing strategy, key decision areas, identifies competitive priorities, order winners. To get insight, three companies are selected for detailed case studies.

4

Authors: Arvind Chopra, Dixit Garg

Quality cost system has the potential to become an excellent tool in the overall management of a business. It can provide an indication of the health of management performance in many areas of a company. The implementation of quality costing can produce significant benefits. However, Cost of quality tracking was not as widespread as some would believe. Companies which failed to use significant opportunities to reduce their costs of quality lost money. A survey of north Indian industries was conducted to find out various cost of quality practices followed by them.

6

Authors: C.S.Chethan Kumar, NVR Naidu

The garment industries are labour intensive and are subjected to pollution in terms of dust and dyes. This is causing allergy and other huge amount health related issues. As employees are focused on stitching operations they tend to get injured when there is a lapse in attention. In India, garment industries are generally dominated by female workforce. There is a disparity in the male to female ratio. Most of the managers and supervisors are male and there is an increasing case of harassment towards the female workforce. Added to these conditions, the labour laws are no strict to protect the employees in terms of working conditions, job security and proper salaries. As a result there is an increase in employee absenteeism which is hurting the overall company growth and resulting in targets not being met. This research work is implemented in Apple garment industry located in South India.Absenteeism in garment industry is rampant and reaching alarming proportions. According to industry reports, if absenteeism is more than 10% , then the assembly line will be affected in terms of productivity.The majority of the garment industries in India are facing productivity problems due to employee absenteeism. The results after implementing the lean six sigma methodology in Apple garments is positive and a trend setter for other garment industries to follow. The existing absenteeism of 11.05% is a true reflection of the state of affairs in the garment sector. This research work has shown that absenteeism can be really controlled with the involvement of management.

6

Authors: Mohaddeseh Mojtahedzadeh, Rouhollah Mojtahedzadeh

This study wants to investigate the role of English Language Teaching and Learning in Iran. This study also wants to investigate the effect of the relationship between the language learning strategies of the students and language teaching strategies of teachers on the academic achievement of the students. The importance of English as a world language, the advance of technology and education reform envisaged by the new Constitution are key determinants for new developments for English language teaching and learning in Iran in this decade. This paper will first focus on the role of English and the problems of English language teaching in Iran. It will also touch on the part of education reform which is related to English language teaching. Then, it will state what has been planned or already done to improve the English language teaching and learning situation in Iran, now and in the future.

7

Authors: Elizabeta Mitreva

The education of the employees in each instance of company comes with the purpose to gain competences and experience in order to realize every business process in accordance with the requests of the products/ services, legal obligation and competitiveness criteria, as well as with the appointing of the employees requests, and all that with the intention to achieve quality where it is necessary to involve everyone in their own field. In this paper the following inputs are being given in order to get a clear picture if Macedonian companies are keen on to learning and stimulating the individual and collective learning as to improve the results in general. According to the given results in the research, it is stated that Macedonian companies do not care about the quality, insufficiently pay attention to the continuous education, make small investments in the innovations and over all, the quality system is built in a very small number of companies. In this paper the following model for a successful designing and implementing of the educational system as a subsystem of the house of quality is suggested. This methodology is integral and universal meaning it is applicable to all companies and institutions. Without a given training about TQM (Total Quality Management) philosophy and a continued education provided firstly to the managers and further on to all the employees, the TQM strategy could not be implemented as well as the benefits that come with the quality system.

7

Authors: Michael Anthony Arnold Cox

The cumulative sum (CUSUM) chart is widely employed in quality control. These charts are designed to exhibit acceptable average run lengths (ARL) both when the process is in and out of control. For such a chart, for specified ARLs, this paper introduces a technique employing a simple linear approximation for parameter selection. Graphs are produced to provide the coefficients for the fit. The simplicity of this approach should encourage its adoption as an additional tool in the statistical process control kit.

6

Authors: Katarina Pavlovic, Vojislav Bozanic

LEAN thinking and Six Sigma have been utilized by manufacturing industries to decrease cost and improve quality and productivity by reducing variation and production defects [1]. Because of the dramatic successes in manufacturing, there is rising interest among companies in the pharmaceutical industry, which chooses to implement LEAN in order to accomplish such goals as decreased wait time to release product to the market, reduce production waste, and improve communication with end users and raize quality level both in the production and in testing laboratories. In this article, basics of LEAN and Six Sigma are presented and suggestion was given for application of their concepts in pharmaceutical industry together with harmonization with legal regulation represented by requirements Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), in order to work "smarter", more cost-effectively and avoid was ting time and other resources.

7

Authors: M.T. Sawant , J.S. Bag

This paper focuses on the use of CAE for improving some of the quality dimensions of the business process, such as reliability and quick response to market. To establish this, a software based approach is developed coupled with interface with CAD environment by using RAD technology. This system would help enable the rapid design and generation of model of a critical component like the rotor of a submersible pump. The parametric design of the critical component i.e. mo tor is established and software solution for the same is developed. The dimensions of the rotor are critical and interdependent. The flexibility thus obtained using the software will facilitate fast design of a submersible pump. This case study has been carried at M/s. Vira Pumps, Kolhapur, India. The company manufactures and exports different types of submersible pumps and motors to many countries. The company is working in this area from last 35 years. Being an ISO 9001 certified company there is an on going continual improvement process in all its areas of operation. ISO 9001:2008 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets customer requirements, and aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the quick reply and improved reliability of the product with CAE.

7

Authors: Alireza Rajabipoor Meybodi

Purpose: Many organizations especially service organizations to suit their ideals and mission specific approach to the topic that have quality and management. This paper is intended to subject the importance of quality serve the brokerage offices, the gap analysis using the model and analysis techniques to Servqual quality service brokerage offices presented a case study (Stock Brokerage office's regional provinces Yazd) pay. Design/methodology/approach: Application of statistical non-parametric test for the qualitative analysis of significant gaps in services, suggestions for improving the quality of brokerage services at a low-level case study is presented. Statistic's tests in five areas, including service quality conceptual donor tangible form, reply to, guarantee, credit, and charity have been. For this purpose, based on service quality gaps five branches, a questionnaire measure designed level perception and expectations of investors and broker's service brokerage offices, and the navigation. Findings: Results show that donor expectations and perceptions between investor's quality service brokerage offices in all areas, there are significant differences. Brokerage Managers, the models analyze d using the service quality, will be able to create gaps between the way the service provided, i.e., investors and agents known to the agency planned to strengthen and reform pay problems. Originality/value: Servqual technique used for the first time in Iran and in particular, in Yazd province, for the assessment the service quality of brokerage offices. It certainly results in improving the quality of services these offices will be effective.

12

Authors: Petnji Yaya Luc Honore, Marimon Frederic, Casadesus Marti

This paper seeks to investigate from customers ? perspective, if the implementation of ISO 9001 with the scope directly related to customers (offices, claims, etc.), spawn any discrepancies on service quality, customer perceived value, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and customer service recovery; in the backdrop of e-services in Catalonia (Spain). Design/methodology/approach The main research target consists of e-banks operating in the region of Catalonia (Spain), besides customers who regularly use internet to do their banking. Self completed questionnaire was designed from a blend of existing constructs. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was per formed to a convenience sample of 428 customers of e-banking services (123 of them reported a complained about the service) and 16 banks. Findings The results reveal that e-banking customers in Catalonia were not sensitive to the usage of ISO 9001. However, customers from banks that do not implement ISO 9001 perceived that the prices of the service available on their bank site were more economical. Research limitations and implication this study was done only in Catalonia expandability might be restricted. Further investigation may be done in Spain as a whole or in different countries and settings. Originality/value based on literature reviews, this study will be on e of the first to carry out such research from customers' perspective and more specifically in Catalonia. The results of the study were useful in validating previous findings.

17

Authors: Mekonnen Liben Nekere, Ajit Pal Singh

In this paper, aluminium blank green sand (green) casting process was optimized by using Taguchi's robust design approach. An attempt was made to obtain optimal settings of two groups of aluminium blank sand casting processes. Single aluminium blank sand casting and double aluminium blanks sand casting for process robustness comparison. The casting process involves a number of parameters affecting various casting quality features of the product. In order to optimize the process seven control factors viz., grain size, clay content, moisture content, ramming, sprue size, riser size, and diameter to thickness (D/t) ratio of the blank were selected. Each factor was considered at three levels. For this study three uncontrollable (or noise) factors viz. metal flow rate, pouring temperature and humidity were identified. To capture the effect of noise factors casting yield, surface defects, and casting density for single and double castings were measured. An orthogonal array was constructed for the seven factors undertaken, and performing eighteen sets of experiments with their replicates generated the data. The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio s were calculated based on the design of experiments. The average values of S/N ratios for each factor at three levels were calculated and were plotted on the graph. Considering the maximum S/N ratios from the graph, the optimum levels of process factors for both single and double castings were obtained. A statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to see which process parameters are statistically significant. A verification experiment was performed using the identified optimum conditions. The results have shown that single aluminium blanks and casting process is more robust than double aluminium blank sand casting process. This proved that single aluminium blank sand casting process had shown better insensitivity to noise factors. The experimental results confirmed the validity of used Taguchi robust design method for enhancing sand casting process and optimizing the sand casting parameters in aluminium blank casting process.

6

Authors: Elizabeta Mitreva

The subject of this paper is linked with the valorization of the meaning and the perspectives of Total Quality Management (TQM) system design and implementation within th e domestic companies and creating a model-methodology for improved perfor mance, efficiency and effectiveness. The research is designed as an attempt to depict the existing condition in the Macedonian companies regarding quality system design and implementation, analysed through 4 po lls in the "house of quality" whose top is the ultimate management, and as its bases measurement, evaluation, analyzing and comparison of the quality are used. This "house" is being held by 4 subsystems e.g. internal standardization, methods and techniques for flawless work performance, e ducation and motivation and analyses of the quality costs. The data received fr om the research and the proposal of the integral methodology for designi ng and implementing of TQM system are designed in turn to help and presen t useful directions to all Macedonian companies tending to become "world class" organizations. The basis in the creation of this model is the rede sign of the business processes which afterword begins as a new phase of the business performance - continued improvement, rolling of Deming's Quality Circle (Plan-Do-Check-Act). The model-methodology proposed in this paper is integral and universal which means that it is applicable to all com panies regardless of the business area.

7

Authors: Ivan Kuric

Paper deals with aspects of quality and accuracy of machine tools. As the accuracy of machine tools has key factor for product quality, it is important to know the methods for evaluation of quality and accuracy of machine tools. Several aspects of diagnostics of machine tools are described, such as aspects of reliability.

8

Authors: N.M. Vaxevanidis, H. Despotidi, H. Prokopiou, A. Koutsomichalis

For the assessment of the quality of research and the scientific contribution of Higher Education Ins titutes (HEIs) and their research groups, a variety of approaches have be en proposed, including expert based qualitative approaches, such as evaluati on by widely accepted researchers in specific disciplines with broad r ecognition in the scientific community (peer-review methodology). However, th e rapid Internet proliferation and the easier access to scientific dat abases, offers an alter native approach to assessing the scientific outcome of a researcher or a Faculty. Nowadays, there seems to be a movem ent towards bibliometric measures and indices. In this paper, the resear ch output of four Engineering Departments, one being part of the School of Pedagogical & Technological Education (ASPETE) and the three others belonging to Technological Educational Institutions (TEIs) is evalu ated by using bibliometric indices such as the total and average pub lications and citations and the mean h- index. For comparison purposes the evaluation also includes two Eng. Depts; one from a University and the other from a Higher Military Educational Institute. It is concluded t hat despite the inherent limitations of bibliometrics the viability of th e adopted method for measuring and evaluating the scientific performance of higher education departments is effective in terms of Robustness, Validity, Functionality and Cost and time effectiveness. The useful results obt ained suggest that such an approach could be used in a broader context.

9

Authors: Jelena Jovanovic

This paper deals with the analysis of the Strategic Management System approach called Balanced Scorecard. At the very beginning of this article, the basic model of this syst em is presented with the detailed description of its function followed by a deep analysis of the numerous reference sources in order to test th e wider capacities of this system. The particular attention is paid to determ ine the number of BSC perspectives. In this sense, we investigate the literatu re concerning the integration of the issues related environmental protection into the basic concept of Balanced Scorecard.

12

Authors: Petnji Yaya Luc Honore, Marimon Frederic, Casadesus Marti

This paper seeks to investigate fr om customers ? perspective, if the implementation of ISO 9001 with the sc ope directly related to customers (offices, claims, etc.), spawn any disc repancies on service quality, customer perceived value, customer satisfactio n, customer loyalty and customer service recovery; in the backdrop of e-services in Catalonia (Spain). The main research target consists of e-banks operating in the region of Catalonia (Spain), besides customers w ho regularly use internet to do their banking. Self completed questionnaire wa s designed from a blend of existing constructs. An analysis of vari ance (ANOVA) was performed to a convenience sample of 428 customers of e-banking services (123 of them reported a complained about the service) and 16 banks. The results reveal that e-banking custom ers in Catalonia were not sensitive to the usage of ISO 9001. However, customers from banks that do not implement ISO 9001 perceived that the pr ices of the service available on their bank site were more economical. Research limitations and implication th is study was done only in Catalonia expandability might be restricted. Furt her investigation may be done in Spain as a whole or in differ ent countries and settings. Originality/value based on literature reviews, this study will be one of the first to carry out such research from customers' perspective and more specifically in Catalonia. The results of the study were useful in validating previous findings.