Annexure-V- Cover Page for Academic Tasks

Course Code: OPR-505 Course Title: Total Quality Management

Course Instructor: Amanpreet Kaur

Academic Task No.: 2 Academic Task Title: Assignment

Date of allotment: 11.04.2021 Date of submission: 20.04.2021

Student Registration no. : 12004311

Evaluation Parameters:

Learning Outcomes:

Declaration:

I declare that this Assignment is my individual work. I have not copied it from any other student’s
work or from any other source except where due acknowledgement is made explicitly in the text,
nor has any part been written for me by any other person.

Student’s Signature: Shubhdeep Mallick

Evaluator’scomments (For Instructor’s use only)

General Observations Suggestions for Improvement Best part of assignment

Evaluator’s Signature and Date:

Marks Obtained: Max. Marks:

Assigned Company: Sony Corporation
Introduction:

Sony is a corporate group based in Japan, whose primary focus in business is on

electronics, entertainment, game and financial services. The group is made up of
various sectors which include Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Computer
Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Sony Financial Holdings among
other subsidiaries.

Ever since the year 1945, when the company foundations were laid in Tokyo by
Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, the company has over the years transformed into a
leading manufacturer and assessor of many electronic products. Through the power of
innovation, which has seen the company introduce many products and standards over
the years, Sony has always maintained their reputation in the global arena, as a
reliable innovative company of all times (Lee and Whang 296).

These achievements have continued to place Sony at the front-line, in the most
competitive industry of electronics, where it competes with other big companies such
as Panasonic, SANYO, LG and Phillips. However, among the factors that have
continued to place Sony Corporation in a strong competitive advantage against its
rivals is their effective quality management systems. The company has been
promoting a constant, decisive effort in enhancing the quality of their products and in
reinforcing its quality management framework.

Sony Corporation have recently reviewed and reconfigured their strong quality
management system in all mechanisms and processes. This strategic approach would
see the company come up with significant improvements in various areas, ranging
from design and manufacturing, to sales and services. The intervention would also see
the company come introduce strong guidelines that would guarantee for appropriate
levels of quality which matches the current technological changes.
SQC (STATISTICAL QUALITY CONTROL):

The company’s strong management systems are well defined by its organizational
structure, which is made up of high qualified leadership posts and personnel. Changes
directed to improvement of quality management systems in the company have
impacted serious changes on the company’s management systems. This has seen the
company make big changes in all its operational units to meet the new quality
requirements.

For example, Quality officers have been appointed in each business unit to oversee
and spearhead quality matters of products and services. Sony have also acquired
certification under ISO 9001for all departments that deal with the manufacture of
electronic products. More importantly, the company has religiously held quality
strategic meetings involving top management, to discuss and make necessary
suggestions regarding product quality.

FMEA (FAILURE MODE AND EFFECTS ANALYSIS):

The company has also formulated quality standards applicable to all their products and
services, through effective criteria such as product performance and safety, as well as
performance, services and labeling of products. As if this was not enough, Sony has
also strengthened rules globally, since the year 2006, to enable customer report
promptly to relevant departments in the company, incase they sense risk of danger
from using the company products.

Apart from the management systems, the company has also made significant
approaches in its technical side, to ensure that their customers continue enjoying the
best products and services from the company. One way of achieving this goal is
through the company’s establishment of customer information centers in many
regions, to receive customers’ feedback on products. The company makes active use
of the feedback from customers to modify its products and services, thus enhancing
product and service quality.

There has been redesigning of products in the past few years to improve features and
usability of parts, like in the case of video cameras and digital cameras recently.
Other key modifications have also been made on product user manuals, where
technical language has been replaced with easy simpler language and guides that are
understandable by all users. As another part of their constant effort to improve the
quality of their products, the company also seeks suggestions and advice regarding the
safety of products from external medical experts, before developing new product.

Currently, there are many ways and efforts apart the ones described above, through
which Sony has responded to quality issues in all their operations, thus ensuring
efficient customer satisfaction. Based on all these modifications on quality systems,
the company has successfully made a big effort in the marketing of all its products to
the international markets.

Adoption of quality standards :

Sony has recently reconfigured its quality management system by reviewing specific
mechanisms across all processes, from development, planning, designing and
manufacturing to sales and service. This required a redefinition of roles,
responsibilities and authority. Based on this new quality management system, Sony
has developed a framework and it is taking actions on an ongoing basis to improve the
quality of its products and services.
Six-Sigma Quality Management

Six-Sigma is a hot management topic in the contemporary business world. Indeed, this
is the next trend in the evolution of quality management. This simply refers to a
measure of quality which services for near perfection, as it is applied by many
organizations today. This system inherits from Total Quality Management and it
applies much the same concepts. The approach is defined through two main
characteristics that distinguish it from TQM and other aspects.

The two characteristics are a focus towards the reduction of variation to very low
levels and Six Sigma Black Belts, which involves experts in quality statistical process
control and process improvement. Six-Sigma’s statistical representation describes the
performance of a process through quantitative approaches. However, the fundamental
goal of this methodology is to implement a measurement strategy which aims in the
reduction of variation through effective application of Six Sigma improvement
projects.

By using Six-Sigma methodology in their quality management strategies, Sony stands

to face far-reaching benefits as well as challenges. For one, the company will come to
realize full improvement of processes, services and products by constantly addressing
and minimizing defects. Apart from attracting and retaining customers through
quality, Six-Sigma also plays a significant role in streamlining operations within
organizations (Klefsj and Wiklund 34).

More importantly, the methodology would enable the organization to sustain its
competitive strength in the market, by utilizing their knowledge in project
management and statistics. However, the challenges of successfully implementing the
methodology are immense and are just what the Sony cannot escape, by implementing
the concept in their quality management program. One of the major challenges with
Six-Sigma is that it is hard to manage owing to its complex procedures.

To ensure long-term sustainability of the concept, Sony will have to dedicate a lot of
valuable time and attention to it and would have to utilize its concepts and tools
constantly for positive outcomes in the long run. Additionally, Sony may not have full
understanding of the concept, which requires integrated training, and this may lead to
failure of the company in its operations.

In conclusion, Six Sigma may be a significant initiative that could be used to improve
the process of quality management. However, efforts should be made to integrate the
concept with other existing concepts in the field, to make it more attractive to the
many business organizations in the world that are yet to adopt its policies.

Quality improvement :

With all these demands, there is a need for modern businesses to adopt effective
operational policies that will help to build, manage and sustain high performance
business organizations in all levels of accountability. Today, high-performance
corporations such as Sony, which has come to realize the value of employing quality
management in their operational units, are the role models of the successful
organizational world.

Sony Corporation is excellent in vast ways. The concept of quality management has
consistently seen the company outperform many of its competitors in business, for a
very long time. In this case, the company represents a real-world version of a
contemporary managerial system.

There are many ways through which quality management systems or frameworks
facilitate organizational success. The concept involves the practice of constantly
improving performance in business, simply by targeting the end users, while at the
same time, trying to address the expectations of the stakeholders.

In other words, this approach would ensure that both the company and the customers
benefit equally in the long-term. If anything should be considered in the
implementation of the concept, it is the end-users. Customers are of great importance
to businesses, and nothing should be allowed to come between organizations and their
consumers. The idea of gaining and retaining customers involves a lot of benefits, as
well as costs.
The part involving the costs is the most challenging point that businesses have to deal
with more wisely and in the best tactical way, so as to remain competent in the
market. This explains the reason why many corporations in the current competitive
business world would go to the extent of exploiting all their business capabilities, for
the sake of satisfying the expectations of their customers.

The concept of quality management has constantly proved to be an effective solution

for those organizations that need to make a difference in the market, by gaining a high
competitive advantage above their rivals in the business (Evans and William 32).
Consumer expectations inevitably define performance standards and criteria. In this
regard, customer expectations are the main focus of quality management systems that
direct an organization at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of performance
and accountability.

By becoming the focus of corporate thinking for organizations, quality management is

certain to ensure that products and services produced satisfy the needs of the
consumers. This concept plays a significant role in ensuring that customer satisfaction
is the most important consideration which comes in the minds of businesses and not
only the thought of increasing profits.

Quality management, which has been focused on customers, works to cover the gap
which exists between organizational levels of performance and consumer satisfaction.
This way, organizations end up coming up with the most desirable products and
services, thus achieving consumer satisfaction.

In order to achieve its purpose, quality management systems or frameworks works

through a number of elements. Some of these elements include aspects such as
completeness of products or services, convenience and accessibility, responsiveness,
accuracy of services, consistency, timeliness, and courtesy as it is exercised by staff or
employees towards the consumers.

Quality management standards, whether internally conceived or reinforced by the

universally agreed ISO 9000, have always played a significant role in the success of
many business organizations in the world. ISO 9000 series remains the only main set
of international policies and standards that apply to the management of quality
frameworks or systems. Some of the standards laid by ISO 9000 would include
information management standards and health and safety among others.

The concept establishes a strong framework on how businesses would manage their
key processes, towards effective productivity and customer satisfaction. Through this
important initiative, which is certain to meet all required standards of customer
satisfaction, businesses all over the world have been able to meet their objectives.

More importantly, the trend has also enabled organizations to constantly improve
processes, systems and products in a manner that favors the customer and this has
helped businesses to establish good relationships with their consumers. Quality
management systems have constantly succeeded in sparing business organizations
from making deadly mistakes, through reasonable planning and effective utilization of
time and resources. All these initiatives do play a significant role in attracting and
retaining customers in business.

From a close analysis of literature review on some of the most successful

organizations in the world, there is a theory and practice behind the path taken by
high-performance business institutions. From these observations, it has been
discovered that effective business strategies and practices have applied all through.

From these findings, a model of performance which revolves around five main
organizational characteristics has been developed. These include customer approach,
strategic approach, leadership approach, values and beliefs, and processes and
structure. In most cases, these characteristics have also acted as drivers of high-
performance institutions.

Customer approach

This refers to the way an organization or institution would treat the consumer. High-
performance institutions normally tend to have good and effective strategies of
obtaining, treating, and retaining their customers in all terms. These organizations also
apply all the necessary processes and facilities, to support and withhold the approach
of their consumers.

Strategic approach

An institution’s consistent application of strategic approaches plays a significant role

in the determination of its success and prosperity in business. High-performance
organizations are associated with achievable visions that have been sustained with
flexible strategic plans.

More importantly, they also follow well-articulated principles and philosophies that
are certain to establish the standards defining the type of behavior which should be
followed by everyone in the organization. These organizations are also defined by
management and employee teams who possess a positive understanding of the
company’s business philosophy and business plans towards its customers.

Leadership approach

This characteristic defines the strategies used by organizations in managing its

workers in various segments, towards the achievement of established behaviors and
goals. High-performance institutions would tend to be clear on the standards that
workers should exhibit in the execution of important organizational strategies. In this
case, organizational leaders such as executives and managers would establish goals
matching the customers’ expectations and guide the other employees towards a
focused directive in achieving those goals.

Values and beliefs

These are important in helping organizations achieve their business objectives. High-
performance business institutions typically possess well established values that are
well understood by all employees. This could be an organization’s code of conduct,
which is consistent with their approach to leadership in business practices and
accountability.
Processes and structure

This involves the procedures used by organizations in arranging their work policies
and processes to execute desired business strategies. High-performance businesses are
defined by strong processes that meet all the standards required to enable workers
execute all opportunities in trying to meet customer expectations.

The entire process of quality management involves improvement of quality in both

product and services, as well as in the channels or mediums used to deliver those
requirements to consumers. Most of these strategies are prominently featured in the
modern Total Quality Management approaches, such as ‘Six Sigma’ among other
concepts.

For effective implementation of good quality management policies and standards,

organizations should first of all understand all the consumer expectations as observed
from the market and try to meet them accordingly, in a manner which ensures that
both external and internal customers are fully satisfied.

Apart from effective leadership and management guidance, which is of great

requirement here, people from all levels of an institution also do play a significant role
in the implementation of the concept. Complete involvement of each individual within
an institution is likely to facilitate huge benefits, through combined reasoning and
effort. Through this approaches, Sony Corporation has managed to maintain its
outstanding business stability in the global markets ahead of its competitors.