Lack of strategies to sustain continuous improvement initiatives to serve the needs of consumers whilst restructuring to conform to regulations has resulted in the collapse of some financial service companies in Ghana. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies some leaders of financial service companies use to engage employees to sustain continuous improvement initiatives to improve organizational performance. The targeted population comprised 6 senior leaders of financial service companies in Ghana who have engaged employees to sustain organizational continuous improvement initiatives. The conceptual framework for this study was Goldratt's theory of constraint complemented by the transformational leadership theory. Data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews, analysis of company reports, and field notes. Based on methodological triangulation and thematic analysis, 3 themes emerged from the study: operational excellence, employee engagement and incentives, and leadership strategies. The implications of these findings for positive social change include the potential to reduce poverty and improve quality of life in Ghana. Business leaders whose organizations attain improved financial performance can direct their efforts to increasing their organization's corporate social responsibility in the communities where they do business by supporting local charities and other initiatives.

Att göra kvalitets- och verksamhetsutveckling   till en ledningsfråga har skattats som en av de största utmaningarna av   chefer och ledare. Offensiv kvalitetsutveckling är en vedertagen modell som   grundar sig på värderingar, arbetssätt och verktyg vilka har en avgörande   betydelse för framgångsrik kvalitets- och verksamhetsutveckling. I kvalitets-   och verksamhetsutvecklingen kan olika modeller såsom ISO 9001 och SIQ   Managementmodell ge stöd i utvecklingen. Den här studien inriktar sig mot SIQ   Managementmodell som är en excellencemodell. Syftet med denna studie har varit att öka förståelsen för hur   ledningen kan arbeta med kvalitets- och verksamhetsutveckling samt vilka   faktorer som påverkar arbetet. Studien genomfördes på Bostads AB Mimer som   2018 fick Erkännande för framgångsrik verksamhetsutveckling från SIQ. Studien   genomfördes som en kvalitativ studie där elva ledare intervjuades med   semistrukturerade frågeguider. Dokument och skriven information från   företaget har också analyserats. Resultatet visar att en engagerad   företagsledning gynnar kvalitets- och verksamhetsutvecklingen. Mimer har även   haft en etablerad värdegrund, fyra tydliga mål och en dedikerad kvalitetsutvecklare.   Det framkom även utmaningar där den största var upplevelsen av att arbetet   var tidskrävande. / Making   Quality Management a management issue has been addressed as one of the   biggest organizational challenges by managers and leaders. TQM is an accepted model that is based on values, working methods and   tools, which are crucial for succesful quality and business development. In   TQM, various models such as ISO 9001 and SIQ Management model can deploy   quality management. This study focuses on the SIQ Management   model, which is an excellence model. The purpose of this study has been to   increase the understanding of how management can work with quality   management. The study was conducted at Bostads AB Mimer, which in 2018   received Recognition for succesful business development from SIQ. The study   was conducted as a qualitative study where eleven leaders were interviewed   with semi-structured questionnaires. Documents and written information from   the company has also been analyzed. The result shows that a comitted   management benefits the quality management. Mimer has also had an established   core values, four clera goals and a dedicated quality developer. A few   challenges also emerged where quality management was perceived as   time-consuming was one of the factors described to have the most negative   impact on the work. / <p>2019-06-27</p>

本論文共分為五章，第一章為緒論，除了對研究動機、研究目的、研就範圍、研究流程、研究限制、研究方法作一說明外並探討品質的概念，藉由幾位品管大師如W.EdwardsDeming，PhilipB.Crosby等人對品質所下的定義而了解品質的內涵。第二章則對全面品質管理作理論上的探討，在此章首先對TQM的興起背景作一說明，並對學者與實務界人士對TQM所下的定義略作闡述，進而說明TQM具有的特性與執行模式，最後並對TQM的執行工具作簡單介紹。從第三章起便以行政機關為對象探討TQM如何在其中應用，首先說明為何行政機關需要TQM。而由於行政機關顯然不同於企業組織，因此在第二節便對TQM在行政機關的適用性作一探討，然後指出行政機關若欲執行TQM所需遵循的原則，最後並針對我國情形，探討我國若欲實行TQM所須努力的方向。「他山之石，可以攻玉」，在第四章筆者主要係對目前TQM的實際運用狀況略作說明。但由於TQM是起源於美國、興盛於美國，因此本章首先便對目前TQM在美國的實施現況作一介紹，其次我國因目前除經濟部於民國80年曾有實施「團結圈」的經驗，因此在我國部分便介紹民間企業目前的實施現況作為參考、佐證；在本文中特以我國國家品質獎得主：臺灣德州儀器公司與中國鋼鐵公司作為探討的案例，而在最後以介紹經濟部團結圈的作法做為結束。第五章則為結論與建議，除了對本文作一總結外，並對公共行政學術界、實務界與後續研究者提出建議。

品質的管理，從早期的統計品質管制，逐漸演變成全面品質管理。很多國家的政府都體認到全面品質管理對提昇企業競爭力，進而提昇國家競爭力，有相當大的助益，紛紛設立了國家級的品質獎，一方面激勵企業實施全面品質管理，另一方面也提供完整的管理架構給想要引進全面品質管理的企業，做為實施的標竿(Benchmarking)。 　　然而，國家品質獎為了能盡量開放給不同產業的企業參賽，其評審項目就比較一般化，於是可能有一些評審項目對某些產業（例如金融服務業）就不太適用。本研究主要目的就是藉著探討中華民國國家品質獎的評審項目在銀行業的適用情況，進而探討銀行業推行全面品質管理之實務作法的相關議題。 　　本研究的研究對象是台灣地區的銀行業，問卷是根據中華民國國家品質獎之九大類40中項評審項目發展而成，以人員問卷訪談方式詢問本國銀行的分行經理以及外商銀行的副總經理，就其主觀認為每一道題目對銀行營運的重要性程度，以及該主管所服務之銀行在每一道題目的執行確實程度。實際完整填答23份有效問卷，樣本包括9家公營銀行、6家新民營銀行、8家外國銀行在台分行，佔母體（70家，不包括地區性銀行）的32.86%。 　　問卷資料藉由集群分析、變異數分析、雪費檢定後發現，除了少數幾個中項之外，銀行業者普遍認為國家品質獎九大類40中項評審項目都相當重要。就「認知重要性」而言，可將九大類分為重要程度不同的三群，將40中項分為重要程度不同的四群。就「執行確實度」而言，亦可以將九大類分為確實程度不同的三群，將40中項分為確實程度不同的四群。進一步同時考慮上述「認知重要性」以及「執行確實度」的分類，則可將九大類評審項目分為五類，將40中項分為七類。另外，本研究亦比較國內公營銀行、國內新民營銀行、外國銀行在台分行等三類不同銀行在九大類40中項評審項目之「認知重要性」以及「執行確實度」方面的差異。 　　最後，本研究建議想要推行全面品質管理的銀行業者，不應偏廢國家品質獎九大類評審項目中的任何一類。而國家品質獎若想將銀行業納入評審對象，似乎應該考慮銀行業的業務特性，而做若干修正。

自民國79年行政院核定與實施以來，我國國家品質獎已即將邁入第22個年頭，該獎項是國內唯一由行政院核定頒發予企業在經營管理類的最高榮譽。此一獎項的提出也對我國大型企業、機關團體，乃至於中小企業都能有無比鼓勵與標竿學習之效。許多企業也都在此一獎項的引導下，大幅提昇經營的體質。過往研究雖有分析國品獎各構面，其研究目的在於提供企業在申請國家品質獎上的指導建議，對可清楚指出企業經營體質改善之具體建議之研究仍付之闕如。 對多數的企業而言，國家品質獎是遙不可及的，或許也不是多數企業經營之策略目標，且企業若對本身如何提升經營體質缺乏明確的策略方向，而思維著如何挑戰此一國家最高品質榮譽之獎項，則將是捨本逐末，不切實際的作為。對更多的企業而言，追求國家品質獎或許仍遙不可及，但追求組織經營體質的改善卻是不可一日荒廢的。為此，本研究旨在藉由國家品質獎的構面分析，並以內容分析法分析得獎企業在各項構面上的表現與實質作為，建構卓越企業經營體質的全方位架構，以作為企業提升經營體質的標竿學習之參考，期對企業經營體質改善中，提供重要的政策性建議。 綜上所述，本研究擬以中小企業為研究對象，收集過往獲得國家品質獎中小企業類的標竿企業之得獎記錄，藉由內容分析法與專家意見之彙整，以分析各標竿企業在國家品質獎八大構面之具體作法，藉由提出中小企業在各構面上之最佳管理實務，以及從未獲獎之個案廠商個案分析中，說明中小企業在國家品質獎各項構面上，應如何提昇與改善其經營策略，以全面性地達成卓越之績效表現。

Introduction Overtime the execution and control of business activities to meet and even exceed customer satisfac-tion has become an absolute top priority. This is because with an increase in the demand for diverse products and services of quality in unprecedented numbers, there is an automatic injection of complexi-ty into the activities and processes which companies undertake in order to fulfill customer satisfaction. This complexity which could be logistical in nature is usually centered on the provision of quality prod-ucts and services on a timely basis for customer satisfaction. In order to keep this complexity aspect in check while fulfilling customer satisfaction, there is the need to manage the different facets of complex-ity that relate to quality and agility. Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the managerial actions on the logistical challenges of quality and agility in a Newspaper Distribution Company. Method In order to fulfill the purpose, the authors undertook a qualitative-single case study following an induc-tive approach. Interviews were conducted with two managers and these were basically face-to-face in-terviews though we also conducted some of the interviews by phone. Findings Managing complexity challenges of quality and agility requires the utilization of Total Quality Manage-ment (TQM), Just-in-Time (JIT) and Information flow (IF). Through the utilization of TQM, quality standards are enhanced through continuous improvement and the pursuit of excellence in the activities of the company. JIT as a philosophy helps in the elimination of waste and in the speeding up of processes within a company’s supply chain that result to the timely delivery of goods and services to customers in order to enhance customer satisfaction. Also, Information flow through the aid of diverse technologies such as mobile phones, radio phones, the internet, the World Wide Web, Customer Rela-tionship Management systems, Structured Query Language relational database but also word of mouth transmission have helped in the facilitation of decision making in the company relating to the delivery of quality products and services in an agile or responsive manner for customer satisfaction. Practical and Theoretical Implication The attainment of the requisites of agility while maintaining delivery quality may not be sufficient to enhance customer satisfaction. The information in the model provides management with a pathway to follow in solving logistical challenges towards enhancing customer satisfaction. The study offers theory development opportunities. Originality A model of logistical complexity management was designed for the attainment of customer satisfaction.

The majority of researchers, believe that quality management is the aspect of strategy, a method strategically formed to gain competitive advantage. Quality must however, be managed in the sense that it fits the organization. Besides, organizations must also develop strategies to continuously improve and measure quality work. Historically, the view on quality has moved from an end-product focus in manufacturing organizations, to becoming a more holistic approach, incorporating all aspects of an organization. Today, there is no clear framework for how quality should be implemented in the most suitable way. However, strategic tools such as, TQM, Kaizen and Lean-production are used as means to achieve quality. The purpose of this study is to investigate how quality is managed and measured at an operational level at the corporate market department at Nordea, Jönköping. The research method used for the conduction of this study is a case study. The aim of the case study is to give an intensive description of how management work with quality at the corporate market department at Nordea, Jönköping. Thus, our sample is intrinsically bouned. Methods used for data collection, were two types of interviews with the corporate market department manager, and a questionnaire to the co-workers. The results have been analysed with the help of descriptive statistics. Through interviews, we have found that a qualified criteria for quality is when the right product is provided to the right customer by the high skilled employee, in order to achieve customer satisfaction. Quality work per-meates the whole office and it could be captured in two strategies: proactive and reactive. The former deals with the internal routine of work, more specif-ically; the Lean-meetings, coach-meetings, team work and quality measure-ment parameters, whereas the latter regards their continuous work with customer relations. Furthermore, identified tools at the corporate market de-partment at Nordea, Jönköping are; Lean-production, coach-meetings, ESI and CSI. These are well known by the co-workers, however, what can be further discussed is the implementation and fit of the tools with the organization. / Majoriteten av forskare tror att kvalitetsstyrning är en essentiell aspekt inom strategi för att uppnå konkurrensfördelar. Vidare måste kvalitet inte bara styras och implementeras på rätt sätt utan företag måste även utveckla strategier för att kontinuerligt förbättra samt mäta kvalitet. Historiskt sett, har fokus på vad kvalitet är förflyttat sig från slut produkten i tillverkningsindustrin till ett mer helhetskoncept som inkluderar alla delar av företag. Idag finns inget fast ramverk för hur kvalitets styrning skall implementeras på bästa sätt, dock kan TQM, Kaizen och Lean-produktion ses som hjälpmedel för att uppnå kvalitet. Syftet med studien är att undersöka kvalitetsstyrning på en operationell nivå samt att se hur kvalitetsförbättringar mäts på företagsavdelningen på Nordea i Jönköping. Den forskningsmetod som använts för den här studien är en fallstudie. Målet med studien var att ge en djupgående deskription av kvalitetsstyrningen på Nordeas företagsavdelning i Jönköping. Därför är vår målgrupp bunden till en specifik grupp. Metoder som användes var två olika intervjutyper med företagsavdelningschefen, samt en enkät till medarbetarna. Resultaten var senare sammanställda med hjälp av deskriptiv statistik. Från vår studie kan slutsatsen dras att ett kvalifiserat kriterium för kvalitet på Nordea Jönköpings företagsavdelning är, när den kompetenta medarbetaren erbjuder den rätta produkten till rätt kund för att uppnå kundnöjdhet. Kvalitetsarbetet genomsyrar hela organisationen och på företagsavdelningen kan man identifiera att de jobbar med kvalitetstyrning från två strategier; proaktiv och reaktiv. Proaktiva strategier berör interna arbetssätt, närmare bestämt; Lean-möten, Coach-samtal och kvalitetsmätnings parametrar. Reaktiva strategier är deras arbete för att få konkurrensfördel och stärka kund relationerna. Kvalitetsmätningsinstrumenten som är identifierade i arbetet på företagsavdelningen på Nordea Jönköping är: Lean-produktion, coach-samtal, ESI och CSI. Dessa är vedertagna av medarbetarna men vad som kan diskuteras är dock hur implementeringen av dessa verktyg är anpassad till organisationen.

Efficient functioning of service providing organizations highly depends on quality of their services as it contributes to companies’ competitiveness and customers’ satisfaction (Gill, 2009, p. 533). Thus, quality management should be an integral part of service organizations’ performance. Healthcare industry is a specific representative of the service industry that regards quality as a fundamental value of medical care. To manage quality within the healthcare settings is a challenging task due to its complexity. Hence, the purpose of the current qualitative study was to propose an efficient approach toward quality management within the healthcare industry. In order to be efficient quality management should consider issues that relate to the healthcare organizations’ complexity such as different interests of a wide range of parties involved in healthcare service processes. As mentioned parties are presented by patients, physicians, nurses, receptionists and others, their perceptions of quality could be rather distinctive. So, the first step towards achieving the purpose of the study was to discover an aligned or combined perception of healthcare service quality from patients’ and healthcare service providers’ perspectives. Common perception of quality would give opportunity to focus on improvement of aspects that are essential for the core stakeholders of healthcare organizations. Hence, the second intention that would contribute to efficient quality management was to develop a combined quality management model based on an aligned or combined quality perception. In order to investigate a common perception of quality, we conducted semi-structured individual interviews with patients and healthcare service providers. Having analyzed obtained data we revealed the most vital (sub-) dimensions of service quality for both parties. These aspects relates to the providing information for the patients, emotional support, involving patients into the treatment and having good medical equipment. Also, some important (sub-) dimensions were not stressed by both patients and providers, so we supplemented common (sub-) dimensions with these distinctive aspects. For example, providers mentioned professional skills dimension as the most essential aspect of healthcare service quality. In conclusion, we constructed one common perception of healthcare service quality consisting of common and distinct aspects of healthcare service quality. For the purpose of developing a combined quality management model we selected the most appropriate values, methodologies and tools from such quality management initiatives as TQM, Lean and Six Sigma. The selection was guided by dimensions from the common perception of healthcare service quality. The conducted study contributes to theoretical as well as practical areas. We believe that our research supplemented Quality Management theory by proposing beneficial combinations of TQM, Lean and Six Sigma and Service Quality literature by revealing additional aspects of service quality perception. Practical field will gain from the proposed flexible approach toward assembling quality management model.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka en komponents    optimala utbyts" tid med hänsyn till kostnad och risk,    och föreslå schemalagda underhåll, med hjälp av statistiska metoder.    Genom att använda statistiska verktyg och historiska data, kan    en komponents samt systemets brister predikteras. När    forskaren vet hur ett system beter sig, kan dess fördelar    exploateras och tas till vara på. Schemaläggning av    förebyggande service, kostnads prognoser samt    uppskattning av förlängda garantier är möjliga fördelar som    kan nyttjas av denna rapport. Detta medför en högre    tillgänglighet och förbättrat rykte hos kund.    Tillförlitligthet teori är en viktigt del av    Total Quality Management, TQM, som säkerhetsställer kvalité.    I denna uppsats jämförs, förklaras och verifieras 2 kända ARP,    och strategin att ersätta endast då komponenten går sönder i en fallstudie.    Denna uppsats indikerar att en ARP med ändlig horisont ger mer optimalta resultat än    en ARP med oändlig horisont eller då ingen utbytespolicy används.    Barlow \&amp; Proschan visade detta redan 1962.    I denna uppsats påvisas att ARP-teorier kan minska omkostnader och stilleståndstid    samt öka tillgängligheten. / The purpose of this thesis is to examine when a part's optimal   replacement time occurs in terms of risk and cost, and provide maintenance plans   accordingly using statistical methods.   With the use of statistical tools and historical data,   the failures of components as well as the system can be predicted.   Once the researcher knows how the system behaves, he/she can reveal the gains that   can be made. Scheduling of preventive maintenance, improved warranty cost   forecasts and estimation of lengthened warranty costs are   plausible benefits from this report. This will further result   in higher availability and improved reputation among clients.   Reliability theory is an important part of Total Quality Management (TQM),   ensuring good quality.   This thesis will compare the differences between two known age replacement policies (ARP),   and with the strategy of replacing only on failures in a real case-study.   This thesis indicates that an ARP with finite horizon yields   a more optimal solution than an ARP with infinite horizon as well as using no replacement policy at all.   Barlow &amp; Proschan established this as far back as 1962.   With the aid of ARP theories it has been shown in this thesis that lowering costs is possible   and in the progress lower downtime which increases availability.

ABSTRACT ADMINISTRATIVE AND SERVICE SATISFACTION WITH THE ERASMUS STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM AT MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY FROM THE VIEWS OF STUDENTS AND COORDINATORS Bulut Sahin, Bet&uuml / l M.S., Department of Educational Sciences Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Hasan SiMSEK June 2008, 131 pages As a result of globalization, educational systems become more and more internationalized through mobility and exchange programs. The supra-natural organizations, such as European Union, have developed organized education programs to adapt to this transformation. Since 1987, the mobility of students and faculty throughout Europe has dramatically increased through Erasmus, which is the Program of European Union for higher education. Turkey, as a candidate country for European Union, became one of the participants of this program in 2004. Yet, the influence of the quality administration on such programs and customer satisfaction is relatively unexplored in Turkey. In this research, Middle East Technical University (METU), one of the leading universities in Turkey, is analyzed in scope of its effectiveness in the administration of Erasmus Program from the students&rsquo / and Erasmus coordinators&rsquo / point of view through questionnaires. Total Quality Management framework is used to design the research. The results of this study showed that students and departmental coordinators are generally more satisfied with the administrative services than communication, interaction with customers and academic issues.