1. Discuss the importance of quality partnering and strategic alliances

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     When partnering, all the parties have to be sure that all of them are striving for the same outcome. Not, just that, but also all of them have to work with the same mindset during the process in order to achieve the best quality results. One great thing about partnering is the fact all of the participants can bring great (different) ideas to the table that can complement each other, which can lead to continual improvements. When quality partnering and strategic alliances are done correctly, the outcome is pure quality business; it brings to the table great relationships between suppliers and customers. The purpose of all this is that at the end the customer ends up satisfied with their product or service, making them loyal to our business.

 

2. Discuss the various forms of quality partnering and strategic alliances

 

     Doesn’t matter who or what are the types of partnerships, they all have the same great result. It can be between managers and employees; this is known as internal partnering. This also covers different internal partnering like for example, between departments. This can improve dramatically the relationship among fellow coworkers or employees in the same organization. Another form of partnering with suppliers, this creates a bond between the participating organizations which provides loyalty and trust that will result in better business. Another form of alliance is made when two or more companies, usually competitors, join forces to work in the same project or research, one that both companies need to able to improve their technologies. Another strategic alliance can be between a company and their customers, in which the company can get feedback from the customer. This way they can improve their products and be able to have complete customer satisfaction.

 

3. Discuss the importance of quality culture

 

     Quality culture creates an environment that promotes continuous quality improvements driven by its values, system traditions and procedures. Quality culture is a key on any company that focuses on quality because it maintains a leadership emphasis on every level, giving the employees empowerment causing better results in all levels. Quality culture determines how the inner company interacts on a daily basis, making the relationships better between employees.

 

4. Explain the difference between traditional and modern quality cultures

 

     One of the most notable difference between traditional and modern quality cultures is found on the way the managers function. In traditional method, the manager gives the orders based on what he thinks is the best and the employees have to fallow his orders. In the modern way, managers and employees are considered as a team, where all of them can input ideas and the manager decides based on the whole team feedback. Another difference between the traditional and modern methods is the position given to the customer. Modern quality cultures value their customer and seek their loyalty since they believe that customers are a big part of what maintains their business alive and the traditional is more focused on the organization’s needs. In conclusion, the modern method is more focused on team work and includes every detail of the business as part of it, from the suppliers to the customers.

 

5. How do you understand who is a customer?

 

     Customers are the ones that brings the needs and the standards desired. We, as the provider of the product or service, have to focus our quality around the customer in order to develop a product that satisfies their needs and makes them feel complete. If we maintain a customer happy and satisfied, we manage to keep them loyal and trustworthy. The modern quality culture also knows that the employees have a very important role on the process since they are the creators of the product. They are also considered as customers and the organization wants to keep them happy because that way they can also keep them loyal and trustworthy.

 

 

6. Explain customer defined value, value analysis and retention.

 

     The customer defined value is basically their approval of the product. Their decision is based on the quality of the product and its cost. The value analysis is the process which the customers go through in order to determine whether they accept or not. This process is pure feedback to the company, in which they learn which factors or features of the products are the most appreciated and which ones can be improved. If the cost goes along with the product’s quality and features, chances are its going to be approved.  Finally, the organization needs to keep improving and adding things to the list of customer needs in order to obtain their retention. In other words, customers are going to be loyal and trustworthy to you if they are being kept happy and satisfied during a long period of time.

 

7. Discuss product innovation models for customer retention

 

     It’s important for a company to keep up with the world, especially on their business area. Product innovation consists of many hours of research, efforts and feedbacks in order to target customer needs to eventually develop a quality product or service which satisfies the customer. Thanks to innovation, a company can continuously improve and create better products while reducing their cost. If a company can manage to improve and continuously keep releasing innovative products that are appealing to the customer’s eye and maintaining a cost that goes along with its quality, they should be able to maintain their customer’s retention.

8. Discuss employee empowerment

     

     Employee empowerment is part of the modern quality culture. It basically means including the employee and their ideas in the whole thinking process. Managers have to create an open environment that gives the employees the opportunity to participate and feel important, make them feel part of the team. Using their inputs on the process gives them sense of inclusiveness and ownership. This results as better output on their part, making them more productive and happy for being part of the company. Not just that, but it creates a healthy decision making environment on the company.

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9. Discuss leadership for quality

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     The meaning of leadership has changed with the modern quality culture. Before being a leader meant being a boss or superior who gave the instructions. Now, with the modern point of view being a leader is a person that can gain the respect from others not by intimidation, but by inclusion. A great leader cares for the employees and want them to succeed professionally and as individuals, making them to be voluntarily committed to the organizational goals.  Modern leaders are team work oriented, focused on the customer and constantly looking to improve people and processes.

 

10. How to lead for a better quality change?

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     If quality needs to be improved, great leaders are needed to help complete the task. Leaders need to be goal oriented and include everyone on the process. When employees feel part of the group, they want the project and team to succeed the same way the leader wants it. Even though everybody is part of the team and inputs are given, a leader needs to acknowledge that is his job to monitor and adjust the plan when needed and communicate the changes to the team. This is a continuous improvement process and changes need to be made in order to achieve a better quality.