PAD253 Final Test Quiz: Defining Quality in Public Sector Management

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary goal of Quality Assurance?

To minimize defects in the production process

To provide consumers with products of appropriate quality (correct)

To test products to uncover defects

To report defects to management

What is the main difference between Quality Assurance and Quality Control?

QA focuses on management, while QC focuses on production

QA focuses on production, while QC focuses on management

QA focuses on testing, while QC focuses on improvement

QA focuses on improvement, while QC focuses on testing (correct)

What is the concept of 'Fit for purpose' in Quality Assurance?

The product should be of high quality

The product should be suitable for the intended purpose (correct)

The product should be made with minimal defects

The product should be made quickly

What is the third step in the Quality Control process?

Take immediate steps to resolve differences between planned performance and actual performance Signup and view all the answers

What is the concept of 'Right first time' in Quality Assurance?

Mistakes should be eliminated Signup and view all the answers

What is the main objective of Total Quality management in an organization?

To maximize the competitiveness of an organization through continual improvement Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of Total Quality Management?

To improve quality through continuous improvement Signup and view all the answers

What is referred to as the 'Big Q' in Total Quality management?

Quality of products, services, people, processes, and environments Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of 'Little Q' in Total Quality management?

Quality of individual products and services Signup and view all the answers

What is a key element of Total Quality management according to the text?

Strategically based comprehensive strategic plan Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of customer focus in Total Quality management?

To exceed customer expectations Signup and view all the answers

What is the obsession with quality in Total Quality management?

Meeting and exceeding customer expectations Signup and view all the answers

According to the definition of quality by Fred Smith, CEO of Federal Express, what is quality?

Performance to the standard expected by the customer Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between quality and 'expensive'?

Quality is determined by the customer, while expensive is determined by the price Signup and view all the answers

What are the key aspects of quality according to Goetsch & Davis (2006)?

Meeting customer expectations, applying to products, services, people, and environments Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of quality?

Ever-changing state Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of Total Quality Management?

Improving products, services, people, processes, and environments Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of quality improvement initiatives?

Always satisfying the customer and striving for improvement Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Defining Quality

Quality is defined as "Performance to the standard expected by the customer" (Fred Smith, CEO of Federal Express).
Quality is "Doing the right thing right the first time, always striving for improvement, and always satisfying the customer" (US Dept. of Defense).
Quality is determined by the product users, clients, or customers, not by society in general.
Quality is not the same as 'expensive' or 'high quality', and low-priced products can be considered as having high quality if the product users determine them as such.
Quality is a dynamic state associated with products, services, people, and environments that meets or exceeds customers' expectations (Goetsch & Davis, 2006).

Summary of Definitions of Quality

Quality involves meeting or exceeding customer expectations.
Quality applies to products, services, people, processes, and environments.
Quality is an ever-changing state.

Total Quality (TQ)

TQ is an approach to doing business that attempts to maximize the competitiveness of an organization through the continual improvement of the quality of its products, services, people, processes, and environments (Goetsch & Davis, 2010).
The "Big Q" refers to quality of products, services, people, processes, and environments.
The "Little Q" refers to a narrower concern that focuses on the quality of one of these elements or individual quality criteria within an individual element.

Key Elements of Total Quality

Strategically based, having a comprehensive strategic plan to provide sustainable competitive advantage.
Customer focus, both internally and externally.
Obsession with quality, becoming obsessed with meeting or exceeding customers' expectations.
Quality is determined by product/service users.
Doing the right thing from the first time.
Quality always strives for improvement (continuous improvement).

Quality Assurance (QA)

QA is any planned and systematic activity directed towards providing consumers with products of appropriate quality, along with confidence that products meet consumers' requirements (Evans & Lindsay, 2008).
QA includes two principles: "Fit for purpose" and "Right first time".

Quality Control (QC)

QC consists of three processes: assess/evaluate actual quality performance, compare actual performance with performance goals, and take immediate steps to resolve differences between planned performance and actual performance (Goetsch & Davis, 2006).
QA and QC differ in that QA attempts to improve and stabilize production, emphasizing testing of products to uncover defects, and reporting to management, while QC focuses on the actual quality performance.

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Description

Understand the principles of quality management in the public sector, including definitions of quality, quality assurance, quality control, and total quality. Learn about the key elements and views of quality, including the Islamic perspective.