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UNIT 5
QUALITY STANDARD
A quality standard Is a detail of the requirements, specifications, the various guidelines and
characteristics to be able to meet its quality by the product in order to meet the purpose of
the product, process or the service.
ISO 9001: 2000 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an
organization needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets
customer and applicable regulatory requirements, and aims to enhance customer satisfaction
through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual
improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable
regulatory requirements. All requirements of this international standard are generic and are
intended to be applicable to all organizations, regardless of type, size and product provided.
Where any requirements of this international standard cannot be applied because of the
nature of an organization and its product, this can be considered for exclusion. Where
exclusions are made, claims of conformity to this international standard are not acceptable
unless these exclusions are limited to specific requirements (as found in clause 7 of the
standard) and such exclusions do not affect the organization's ability. or responsibility, to
provide product that meets customer and applicable regulatory requirements.
ISO 13485: 2003 specifies requirements for a quality management system for the medical
device industry. Organizations need to demonstrate the ability to provide medical devices and
related services that consistently meet customer requirements and regulatory requirements
applicable to medical devices and related services.
Its primary objective is to facilitate harmonized medical device regulatory requirements for
quality management systems. As a result, it includes some particular requirements for
medical devices and excludes some of the requirements of ISO 9001 that are not appropriate
as regulatory requirements. Because of these exclusions organizations whose quality
management systems conform to this international
Standard cannot claim conformity to ISO 9001 unless their quality management systems
conform to all the requirements of ISO 9001.
If regulatory requirements permit exclusions of design and development controls, this can be
used as a justification for their exclusion from the quality management system. These
regulations can provide alternative arrangements that are to be add addressed in the quality
management system. It is the responsibility of the organization to ensure that claims of
conformity with ISO 13485; 2003 reflect exclusion of design and development controls.
The processes required by ISO 13485: 2003 that are applicable to the medical de% cc, but
that are not performed by the organization, are the responsibility of the organization and are
accounted for in the organization's quality management system

ISO /TS 16949 : 2002 in conjunction with ISO 9001: 2000, defines the quality
Management system requirements for the design and development, production and, when
relevant, installation and service of automotive-related products. ISOITS 16949: 2002 can be
applied throughout the automotive supply chain. This technical specification is applicable to
sites of the organization where customer-specified parts, for production or service, are
manufactured. Supporting functions, whether on-site or remote, such as design centres,
corporate headquarters and distribution centres, form part of the site audit as they support
the site, but cannot obtain 5tand-alone certification to this technical specification.

ISO 14001: 1996 gives requirements for an environmental management system, to

enable an organization to develop a policy and objectives that take into account legislative
reqs and information about significant environmental, impacts.
The ISO 14000 standards are designed to provide an internationally recognized framework for
environmental management, measurement* evaluation and auditing. They do not prescribe
environmental performance targets, but provide organizations with the tools to assess and
control the impact of their activities, products or services on the environment. They address
the following subjects: environmental management systems, environmental auditing,
environmental labels and declarations, environmental performance evaluation and life-cycle
assessment.

ISO/1EC 17025 provides a framework for the special needs of organizations that want
to control their laboratory processes and are seeking to achieve an independent, external
accreditation. Based on ISO 9001, but written for the particular needs of laboratory
management, ISOITEC 17025 addresses the proficiency of the organization to perform the
testing and calibration activities.

AS9100 was developed using the ISO 9001, AS9000 and EN 9000-1, and builds upon
their requirements to produce a globally harmonized standard that meets the reqs of
aerospace companies worldwide. The first standard available for use across the global
aerospace community, AS9100 adds the additional requirements necessary to address both
civil and military aviation and aerospace needs.

MANAGING ORGANISATION
19.The Role Of Information Technology In Management Expert
Systems
An Expert System (ES) is a knowledge-based information system that uses its -knowledge
about a specific, complex application area to act as an expert consultant to end-users. The
component3 of an ES include:
Knowledge Base:
It knowledge needed to implement the task, There are two basic types of knowledge. Factual
knowledge. Facts, or descriptive information, about a specific subject area. Heuristics. A rule
of thumb for applying facts and/or making inferences, usually expressed as rules.
Inference Engine,
An inference engine provides the ES with its reasoning capabilities. The inference engine
processes the knowledge related to a specific problem. It then makes associations and
inferences resulting in recommended courses of action.
User Interface
This is the means for user interactions. To create an expert system a Knowledge engineer
acquires the task knowledge from the human expert using knowledge acquisition tools
Using an expert system shell
Which contains the user interface and inference engine software modules, the KE then
encodes the knowledge into the knowledge base, A reiterative approach is used to test and
refine the expert system's knowledge base until it is deemed complete.
Application Development Management.

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Involves managing activities such as systems analysis and design, project management,
application programming and systems maintenance for all major c-business IT development
projects.
IT Operations Management.
It involves the management of hardware and software, network resources. Operational
activities that must be managed include computer system operations, network management,
production control, and production support. Many of these management activities are
automated. For example system performance monitors monitor the processing of computer
jobs and in some cases actually control operations at large data centres. Most system
performance monitors supply information needed by charge ha systems.
Human Resource Management.
Involves recruiting, training, and retaining qualified IS personnel may include managerial,
technical, as well as clerical support staff.

Application Development-System analysis- System Design-Programming-System

Maintenance
Human Resource Management-IS Recruiting - Training- Retainment ProgramsSupports Staf
IT Operation Management- Network Management- Production control-Production
Support- System Performance
Conclusion
The role of information technology system was adopted to aid the achievement of the
organisations strategic development goals. The introduction of a new business system to
cover the major business areas in the organisation greatly improved operational efficiency
and profitability. Now, data is effortlessly accessible and reports can easily be generated
thereby providing management with information to make long-term strategic plans and
decisions. The role of IT in the attainment of strategic goals has been an area of constant
debate. The characteristics of-the management's role in If development are not
straightforward. They can be summarized in terms of a typology of behaviours; five distinct
patterns are discernible. These patterns represent characteristic types which display markedly
different levels of personal involvement. The behaviour patterns can be arranged in order of
personal involvement, each subsequent pattern requiring increasing levels of time and effort
expenditure, and technical expertise from the manager. The adoption of a particular
behaviour pattern is thought to be largely dependent on organizational resource constraints,
and hence indirectly on organizational size. However, personal characteristics, experience and
predictions will also play a part in moulding the involvement level adopt . A typical pattern in
the smaller firms shows the top manager to be closely involved in circles of IT development
and implementation. Recognition of the marked differences top manager involvement
patterns in IS has significant implications for the design of training and education intended for
business, and for further research into business IT implementation.

LEARNING ORGANIZATION
"The essence of organisational learning is the organization's ability to use the amazingmental
capacity of all its members to create the kind of processes that will improve its own

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Learning is the key competency required by any organization that wants to survive and thrive
in the new knowledge economy. Market champions keep asking learning questions, keep
learning how to do things better, and keep spreading that knowledge throughout their
organization. Learning provides the catalyst and the intellectual resource to create a
sustainable competitive advantage
Learning organisations obtain competitive advantage from continuous learning, individual and
collective. In org. with a well established knowledge management system, learning by the
people within an organization becomes learning by the organization itself.

TYPES OF LEARNING
A learning organisation involves the development of higher levels of knowledge and skill. A
four level learning model of learning involves:Level 1.- Learning facts, knowledge, processes and procedures. Applies to known situations
where changes are minor.
Level 2.- Learning new job skills that are transferable to other situations. Applies to new
situations where existing responses need to be changed. Bringing in outside expertise is a
useful tool here.
Level 3 - Learning to adapt. Applies to more dynamic situations where the solutions need
developing. Experimentation, and deriving lessons from success and failure is the mode of
learning here.
Level 4 = Learning to learn. Is about Innovation and creativity; designing the future rather
than merely adapting to It. This Is where assumptions are challenged and knowledge is
reframed.
Furthermore this learning concept can be applied at three levels to the learning of individuals,
of teams and of organisations. Organizations that achieve learning to Level 4 will "reinvent not
just their organization but their Industry"

THE LEARNING ORGANIZATION

Learning organizations are organizations where people continually expand their capacity to
create the results that' truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are
nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to
see the whole together.

BENEFITS OF LEARNING ORGANIZATION

Promoting a Learning Organization culture Is essential to meeting the following types of
challenges faced by all agencies:
Rapid Change: Change in the workplace is occurring rapidly. Agencies are being forted to
quickly adapt work processes. In a Learning Organization, change is seen as an opportunity to
learn through problem solving,
Shifting Focus: Agencies are changing their focus from a rote of ensuring compliance to one of serving customers. A learning organization can ensure that there is a strategic alignment
between customer needs organizational goals, individual learning, and resource allocations,
Eroding Knowledge Bases: The growing rates of attrition of employees, reductions-in-force,
and expected retirements are eroding the organizational knowledge bases, A Learning

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Organization fosters information exchange and captures expertise from all levels of personnel.
And, technology is leverage to support information exchange.
Limited Training Resources: Training budgets are shrinking while staff members have less
time to attend formal training sessions. A Learning Organization can make use of alternative
strategies that integrate learning into the workplace. These alternative methods cost less and
are effective.

INHIBITORS TO BECOMING A LEARNING ORGANIZATION

These are some of the most common obstacles to becoming a learning organization:

Operational/fire fighting preoccupation - not creating time to sit back and think
strategically.
The focused on systems and process (e.g. 1809000) to exclusion of other factors
bureaucratic vs. thinking)
Reluctance to train or invest in training), other than for obvious immediate needs.
Too many hidden personal agendas ,

Too top-down driven, overtight supervision = lack of real empowerment

How To Create Learning Organizations

Build individual development plans quarterly. The development plans should list
negotiated expectations for growth and learning over the quarter. These Flans may
include cross-training, skill stretching assignments, and representing the department at
organization-wide meetings, as well as education.

Put each person directly into contact with customers. When etch individual
personally knows customer needs, he/she is enabled to make better decisions to satisfy
the customer. Remember also, the internal customers. Anyone to whom the
organization provides a product or a set-vice is a customer.

Promote field trips to other organizations. Even organizations in different

industries can provide opportunities for learning. See and learn what others are doing
about the challenges you experience in your organization. It has been seen that noncompeting companies surprisingly are gracious about sharing information.

Meet regularly across departments, or in a smaller organization, as a whole

company. Even in a larger organization, bring the whole company together, at least
quarterly. People have to understand the whole work system; otherwise they improve
just their small part of the system. While these small improvements are important they
do not necessarily optimize the success of the entire system. This is an area in which
every technological advancement makes meeting easier.

Use cross-functional teams to solve problems, scout for new opportunities, and
cross-fertilize units with new ideas.

Pay for education for all employees. in fact, some forward thinking organizations
have determined learning is so important, that they pay for any educational pursuit, not
just those related exclusively to the individual's current job. The goal is to foster
learning and they presume that any investments in learning translate into more
effective work performance over time.

Coach improved performance from all members of the organization. Work

constantly to enable people to set and achieve their next goals. Spend time with people
thinking about and planning their next objective.

Form study groups. Internally, and even externally, these groups can focus creating a
learning org. There may be people, who are close to the organization in question,
geographically, seeking members or holding group meetings.

Take time to read, to think, to talk about new ideas and work. Create discussion
areas, conference rooms, and break areas that foster people communicating.

Hold brainstorming (idea generation) sessions on specific topics. Bring

"experts" in the organisation. As an example, a technical writer can add value to a
discussion about print presentation.

Foster an environment of collegiality. Congenial work environment Harmonious

superior - subordinate & peer to peer relationship arc inevitable for creating a learning
environment in any organization.

Evolving Roles of Supervisors: Supervisors are assuming increasing responsibility

for traditional human resource functions. In a Learning Organization, managers serve as
teachers and each individual is empowered to be responsible for his or her own
learning.

DO IT THE TOYOTA WAYToyota Culture and Mgmt Philosophy

The Main Ideas of the Toyota Way

To base management decisions on a "philosophical sense of purpose"

To think long term

To have a process for solving problems

To add value to the organization by developing its people

To recognize that continuously solving root problems drives organizational learning

14 PRINCIPLE OF THE TOYOTA WAY

I. Having a long-term philosophy that drives a long-term approach to building a
learning organization
1. Base your management decisions on a long-term philosophy, even at the expense of shortterm financial goals
II. The right process will produce the right results
1.

Create a continuous process flow to bring problems to the surface

3.

Use "pull' systems to avoid overproduction

4.

Level out the workload (Work like the tortoise, not the hare)

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5.

Build a culture of stopping to 6x problems, to get quality right the first time

6.

Standardized tasks and processes are the foundation for continuous improvement and
employee empowerment

7.

Use visual control so no problems are hidden

8.

Use only reliable, thoroughly tested technology that serves your people and processes

III.

Add value to the organization by developing its people and partners

9.
Grow leaders who thoroughly understand the work, live the philosophy, and teach it to
others
10. Develop exceptional people and teams who follow your company's
11. Respect your extended network of partners and suppliers by challenging them and
helping them improve
IV. Continuously solving root problems to drive organizational learning
12.

Go and see for yourself to thoroughly understand the situation

13.
Make decisions slowly by consensus, thoroughly considering all options; implement
decisions rapidly.
14.
Become
improvement.

learning

organization

through

relentless

reflection

and

continuous

CONCLUSION
Organizations can establish structures and processes that cultivate continuous learning. For
example, management can support a climate where feedback is freely exchanged. Employee
have a clear, shared vision of the organization's goals and values. Organization members get
time to inquire and reflect about what they are doing and why.
The challenge facing managers today is to make the effort needed to learn some of the new
skill and techniques, and to put in processes that engage their workforce in programmes of
continuous capability development. Learning should be integrated into the doing, as part and
parcel of everyday work. It should also be energising, stimulating and fun. Getting the best
out of everybody, including oneself to meet the challenges ahead.

VIRTUAL ORGANIZATION
Virtual organizations facilitate competitiveness particularly when these organizations are part
of the global economy. Here there can be alliances and partnerships with other organizations
almost all over world. It is a flexible organization structure that removes the traditional
boundaries. It allows easy reassignment and reallocation of resources to take quick advantage
of shifting opportunities in global-markets. To avoid disintegration and to attain the effective
needed focus, the lead virtual organizations must have a shared vision strong brand and high

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trust culture. The virtual organization is a temporary network of companies that come
together quickly to exploit fast changing opportunities. Virtual organizations appear to be
bigger than traditional organizations. As virtual organizing required a strong IT platform, The
boundaries that traditionally separate a firm from its suppliers, customers and even
competitors are largely eliminated, temporarily and in respect to a given transaction or
business purpose. Virtual ORs 15 come into being as needed when alliances are called into
action to meet specific operating needs and objectives. When the task is complete the
alliances rests until next called into. Each partner in the alliance contributes to the virtual org.
what is the best as its core competence.

WHAT IS VIRTUAL ORGANIZATION

This new form of org, emerged in 1990 and is also known as digital org. Simply speaking a V.O
is a network of cooperation made possible by what is ICT i.e. information and Communication
Technology which is flexible and comes to meet dynamics of the market.
Alternatively speaking, the V.O is a social network in which all the horizontal and vertical
boundaries are removed. In this sense it is a boundary less org. It consists of individual
working out of physically dispersed work places or even individuals working from mobile
devices and not ties to any particular workspace. The ICT is the backbone if V.O.
It is the ICT that coordinates the activities, combines the workers skills and resources with an
objective to achieve the common goal set by V.O. Managers in these org coordinate and
control external relations with the help of computer network links. The virtual form of org. is
increasing in India also.

Nike, Reebok, Puma Dell computers, HCL, etc., are the prominent
companies working virtually.
While considering the issue flexibility, organisations may have several options like flexi-time,
part-time work, job sharing, and home-based working. Here, one of the most important issues
in-vowed is attaining flexibility to respond to changes both internal and external isdetermining the extent of control or the amount of autonomy the virtual organisations will
impose on their members.

This Is Because Of The Paradox Of Flexibility Itself. That is: while an organisation
must Possess some procedures that enhance its flexibility to avoid the state of rigidity, on the
one hand, and simultaneously also have some stability to avoid chaos, on the other.

Characteristics:
A virtual organisation has the following characteristics:
1.

Flat organisation

2.

Dynamic

3.

Informal communication

4.

Power flexibility

5.

Multi-disciplinary (virtual) teams

6.

Vague organisational boundaries

7.

Goal orientation

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8.

Customer orientation

9.

Home-work

10.

Absence of apparent structure

11.

Sharing of information

12.

Staffed by knowledge workers.

In fact, this list of the characteristics of virtual organisation is not an exhaustive one but
illustrative only. One can add more characteristics to this list.

TYPES OF VIRTUAL ORGANISATIONS:

Depending on the degree or spectrum of virtuality, virtual organisations can be classified into
three broad types as follows:
1. Telecommuters
2. Outsourcing employees/competencies
3. Completely virtual
A brief description of these follows in turn.

Telecommuters:
These companies have employees who work from their homes. They interact with the
workplace via personal computers connected with a modern to the phone lines Ex triples of
companies using some form of telecommuting are Dow Chemicals, Xerox, Coherent
Technologies Inc., etc.

Outsourcing Employees/ Competencies:

These companies are characterised by the outsourcing of all/most core Competencies. Areas
for outsourcing include marketing and sales, human resources, finance, research and
development, engineering, manufacturing, information system, etc. In such case, virtual
organisation does its own on one or two core areas of competence but excellence. For
example, Nike performs in product design, and marketing very well and relies on outsourcing
for information technology as a means for maintaining inter-organisational coordination.

Completely Virtual:
These companies metaphorically described as companies without walls that are tightly linked
to a large network of suppliers, distributors, retailers and customers as well as to strategic
and joint vulture partners. Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games
(ACOG) in 1996 and the development efforts of the PC by the IBM are the examples of
completely virtual organisations.

QUALITY OF WORK LIFE: ITS MEANING AND DEFINITION

The present era is an era of knowledge workers and the society in which we are living has
come, to be known as knowledge society. The intellectual pursuits have taken precedence
over the physical efforts.

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Some knowledge workers work for more than 60 hours a week. As a result of this, their
personal hobbies and interests clash with their work. Life is a bundle that contains all the
strands together and hence the need to balance work life with other related issues.
One must have both love and work in one's life to make it healthy, Gone are the da% when
the priority of employees used to be for physical and material needs, with the increasing shift
of the economy towards knowledge economy the meaning and quality of work life has
undergone a drastic change.

Meaning
Quality of work life (QWL) refers to the favourableness or unfavourableness of a job
environment for the people working in an organisation. The period of scientific management
which focused solely on specialisation and efficiency, has undergone a revolutionary change.
The traditional management (like scientific management) gave inadequate attention to in Lb:
present scenario, needs and aspirations of the employees are changing. Employers are now
redesigning jobs for better QWL.

Definition:
The OWL as strategy of Human Resource Management has assumed increasing interest and
importance. Many other terms have come to be used interchangeably with OWL such as
humanisations of work' `quality of working life, 'industrial democracy' and 'participative work'.
There are divergent views as to the exact meaning of OWL.
A few definitions given by eminent authors on QWL are given below:
1. QWL is a process of work organisations which enable its members at all levels to
actively; participate in shaping the organizations environment, methods and outcomes.
This value based process is aimed towards meeting the twin goals of enhanced
effectiveness of organisations and improved quality of life at work for employees. "
The American Society of Training and Development
2. QWL, is a way of thinking about people, work and organisations. its distinctive elements are
(i) a concern about the impact of work on people as well as on the organizational
effectiveness, and (ii) the idea of participation In organisational problem solving and decision
making" Nadler and Lawler

3. "The overriding purpose of QWL is to change the climate at work so that the humantechnological-organisational interface leads to a better quality of work life." -Luthans
4. "QVIL is based on a general approach and an organisation approach. The general approach
includes all those factors affecting the physical, social, economic, psychological and cultural
well-being of workers, while the organisational approach p-fr.rs to the redesign and operation
of organisations in accordance with the value of democratic society. " Beinum
From the definitions given above, it can be concluded that QWL is concerned with taking care
of the higher-order needs of employees in addition to their basic needs. The overall climate of
work place is adjusted in such a way that it produces more humanized jobs.
QWL is viewed as that umbrella under which employees feel fully satisfied with the working
environment and extend their wholehearted co-operation and support to the management to
improve productivity and work environment.