Clasificación

Quality has emerged as and remains a dominant theme in management literature since the 1980s. Despite its popularity, the term has a variety of contradictory meanings. This is partly because the term implies different meanings to different people in different contexts. This confusion can also be due to the ambiguity of the term itself as it is a context dependent construct. As Pfeffer and Coote (1991, p.31) state “quality has a slippery meaning”. In order to gain an understanding of the concept of ‘quality’, various definitions will now be discussed.

Thus if we draw from various dictionary definitions of the word ‘quality’, the following aspects are highlighted1_:

• The standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind.

• A degree of excellence or worth.

• The condition of being of such and such a sort as distinguished from others, nature or character relatively considered, as of goods; character; sort; rank. Definitions that have been put forward by different dictionaries tend to focus on various different facets of the term. These facets typically go around the idea of the nature of the product or service, the excellence, the comparison and competition of the same kind of things. All of the previous definitions are merely general meanings of quality. When applied in this way almost none of them are satisfactory to TQM.

In reviewing the literature on management, it is revealed that there are also various definitions of quality. These definitions are related to a body of knowledge about product, service and customer and client satisfaction. Deming, Crosby and Juran are the key writers whose individual ideas continue to dominate the quality movement. According to Deming (1986, p.5) “quality should be aimed at the needs of the consumer, present and future”. In his definition of quality, he emphasises that the stakeholder is the most important group in measuring quality, and their needs and expectations should be surveyed, anticipated and satisfied. Deming has mapped out the important advantages of quality, which are shown in figure (5.1).

Figure 5.1 Advantages of Quality

Deming (1986, p.3)

However, Juran (1992, p.9) suggests that “Quality is the fitness for use”. In his definition, he looks at quality practically because the use of a product or a service is the most important aspect. Bank (1992, p.71) suggests that a dangerous product could conform to all specifications but still be unfit for use.

Costs decrease because of less rework, fewer mistakes,

fewer delays, snags; better use of machine-time and

material

Capture the market with better quality and lower

price

Productivity

improves

Stay in Business

Provide jobs and

more jobs

Crosby in his book Quality is Free (1979, p.9) defines quality as “Conformance to requirements; it is precisely measurable; error is not required to fulfil the laws of nature; and people work just as hard now as they ever did”. In his definition, he places an emphasis on the requirements of the stakeholder, which must be measured and met by the defined and adopted standards. Crosby also makes a crucial link between quality and leadership and management. He highlights the point that people perform to the standards of their leaders. He explains: “if management thinks people do not care, then people will not

care”. A notable side of Crosby’s definition is that management is able to immediately

quantify and measure it.

In the field of education, the literature review shows several attempts at defining quality in education. For instance Hoy et.al (2000, p. 10) define quality in education as follows:

Quality in education is an evaluation of the process of educating which enhances the need to achieve and develop the talents of the customers of the process, and at the same time meets the accountability standards set by the clients who pay for the process or the outputs from the process of educating.

Thus, they consider quality as a tool for evaluating the educational process to meet the standards that are set by clients. At the same time, they consider the students to be customers and the parents as clients. Hoy et al add that both customers and clients are interested in the quality of the education provision, in the same way that local education authorities are also concerned about quality.

Murgatrroyd and Morgan(1993, p.45-50) state that there are three basic definitions of quality in education: quality assurance, contract conformance and customer-driven. Quality assurance refers to the determination of standards, appropriate methods and quality requirements by an expert body, accompanied by an inspection process that examines the extent to which practices meet the standards. For example, where a panel of experts on teaching might develop evaluation instruments that seek to itemize the characteristics of effective teachers. Contract conformance is where some quality standards have been specified during the negotiation of forming a contract. For example, the duties and tasks assigned for teachers by schools. However, it is not a simple task to specify the process of teaching in terms that allow for easy definition. Further such attempts would be reductive, limiting opportunities for learning. The customer-driven quality refers to meeting and exceeding the needs and expectations of customers. Students, for instance, can have some needs which must be taken into the schools’ account to be satisfied.

From the review of the different definitions of quality, it is notable that quality is defined according to the authors’ background and profession. While there is no universally agreement on a definition for quality, there is general accord regarding the concept of quality and how stakeholder satisfaction and the existence of quality in all processes are important to retain customer loyalty, to reduce the cost of the products or services and prevent reworking of the processes. Despite the existence and use of this range of conceptualisation, it is possible to identify two primary themes applicable and useful to the Ministry of Education in Oman:

• Meeting stakeholder requirements and measuring up to specifications: stakeholders’ needs and expectations are identified in the form of specification and the services must be meeting these pre-defined specifications.

• The freedom of deficiencies: quality should be built in the Ministry not simply inspected.

It is important to note that quality can be said to exist when products or services meet the pre-defined specifications. “Quality is not the end in itself, but a means by which the end product is judged to be up to standard” (Sallis, 1993, p.23). This study emphasises developing the performance of a service organization which is the Ministry of Education in Oman through implementing TQM. Hence, quality must be the primary goal of any organization wishing to develop in a changing world.