Comments Off on Important drivers for customer satisfaction - from product focus to image and service quality
By Jacob Hallencreutz & Johan Parmler
A high level of customer satisfaction is argued to lead to stronger company image, protection of current market share, increased customer loyalty, decreased customer complaints and strengthened financial performance.
Thus, understanding the drivers behind how customer satisfaction evolves over time is therefore crucial. This paper presents a longitudinal quantitative study based on customer perception data from the Swedish market research consultancy Svenskt Kvalitetsindex AB. A PLS-SEM analysis is performed to unravel how important latent variables drive customer satisfaction over time.
Study findings indicate that it has been a paradigm shift during the last decade - product quality is substituted by service quality as one of the most crucial drivers for customer satisfaction throughout industries and societal sectors. The study findings suggest a need for new principles, practices and tools to enhance internal customer centricity and strengthen satisfaction and loyalty.
Comments Off on Exploring the emergent quality management paradigm
By Anders Fundin, Thomas Backström and Peter E. Johansson, Mälardalen University
There are a number of key challenges in terms of the involved dichotomies for future innovative quality improvements in operations. These dichotomies are part of four interrelated processes that are the central elements of a production system. As such, aiming for stability or change is a production process dilemma in terms of the production and distribution of offerings and solutions. Control and creativity are the main dilemmas of the innovation process, that is, the creation and implementation of new offerings and solutions, while exploitation and exploration are the dilemmas of the knowledge creation process and efficiency and effectiveness of the value creation process.
As the simultaneous existence of both parts of the dichotomy seems to be a paradox, this paper suggests the emergent quality management paradigm as an alternative perspective providing the guidance, examples, and practical solutions necessary to solve these dilemmas by recognizing the dichotomies as mutually dependent.
Very often small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are not involved, although they form the vast majority of companies.
Quality management has the methods and the tools to bring sustainability to the SME level, facilitating action and leading to tangible results for the organization. We present a general framework that allows any SME to take steps in sustainability by using quality management methods. An implementation path is given, related to the current maturity level of the company. This allows the sustainability movement to gain momentum and be spread out much more widely. But as many planetary problems are bringing us dangerously close to tipping points (global warming, mass extinction of species, ...) this may not be enough.
A new definition of sustainability is presented that can be used as a starting point for developing quality based economic and social systems.
Comments Off on Creating a culture for sustainability and quality - a lean-inspired way of working
By Yvonne Lagrosen, Mälardalen University and Stefan Lagrosen, Linnaeus University.
The ambition is to contribute to the development of sustainable quality management. In order to identify and describe their ways of working, a case study was carried out at Sky Factory, an award-winning innovative manufacturing company which utilises Lean principles. In-depth interviews were performed with the CEO and a number of employees focusing on exploring their way of working as well as their value base, attitudes and practices regarding quality and sustainability. The data collection also included document studies and observation. The research was inductive, based on the Grounded Theory methodology and the data was analyzed with the constant comparative technique. The analysis revealed a set of categories in the form of dimensions which, combined with theory, resulted in a tentative framework.
One limitation is that the study only included a single company, which may limit the possibilities for generalization. Nonetheless, the dimensions that were identified and the framework that integrates them should be useful as a vantage point for further research.
Comments Off on Towards a quality management competence framework: exploring needed competencies in quality management
By Jason Martin, Linköping University, Mattias Elg, Linköping University, Ida Gremyr, Chalmers and Andreas Wallo, Linköping University.
This paper is based on an embedded, qualitative multiple-case study design incorporating four Swedish large size organizations where designated quality management practitioners(n =33) were selected and interviewed. A quality management competence framework incorporating four main quality management competence dimensions is presented: the human, the methods & process, the conceptual and the contextual competence dimensions. Four generic quality management role responsibilities are also posited: centralized & strategic, centralized & operational, local & strategic and local & operational role responsibilities. The competencies and role responsibilities are discussed in relation to the notion of emergent quality management and the emerging need of more integrative and business excellence-oriented quality management.
Introduction
What are the competencies needed to be a quality management practitioner? This fundamental question is rarely asked (nor answered) within quality management research. Given the current debate on the changing and emerging nature of quality management (e.g. Weckenmann, Akkasoglu, & Werner, 2015; Zhang, Linderman, & Schroeder, 2012), it should be a highly relevant question to ask for any organization striving for business excellence (Fundin, Bergquist, Eriksson, & Gremyr, 2018). Within the field of quality management, this question should also strike somewhat of an existential note. Indeed, there are studies anticipating a possible 'phasing out' of quality management, perhaps dispersing its practices to other professions and professionals (e.g. Waddell & Mallen, 2001). The heart of the matter is that if it is not really known what quality management practitioners are, nor how to use them, why should an organization be expected to employ quality management practitioners at all? This paper is an effort to demystify the role of the quality management practitioner and take a closer look on what it actually takes to be one.
Focusing on the competencies of quality management practitioners, this paper adheres to the notion of competence as the potential for performance in a given situation (|Ellström, 1992, 1997). The term quality management is conceptually established as practices, principles and techniques facilitating customer focus, continuous improvement and teamwork (Dean, Jr. & Bowen, 1994) and product quality (Sousa & Voss, 2002). The use of professional and/or profession in quality management research and reports is widespread (e.g. Antony, 2013; Fundin, 2018; Kolb & Hoover, 2012; Sörqvist, 2014).
However, using professional and profession entails certain theoretically grounded obligations, e.g. formal education, legitimacy, licensing and codes of ethics (e.g. Abbott, 1988; Evetts, 2003; McClelland, 1990), none of which can be said to be adequately prominent within the field of quality management. In this paper, the rather less ambitious occupational labels of practitioner and practice (Schatzki, 2001) are preferred. A practice is a defined set of rule-based actions, guided by specific and affectively agreed purposes, collectively understood and agreed upon within the practitioner community, thus establishing a social order (Schatzki, 2001). Quality management practitioners represent a social order of employees responsible for performing quality management practices.
Comments Off on Organizations' main challenges - a study with a five-year horizon
Maintaining competitiveness requires continuous improvement of products, services and processes in all types of businesses. With changing conditions in the world around us come new opportunities and threats that companies and organizations have to deal with.
Ranking of the challenges that are expected to be the most important in the next five years
In spring 2018, around 500 qualified representatives from the industrial and service sectors, public authorities, municipal and county council operations and the non-profit sector were given the opportunity to participate in the study, which was carried out in three stages. Based on their collective experience of operations in Sweden, the participants ranked and motivated the challenges that are expected to be the most important in five years' time. The outcome can be described in a number of categories or areas of interrelated challenges. How well companies and organizations handle these challenges will most likely have a major impact on the degree of success and goal achievement.
This national, cross-sector study aims to provide an up-to-date picture of the main challenges that leaders and employees can and should prepare for. The ambition is also to seek knowledge that supports the development of organizations in areas where the answers are not currently given.
The study has been initiated by SQMA - Swedish Quality Management Academy, consisting of researchers from nine Swedish universities and colleges and SIQ, the the Swedish Institute for Quality. Through needs-driven research, SQMA acts as a bridge between science and practical application.
Stefan Krook, CEO of Kivra:
- "As the study shows, one threat can be short-termism, and to meet this challenge it is important to seek opportunities to become sustainable in all dimensions," comments Stefan Krook, CEO of Kivra and one of the business leaders who spoke in the study. "It's also about having long-term owners, constantly seeking happy-happy collaborations and striving for balance in the lives of our employees.
Lena Olving, CEO of Mycronic:
- Digitalization is something that all companies need to deal with. We have chosen to look at how this development can strengthen our operations and business. This includes, for example, our offering to customers, internal efficiency and competence assurance," comments Lena Olving, CEO of Mycronic, in the study.
The successful development of more sustainable operations, economically, socially and environmentally, requires various strategic initiatives, each of which sets the stage for the next stage. At the same time, the impact of more sustainable operations in the various dimensions is a prerequisite for successful long-term operation.
Comments Off on Quality culture deployment - using behaviors to explain, diagnose and improve a quality culture
By Peter Cronemyr, Ingela Bäckström, Åsa Rönnbäck
Purpose
Today's organizations face the challenge of measuring the right things and then using those measurements as a starting point to work with improved quality. The failure to generate a shared value base is pointed out as one main cause for the inability to effectively apply quality management and lean within organizations; thus, it appears central to measure these values. However, the measuring of values and behaviors seems to be missing within both concepts. Therefore, there is a need for a tool that measures not only quality values but also behaviors that support or obstruct a quality culture. The purpose of this paper is to describe how a measuring tool which measures quality culture can be designed and structured.
Design/methodology/approach
A project with the aim to measure and develop quality culture started in 2015 by three Swedish universities/institutes and seven organizations. During several workshops, quality values and supportive and obstructive behaviours were developed and described. This resulted in a survey where employees of the participating organizations ranked performance and importance of the described behaviours. The results were presented and discussed in a fourth workshop.
Findings
A framework of behaviors and a measurement tool for a quality culture are presented in this paper.
Originality/value
The framework of behaviors, supporting or obstructing a quality culture, is original and may be very useful to diagnose and develop a quality culture.
Comments Off on Quality function's role in strategic development provides direction for skills development
Against this background, the Institute for Quality Development, SIQ, has initiated a study via the Swedish Quality Management Academy, SQMA, to find out how the quality profession is responding to the development.
A total of 249 people who devote a large part of their working time to quality work, often in leading positions, were included in the study. The people are active in eight major Swedish organizations representing everything from private industry to government. The research was conducted by researchers on quality development at Chalmers University of Technology and Linköping University.
The conclusion is that quality professionals are often highly educated, but still perceive that knowledge and skills often need to be further developed to cope well with mainly the strategic parts of the work.
- The research shows that quality work is often focused on the internal work with processes, audits and improvements, but should advantageously have more external focus on the customer and the development of innovative ways of working, says Ida Gremyr, Assistant Professor of Quality Management at Chalmers University of Technology.
Ensuring quality development in colleges and universities is essential
The quality role often assumes a specialist function around processes and management systems or problem solving. Previous research also shows that shortcomings and errors in processes are often compensated for by increased controls and follow-up. The development must instead focus on stable robust processes that are at the same time adaptable to meet rapidly changing requirements and drive innovative ways of working with a focus on customers and stakeholders.
- The study shows that there is a need for further training of today's active quality professionals mainly in the strategic direction based on innovative ways of working. But perhaps even more important is to ensure quality development on a broad front as a subject at colleges and universities and then clarify customer focus and strategic focus on sustainable development, says Mats Deleryd, CEO of the Institute for Quality Development, SIQ.
The study indicates that the development of the quality profession in the future provides space for both the "operationally oriented specialist" but also the "strategically oriented generalist".
