WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES

Cushman Campus, Mabini Street, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

Total Quality Management

Nueca, Jhanna Rose Masilang February 3, 2023

2BSA4 – BSMA Ma’am Bernadeth Perez

Key Issues for Discussion

1. How do the various definitions of quality discussed in Chapter 1 relate to the quality practices at Gerber?

2. How does Gerber exhibit the fundamental principles of total quality – customer and stakeholder focus,
participation and teamwork, and a process focus and continuous improvement?

3. How did quality help Gerber overcome the crisis it faced in the consumer-tampering situation? What lessons
does this have for other companies?

(1)
Out of 3,500 American business and product brands, Gerber achieved the greatest consumer loyalty rating as a
result of their high-quality production methods. Numerous definitions of quality were covered in Chapter 1 of
the book. Gerber's mission statement makes it clear that it already incorporates two meanings of quality: "to
ensure consumers perceive the Gerber infant, which has undergone periodic updating of its own, as an emblem
of excellence." The user perspective is represented by one of them, while the transcendent perspective is
represented by the other. Gerber has consistently undergone a number of adjustments over the years to
guarantee the quality of their offerings and that they satisfy the needs of the consumers for whom they are
meant.
Improvements, in my opinion, mean constantly striving to be the best among the best. Additionally, from the
perspective of value, Gerber makes sure that everything is under quality control. This quality earns them the
trust and loyalty of their clients. By substituting an auditing operator for the inspection operator, they aimed to
improve process control. And by doing so, they can presumably delight customers by providing them with a
product that is devoid of mistakes. Gerber also complies with the standards and specifications they establish for
their goods. A quality department was created for this reason. It assists Gerber in providing the precise
certifications required for all processes and procedures that their products have completed.

(2)

Gerber uses various examples to demonstrate the core ideas of overall quality. Gerber establishes a consumer
department, which is in charge of collecting customer input, as part of its customer and stakeholder focus. They
even take into account the possibility that parents will be up all night with their babies, so they are available
around-the-clock to hear comments and concerns from them. They also have a team that works to respond to
the letters they start receiving each year and do their best to accommodate calls in all languages. They also
make sure that their staff members understand what quality is. for collaboration and involvement. Gerber
exhorts everyone to work together. In an effort to ensure higher product quality, they also made an effort to
incorporate every one of them in the process. Gerber employs the most effective method of product production
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
Cushman Campus, Mabini Street, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

in the process focus. The Gerber management firmly believes that maintaining maximum control over the food
production process corresponds to guaranteeing the safety of its goods. They were able to see beyond pesticide
control quality patterns. Because they even considered requiring their suppliers to adhere to their quality
requirements, it puts them at the forefront when it comes to quality. I consider their efforts to involve the
suppliers and staff in the process, as well as to establish a service to receive client feedback and complaints, to
be improvements.

(3)

The production procedures at Gerber are carefully documented. Additionally, they have a record of every
advancement they've made in the past. As a result, it was helpful to them in getting beyond a scenario involving
consumer manipulation. The crisis teaches Gerber that a customer's opinion, and particularly their complaints,
should be the company's top concern. The other businesses ought to appreciate the worth of recording the
procedures they followed when developing their goods. As a result, companies are able to tell their customers
that their products had gone through a quality-control process.