Quality everywhere

P G Mathew

World Quality Day is celebrated on the second Thursday of November. This year it falls on
November 9th. In India we observe the National Quality Week from Nov.6 to 10. This time the
theme is ‘Quality: Realizing your competitive potential’ The purpose of the celebration is to
generate awareness about the importance of quality and to motivate those who are engaged in
the profession of Quality Management.

Quality Management was a product of the 20th century which evolved from the initial statistical
methods of Quality Control applied in mass production activities and later permeated into all
facets of industry and business as warranted by a customer centric market scenario. In a highly
competitive marketplace the products maintaining better quality will survive and those lagging
behind will be phased out in the course of time. This naturally imposes a bounden responsibility
on the producer. The humorous quote ‘It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory’
from William Deming the founder of statistical Quality Control is a famous reminder in this
direction.

The basic definition of Quality is ‘fitness for use’. Now the word ‘fitness’ corroborates a number
of different aspects determining the suitability of a product to its application even surpassing the
expectations of the customer. This notion can be applied to any product we can think of, be it a
disposable pen, a large infrastructure installation, the service rendered by a utility company,
healthcare and what not. The intended quality of a product is achieved by strict control of the
processes involved from its design concept to delivery. This is ensured by checks and corrective
actions at every stage. A limiting factor on the level of quality is its affordability. A product which
is of excellent quality will not be competitive in the market if the cost is exorbitantly high. So
there should be an optimum point of equilibrium for quality versus cost. Of course, there are
occasions when we have to neglect the price aspect and strive for the maximum possible in
areas like life-saving medicines or components for space application where quality and reliability
are crucial.

Quality cannot be confined to physical products alone. It can be extended to all kinds of
services. The ease with which we get a job done from an office is a mark of the quality of its
service. Most of the services have got a serendipitous uplift in quality by digital technology.
Dr. J M Juran the founder of many Quality Management techniques stood for continuous quality
improvement through innovation and technological advancement. Nowadays a number of
services including banking can be accessed from the comfort of your home. Technology
improves speed, precision and capacity .It can eliminate personal bias also. Still there is always
the inexorable human factor which necessitates a conscientious effort to achieve the required
objectives of quality.

Quality Management Systems introduced by the International Organization for Standardization

in the 1990s paved the way for industries and business houses to adopt and follow general
Quality Management Standards of the ISO 9000 series and other industry-specific standards as
applicable. Globally it has improved quality consciousness of all stake holders. This brought
about the twin benefits in terms of competitive edge for the business and elevated confidence
for the customer. The standards are aimed at establishing policies, objectives, procedures,
checks and corrective actions based on which systems are implemented by companies
/institutions with a view to progressive quality enhancement of products and services. Such a
system is certified and periodically audited by third parties accredited by national or international
authorities.

Such certifications are very common these days the world over. But in spite of the procedures
and documentation involved in getting certified for a Quality Management System the real level
of quality delivered depends on the sincerity with which each and every department and
individual of the organization adhere to the desired and declared targets. More often than never
certification is confined to documentation and lacks proper implementation at the grass-root
level. This is a very important challenge. It demands awareness as well as motivation of every
contributor in the process. Henry Ford the pioneer of American car industry once said, ‘Quality
is about doing the right when nobody is looking’.

Quality is an aspect which is not limited to business or service. It encompasses every aspect of
human life and behavior. We can do a lot to improve the quality of our life as an individual, a
family and a society. It is a culture to be imbibed. In every act whether it is getting individual
achievements or societal interactions we can strive for performing better with conscious effort
and positive attitude.Today can be made better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today.

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