An investigation into the impact of quality management systems on General Motors suppliers
- Authors: Twala, Luphumlo Rodney
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Production management -- Quality control , Quality control , Total quality management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8897 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020927
- Description: Acceptable product quality is one of the central pillars of customer satisfaction, which is key to customer retention and business success. The quest to improve and maintain good product quality is as old as mankind himself. In the beginning of time, quality involved selecting edible plants, to craftsmanship then later to mass production. As time went on, various individuals and institutions made valuable contributions to quality control methods, tools and techniques as we know them today. The International Organisation for Standardisation initiated quality management standards, provide requirements, specifications and guidelines that can be used to ensure materials and products meet a certain quality level. These quality management systems were adopted by the global automotive organisations, adapted and tailored to suit their requirements. The result was the development of ISO/TS 16949, which is a requirement for all direct manufacturing suppliers to the automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), like BMW, TOYOTA and GM. Some OEMs specify additional requirements their supplier base, in case of General Motors, Quality Systems Basics (QSB) is a mandatory quality management systems requirement. QSB is designed by GM to help suppliers reduce product defects, improve internal efficiencies and improve supply chain processes. A quantitative approach was chosen, which utilised an explorative and descriptive survey questionnaire in order to complete the research study. The study will show that the majority of the respondents believed that the implementation of QSB has resulted in positive implications in their manufacturing process and supply value chain.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Twala, Luphumlo Rodney
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Production management -- Quality control , Quality control , Total quality management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8897 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020927
- Description: Acceptable product quality is one of the central pillars of customer satisfaction, which is key to customer retention and business success. The quest to improve and maintain good product quality is as old as mankind himself. In the beginning of time, quality involved selecting edible plants, to craftsmanship then later to mass production. As time went on, various individuals and institutions made valuable contributions to quality control methods, tools and techniques as we know them today. The International Organisation for Standardisation initiated quality management standards, provide requirements, specifications and guidelines that can be used to ensure materials and products meet a certain quality level. These quality management systems were adopted by the global automotive organisations, adapted and tailored to suit their requirements. The result was the development of ISO/TS 16949, which is a requirement for all direct manufacturing suppliers to the automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), like BMW, TOYOTA and GM. Some OEMs specify additional requirements their supplier base, in case of General Motors, Quality Systems Basics (QSB) is a mandatory quality management systems requirement. QSB is designed by GM to help suppliers reduce product defects, improve internal efficiencies and improve supply chain processes. A quantitative approach was chosen, which utilised an explorative and descriptive survey questionnaire in order to complete the research study. The study will show that the majority of the respondents believed that the implementation of QSB has resulted in positive implications in their manufacturing process and supply value chain.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The influence of customer relationship management on the service quality of banks
- Authors: Rootman, Chantal
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Customer relations -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- South Africa , Quality control
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:8980 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/400 , Customer relations -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- South Africa , Quality control
- Description: Despite the extensive research undertaken in the subject area of services marketing, much is still unknown to service providers of specific services in terms of service delivery concepts. This study attempts to address this limitation. The study revolves around the customer relationship management and service quality of banks. Service firms, including banks, are vitally important to the economy of any country, as they contribute to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment rate. However, to survive in a complex, competitive business environment, service firms are required to focus on their clients’ needs. Specifically, banks can focus on their relationships with clients and levels of service quality. In order to establish the influence of selected variables on the customer relationship management (CRM) of banks and the influence of CRM on the service quality of banks, an empirical investigation was conducted. The aim of this study was to quantify significant relationships among selected variables; therefore the positivistic research paradigm was used. The sample consisted of banking clients in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area. The sample size was 290, with a response rate of 91.03%. The empirical investigation revealed that significant positive relationships exist between both the knowledgeability, and attitude, of bank employees and a bank’s CRM. These relationships imply that more extensive knowledgeability of bank employees and bank employees with more positive attitudes lead to improved, maintained relationships between a bank and its clients. In addition, the empirical investigation revealed that CRM positively influences the service quality of banks. This relationship implies that if a bank successfully maintains relationships with its clients, the bank’s level of perceived service quality would increase. Additionally, the empirical investigation has shown the relationship between a banking client’s age and the CRM of a bank. The higher the age of a banking client, the more that client considers the CRM of a bank to be important. There exists a relationship between a banking client’s education level and the perceived service quality of a bank. If a banking clients’ education level increases, the importance of their bank’s service quality decreases and, conversely, a banking client with a lower level of education regards the service quality level of a bank as more important than higher qualified clients. The study indicated that strategies to improve, specifically, the knowledgeability and attitude of bank employees can and should be implemented by banks in ways to positively influence their CRM and ultimately their service quality. In effect, this will increase client satisfaction and ensure client loyalty to the bank. Ultimately, this will contribute to the bank’s success, which will ensure economic stability and prosperity for a country.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Rootman, Chantal
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Customer relations -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- South Africa , Quality control
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:8980 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/400 , Customer relations -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- South Africa , Quality control
- Description: Despite the extensive research undertaken in the subject area of services marketing, much is still unknown to service providers of specific services in terms of service delivery concepts. This study attempts to address this limitation. The study revolves around the customer relationship management and service quality of banks. Service firms, including banks, are vitally important to the economy of any country, as they contribute to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment rate. However, to survive in a complex, competitive business environment, service firms are required to focus on their clients’ needs. Specifically, banks can focus on their relationships with clients and levels of service quality. In order to establish the influence of selected variables on the customer relationship management (CRM) of banks and the influence of CRM on the service quality of banks, an empirical investigation was conducted. The aim of this study was to quantify significant relationships among selected variables; therefore the positivistic research paradigm was used. The sample consisted of banking clients in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area. The sample size was 290, with a response rate of 91.03%. The empirical investigation revealed that significant positive relationships exist between both the knowledgeability, and attitude, of bank employees and a bank’s CRM. These relationships imply that more extensive knowledgeability of bank employees and bank employees with more positive attitudes lead to improved, maintained relationships between a bank and its clients. In addition, the empirical investigation revealed that CRM positively influences the service quality of banks. This relationship implies that if a bank successfully maintains relationships with its clients, the bank’s level of perceived service quality would increase. Additionally, the empirical investigation has shown the relationship between a banking client’s age and the CRM of a bank. The higher the age of a banking client, the more that client considers the CRM of a bank to be important. There exists a relationship between a banking client’s education level and the perceived service quality of a bank. If a banking clients’ education level increases, the importance of their bank’s service quality decreases and, conversely, a banking client with a lower level of education regards the service quality level of a bank as more important than higher qualified clients. The study indicated that strategies to improve, specifically, the knowledgeability and attitude of bank employees can and should be implemented by banks in ways to positively influence their CRM and ultimately their service quality. In effect, this will increase client satisfaction and ensure client loyalty to the bank. Ultimately, this will contribute to the bank’s success, which will ensure economic stability and prosperity for a country.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
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