The roles of quality departments and their influence on business results. (19th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gremyr, Ida; Elg, Mattias; Hellström, Andreas; Martin, Jason; Witell, Lars
• Is Part Of: Total quality management & business excellence. Volume 32:Number 7/8(2021)
• Page Start: 886
• Page End: 897
• Publication Date: 2021-05-19
• Subjects: quality management -- quality department -- quality practices -- roles -- business results; Total quality management -- Periodicals; Quality control -- Periodicals; Quality assurance -- Periodicals; Production management -- Quality control -- Periodicals; 658.401305
• DOI: 10.1080/14783363.2019.1643713
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-3363

Abstract

Abstract : This study explores the various roles of quality departments and investigates whether their roles have different influence on business results. Based on a survey of quality managers in 211 Swedish organisations, the analysis identifies four roles of quality departments: firefighters, auditors, process improvers, and orchestrators . The roles vary in their predominant adoption of Quality Management practices ranging from a narrow scope focusing on quality management systems to a broader scope, based on multiple practices. An analysis was performed to identify how each of the identified roles influences business results. The results show that quality departments with a broad focus, combining both explorative and exploitative quality practices, contribute the most to business results.