Short-course in quality management held at GUtech
MUSCAT: The performance and success of a company largely depends on the quality of its products. An introduction to quality management and its tools was held last Monday and Tuesday morning at the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech). "Quality needs to be part of the management and should be related to the customer, the product and the management. Companies should always try to be better day by day," said Professor Dr. Robert Schmitt, Head of the Machine Tools Laboratory (WZL) at RWTH Aachen University, GUtech's German parent-university. Superior products can be achieved through better processes and highly motivated staff. "Usually for superior quality products, customers are willing to pay a higher price," said Professor Schmitt. Training and understanding of the processes are essential for an efficient workflow inside the company. "To maximize the process flow, each employee should be aware of its role inside the company," said Professor Schmitt.
The first step towards an effective quality management is to identify weak aspects in the process flow of an organization. One of the management methods used to improve internal processes is the 5S method, based on five Japanese words: Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke. Deviations need to be identified and the willingness to improve the situation. "The main aim is to eliminate everything from the working process that complicates the process, delays the process or even prevents the process and to set certain standards that are known to everybody inside the company," said Professor Schmitt while recognizing the cultural differences. "Each company culture and each situation has to find its own ways. "Five S are the starting point for every successful company," said Schmitt, who introduced the 5S management method. In what has become the lean management understanding, lack of 5S means inefficiency. The method originates from production companies, but can also be applied to the service industry and other sectors," said Professor Schmitt. The main goal is to eliminate everything that complicates, delays or even prevents the working process. Seiri means sorting out all unnecessary things and disposing them, so that necessary things can be found more easily. Seiton means arranging necessary things in good order and accessible for everybody at any time. Seiso means keeping the workplace clean. Seiketsu implies the setting up of rules. "Everybody knows and recognizes, what he has to do and how he has to do it," said Professor Schmitt. Shitsuke means self-discipline, doing things spontaneously without being told. According to Professor Schmitt, by using the 5S method the safety, quality and productivity of the company can be increased. The application of the 5S method is realized in three different phases, which is concluded with the familiarization phase. "To implement the method, it usually takes quite some time, depending on the size of the company and the company culture. The familiarization phase is one of the most important phases, which decides about the success of the implementation of the method," said Professor Schmitt.
In conclusion, effective quality management can be used to improve the publicity of a company and to raise its overall performance especially when using effective standard tools of quality management.
-Ends-
Mit besten Gruessen
Manuela Gutberlet
Public Relations Manager
German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech)
Tel: +968 2461 6681
Fax: +968 2461 6677
GSM: +968 923 48 197
PO Box 1816, Athaibah,
PC 130, Sultanate of Oman
Sultan Qaboos Highway,
direction Muscat Intern.
Airport, exit Petrol Station
Building 636
www.gutech.edu.om
© Press Release 2011
