Some thoughts on quality

Abstract

SummaryA view of quality is given from inside an independent contract research organization (CRO) that undertakes regulated studies as well as unregulated studies and has as its primary focus on 'the project'. Focusing on the project brings into play dependency, which means that the success of the project is dependent on the company's Board, its management, and its technical and support staffs. Dependency is a factor that needs to be considered when talking quality. Some project, company, and client dependencies are given. Quality assurance and quality control play important roles in quality operations, but there is more. Quality needs to be a built-in aspect, which here is termed 'quality inherency', and not an add-on. Quality should be seen as a quality permeation system powered from the top management position; and as a quality operational system that comprises all technical and business processes, their sub-processes and interfaces, or linkages. Quality needs to be functional and regularly improved and maintained. Eight major activities are discussed that are needed to achieve quality inherency. Ten processes, their sub-processes and linkages are presented in a systems diagram as well as summarized in words. The article describes what success means to the client, the research organization's management, the project team member, and the project leader and ends with conclusions.

Can eTraining be beneficial means for training the staff in QA?

“…The answers to these questions will unequivocally indicate training in QA is needed, and the training should be conducted so that it results in a staff with an inherent QA attribute and thereby is an integral (embedded) part of a company's operation throughout the organization -not an add-on [3]. QA is something one should not have to think about -it should come naturally.…”

A factor in quality: information on client satisfaction/dissatisfaction

“…It is only logical that client satisfaction can be an important factor in a company's fiscal stability, viability, and growth (survival maintenance) unless the company is the only source of a product or service that is in demand. In such a case, the life of the sole-source company may find that competition will seek its place in that marketplace and force the sole-source company to heavily focus on client satisfaction [2] to ensure maintaining a good position in the market.…”

Εκπαιδευτική Πολιτική Για Την Ποιότητα Της Εκπαίδευσης

“…ΟηLargosen et al (2004: 62) ππνγξακκέδνπλ πσο «είλαη πνιχ ζεκαληηθφ λα θαηαλνεζεί ε πνηφηεηα απφ ηελ πιεπξά ηεο ηθαλνπνίεζεο ησλ πειαηψλ» θαη ζην έδην πλεχκα θηλεέηαη θπζηθΪ θαη ν νξηζκφο απφ ην Αηεζλά Οξγαληζκφ Αηακφξθσζεο Πξνηχπσλ (ISO): «ην ζχλνιν ησλ ηδηνηήησλ θαη ησλ ραξαθηεξηζηηθψλ ηνπ πξντφληνο πνπ ην θάλνπλ θαηάιιειν λα ηθαλνπνηήζεη ηηο ζπκθσλεκέλεο ή ηηο ζπλαγφκελεο απαηηήζεηο ηνπ πειάηε» (symvouloi.gr, 2008). ΟConstant (2005) αληηιακβΪλεηαη ηελ πνηφηεηα σο νηθνδφκεζε θαη ζχκθπηε ζε θΪζε νξγαληζκφ. ΐαζηθΪ ηεο ζηνηρεέα απνηεινχλ νη θαηΪιιεινη ππΪιιεινη, ε επηκφξθσζά ηνπο, ηα θαηΪιιεια εξγαιεέα, ην πεξηβΪιινλ εξγαζέαο, ε βνάζεηα, ην θέλεηξν επέδνζεο, ε πεηζαξρέα.…”