ABSTRACT
There is a strong body of opinion that quality is now the major determining factor in business corporate success. A number of research papers have confirmed that improved quality leads to reduced costs and prices which result in increased market share and a secure future and improved return on investment. According to Feigenbaum (1991) personal life styles and business practices now
mean that quality and not price is the main purchasing criterion. Feigenbaum goes as far as describing quality as “the single most important factor for success in international markets”. Business commentators in the popular press increasingly acknowledge the importance of quality in the search for competitive advantage, Roberts (1992).
