QUALITY CULTURE

Quality Culture

Introduction to Quality Planning3

Quality Culture3

Iffco5

Vision and Mission6

IFFCO's Quality Policy10

Conclusion11

References13

Quality Culture

Introduction to Quality Planning

Quality planning is an organized procedure which lists down standards for quality for projects and assists in finding ways to achieve those standards. This is done by categorizing, putting the data together and then working on them as teams, rather than simply collecting the information and analyzing which doesn't give very productive results. Quality tools make the process of planning simpler. The tools are analysing, evaluating, making decisions, planning of projects, implementing and analysing the process. It is also important to maintain Quality culture at the workplace which is making the work environment such that all employees know that quality is top priority.

Quality Culture

Introducing Quality Culture within a business is not as complicated and difficult as it may seem but it does require a shift in how the employees think. Today, quality can no longer just be measured according to set international standards or statistical method of checking for defect, but is defined by the customer and how satisfied the customer is, which is also the focus of Quality Culture. The traditional methods of measuring quality are usually imposed top down with little feedback from the front line staff; however producing a perfect product according to internal standards does not assure that the product will satisfy the customer in terms of his expectations of quality.

Any cultural change requires involvement and a sense of ownership within all levels of employees of the organization. When the customer's needs and expectations are made top most priority and central to how quality is measured it makes sense using the front line employees to be the planners and architects of a quality culture. They are the ones who have the most contact with the customers and engage on a personal level and gain knowledge and information that cannot be attained from impersonal surveys and questionnaires.

If IFFCO, a well known United Arab Emirates Based business wants to introduce the Culture that concentrates and priorities Quality, they need to a take few steps.

Step 1, is bringing together the front line staff in the form of a discussion group with the aim to identify the three most common complains customers have and evaluate them. Step 2 involves conducting workshops to define the problems front line staff has identified, produce solutions and create an action plan to show the management. The decision needs to be made as the workshop is being wrapped up so immediate action can be taken and implemented.

Step 3 involves empowering the front line employees by delegating the power of decision making to them and letting them implement the solutions. The plan of action needs clear instructions, list of who is accountable for what, sponsors that have been identified and the deadline for implementation within a span of three months.

The last step, which is step 4 encourages regular discussions about what satisfies and dissatisfies the customer and give permission to the front line employees to take control and act upon the ...