ABSTRACT
The human factor plays a prominent role in quality management. The aim of this unit is to show how quality depends essentially on people. Organisational culture and leadership are elements in a company that work in conjunction with one another toward organisational success. Quality circles are small groups of workpeople who do similar related work and who voluntarily meet together in work time, on a regular basis and are trained to identify, analyse and solve work-related problems and to share the results in presentations to their supervisor. Basic quality measurement data is obtained from the inspection and test reports, which are broken down by operating areas of the plant. As the programme develops, the ultimate power of quality circles may be realised when circles become an integral part of company activities – in other words, when everybody can be a member of a circle.
