Ford of Europe has as its mission ‘to continually improve our products and services to meet our customer needs’. The company is adopting Taguchi's philosophy of Loss Function…
Abstract
Ford of Europe has as its mission ‘to continually improve our products and services to meet our customer needs’. The company is adopting Taguchi's philosophy of Loss Function analysis and the Quality Function Deployment planning tool to support its Total Quality culture.
Under this heading published regularly abstracts of all Reports and Memoranda of the Aeronautical Research Council, Reports and Technical Memoranda of the United States National…
Abstract
Under this heading published regularly abstracts of all Reports and Memoranda of the Aeronautical Research Council, Reports and Technical Memoranda of the United States National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and publications of other similar Research Bodies as issued.
Under this heading are published regularly abstracts of all Reports and Memoranda of the Aeronautical Research Council, Reports and Technical Memoranda of the United States…
Abstract
Under this heading are published regularly abstracts of all Reports and Memoranda of the Aeronautical Research Council, Reports and Technical Memoranda of the United States National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and publications of other similar Research Bodies as issued.
Paulo A´guas, Jorge Costa and Paulo Rita
The main objective of this study is the application of portfolio analysis, as an instrument of decision‐making support, to the selection of priority market segments for Portugal…
Abstract
The main objective of this study is the application of portfolio analysis, as an instrument of decision‐making support, to the selection of priority market segments for Portugal. The results obtained validate the use of competitiveness and attractiveness as tools for the selection and management of generating markets for a tourist destination. The selection of factors to calculate the values of competitiveness and attractiveness was based on a review of the literature on destination competitiveness, portfolio models in general and studies applied to tourist destinations. The relative importance of the factors was determined after consultation with a panel of experts. Cronbach’s alpha test was used to verify the scale reliability. Tourist arrivals, tourists stays, foreign exchange revenue and bednights in hotel units were used as performance indicators of generating countries. Correlation and multiple linear regression analysis were used to study the relation between attractiveness and competitiveness and performance.
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The monograph analyses (a) the potential impact of informationtechnology (IT) on organisational issues that directly concern thepersonnel function; (b) the nature of personnel’s…
Abstract
The monograph analyses (a) the potential impact of information technology (IT) on organisational issues that directly concern the personnel function; (b) the nature of personnel’s involvement in the decision making and activities surrounding the choice and implementation of advanced technologies, and (c) their own use of IT in developing and carrying out their own range of specialist activities. The monograph attempts to explain why personnel’s involvement is often late, peripheral and reactive. Finally, an analysis is made of whether personnel specialists – or the Human Resource Management function more generally – will play a more proactive role in relation to such technologies in the future.
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Lucy Garrod, Jane Fossey, Catherine Henshall, Sandra Williamson, Alice Coates and Helen Green
The purpose of this paper is to report on a service evaluation of a competency-based dementia training programme for clinicians to establish its value in improving their knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on a service evaluation of a competency-based dementia training programme for clinicians to establish its value in improving their knowledge and confidence of dementia care and to explore any resulting changes to practice.
Design/methodology/approach
Mixed method quantitative and qualitative data, using rating scales and focus group discussions (FGDs), were collected. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyse changes in the responses to the rating scales of knowledge and confidence and thematic analysis of FGDs was undertaken to identify staff perceptions of the impact of training on their practice.
Findings
In total, 162 qualified and clinical support staff undertook the training. A significant change in knowledge and confidence scores was found on all three scales. In general, feedback on the course was positive. Seven themes, demonstrating the relevance of the training to practice, emerged from the FGDs – experiential training awareness of diagnosis, approach, understanding, communication, risk, changed practice and going forward.
Practical implications
Providing competency-based dementia training for large numbers of staff can have a positive effect on the care delivered to patients with dementia.
Originality/value
Healthcare organisations have a responsibility to ensure their staff have the training to provide quality care for patients living with dementia. This paper suggests this can be achieved through a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach involving co-production and best practice guidance.
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Majed Al‐Mashari, Mohamed Zairi and David Ginn
This paper presents the concepts and principles of quality function deployment (QFD) as they have been implemented by Ford company. The paper illustrates the essential linkages…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents the concepts and principles of quality function deployment (QFD) as they have been implemented by Ford company. The paper illustrates the essential linkages between external and internal customers to suppliers (i.e. “Voice‐Quality‐Satisfaction” Chains).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper considers some of the details of changes that are occurring to support the “Breakthrough in Quality”. One of the key elements of the Ford Motor Company engineering quality improvements program (EQIP) within Europe has been the linking of some seven‐quality tool techniques including QFD as the core link. For the purpose of improving QFD, it is both useful and rational to look at ways in which it can be linked to, or integrated with other quality tools. The Ford EQIP training process argues that QFD, within a customer focused engineering (CFE) process is a key tool in linking all other tools, through the QFD process itself.
Findings
The paper also looks at discussions on QFD linkages with other quality tools and processes. This sequence of QFD linkages to other single, or dual linked quality tools finishing with some engineering processes is particularly discussed. Among these are Pugh Concept Selection, Taguchi methods, experimentation, failure mode effects analysis (FMEA), value management, quality benchmark deployment (QBD) and benchmarking, process management, statistical process control (SPC), team oriented problem solving – eight disciplines (TOPS 8D), and systems engineering.
Research limitations/implications
Although the manifestation of the Ford customer satisfaction process has been reviewed as the CFE QFD process within Ford of Europe, its adoption and awareness is still limited. As a result of this, it is critical to review the research topic of customer satisfaction with a focus on how Ford Motor Company as a whole approaches this key goal through the use of various marketing, sales and marketing research office (MRO) initiatives.
Practical implications
It discusses the various arguments and proposals that link together the end user customers voice to the internal customer‐supplier chains that act on the customer input and feedback to improve product quality and ultimately deliver higher end user satisfaction.
Originality/value
The paper concludes with a discussion of the use of QFD with other quality tools and processes, the role of QFD within total quality management (TQM) processes, and team working.
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M. Braglia, G. Fantoni and M. Frosolini
The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured methodology for performing build‐in reliability (BIR) investigation during a new product development cycle.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured methodology for performing build‐in reliability (BIR) investigation during a new product development cycle.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology in this paper represents an extension of the Quality Functional Deployment/House of Quality (QFD/HoQ) concepts to reliability studies. It is able to translate the reliability requisites of customers into functional requirements for the product in a structured manner based on a Failure Mode And Effect Analysis (FMEA). Besides, it then allows it to build a completely new operative tool, named House of Reliability (HoR), that enhances standard analyses, introducing the most significant correlations among failure modes. Using the results from HoR, a cost‐worth analysis can be easily performed, making it possible to analyse and to evaluate the economical consequences of a failure.
Findings
The paper finds that the application of the proposed approach allows users to identify and control the design requisites affecting reliability. The methodology enhances the reliability analysis introducing and managing the correlations among failure modes, splitting the severity into a detailed series of basic severity aspects, performing also cost/worth assessments.
Practical implications
It is shown that the methodology enables users to finely analyse failure modes by splitting severity according to the product typology and the importance of each Severity criterion according to laws or international standards. Moreover the methodology is able to consider the “domino effects” and so to estimate the impact of the correlation between the causes of failure. Finally a cost/worth analysis evaluates the economical consequences of a failure with respect to the incurred costs to improve the final reliability level of the product.
Originality/value
The paper proposes a completely new approach, robust, structured and useful in practice, for reliability analysis. The methodology, within an integrated approach, overcomes some of the largely known limits of standard FMECA: it takes into account multiple criteria, differently weighted, it analyses the product considering not only the direct consequence of a failure, but also the reaction chain originated by a starting failure.