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Quality
Objectives
After reading the chapter and reviewing the materials presented the students will be able to: Differentiate between quality and competitiveness. Understand the factors inhibiting competiveness. Realize the characteristics of world class organizations. Understand U.S. companies: Global strengths and weaknesses.
Evolution of the rebuilding effort undertaken by Japan and Germany following World War II
As Japanese and German manufacturers rebuilt, two things became apparent to them: 1. To succeed, they would have to compete globally. 2. To compete globally, they would have to produce goods of world class quality, which meant producing better goods but at reasonable, competitive prices.
Summary
Companies that used to compete only on local, regional, or national level now find themselves competing against companies from throughout the world. At each successive level of competition the quality of the competitors increases. Only those who are able to produce world class quality can compete. It is important for a countrys business to be able to compete globally. When they cannot, jobs are lost and the quality of life in that country declines correspondingly. A nations ability to compete in the global marketplace has a direct bearing on the quality of life of its citizens. Because the ability to compete translates into the ability to do a better job producing quality goods, it is critical that nations and individual organizations within them focus their policies, systems, and resources in a coordinated way on continually improving both quality and competitiveness.
Home Work
Answer Questions 1, 5 on page 45. 1. Explain the relationship between quality and competitiveness. 5. How does a nations ability to compete affect its quality of life?