Quality Management

Total Hours in Course162

Number of hours for lectures16

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes48

Independent study hours98

Date of course confirmation22.02.2023

Responsible UnitInstitute of Business and Management Science

Course developer

Uzņēmējdarbības un vadībzinātnes institūts

Aina Muška

Dr. oec.

Prior knowledge

Ekon2122, Statistics

Ekon3108, Marketing

Course abstract

Students acquire basic knowledge of the nature of quality and the role of it in contributing to the competitiveness of an organization, as well as of management of processes and assessment of customer satisfaction and loyalty. During the course, students learn how to practically apply the most common quality management tools and methods as well as the basics of quality cost classification and calculation, develop an ability to solve quality problems by applying the Deming (PDCA) cycle and quality management tools.
The course aims to build up knowledge as well as skills and competences needed for understanding the principles of quality management, solving quality problems and applying various quality management tools and methods.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Students will be able to demonstrate:
KNOWLEDGE of
1. The most important terms and regularities of quality management - Tests 1, 2 and 3.
2. Quality management evolution, experts in quality and their contribution to quality management - Tests 1, 2 and 3.
3. Process management and the EFQM Excellence Model - practical assignments.
SKILLS
Professional skills to
4. Apply quality management tools and compute quality costs - practical assignments, Tests 1, 2 and 3 and an examination project.
5. Apply proper application program functions and visualization platforms for data processing and visualization - practical assignments and an examination project.
6. Assess customer satisfaction and loyalty - practical assignments, Test 3.
7. Independently acquire, select and analyse information and use it in research on quality – an examination project.
Soft skills to
8. Explain, discuss and present the research results to others - practical assignments and an examination project.
9. Work in a team and cooperate with other students - practical assignments and an examination project.
10. Responsibly plan the completion of the assignments given - practical assignments and an examination project.
COMPETENCES to
11. Independently or in a team analyse real, low-quality-related problems, identify the causes of the low quality – an examination project.
12. Independently identify areas for quality improvement and justify the choice – an examination project.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Insight into quality and quality management (lectures – 2 hours, practical – 1 hour)
2. Quality and competitive advantages (lecture – 1 hour)
3. Evolution of the idea and management of quality in the world. Gurus (experts on) of quality in the world and their contributions to quality management (lecture – 1 hour)
4. Nature and role of quality management. Quality problem solving. Deming cycle. Decision-making cycle. Whiteboard method. A3-problem solving method (lecture – 1 hour, practicals – 5 hours)
5. Quality management tools and methods. Characteristics, methodology and application of simple quality management instruments (or “old” quality management tools): data collection sheets; histogram; scatterplot; stratification; Pareto diagram; graphs; cause-effect diagram (“fishbone”); 5 WHYS; cause-effect relations “tree”; control schedule; flowchart (lecture – 1 hour, practicals – 14 hours)
Test 1: Nature and role of quality. “Old” quality management tools (3 hours)
6. Characteristics, methodology and application of “new” quality management tools: similarity (affinity) diagram; relations diagram; tree diagram; matrix (quality table); priority matrix or decision-making matrix (lecture – 1 hour, practicals – 6 hours)
7. Process management and visualization (lectures – 2 hours, practicals – 5 hours)
8. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) (lecture – 1 hour, practicals – 2 hours)
9. Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) (lecture – 1 hour, practical – 1 hour)
Test 2: “New” quality management tools (2 hours)
10. Economics of quality (lecture – 1 hour, practicals – 3 hours)
11. Customer satisfaction assessment (lecture – 1 hour, practical – 1 hour)
12. Customer loyalty assessment (lecture – 1 hour, practical – 1 hour)
Test 3: Costs of quality. Customer satisfaction assessment (1 hour)
13. System of collecting and implementing employee recommendations at an enterprise (lecture – 1 hour, practicals – 2 hours)
14. Benchmarking (lecture – 1 hour)

Requirements for awarding credit points

The course ends with an examination project to be completed: an analysis of a quality problem by applying the Deming cycle and the quality management tools and methods learnt. Three tests must be taken. The tests may not be retaken.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

The student must independently prepare for the tests and complete the examination project: an analysis of a quality problem by applying the Deming cycle and the quality management tools and methods learnt.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The student is awarded a passing mark in a test if at least 40% of the questions are answered correctly.
The student is awarded a passing mark for the examination project if at least 4 quality management tools are used in an analysis of a quality problem.
The final mark for the course consists of the marks earned for the following: activities in classes (20 points), three tests (totally 40 points: 20 points in Test 1, 10 points in Test 2, 10 points in Test 3) and the number of points awarded for the examination project (40 points). The total maximum number of points to be awarded is 100; a score of 10 is equal to one point on a 10-point marking scale.

Compulsory reading

1. Babris, S., Kaļķis, H., Pikšs, M., Sorokins, V. Praktiskais LEAN. Rīga: BEA, 2021. 328 lpp.
2. Babris, S., Kaļķis, H., Mūrnieks J., Piekuss, U. LEAN risinājumi efektīvākam biznesam. Rīga: BEA, 2016. 187 lpp.
3. Dahlgaard, J.J., Khanji, G.K., & Kristensen, K. Fundamentals of Total Quality Management. Taylor & Francis Group, 2016. 388 p. (grāmata pieejama e-studijās pdf formātā)
4. Duffy G. L. The ASQ Quality Improvement Pocket Guide: Basic History, Concepts, Tools, and Relationships. ASQ Quality Press, 2013. 141 p.
5. Walker H. F. Certified Quality Inspector Handbook. 2nd Edition. Milwaukee, Wis.: ASQ Quality Press, 2012. 481 p.
6. Kubiak T. M. ASQ Pocket Guide for the Certified Six Sigma Black Belt. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: ASQ Quality Press, 2014. 313 p.
7. Liniņa I. Kā piesaistīt un noturēt pircēju. Rīga: Biznesa augstskola Turība, 2018. 187 lpp.
8. Krūmiņš J., Krūmiņa I. Statistisko metožu lietošana kvalitātes vadīšanā un nodrošināšanā. Rīga: LU, 2001. 42 lpp.
9. Gerberihs K. V. Salīdzināšana jeb benchmarking. Rīga: De Novo, 2004. 128 lpp.

10. Taminens K. EFQM. Izcilības modelis biznesa organizācijām. Organizācijas novērtēšanas rokasgrāmata. Rīga: Biedrība ”Latvijas Biznesa konsultantu asociācija”, 2007. 170 lpp.
11. Heppell, M. Pieczvaigžņu serviss ar minimāliem ieguldījumiem. Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 2010. 136 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Quality Progress. Publisher: American Society for Quality. Publication type: Journals. ISSN: 0033524X
2. Quality Management Journal. Published by American Society for Quality. ISSN: 1068-6967
3. Leilands un Putnis mājas lapa. Pieejams: https://leiput.lv/index.php/kvalitates-vadiba
4. Biznesa efektivitātes asociācijas mājas lapa. Pieejams: https://www.efektivs.lv/lv/
5. American Society for Quality mājas lapa. Pieejams: www.asq.org (ir pieejamas kvalitātes vadības instrumentu veidnes (templates))
6. European Foundation for Quality Management mājas lapa. Pieejams: www.efqm.org

Notes

Restricted elective study course (Part B) for the ESAF academic Bachelor programme “Economics”, specialisation “Business Process Management”

Atsauksmes