Quality control

The most important strategic issue which concerns top managers in the 1990s is quality. Quality is defined as the relative absence of defects and is measured by the degree of customer satisfaction with a products´ characteristics and features. American businessmen must find a balance between quick-fix approach of the past and a real level of quality in the manufacturing and service sectors. There is a strong correlation between quality and profitability. The benefits in the marketplace include stronger customer loyalty, repeat purchases, less vulnerability to price wars, lower marketing costs, and share improvements. The authors discuss global competition, quality education, quality in the automobile industry, and management philosophies, in particular, total productive maintenance