Performance improvement. Part 1. Forget the acronyms

This two‐part article focuses on the need to ignore the many acronym‐based initiatives and programmes that tend to drive business performance. The author recommends that people must play a critical role in any performance improvement initiative. People should work in an effective team environment and with senior management visible involvement. A tool, cost of quality, is described in some detail. Utilizing people and cost of quality can reduce cost and change an organisations’ culture. Part 1 highlights the need to focus on behaviour for new initiatives and projects to be successfully installed in a company. Cost of quality as a performance improvement process can be a major driver of change producing substantial cost reduction and performance improvement within any business.