February 2000 • Table of Contents

Quality for the Long Haul

Gerber Builds Trust Through Commitment (PDF, 277 KB)
Last year, Gerber became the first ASQ sustaining member to attain 25 years of membership. While the baby products manufacturer's quality programs have changed through the years, its goal remains having consumers see the Gerber baby as a symbol of excellence. Much can be learned by reading about the company's quality journey.
MARK R. HAGEN

QUALITY TOOLS

Bearing the Gift Of Royal Performance Indicators (PDF, 141 KB)
In a medieval tale of goals, objectives and strategic planning, we learn how a wise man guided an ancient kingdom on a quality journey using balanced royal performance indicators. Does the story have a happy ending?
SUSAN WEST ENGELKEMEYER AND RICHARD VOOS

QUALITY TOOLS

Enhanced Quality Tools (PDF, 77 KB)
Quality managers need supporting evidence to justify the need for and cost of proposed improvements. Recent software developments can simplify the work of making quality visible in complex organizations.
EARL DRAPER AND MICHAEL AMES

TEAMS

It's All About Improving Performance (PDF, 84 KB)
Giving teams expanded problem solving and decision making skills allows organizations to more quickly respond to and profit from changes in the marketplace. A step-by-step process tells how teams can improve their performance.
HELENE F. UHLFELDER

HUMAN RESOURCES

TQM's Human Resource Component (PDF, 67 KB)
Lack of attention to hiring, training, development and rewards can spell the difference between the success or failure of efforts to achieve and benefit from total quality management.
CHRISTOPHER M. LOWERY, NICHOLAS A. BEADLES II AND JAMES B. CARPENTER

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

Killing Quality With Kindness (PDF, 82 KB)
Quality happens when leaders consistently enforce and reward high standards. The author uses examples to show why leaders sometimes back down and what the consequences can be for organizations of all sizes.
SUSAN HAKE SURPLUS

SERVICE QUALITY

Call Resolution: The Wrong Focus For Service Quality (PDF, 88 KB)
Call resolution is the wrong focus if it's the only focus. Companies need to understand the facts regarding volume, types of calls and root causes.
KELVIN F. CROSS

Up Front
Quality journeys.

QP Mailbag
Readers weigh in on corrective action, ethics, Six Sigma, ISO 9000, statistics and FMEA.

ASQ News
Officer nominees announced, Annual Quality Congress is new and improved, ACSI measures satisfaction with federal services, more.

Keeping Current
Nearly all digital product data tested fails quality standards, greater diversity in engineering sought, international groups start standards forum, Web Watch, more.

Quality Web Watch

Statistics Roundtable (PDF, 59 KB)
Randomization is the key to experimental design structure.

QP Toolbox

World View
An early SPICE experiment.

Standards Outlook
ISO 9000:2000's quality management principles started with practical application.

Emerging Sectors
Customized consumer satisfaction measurement instruments are a must in health care.

QP Reviews

QP Calendar

One Good Idea
The nominal group technique.