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Quality
Apparel Standards Specifications and Quality Control

What is Quality ?
 Quality is unusually slippery and difficult to come in grips with and therefore, someone has said, Quality is something I know when I see it.

 Quality is essential character; nature; an ingredient or distinguishing attribute; property, a character trait, superiority of kind, degree of grade or excellence.

What is Quality ? Contd..

 Quality is a complex concept. No single definition addressess all the dimensions, areas of impact and concerns relating to quality.  The term quality is used in many ways for many reasons.

Answers for Quality from Different Peoples

 Quality means different things to different people.  The answer from different people may be  The best money can buy  Meeting a specification specifications  Craftsmanship  The degree of excellence

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conformance

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Meaning of Quality
 Quality can also mean meeting or exceeding customer expectations all the time.  The key here is know accurately customer expectations on a continuing basis because unless you know customer expectations how can you meet or exceed them ?

Expectations of Quality
 The expectations of Quality and the ability to distinguish various quality characteristics also vary from one group of customers to another.  Generally more educated and sophisticated customers, the expectations of the quality will be more specific.  JOHN RABBITT defines quality as the ability to exceed a customers expectations while maintaining a cost competitive market position

David A Garvins Definitions of Quality

 Gravin proposed that a definition of Quality can be of  (a) Product Based  (b) User Based  (c) Manufacturing Based  (d) Value Based

Product Perspective
 A product quality is represented by total set of precise and measurable characteristics or components of a finished product.  Differences in product quality can be attributed to differences in components or characteristics.

Example
 Two measures can be used to characterize the quality of the woven fabrics
 (1) Weight in GSM or oz/yd2  (2) Yarns / inch in warp and filling.

 These characteristics of the weight and count are linked to the yarn and weaving costs, but do not necessarily imply better products.  Clearly these common measures of quality are not necessarily directly related to consumer satisfaction

Manufacturing based (Producer Perspective)

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 From a producer or manufacture perspective, quality is defined as consistent conformance to specifications and standards.  When a product meets a companys standards and specifications, it has achieved the desired quality level.  The desired level may be high, low or medium or at any point in between the extremes of continuum.

Manufacturing based (Producer Perspective)

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 The producer oriented definition of quality addresses a companys ability to produce products that consistently meet predetermined criteria and can be sold in the market at full price.  Products that meet this level of quality are assumed to produce greater profit and income for the company  This does not address consumer expectations.

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Customer Perspective
 From a customer perspective quality depends on the dimensions of a product or service that are of important to that user.  A user based definition of quality simply means that the quality is whatever the customer says or wants which goes back to meeting or exceeding customers requirements and expectations

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Customer Satisfaction
 Customer satisfaction is a basic underlying principle of total quality management (TQM).  Several definitions of TQM focus on an integrated, continuous improvement process that involves everyone in the organization.  Satisfying business objectives foundation for customer satisfaction.

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The Deming Cycle

 W.Edwards Deming maintained that quality is the responsibility of the management.  The Deming Cycle links the production, target markets and business objectives, is a five step approach.

The Deming Cycle 5 Step Approach

Check

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DO

Act

The Deming Cycle

Plan

Analyze

The Deming Cycle 5 Step Approach

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 (1). Conduct consumer research. Use results in the planning the product  (2). Produce the product.  (3). Check the product.  (4). Market the product.  (5). Analyze the product.

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Business Objectives Vs. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction of business objectives

Satisfaction of requirements

Losses

Benefits

Quality

Value

Cost

Customer Satisfaction

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Value based definition of Quality

 A value based definition of quality takes into consideration cost or price of a product or service.  Form a value based approach, quality products are those that perform at acceptable prices or conform at acceptable costs.  The question from the customers view point is what is the value of this product or service to us ?  How valuable is a given product or service ?

Garvins Eight Dimensions of Quality

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Performance Features Reliability Conformance Durability Serviceability Aesthetics Perceived Quality

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Performance
 Performance is based on the primary operating characteristics of a product.

 Examples
 A rain coat should be a water repellent,  A mosquito net should not allow mosquito to enter inside.  A pen should be writeable

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Features
 Features of a product are those secondary characteristics that supplement a product basic functioning.  Examples  baby clothing should be dressing ease, softness, durability, safety

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Reliability
 Reliability refers to the probability of products malfunctioning or failing within a specified period of time.
 We depend on, demand, and expect reliable products.  It takes a long time for a company to build up a reputation for reliability, and only a short time to be branded as "unreliable" after shipping a flawed product.  Reliability is "quality changing over time  Reliability is a major economic factor in determining a product's success  Sometimes equipment failure can have a major impact on human safety and/or health. Automobiles, planes, life support equipment, and power generating plants are a few examples.  Some failures have serious social consequences and this should be taken into account when planning reliability studies

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Conformance
 Conformance refers to the degree or extent to which a products design and operating characteristics meet pre-established standards.

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Durability & Serviceability

 Durability means the length of time a product will last or product life.

 Serviceability refers to the speed, courtesy, competence and ease of repair of a product.

Aesthetics & Perceived Quality

 Aesthetics refers to how a product looks, feels, sounds, tastes or smells.

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 Perceived Quality refers to what consumers perceive to be the quality of a product based on image, advertising, and brand name reputation

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Why do we buy a product?

 We buy a product primarily because we want to use that product.  Now, if the product we bought has some deficiency, what happens ? We cant use it, so, in that case can we say that the product we could not use is defective ..  Therefore quality can be defined in the terms of FITNESS FOR USE

Fitness for Use concept in Garments

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 It should be free from defects such as stains, material (fabric) defects, open seams, loose hanging (untrimmed) threads, misaligned buttons and button holes, defective zippers, etc.  It must fit properly for the labeled size  It must perform satisfactorily in normal use, meaning that a garment must be able to withstand normal laundering / drycleaning/pressing cycles without color loss or shrinkage seams must not come apart, fabric must not tear, etc.