The stamp of quality approval

Article Abstract:

There has been a sharp increase in business interest in UK and international manufacturing quality standards. Experts attribute the upsurge in the manufacturing industry's commitment to quality standards to the recession and the resultant pressures to improve quality to maintain a competitive edge in the market. The BS 5750 certification of the British Standards Institute (BSI) is the subject of much of the interest in quality management systems. First introduced in 1979, the BS 5750 certifies that companies which have passed the BSI quality audit have effective quality management systems in place. The certification is divided into three parts and covers design, manufacture and installation, and testing and inspection. The certification is considered by many manufacturers as a key accreditation that can demonstrate to customers their strong commitment to quality control.

Regulation misc. commercial sectors, Miscellaneous Manufactures, Evaluation

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Quality: the ultimate competitive advantage

Article Abstract:

Smaller accounting firms, faced with a limited marketplace, a fixed product range, and price inflexibity, can achieve a competitive advantage by concentrating on improved customer service. The Total Quality Management approach, which emphasizes a corporate culture dedicated to meeting customer expectations, is a useful framework that accounting firms can use in a quality service initiative. Four key points to remember in managing such an initiative are that it should be: actively supported by senior management; integrated into a firm's business plans; continuous, not static; and supported by the rank and file staff. Service quality may prove to be crucial to the success of smaller firms in the recessionary climate of the 1990s.

Methods, Analysis, Competition (Economics), Services, Marketing management, Customer service

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BS 5750 - a competitive straitjacket?

Article Abstract:

The decision of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to develop a quality control standard similar to the BS 5750 standard used in the manufacturing industry may not necessarily promote the cause of total quality management (TQM). While a quality initiative based on BS 5750 is valuable in monitoring the effectiveness of performance standards set, it cannot on its own result in the establishment of a TQM culture that provides incentives to continuously improve the quality of services offered by accounting firms.

Manufacturing industries, not elsewhere classified, Column, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

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