Questions:

1. Analyze and discuss the different ways that quality can be defined and applied within the operations context.
2. What implications does this have for an organisations as it seeks to deliver a high-quality product or service?
3. How can differences between these views of quality be overcome?

Requirements:

1. Read the required reading material at below
2. This is an initial discussion of question with some analysis of personal understanding
3. Deep analysis, evaluation to the implications, in short the writing must be on depth.
4. Using Harvard style with detailed information for citation and reference within the content and a reference list in the end, for example.

Journal article

Melnyck, S.A., Stewart, D.M.,& Swink, M. (2004). Metrics and performance measurement in operations management: dealing with the metrics maze, Journal of Operations Management, 22 (3), pp. 209-218, Elsevier Science Direct.

• Defining and maintaining standards

Chapter 17 explore the issue of defining quality and reconciling the operation's view with the customer's view. Gaps may exist between certain stages in the operation which lead to problems with quality. This reading selection examines the first four steps involved with conforming to specifications.

• Performance measurement

Chapter 20 outline the objectives and measures that organisations must develop when assessing performance. Measuring the performance of an operation often centres on the five objectives: cost, quality, flexibility, dependability, and speed.

• Priorities for improvement

Chapter 20 analyse how organizations determine which operations areas need improvement and in what order they will be addressed. This is heavily influenced by the requirements of customers as well as the performance of competitors.

• Improvement strategy

Chapter 18 cover the two general strategies for improving operations: breakthrough and continuous improvement. Breakthrough strategies are sudden and result in dramatic change. Continuous strategies seek long-term improvement achieved through incremental change.

• Techniques for improving operations

Chapter 18 briefly explore some other techniques that can be utilized for improving performance such as flow charts, Pareto diagrams, and why-why analysis.