Reflections on the Future of Quality
The ASQ Quality Progress, January 2006, feature article is “Reflections on the Future of Quality", by David Watkins, Executive Vice President and Director of International Operations for Omnex, Inc.
This excellent article shows the advantages and rationale of expanding your quality management system into a business management system. My favorite quote is:
"Quality, as a management system objective, is really excellence and must characterize the enterprise as a whole, not just its products or services. It must extend to meeting the requirements and wants of commercial customers as well as investors, employees and their families, the community and legal and regulatory entities."
The business management system includes:
- Staffing and competency management processes—as opposed to training.
- Supply chain management and procurement processes—as opposed to purchasing.
- Sales and business development processes— as opposed to contract review.
- Integrated program management, product development and launch processes—as opposed to quality planning
Adding:
- Financial processes – as opposed to cost of quality collections
facilitates compliance to Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) that is both achievable and sustainable using existing company personnel.
