Winners or losers? Ranking or co‐operation?Phillip Bowen
1995 Training for Quality
doi: 10.1108/09684879510098196
Raises the question why society relies on ranking and grading from the first day of school, through the educational system, into the working environment. Goes on to discuss the effects of extrinsic forces on intrinsic attributes and describes and assesses the concerns/views of theorists such as Deming, Latzko and Bramham. Ranking affects us all throughout the whole western world. Indeed it is pervasive throughout the world. Ranking is a fundamental cornerstone of the present education system and is being further developed within organizations by means such as performance appraisal, target setting, merit system, etc. Suggests that ranking should be replaced by co‐operation and that recognition of the need to change is required. This may require government legislation. It also has to be encouraged by those who develop education and training policies.
Effective facilitators – a key element in successful continuous improvement processesLesley Perry
1995 Training for Quality
doi: 10.1108/09684879510098204
Explores the role of the facilitator in the implementation of a total quality management or continuous improvement process. Many organizations, having planned their goals for the future, have difficulty in understanding the process of reaching them. The role of the facilitator in helping determine how to achieve these goals and bring about the changes necessary to do so is described by one of the country’s leading business improvement consultancies. The development of the world‐class company is explained in three stages: survival; prevention; and continuous improvement. Gives guidelines on: the selection of facilitators; their commitment to the role; training and skills development; how the role develops through time; and the challenges to be faced.
ISO 9000 – what it means to international business todayTed Masternak; Brian H. Kleiner
1995 Training for Quality
doi: 10.1108/09684879510098213
Based on the idea that promoting standardization will encourage the international exchange of goods and services, ISO 9000 is a series of internationally accepted standards which companies use to develop quality management systems and quality improvement processes. It has fast become a customer‐driven prerequisite for supplying goods and services to many businesses in the European Community (EC). Obtaining ISO 9000 certification is not a trivial process. It requires a significant investment in money and time, as well as management’s commitment. Even with the proper resources, US companies are having some difficulties in obtaining certification due to the abundance of ill‐qualified ISO registrars and consultants. But when a company does obtain its certification, it is another cleared hurdle in the race to win new business in the ever expanding arena of international business.
The Japanese 5‐S practice and TQM trainingSamuel K. Ho; Svetlana Cicmil; Christopher K. Fung
1995 Training for Quality
doi: 10.1108/09684879510098222
Workplaces in Japan are well‐known for their cleanliness and orderliness. This results from the Japanese emphasis on training and discipline. The logic behind the 5‐S practice is that organization, neatness, cleanliness, standardization and discipline at the workplace are basic requirements for producing high quality products and services, with little or no waste, while maintaining high levels of productivity. Outlines results of an intensive questionnaire survey on about 3,000 companies in the UK and 200 leading companies in Japan with a response rate of about 12 per cent. Aims to determine whether the Japanese 5‐S practice has a significant contribution to the successful total quality management (TQM) implementation. The main finding from the 205 manufacturing and 106 services firms in the UK as well as 16 leading companies from Japan is that the 5‐S provides an essential total quality environment which is an important base for implementing TQM successfully. Inevitably, TQM training policy should incorporate the 5‐S practice guidelines.