International Journal for Quality Research

6

Authors: Danijela Tadic, Slavko Arsovski, Miladin Stefanovic, Aleksandar Aleksic

In this paper, a new method for ELV dismantling selection is proposed which has purpose to determine the sequence of dismantling of ELV which arrive to dismantling center. Its solution is of the most importance for ELV waste management problem, as it influences the choice and efficiency of ELV waste management strategies in dismantling centers. It is realistically posed that the choice of locations depends on multiple, rather conflicting criteria. The criteria values can be either crisp or uncertain. The main contribution of this paper is the development of methodology for determining the dismantling order of coming ELV and/ or ELV which are already in the dismantling centers. The uncertain criteria values are described by linguistic expressions modeled by triangular fuzzy numbers. The extension of the fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is applied to rank the ELV which are in the dismantling center.

8

Authors: Aleksandar Vujovic, Zdravko Krivokapic, Jelena Jovanovic

The main target of this paper is to select top priority principles of QMS for achieving business excellence. This could be done from the standpoint of significant of principles. That means that. organization should make more attention to this principles in the way for making excellent results. This paper has been developed as a tendency of researchers in the Center for quality-Faculty of mechanical engineering in Podgorica to establish a model for improvement of business processes performances based on quality management system through comparison with top organizational performances characterized by criteria i.e. particularities of the business excellence model. Correlation of principles of the quality management system with QMS principles has been established to that effect. Weight coefficients have been also determined for each principle individually. Thereby key principles were identified, namely priorities in terms of achieving business excellence i.e. areas (principles) were given priorities, that is to say principles that play the biggest part in achieving business excellence.

10

Authors: K.G. Durga Prasad, K. Venkata Subbaiah, K. Narayana Rao, C.V.R.S.Sastry

The priority structure of customer needs in House of Quality (HOQ) forms the basis for the company to make the product more attractive to customers. In the traditional Quality Function Deployment (QFD) approach, the priority structure of customer needs is developed through assigning different importance weights for customer needs, which are based on QFD team members' direct experience with the customers or on the results of surveys. In this paper Conjoint analysis is adopted to obtain the priority structure of customer needs. The priority ratings of customer needs may be different for different customer segments. k-means cluster method is used to cluster customers according to their main benefits. Prior to adopt the conjoint analysis, Factor analysis is employed to reduce the size of the customer needs portion of HOQ. A case study on domestic refrigerator is presented to illustrate the proposed methodology to establish priority structure of customer needs.al unit, which would significantly improve the business.

14

Authors: Faisal Talib, Zillur Rahman, M.N. Qureshi

Total quality management (TQM) is an integrated management approach that aim to continuously improve the performance of products, processes, and services to achieve and surpass customer's expectations. To accomplish this objective, some key factors that contribute to the success of TQM efforts are to be identified. These key factors are often termed as critical success factors (CSFs). The purpose of the present study is to identify and propose a list of "vital few" TQM CSFs for the benefit of researchers and service industries practitioners. A quality tool "Pareto analysis" was used to sort and arrange the CSFs according to the order of criticality. A few vital CSFs were identified and reported. The results of this study will help in successful implementation of TQM program in organizations. The managerial implications, research recommendations, and scope for future research work are presented in the end.

8

Authors: J. Jovanovic, Z. Krivokapic, S. Ramovic, M. Perovic

The research is oriented on improvement of environmental management system (EMS) using BSC (Balanced Scorecard) model that presents strategic model of measurem ents and improvement of organisational performance. The research will present approach of objectives and environmental management me trics involvement (proposed by literature review) in conventional BSC in "Ad Barska plovi dba" organisation. Further we will test creation of ECO-BSC model based on business activities of non-profit organisations in order to improve envir onmental management system in parallel with other systems of management. Using this approach we may obtain 4 models of BSC that includ es elements of environmen tal management system for AD "Barska plovidba". Taking into acc ount that implementation and evaluation need long period of time in AD "Barska plovidba", the final choice will be based on 14598 (Information technology - Software product evaluation) and ISO 9126 (Software engineering - Product quality) using AHP method. Those standards are usually used for evaluation of quality software product and computer programs that serve in organisation as support and factors for development. So, AHP model will be bas ed on evolution criteria based on suggestion of ISO 9126 standards and types of evaluation from two evaluation teams. Members of team & will be experts in BSC and environmental management system that are not em ployed in AD "Barska Plovidba" organisation. The members of team 2 will be managers of AD "Barska Plovidba" organisation (including manage rs from environmental department). Merging results based on previously cr eated two AHP models, one can obtain the most appropriate BSC that includes elements of environmental management system. The chosen model will present at the same time suggestion for approach choice including ecological metrics in conventional BSC model for firm that has at least one ECO strategic orientation.

11

Authors: S. Karapetrovic, M. Sasadeus, I. Heras

The overall goal of this paper is to empirically analyze the augmentation and integration of ISO 9001 - based quality management systems with ISO 14001 - based environmental and other standardized management systems. Results from a survey of 298 organizations headquartered in the Spanish regions of Catalonia and the Basque Country are presented. All surveyed organizations were registered to both ISO 9001: 2000 and ISO 14001: 2004, while some had further management system standard certificates, for example in occupational health and safe ty and social responsibility. Various aspects of augmentation and integration, such as the usage of additional subsystem standards, the process of in tegration and the conduct of audits, are discussed through largel y descriptive analyses.

13

Authors: D. Lionel

This paper deals with entrepreneurs' objectives when starting a business. At the very beginning of the firm, the entrepreneur chooses to secure their jobs or to develop their firms. We provide evidence on the determinants of individuals' aim using a rich databas e made of an entrepreneur survey gathering entrepreneur and firm characteristics. We implement probit models on different subsamples to emphasize some covariate e ects. People who are the most discriminated on the labor market are more likely to create their own job than developing the firm.

16

Authors: A. Drabo

This paper examines the link between health indicators, environmental variables and economic development, and th e consequences of this relationship on economic convergence for a large samp le of rich and poor countries. While in economic literature income and envi ronment are seen to have an inverted-U shaped relationship (Environment Kuznets Curve hypothesis), it is also well established that an improvem ent in environmental quality is positively related to health. Our study focuses on the implica tions of this relationship for economic convergence. In the early stage of econom ic development, the gain from income growth could be cancelle d or mitigated by envir onmental degradation through populations' health (and other channels) and create a vicious circle in economic activity unlike in developed countries. This in turn could slow down economic convergence. To empirically a ssess these issues, we proceeded to an econometric analysis through three equa tions: a growth equation, a health equation and an environment equation. We found that health is a channel through which environment impacts economic growth. When we take into account the effect of environment quality on economic growth, the speed of convergence tends to increase slightly. This shows that environmental quality could be considered as a constraint for economic convergence.

7

Authors: Dusko Pavletic, Mirko Sokovic

The paper expresses base for an operational quality improvement model at the manufacturing process preparation level. A numerous a ppropriate related qua lity assurance and improvement methods and tools are identified. Main manufacturing process principles are investigated in order to scrutinize one general model of manufacturing process and to define a manufacturing process preparation level. Development and in troduction of the operational quality improvement model is based on a research conducted and results of methods and tools application possibilities in real manufacturing processes shipbuilding and automotive industry. Basic model structure is described and presented by appropriate general algorithm. Operational quality improvement model developed lays down main guidelines for practical and systematic application of quality improvements methods and tools.

9

Authors: Miodrag Hadzistevic, Slobodan Moraca

Tools used in the past to analyze business value creation, such as value chain and process models, are simply too slow, inadequate, or inappropriate to address this new level of business complexity. In stead of that, company has to find way to create quality management system in a multi-layered supply chain. The problem can be solved by networking in the cluster. Cluster can be known as a competitive cooperation in the purpose to gain higher level of competitiveness and success. Bat there is another problem: Organization of the production process in a company is extremely complex process itself, and when we transfer it to the cluster level, we get a complex task which is difficult to solve. For that purpose, this paper analyses the conditions and possibilities that would enable those structures to adapt to changes in the surroundings - flexibility and management adequacy of production and organizational structures - by creating network value system.

11

Authors: Slavko Arsovski, Milan Pavlovic, Zora Arsovski, Zoran Mirovic

Sustainable development and quality of life are today very important paradigms in the world. Each of them has its own structure, hierarchy, methodology for management, monitoring and study. Because both of them had its own development courses there are many differences related with different purposes. Sustainable development is connected with regional and macro level. It covers many aspects of development strate gy directed to sustainable state.Quality of life has to a certain extent the same direction - an objective measure of achieved performances of life as GDP per capita, school system etc. The second part of Quality of life is expressed by many indicators about achieved wishes, values attitudes etc. Although there are many similarities between both paradigms, differences are on level of concept, structure, measurement, monitoring and analysis. Authors in the paper try to override the skeletons of both paradigms. The paper considers in this perspective three important stages in the building of QOL and SD indicators: the identification of the various dimensions underlying mentioned concepts, the process of aggregating lower dimension indicators in higher level composite indices and the attribution of weights at various levels of the indicators hierarchy.

13

Authors: Stevan Zivojinovic, Andrej Stanimirovic

From the contemporary change management paradigm and new, knowledge-based economy, we emphasize the impact of advanced managerial tools. As evidenced in practice, simultaneous implemen tation of several management approaches, concepts and methods brings about more integral corporate success. We advocate integration of up-to-date approaches - knowledge management (KM) and intelectual capital management (ICM) as well as balanced scorecard (BSC) under the "conceptiona l umbrella" of quality management, i.e. quality management system (QMS) and total quality management (TQM). Interrelating elements of these management concepts through comparison of respective characteristics, defferences and similarities, connections and complementary activities, we establish relations and interdependence which result in synergy when applied concurrently. QMS implementation (in accordance with ISO 9000 standard series), en r oute to TQM, KM is improved, intelectual capital enlarged (via knowledge, skills, motivation, management systems, procedures, information and product flow, customer and other stakeholder relations) and application of BSC facilitated. Conversely, KM and BSC improve opportunities for attaining organisational and business excellence. All mentioned concepts can be viewed as facets of modern integral management model, in continual dynamic interaction that brings about a potential for improved competitive advantage and business performance.

16

Authors: Desiage Lionel

This paper deals with entrepreneurs' objectives when starting a business. At the very beginning of the firm, the entrepreneur chooses to secure their jobs or to develop their firms. We provide evidence on the determinants of individuals' aim using a rich database made of an entrepreneur survey gathering entrepreneur and firm characteristics. We implement probit models on differ ent subsamples to emphasize some covariate e ects. People who are the most discriminated on the labor market are more likely to create their own job than developing the firm.

6

Authors: A. K. Arsic, J. Milivojevic, M. K. Zogovic, Ivan Savovic

The immediate effect of energy consumption on environment quality is its deterioration. Gas and dust emissions, as products of coal, mazut (heavy fuel oil) or natural gas combustion, continually pollute the atmosphere and have a global effect on climate changes, ozone damage, acid rains, disappearing of sensitive ecosystems, etc. This, directly or indirectly, brings about pollution of soil and fresh water, since energy life cycle begins with mines, oil and gas deposits, and ends with mechanical operations, heating and cooling with the restoration of thermal energy back into the atmosphere. In order to anticipate these negative processes, it is necessary to conduct an array of eco innovations in the entire life cycle of final energy. What this paper will show, on the example of communally-industrial energetics, is methodology of research and realization of eco innovations, as well as assessment of effects on improvement of energetic efficiency, quality of the environment and human life.

7

Authors: N. Jovicic, M. Jacimovic, D.Petrovic, G. Jovicic

Growing of waste quantity, its harmful influence on natural environments and world experiences has had so far impose the necessity for the analyses of techno-economic possibilities of the processes for treating the organic fraction of municipal solid waste stream, in our region. In this paper, problematic of treatment solid waste and composting process, which represents one of the most acceptable options for the processing of solid waste, are given. Composting involves the aerobic biological decomposition of organic materials to produce a stable humus-like product. Base of composting process, review of composting feedstock, use of compost, benefits of composting process and concrete proposal for composting process realization, with techno-economic analysis for the construction of composting plant on territory community Kragujevac, are given in this paper, too.

7

Authors: M. K. Zogovic, I. Savovic, A. K. Arsic, V. Matovic

Measurement uncertainty can be quantified using calculation/estimation of single components of uncertainty. The application of such approach underestimates uncertainty in measurement partly because it is hardly possible to include all possible components of uncertainty. This paper presents methodology of calculation of measurement uncertainty based on existing and experimentally obtained data on internal quality control, method of data validation, data on inter-laboratory comparison as well as those obtained from reference materials, thus reaching maximum probability of comprising all components of uncertainty. The knowledge of uncertainty in measurement is of great importance for all users of laboratory services, laboratory itself and all interested parties that benefit from the results of research.

11

Authors: H. Khanna, S. C. Laroyia, D. D. Sharma

Adoption of management systems standards is a key issue in manufacturing industry in India. Following the global trend quality and environmental issues are gaining importance. However the number of ISO 14001 certified companies are much less in India as compared to ISO 9001. The integration of ISO 14001 with ISO 9001 may help companies to sustain competitive advantage and overcome disappointments with quality standards and in turn encourage companies to adopt good envi ronmental practices. The aim of this research is to study the implementation of integrated management standards (IMS) by the manufacturing organizations in India. The different aspects of integration and benefits of IMS implementation are analyzed. This r esearch is based on empirical study carried out in Indian manufacturing firms, involving the application of a questionnaire. This questionnaire was tested on 50 manufacturing companies in India. The study reveals that focus on stakeholders; top managemen t commitment and training are critical success factors for implementation of IMS. The main benefits of integration are discussed. The small sample size is one of the major limitations of this study. The paper informs the managers in manufacturing organizat ions and practitioners of management system standards especially in developing countries about IMS and will enable them to adopt IMS in future so that those organizations may not implement multiple and overlapping MSS(Management System Standards).

7

Authors: K. K. Milovanovic, S. Arsovski

The basic subject of this work is development of models for assessing the impact of the new approach directives on access to quality, safety and competitiveness products, and competency of our companies. This work represents real hypothesis on the basis of expert's experiences, in regard to that the infrastructure with using new approach directives wasn't examined until now, it isn't known which product or industry of Serbia is related to directives of the new approach and CE mark, and it is not known which are effects of the use of the CE mark. This work should indicate existing quality reserves and product's safety, the level of possible competency improvement and increasing the profit by discharging new approach directive requires.

7

Authors: M. Stefanovic, S. Arsovski, S. Nestic, A. Aleksic

Virtual enterprise integration (VEI) is virtually the most critical success factor for making virtual enterprise (VE) a real, competitive, and widely implemented organizational an d management concept. One of possible approaches in virtual enterprise integration is employment of web services. In this paper we will present process-oriented approach for developing an SOA for VEI. The general assumption of suggested approach is that service oriented architecture is based on business service and that business services mo stly correspond to exchanged documentation in a real business system. CASE tool for web service specification is also presented.

9

Authors: A. Suchanko, I. Mikulecky, J. Hodolic

This research is part of Tempus ETIQUM Project which is financed by EU. This article covers the analyse of steps which were necessa ry for transposition and implementation of EU Directi ve on medical devices into the national legislation of the Slovak republic. It covers not only information about implementation but also mandatory periodic verification after placing the medical device with measuring function on the market as well.

11

Authors: N.H. Afgan, N. Hovanov, P.M Andre

This paper deals with sustainable management organization. In this paper we also present example of passenger car sustainability assessment. This exercise shows the example, of the multi-criteria evaluation for the selected number of car options and the data obtained from the open literature of car producer.

13

Authors: P.M Andre, N.H. Afgan, M.G. Carvalho

Sustainability is one of those buzz words recently introduced in our vocabulary to explain present state of life support systems. In this respect there are number of definitions which are describing specific aspect of sustainability notion. The management system is complex system and requires adequate tool to measure sustainability as the complexity property of management system. The lecture will enlight the historical background of the sustainability development and emphasizes its importance for the management system validation. The complexity of sustainability notion is characterized by multi-dimensional structure including indicators of different scale. The application of sustainability development to the management system requires respective methodology and procedure. The complexity of management system is defined as structure of elements which comprise individual functionality within the management system. Each element is described with number of indicators. The methodology is based on multi- criteria evaluation of the system. The Sustainability Index, which introduces the quality measure for the management system, is derived by agglomeration of indicators for those systems elements. Quality of the management system is an immanent property which requires specific procedure and methodology to be measured. One of the most reliably methods is the multi-criteria Sustainability Index measurement. This evaluation method is based on the priority list formation among the options under consideration, the essential feature of the evaluation method possibility to obtain the effect of different constrain on the priority list.