The Core Values and Beliefs of a Quality
Culture are:-
1) Customer focus- Quality is defined and
judged by the customers. The mission of quality organizations is centered upon
customer satisfaction. Organizational processes and procedures are
designed to meet the requirements of both the external and internal customers.
2) Employee involvement and empowerment-
Employees are empowered to serve customers well and believe that they have the
power to make things happen.
3) Open and honest communication-Employees
speak the truth and quality issues are discussed, rather than hidden or
ignored. Quality cannot be achieved when employees fear retribution for
their can dour . Employees also handle conflict constructively by
confronting and resolving it.
4) Fact-based problem solving and decision
making-Facts or reliable data and not opinions or hearsay form the basis of
solving problems systematically or making intelligent decisions.
5) Continuous improvement as a way of life- Quality is a moving target; there is no one best or optimum level of
quality. Organizations have to continuously improve the quality of their
products and services to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive business
world. In short, quality improvement is a never-ending journey.
6) Teamwork throughout the organization- In a
quality culture, there is close cooperation between managers and employees and
among departments. Teamwork is crucial as it creates a sense of ownership and
commitment. Equally important, it breaks down divisional and functional
barriers.
7) Process management- Long-lasting quality
improvement is attained through preventive management i.e. building quality
into the work processes. Quality should be attained through the prevention of
errors and defects, and not through inspection. The focus is on prevention
rather than firefighting, fixing, and damage control.
8) Rewards and recognition- In a quality
culture, rewards and recognition are based upon attainment of quality goals and
demonstration of appropriate behavior.
Changing organizational
culture is a difficult and time-consuming process, especially in the case of
a Strong’s culture where the values are deeply entrenched. Changing
people's values, attitudes and behaviors is far more challenging than getting
an organization's quality system registered to ISO 9001. Successful cultural
transformation efforts focused on clearly defined results and aligning the new
culture with organizational vision and strategy. top management needs to foster
a climate of mutual trust and teamwork which is crucial for creating and
sustaining a quality culture. In this regard, top managers should honor
promises and commitments; maintain open and honest communication; avoid
formation of cliques or subgroups; encourage free flow of information;
establish cross-functional teams; and encourage discussion of key problems and
issues.
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