Practical experience with quality improvements in small companies

Practical experience with quality improvements in small companies

H. Neerland and T. Kvalfors, Integrated Manufacturing Systems (UK), Vol. 11 No. 3, 2000

Describes a set of projects, undertaken by SINTEF Industrial Management,Norway, as part of its structured quality improvement programme for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), to establish a durable quality development process and culture in which management and the workforce actively participate and co-operate. Notes the involvement of 36 Norwegian companies and compares the perceptions of job functions in this project with those in Japan. Shows that the main activities of the programme are initial education, planning and organization of company projects, the reactive problem solving process,company-wide work unit analysis and initiation of a continuous improvement process. Focuses on the improvement section of the programme, especially the activities related to the Reactive Problem Solving Conference (RPSC). Argues for using RSPC and problem solving as early as possible in the programme to increase interest in and understanding of the quality improvement process. Describes an example of a problem-solving process in an SME, showing how relatively simple activities are used to improve the production process.

Quality focus says: Survey findings from Norway. Highly readable and with a technical edge.