The importance of quality and reliability as key determinants of competitiveness is emphasized and comparisons are made with the Japanese as competitors in international trade. The interdisciplinary nature of quality assurance is discussed and the need for bridges to be built between science, engineering, and management is identified.
A quality management model is presented in the conventional planning/organizing/directing/controlling framework of the management discipline. The paper is written by an engineer for an engineering readership, but it is hoped that it will find wider acceptance among chief executives and managers in industry generally.
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