Jens J. Dahlgaard

Quality management practices: a comparative study between East and West

This paper compares quality management practices in manufacturing companies in the East and the West. It uses data collected from three countries in the East, namely Japan, Korea and Taiwan and compares these with data collected from four countries in the West, namely Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Australia. Twenty‐five Japanese companies, 105 Korean companies, 48 Taiwanese companies, 65 Danish companies, 88 Swedish companies, 18 Finnish companies and 62 companies from Australia responded to the questionnaire. Comparison between the East and the West is carried out on the following: formulation and communication of a quality policy; education and training of employees in quality management; top management participation in quality activities, quality motivation and suggestions; and the use of quality tools and methods. The comparison shows that quality management practices are relatively more widespread in the Eastern companies than in the Western companies. The key differences between the East and the West are identified and suggestions made to close the gap.

On measurement of customer satisfaction

Based on a theoretical argument where company profit as a function of total customer satisfaction is maximized, a new system for measuring and balancing customer satisfaction with respect to individual quality characteristics is developed. A procedure for implementation is suggested and the results of a practical case-study are reported.

Strategy and planning for innovation management – supported by creative and learning organisations

Excellence in innovation requires that organisations have the competencies to react quickly to new market conditions and customer needs, and see the possibilities that can arise from constantly looking for creative solutions and continuous improvements in products and innovation processes. Today’s companies must continuously adapt, develop and innovate. The principles and disciplines of the learning and creative organisation are a crucial determinant for this. This is the focus of the paper. The European Business Excellence Model can be applied to innovation management by supplementing four new criterion parts related to the company culture, namely creative and learning organisations. An extended PDSA loop for excellent strategy and planning is briefly described. The paper focusses on the culture loop within this framework and highlights what criterion parts and areas to address to include this culture aspect.

Quality culture and TQM

In the article the concept of quality culture is introduced. Its relation to total quality management is discussed and a procedure for working with quality culture in practice is proposed.

Quality costs and total quality management

The quality cost in total quality management is one of the most important aspects of the development of a quality management system. In this article a model of a quality management system has been developed incorporating the quality cost of the organization. Finally to evaluate the quality management system of some printing industries a new indirect method of measuring total quality cost has been introduced to estimate the total cost.

Strategy and planning for innovation management – a business excellence approach

This paper highlights how the European Business Excellence Model can be adapted to innovation when formulating strategies and plans. The Business Excellence Model is too general to be applied directly to innovation, and the authors find that specific criterion parts have to be supplemented. A cause and effect diagram is formulated showing eight criterion parts to be relevant when formulating strategies and plans for the company’s innovation programme. These eight criterion parts can be combined in an extended PDSA loop, where the first loop reflects the strategy and planning phases for innovations and the second loop reflects the “right” innovative, creative and learning culture that is required when implementing these strategies and plans. The paper goes into details with the first loop, where each of the four phases (PDSA) are discussed and specific areas to address are highlighted.

A comparative study of quality control methods and principles in Japan, Korea and Denmark

An investigation was carried out by the authors to obtain some information about the relative uses of various quality control methods and principles in Denmark, Japan and Korea. Questionnaires in the respective languages were prepared by J. J. Dahlgaard and distributed to the selected companies in the three countries for the collection of the required information. The results obtained are discussed indicating the cultural and geographical aspects of quality management, and the paper is concluded with an outline of a new research project into total quality management, the QED project.

Total quality management as a strategic variable

In recent years, quality strategy has shown a new approach to modern managers. Its development is an essential part of the implementation of total quality management. In this article the authors have shown how the characteristics of quality strategy can be linked to profitability through the management and market strategies of the total quality management process.

Quality motivation in East Asian countries

In this paper we have compared quality with other business parameters for Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Quality motivation and quality suggestions are looked at in relation to the quality control circle (QCC) activities within these three Asian countries. It is evident from the study that the QCC is one of the most important factors for the development of quality motivation.

Quality and economic development project

This paper provides a brief report on the past, present and future development of the quality and economic development project.