What does TQM stand for?
Total Quality Management
What does DMAIC stand for?
Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control
What is the difference between “quality” and “supplier quality”?
Quality: the ability to meet or exceed customer expectations
Supplier Quality: refers specifically to a supplier’s ability to consistently meet buyer requirements in critical performance areas
What are the 8 principles of TQM?
- Customer Focus
- Leadership
- Involvement of people
- Process approach
- Systems approach to management
- Continual improvement
- Factual approach to decision making
- Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
Why does TQM focus on “process” instead of “output”?
Because controlling the process ensures consistent quality and reduces defects before they occur, leading to better outputs
What is the role of “prevention” in product quality?
Prevention aims to reduce process variation and avoid defects before they happen, minimizing reliance on inspection and rework
Who was Dr. Edward Deming? Why is he important in quality discussions?
Deming was a pioneer in quality management. His 14 points and philosophy emphasized reducing variation, continuous improvement, and making quality everyone’s responsibility
What is the Honda BP process?
Honda’s Best Practices (BP) process focuses on eliminating waste and improving efficiency across supplier operations
What are the 7 wastes identified by the Honda BP process?
- Idle Time
- Overproduction
- Delivery Delays
- Excess Inventory
- Waste in work itself
- Rejected parts
- Wasted operator motion
What type of information is contained in a supplier quality manual?
- Quality policies and objectives
- Procedures and work instructions
- Process control methods
- Measurement and analysis protocols
- Templates and documentation standards
How does Six Sigma approach improve product quality?
- Targets 3.4 defects per million opportunities
- Uses DMAIC to reduce variation and improve processes
- Focuses on defect prevention, cycle time reduction, and cost savings
- Employs trained experts (Black Belts) for implementation
What is “quality at the source”?
Ensuring quality is built into each step of the process, especially at supplier facilities, to catch defects early
What is “process capability”?
The ability of a process to product outputs within specification limits consistently and in statistical control
What is “Six Sigma”?
A disciplined, data-driven methodology for eliminating defects and improving quality using the DMAIC framework
What are “corrective action requests”?
Formal requests issued to suppliers to address and resolve quality issues and prevent recurrence
What is the focus of ISO 9001:2008?
Quality management systems
What is the focus of ISO 14001:2004?
Environmental management
What is the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA)?
A U.S framework for performance excellence, assessing leadership, strategy, customers, measurement, workforce, and operations
What is the role of “continuous improvement” in MBNQA?
It’s a core principle–organizations must demonstrate ongoing efforts to improve processes, products, and performance
Why should a buyer monitor and manage a supplier’s quality performance?
- Supplier quality directly affects product quality and customer satisfaction
- Poor quality leads to increased costs, delays, and reputational damage
- Enables continuous improvement and strategic supplier development
