O objetivo deste estudo é propor um método de gestão da satisfação dos clientes que integre as necessidades de diferentes setores industriais atendidos pela indústria siderúrgica nacional: setor aeroespacial, que inclui os fabricantes nacionais e internacionais de componentes para aviação; o setor de autopeças, no caso fabricantes de componentes para a indústria automotiva; e outros setores como o de máquinas e de pequenos fabricantes de peças metálicas (dobras, perfuração e usinagem de metais). Em geral, três padrões de sistemas de gestão são utilizados por essas indústrias: a norma de qualidade ISO 9001, a ISO/TS 16949 e a NBR15100. Apesar de conceitualmente essas normas focarem no atendimento de requisitos para um sistema de gestão da qualidade, há especificidades setoriais a serem atendidas pela organização. Tendo como pano de fundo essas normas, o método de pesquisa aplicado constituiu-se de um modelo conceitual-teórico dos sistemas de gestão do desempenho de campo de produtos e da satisfação de clientes. Cada setor tratado envolve particularidades na coleta e a análise sistemas de gestão do desempenho de campo de produtos e da satisfação de clientes. O resultado deste trabalho foi propor um método de gestão da satisfação de clientes composto por catorze passos, os quais possibilitam a gestão das informações necessárias ao controle de processos relacionados aos clientes, bem como dar suporte à espiral de melhoria dos produtos, processos e serviços fornecidos pela organização.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to find out whether and how Indian small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are benefiting because of enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation, through survey-based research. This will help other SMEs take appropriate decisions about ERP implementation. Design/methodology/approach -The research is exploratory in nature, a survey methodology is used for study and it is cross-checked with the personal interviews of the key personnel in the SMEs and the ERP vendors. A structured questionnaire was developed to get the information. Findings -The survey of 130 SMEs in one of the industrially advanced cities reveals that most of them have implemented ERP to integrate the existing information system and found ERP implementation mainly beneficial in reducing inventory, improving customer services and improving communications. Top management support, and user involvement and participation are found to be the major contributors of ERP success.Research limitations/implications -The research is targeted on SMEs in one part of India and hence it has limitations in terms of scope. However, the results are quite encouraging with very good response from the SMEs, though the industry-institute interactions are not so strong. Other SMEs, planning to implement ERP in the near future, will be highly benefited from the performance evaluation of ERP in Indian SMEs. Originality/value -This paper demonstrates how Indian SMEs have benefited from ERP implementation. The findings will encourage Indian SMEs to implement ERP when facing challenges of the competitive market.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review critical success factors (CSFs) of total quality management (TQM), and to rank these in the Indian manufacturing industry.Design/methodology/approachTo rank the CSFs, Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was used. The data were collected using questionnaires as the research instrument.FindingsProcess management, top management leadership and customer focus are the top three factors for implementation of TQM in the manufacturing industry in India. Quality citizenship is a relatively low‐ranked factor.Practical limitations/implicationsThe findings will be useful in successful implementation of TQM in developing countries like India. Further research may be carried out into the CSFs in different national contexts.Originality/valueThe paper is the first to make use of TOPSIS approach to rank the CSFs of TQM.