Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

This study investigates whether quality management has developed to such an extent that retailers, service repair organisations and consumers are satisfied with product and repair service quality provided by South African manufacturing companies. To investigate these aspects, the colour television industry has been selected because it contains various manufacturing companies of varying sizes and characters, employing different quality policies and performances. It offers relatively standardised products and services, which facilitates intercompany comparisons and employs a simple flow type assembly line process that is representative of other mass production industries. The hypotheses are tested by interviewing four selected populations by means of carefully constructed questionnaires, namely a retail population, a repair service population, a consumer population and a manufacturing population. The empirical results are statistically evaluated in terms of the various manufacturers ability to provide satisfactory product and repair service quality. Consumers and repair service organisations are selected because they represent a broad spectrum of the population with varying, but important opinions on product and repair service quality. Retailers selling colour television receivers are also selected as they play an important role in the management of quality and vary from small independent retailers to large chain stores and discounters. The results obtained from this study show that: • there is a need from the retailers, service repair organisations and consumers for the South African manufacturers to improve the quality of colour television receivers • there is a need by the consumers and the retailers for the manufacturers to improve their repair service quality • there is a need to improve the quality control procedures employed by the colour television manufacturers. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

Thesis (MTech (Quality))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / To succeed in the global market, South African enterprises need an overall operational excellence which is a key requirement for any business to sustain competiveness and growth. To effectively respond to the constant flexibility of customer demands, many quality initiatives have been developed to assist business organisations in the quest for excellence. Quality management has evolved over the years from a simple product inspection, to a modern management system that requires the involvement of the entire workforce and other stakeholders to work closely, toward customer satisfaction. Currently, the most used quality concepts by organisations throughout the world are ISO 9001(2008); Total Quality Management; Just in Time; and Six Sigma. Among these quality initiatives, Six Sigma has emerged as the most powerful quality improvement strategy. In South Africa (SA), business organisations have adopted several quality initiatives to cope with the challenges of globalisation. Six Sigma is one of the latest quality initiatives that many businesses in SA are using or considering as a mechanism to strengthen their product or service quality. This study explores a Six Sigma model for implementation in the context of the South African business environment. As less than ten percent of organisations worldwide have recognised the tremendous effects of Six Sigma in boosting their productivity and financial profit, it becomes extremely important to understand the complexity and critical aspects behind Six Sigma implementation, that organisations in SA must recognise when implementing Six Sigma. This study can assist many industries in SA, as well as those in other developing nations, who have not yet experienced Six Sigma implementation, to become aware of the complexity and critical elements of this quality approach.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Technikon, 2003. / This research report is based on a case study. It follows up on the research of a previous study by Muregerera (1996). His thesis was compiled in order to develop a model for a world-class manufacturing organization. For his case study, he chose Omnigraphics. Although his focus was on world class manufacturing principles, he did address Omnigraphics prior to the organization receiving ISO 9000 certification through the SASS. This research report therefore looks at the transformation that Omnigraphics went through, from an organization without a formal quality management system, to one with a functional quality management system. Chapter one defines quality management systems and the benefits of a formal quality management system. Current research is discussed in chapter two together with the benefits and requirements of the ISO system. Chapter three addresses the challenges, which Omnigraphics faced prior to ISO 9000 implementation and the changes that occurred once this organization was certified to ISO 9001. A comprehensive survey was done to identify the actual benefits that suppliers and customers see in dealing with an ISO 9000 listed organization. Chapter four looks at the participants of the survey as well as the questions posed. Chapter five gives the results of the survey in a graphical format as well as an interpretation of the results. The research report also focuses on the new revision of the ISO 9000 series and this is addressed in chapter six. The report closes by reviewing the research and looking at the future of the ISO 9000 series.

Thesis (MTech (Marketing))--Cape Technikon, 1999. / Quality of service, as perceived by the customer, has been shown by research to be a critical factor contributing to organizational performance in recent years. Therefore, the management of service quality is a key variable, and for service quality to be managed, it has to be measured. There have been significant advances in the measurement of service quality in the past fifteen years, resulting in a stream of research, mostly concentrating on the external customers of profit-seeking firms. A key factor driving this research was the development of an apparently reliable, valid instrument for the measurement of service quality. This instrument called SERVQUAL, was developed by US researchers A. "Parsu" Parasuraman, Valarie Zeithaml and Len Berry. It has spawned an enormous debate in the marketing literature, leading to the further exploration and refinement of the dimensions of the service quality construct. While the use of SERVQUAL has been extensively investigated in external markets, and in for-profit firms, less attention has been given to its use, and more importantly, its reliability and validity in internal markets, and in not-for-profit organizations. These settings are becoming increasingly important from a services marketing perspective. Internal markets (where fellow employees are also customers) are being subjected to market testing, and many services previously provided within the organization are being outsourced. In order to survive, many functions such as information systems, training, catering and cleaning are being forced to market their services internally, and this includes assessing service quality, and improving it. Likewise, private and public nonprofit organizations are coming under increasing scrutiny, as donors and taxpayers alike become evermore concerned about the value gained from the expenditures made by these organizations with their funds. In this study, the SERVQUAL instrument was used to measure service quality as perceived by the internal customers of a large IT department within an extensive government organization. The main objectives of the study were to assess the psychometric properties of the SERVQUAL instrument in this setting. It was found that SERVQUAL generally performs well under these circumstances, with regard to reliability, construct, convergent and nomological validity. However, the instrument appears to be problematical in terms of discriminant validity. This is probably less attributable to the measurement situation as to the instrument itself, for the finding mirrors evidence from the literature. The study also identifies implications for management, and opportunities for future research.

Thesis (MTech (Quality))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / The quality assurance role is an essential function in high risk industries such as the nuclear power industry where process failures can potentially have catastrophic results. As part of mitigating the risk inherent in such industries, the need for reliable quality assurance cannot be over-emphasised. Underpinning a reliable quality assurance function, lies the need for effective identification of risk; as well as effective decision making processes by competent auditors. A nuclear quality assurance (QA) department has noted an increase in the variability of its audit outcomes, which has resulted in the value of the audit process being questioned by various stakeholders. The research endeavoured to: explore and describe the practice amongst auditors when rating audit findings; potentially identify reasons for inconsistencies amongst auditors when rating findings; and provide recommendations to improve both the consistency amongst auditors when rating audit finding and the overall performance of the audit process. An exploratory study using the Delphi technique was adopted to enable multiple iterations of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, mimicking elements of a sequential exploratory strategy.

A própolis é uma resina de coloração e consistência variada coletada por abelhas da espécie Apis Mellifera de diversas partes da planta como brotos, botões florais e exsudados resinosos, sendo transportados para a colméia com a finalidade de defesa e vem se destacando por suas atividades terapêuticas, como atividade antimicrobiana, antiinflamatória, cicatrizante, anticaríogênica e anticancerígena. Estudos realizados com a própolis brasileira mostraram a presença de muitos compostos fenólicos, sendo o mais recente, a identificação de derivados prenilados do ácido cumárico. Dentre estes, o mais estudado é o ácido 3,5-diprenil-4hidroxicinâmico (Artepillin-C), separada da própolis produzida em áreas cuja flora é rica em espécies de Baccharis. A sua quantificação tem se tornado um fator importante como indicador da qualidade da própolis brasileira. O objetivo deste estudo foi o desenvolvimento e a validação do método de determinação de Artepillin-C, assim como a caracterização e quantificação dos principais parâmetros relacionados ao controle de qualidade da própolis preconizada pela legislação brasileira vigente, foram realizadas análise de: umidade, cinzas, teor de cera, teor de massa mecânica, teor de sólidos solúveis em etanol, índice de oxidação, f1avonóides totais e fenólicos totais. O trabalho foi complementado com análise polínica e determinação da atividade antioxidante Amostras de própolis foram obtidas de apicultores e entrepostos totalizando 33 amostras procedentes das regiões Nordeste, Centro-Oeste, Sudeste e Sul do Brasil, no período de 2003 a 2005. As amostras de própolis analisadas apresentaram resultados, na quase totalidade, de acordo com os limites estabelecidos pelo Ministério da Agricultura. A maioria das amostras apresentou alta atividade antioxidante inibindo a oxidação da reação acoplada de β-caroteno a ácido linoléico em torno de 86,0%. O método de análise de Artepillin C atendeu a todos os parâmetros preconizados para a validação do método cromatográfico (linearidade, precisão, exatidão, limite de detecção e limite de quantificação) podendo ser recomendado para análise de rotina em laboratórios de controle de qualidade. A análise estatística mostrou uma forte correlação entre os seguintes parâmetros: cinzas e massa mecânica; compostos fenólicos e solúveis em etanol assim como os compostos fenólicos e atividade antioxidante. Também foi constatada uma variação nos valores dos outros parâmetros analisados em função da procedência das amostras de própolis. / Propolis is a resin of varied color and consistency collected by honeybee, Apis Mellifera, from several parts of the plant such as sprouts, f10wer buds and resinous exsudatos, being transported to the hive with the intent of defending and it has become really popular for its therapeutic properties, such as antimicrobial, anti inflammatory, healing anti-carcinogenic and anti-cancerigenous properties. Studies performed with the Brazilian propolis showed the presence of several phenolic compounds, as the most recent brings the identification of prenyl derivative of coumaric acid. Among them, the most studied one is 3,5-diprenyl-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (Artepillin-C), isolated from the propolis produced in areas which flora is rich in Baccharis species. Its quantification has become an important factor as indicator of Brazilian propolis quality. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a method to determine Artepillin-C, as well the identification and quantification of main parameters related to quality control of propolis forecasted in the current Brazilian regulation (moisture, ashes wax content, mechanic matter, content of solid soluble in ethanol, oxidation rate, total f1avonoid and total phenolic).The polinic studies and antioxidant activity determination were also performed to complement this work. Propolis samples were obtained from beekeepers and warehouses summing up 33 samples from the Northeast, Southeast, Mid-West and South of Brazil from 2003 to 2005. The propolis samples studied presented results which were almost all in accordance to the set limits by the Brazilian Agriculture Department. Most samples presented high antioxidant activity preventing oxidation from the coupled reaction of βcarotene to linoleic acid around 86,0%. The analysis method for Artepillin C addressed all the forecasted parameters for the validation o f the chromatographic method (linearity, precision, accuracy, detection limit and quantification limit) as it can be recommended for the routine analysis in labs to control quality. The statistics showed a strong relationship between the following parameters: ashes and mechanic matter; phenolic compounds and soluble in ethanol as well as phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. It was also observed a variation in the figures for other studied parameters due to the origin of propolis samples.

M.Tech. (Radiography) / Systematic implementation of a quality control (QC) programme is crucial for any diagnostic radiology department if consistent optimal equipment performance, quality images, accurate diagnosis and quality services at optimum radiation dose and costs are to be assured. This highlighted the necessity for the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC) to establish a training programme to enable radiographers to implement a QC programme and associated QC measures in their departments. Most radiographers have been trained on the QC programme, however, the level of QC implementation by the radiographers is not established. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which the QC programme and associated QC measures are being implemented by radiographers in conventional diagnostic radiography units, in Tanzania. A quantitative cross-sectional study design, using a questionnaire, was conducted on a sample of radiographers who have been trained on the QC programme, and who were practicing in hospitals within Tanzania. The study found that implementation of the QC programme and associated QC measures was poor. Most QC measures were not being performed and that only a few tests were being performed but not consistently. Furthermore, there were no records and procedures available for the QC programme. The challenges identified were negligence by the radiographers, lack of standardized test tools, lack of hospital managerial support, lack of enforcement and lack of motivation and coordination. Multifactor interventions by the TAEC, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, radiographers and the hospital management teams are needed to improve the implementation of the QC programme.

M. Eng. (Engineering Management) / Total Quality Management (TQM) is a managerial approach that views quality to be a result of integrating all organisational activities e.g. engineering, manufacturing, marketing and administration work. It aims broadly at maintaining and improving quality standards and to achieve customer satisfaction. TQM’s major components are quality planning, quality control and quality improvement. Quality control is responsible for transforming quality planning and quality improvement outcomes into daily routine work. However, quality control can be implemented by systematically going around the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) control cycle, with which organisation may achieve continuous small steps of improvement. An entire enterprise can be better controlled when it is regarded as a set of processes. Process is controlled by the same systematic way of implementing PDCA cycle. Some tools are suggested in this dissertation to control processes. These are statistical process control (SPC), root cause analysis (RCA) and the Feedback Loop. Beyond information gleaned from literature on quality control a case study of a steel manufacturing and construction firm is also presented. Some areas for improvement in the quality arena of this firm are identified based on the results of quality management gained from literature.

The study focused on the taxi industry as a services industry due to its contribution to the economies of both developed and the developing countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate ways to improve service delivery in the South African taxi industry. This industry is one of the underperforming industries in South Africa with regard to service quality due to over-serviced taxi routes and a lack of information about the needs and desires of the taxi commuters. The primary objective of this study was to investigate how to improve the service quality of taxi operators in the Nelson Mandela Bay by applying theories and concepts of services marketing and total quality management (TQM). More specifically, the study investigated whether taxi drivers have the required knowledge of services marketing and service quality, and what service quality challenges taxi drivers and commuters face. The sample consisted of 20 taxi drivers and 101 student commuters using taxis on the Port Elizabeth routes. The empirical results showed that taxi drivers perform unsatisfactorily on the four TQM elements: leadership, employee involvement, product/ process excellence and customer focus. The results also reflected the general perception in the Eastern Cape that taxi service quality is poor. Of the five service quality dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy), the taxi drivers performed the best in reliability and the worst in empathy. The empirical results further suggested that taxi services do not meet the expectations of commuters, as deficits were reported between expectations and perceptions of actual service quality. The different quality dimensions used in the measurement of taxi service quality and their empirical results could provide a guideline to taxi service leadership and government on the critical aspects of taxi service quality.