This document discusses questions from chapters 1 and 2 of a quality management textbook. It addresses questions about defining quality, the importance of communication and planning in quality processes, and the meaning of phrases like "cost of quality". The responses provide explanations for why quality is difficult to define, how communication and planning improve quality initiatives, and how "cost of quality" can help address quality concerns. The document also discusses theories of quality management and whether quality should solely be the responsibility of a quality department.

1. ASSIGNMENT-DISCUSSION
QUESTION (CHAPTER 1 AND 2)
FUR631- FURNITURE QUALITY MANAGEMENT
NAME:
IZZAH AZIMAH BINTI NOH
GROUP:
AS2475A
LECTURER:
PROF MADYA SAID BIN AHMAD
APRIL 21, 2014
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS.) FURNITURE TECHNOLOGY
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA (UiTM) JENGKA PAHANG

2. 1
ASSIGNMENT
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (CHAPTER 1-DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES ON QUALITY)
1. Why is quality a difficult term to define? How can we improve our understanding of quality?
Quality is a difficult term to define because of maybe it is a confusing to understand.
Actually it is not to assign of the object or product but it is perception and standard that relates
a person to evaluate or judge the object or products either by observing or using a product.
Generally its can be described as subjective matter. Besides, the difficulties occur when it is
underestimate by the people which are assume quality as only generic term whereas it is
relative and not absolute.
The way to improve our understanding of quality are we able to differentiate the uses
of quality’s approaches in our daily life. In fact, we must know that quality as not hard to
defined, its simple. It can be a requirement standard or more than that. Focusing in
2. Why is communication within an organization an important part of the quality improvement
process?
Communication is an important part of quality improvement process. Communication
using visual management pictures the goals and approach. It motivates and encouraged
people to do the changes, by showing predict the benefits. It has pros and contras means that
the wrong or too much communication can also frustrate or annoyed people, getting them to
resist changing.
Hence, many improvement process are run by technical persons, in a technical
environment. For the communication, it will be the language that’s always been
misunderstand and underestimated, and conclude as difficult for technical persons. It will
occur when something that people are inexperienced in, which makes them feel
uncomfortable. Although the communication causing the bad benefit to the certain part of
process, it will settle down when people in the process are together to improves themselves
for getting better during working session. It will difficult when people against it but it will
easier when people experienced it and obey to improving the process in the organization.
Communication are not necessary that must be face to face among the workers in the
organization but will including using the differences communication tools and techniques such
as posters, flyer, websites, newsletter, mailing, blogs, forums and others. The tools might be
the same as advertising tools in marketing but same goes for the quality improvement process
in organization. The benefits of communication is build the trust among the workers and
responsibility among the workers to spread the information in the creative way.

3. 2
3. Why is planning an important part of quality management process? How a firm’s quality
management initiatives could be adversely affected if planning was not a part of process.
Planning is an important part of quality management process because of planning
increases the efficiency of an organization. It will make most appropriate uses of all available
resources in the process. It will help to reduce wastage of the resources and at the same time
will helps to reduce costs.
Planning also assist the management process to achieve their objective and goals. To
fulfil the objectives to achieving the goals are not easy but when the planning interfere in the
process it much easy and lead to success. Besides, the process will in good control during its
performance.
A proper planning provides financial and non-financial incentives to both managers
and employees in the organization. It will motivated the workers to work hard and assist them
to achieve the goals in the organization. Hence, it will increase the personnel among the
workers in the organization.
The list of dimension by Garvin’s are affected by planning and quality management
initiatives. Means that, the management compulsory to apply the planning process in the
organization. Show that the planning is important part that related to each other in the TQM.
Without planning the organization will a lot of work and not getting a lot done. Keep always
make mistake and increase the wastage in production. Moreover, it will waste the time in the
process.
4. What is mean by the phrase “cost of quality”? How can the phrase help a firm address the
quality concern?
Cost of quality is the company struggle with the all effort because of the rework to
achieve the goals of the organization or also known as failure cost. the organization strive
needed higher quality with requires higher cost because of failure such as machines problem,
hiring more labour for rework, buying the raw material for backup the failure material during
productions.
The phrase may help the firm or organization address the quality concern by
controlling the quality during process. When the controlling of quality was implement in
organization, it will diminishing the wasteful work, decrease rework and improve the
efficiency of the process. In fact the quality of product increase and decrease the defect of the
material during the production and after producing the product.
The organization will improve the quality for products sales, which are product are
able to be sold at high price within the high quality produced. From the improvement of the
products which is provide reliability increases. Means that, it will improves the confident and
trust of the customer also willing to pay for high price and because of this will assist the sales
routes expand and gain the high profit for the organization.

4. 3
DISCUSSION QUESTION (CHAPTER 2-QUALITY THEORY)
1. Define theory. Why are theories important for managing quality in the supply chain?
Theory is frequently misused. It is “coherent group of general proposition used as
principles of explanation for a class of phenomena”. For example, it might have been observed
that many companies that have implemented quality improvement have experienced
improved worker morale. A theory will be complete, which involve four element of a theory
such as; what? How? Why? Who-Where-When?
A positive correlation is presented between Quality Improvement and Employee
Morale. To verify the model, we conduct statistical research. This will either prove or disprove
the theory.
There is not a unified theory explaining quality management in the supply chain that
is widely accepted by the quality community. The literature concerning quality is contradictory
and somewhat confusing. The differing approaches to quality improvement represent
competing philosophies that are seeking their place in the quality marketplace of theories.
Practicing quality managers must apply those theories that are appropriate to their particular
situations using the contingency approach.
2. Do you believe that the development of a unified theory of quality management is possible?
What is a unified theory?
No, it is not possible for the quality management. For example Einstein spent most of
his later life searching for a unified theory in physics. He failed. Unified theories did not exist
in any discipline. What is unified theory? It’s seem like not clear purpose for the quality
management. The theory for quality management must not be solely persuaded by the new
ideas or original thinking, but must by the reasonable result.
3. Do you agree with Deming’s believes that poor quality but resulted by poor management
consultant system.
Yes, I agree. It is the one of type poor quality was defined by Deming. In fact the
function of management consultant are to consulting services were structured based on the
goals to achieve triumph of the organization or company with management functions and
process. If the management department has poor management consultant system it will
affect the whole process in the organization. Increases the rate of failure occur when the
management consultant did not works to help a company or organization improve its
performance, gaining the profit and narrow the scope of the process as they should be.

5. 4
The organization really need the management consultant system because of it might
address any specific problem or any issues that against the increases of profit, if they not able
to identified the problem how come the organization can develop the solution when the
problem occur. Because of this, the organization will provide the poor quality of process,
products and even the employee which are low morale in the working environment.
4. Does the phrase “quality is the responsibility of the quality department” reflect a healthy
perspective of quality management? Explain your answer.
In my opinion, the phrase of “quality is the responsibility of the quality department”
are not relevant. In new revolution for achieving the success of quality must be all functions
work properly together. For example, according to the Taylor. His notes that by delegating
quality to the quality manager, the line supervisors and managers could devote their own time
to other matters. As they did so, they became progressively less and less informed about
quality. When a quality problem develops, management lacks the expertise needed to choose
a proper course of action.
Mean by that, the quality is not only as the responsibility of the quality management
by it is everyone’s job. It is compulsory to the workers to be responsible in taking part of apply
the quality in their life. If the quality is only the responsibility of the quality department, its
might not reflect a healthy perspective of quality management. People from the top manager
will keep blaming the employees because of any defect in the productions.