Quality circles are a sign of the times, and their success provokes legitimate irritation for those confronted with their development. They often spark off controversy and generate subjective points of view that denote a downright unwillingness to regard them fairly. What is the bottom line?...

Research on quality in Japan has emphasized technical issues, but there is much to be learned from more organizational elements. Presents material from major Japanese corporations on the role of the centre in quality, the organizing of quality training, and long‐term planning for quality. The...

Explores the perceptions of different dimensions of quality which employees at different levels in the organization have, and investigates how these perceptions can be aligned to increase firms’ competitive position. Uses a factor analytic approach. “Communication”, “managerial...

Describes the development of a continuous quality improvement process at component manufacturer ICL Kidsgrove. Traces early innovative work with quality circles through to the effects of a company‐wide quality process. Structures, systems and staff practices have all changed considerably...

Corporate culture plays a key role in the adoption and maintenance of a continuous improvement environment. Yet the role that culture does play and its nature tend to be overlooked or simplified so as to be almost meaningless. Overviews aspects of corporate culture and uses a case study of a...

Quality initiatives need to be translated into actions by employees. Highlights the importance of eliciting the knowledge and beliefs which employees use to guide their decisions at work and argues that everyday discourse (e.g. conversation, group discussion) is an inadequate basis from which to...

To be able to deliver consistent quality to hospitality customers, it is ecessary to be able to identify those aspects of the service encounter that bring about satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Explores a simple technique for recording success and failure in service situations. This will allow...