Quality and productivity linking methodologies for industries using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences)

Abstract

Worldwide competition and the pace of technological innovation simply will not permit distraction from industries’ primary tasks of producing quality products at competitive prices. The profitability, productivity and market share of Indian firms have been adversely affected by many factors, including raw material price increases, a failure to understand customers and markets, incentives, quality procedure implementation and poor use of capital. In the present conditions of global business, most organizations have identified the competitive priorities, such as; cost, quality, dependability, flexibility and innovativeness. These priorities can be considered to be embedded in Total Quality Management (TQM) and Total Productivity Management (TPM). Productivity and quality are intimately linked. An effective way to improve productivity is through total quality improvement, which must be a comprehensive effort carefully linked to the strategic planning process. This study examines the factors responsible for providing a major enhancement to the organization by improving its quality and hence productivity. The objective of this study is to determine how productivity and quality can be integrated and how to formulate a model for this interrelation. The data analysis and conclusions were sought using the factor analysis concept of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). About hundred people connected with quality and productivity was given a questionnaire on 90 parameters with respect to quality and productivity. The subjects felt that improving machines and equipment, strategic planning of resources, involvement and participation of people for monitoring, continuous quality improvement, performance improvement and quality procedure implementation would best increase both productivity and quality. The results showed that it is possible to devise measures, which increase both productivity and quality.