Improve your business performance with eight quality management principles

The intent of the Quality Management Standard is to encourage the adoption of the process approach to manage an organisation.A process is any activity or set of activities that uses resources to transform inputs to outputs.  For organisations to function effectively, they have to identify and manage numerous interrelated and interacting processes.  The “Process Approach” is the systematic identification and management of the processes employed within an organisation and particularly the interactions between such processes.In order to lead and operate an organisation successfully, it is necessary to manage in a systematic and transparent manner.  Success can result from implementing and maintaining a management system that is designed to continually improve performance while addressing the needs of all interested parties.Eight quality management principles that can be used by management in order to lead the organisation towards improved performance are outlined below:

1. Customer focus
Organisations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs, meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations.
2. Leadership
Leaders establish the purpose and direction of the organisation.  They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organisation’s objectives.
3. Involvement of people
People at all levels are the essence of an organisation and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the benefit of the organisation.
4. Process approach
A desired result is achieved more efficiently when activities and related resources are managed as a process.
5. System approach to management
An organisation’s effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its objectives is attributed to the identifying, understanding and managing interrelated processes.
6. Continual improvement
Continual improvement of the organisation’s overall performance should be a permanent objective of the organisation.
7. Factual approach to decision making
Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information.
8. Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
An organisation and its suppliers are interdependent and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value.

These eight quality management principles form the basis for the quality management system standards within the ISO 9000 family.