bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of warranty claim data: a literature review
Authors: Karim Rezaul , Suzuki Kazuyuki 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo provide a brief survey of the literature directed towards the analysis of warranty claim data.Design/methodology/approachFor convenience, this survey of the analysis of warranty claims data is somewhat arbitrarily be classified by topics as follows: age‐based claims analysis, aggregated warranty claims analysis, marginal counts of claims analysis, warranty claims analysis by using covariates, estimation of lifetime distribution using supplementary data, two‐dimensional warranty, warranty costs analysis, sales lag and reporting lag analysis, and forecasts of warranty claims.FindingsEmphasis is placed on a discussion of different kinds of warranty claims data selected from reviews and on a comparison of the statistical models and methods used to analyze such data.Research limitations/implicationsSince the literature on product warranty data is vast, more work on this problem is needed.Practical implicationsThis review points out why warranty claims data is important and gives a survey of the literature pertaining to the analysis of such data. The emphasis is on the analysis of minimal databases of real warranty data, constructed by combining information from different sources, which can be collected economically and efficiently through service networks. The research is applicable for those responsible for product reliability, product design decisions and warranty management in manufacturing industries.Originality/valueThe paper reviews different statistical models and methods used to analyze warranty claims data. The statistical models and methods presented are be valuable and meaningful tools for product reliability and warranty management and analysis.
Warranty cost analysis: quasi‐renewal inter‐repair times
Authors: Chukova Stefanka , Hayakawa Yu 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo provide a brief introduction to warranty analysis and a classification of general repairs. To introduce the notion of accelerated probability distribution and use it to model imperfect warranty repairs.Design/methodology/approachThe notion of accelerated probability distribution is discussed and its similarity with quasi‐renewal and geometric processes is observed. An approach to modeling imperfect warranty repairs based on the accelerated probability distributions is presented, and the corresponding expected warranty cost over the warranty period under non‐renewing free replacement warranty policy is evaluated.FindingsIt is observed that quasi‐renewal and the geometric processes are equivalent. Using data from an existing warranty database it is shown that the inter‐repair times form a quasi‐renewal process. The corresponding expected warranty cost over the warranty period under a non‐renewing free replacement warranty policy is evaluated.Research limitations/implicationsThis approach is applicable only if the cost of the warranty repair is an increasing function of the number of repairs.Practical implicationsProvides a useful approach to modeling inter‐repair times incorporating the idea of imperfect repairs in practice.Originality/valueProvides an approach to model imperfect warranty repairs and to evaluate the corresponding expected warranty cost.
Continuous improvement in product development
Authors: Nilsson‐Witell Lars , Antoni Marc , Dahlgaard Jens J. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeContinuous improvement has become an important strategy in improving organizational performance. Unfortunately, product development is often excluded in continuous improvement programs due to the special characteristics of product development activities. The overall purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of continuous improvement in the context of product development.Design/methodology/approachA central aspect in this context is that many organizations find it difficult to improve and learn if work is carried out in the form of projects. In this paper, a quality perspective on continuous improvement is introduced and its usefulness is tested empirically through three case studies in Swedish organizations. The focus is on the improvement programs used and the quality principles displayed in a product development context.FindingsThe results show that the three investigated organizations have multiple improvement programs, but that some configurations of improvement programs seem to be more successful than others. For instance, co‐ordination of multiple improvement programs, scope creep, and separating between product development processes and project management models are important success factors for continuous improvement. In addition, an introduction of an improvement program without adoption of a critical mass of quality principles is doomed to fail.Originality/valueThe research initiative is one of the first to conduct an empirical investigation of how organizations design and work with improvement programs in the context of product development. It provides knowledge to both academics and practitioners on how organizations can design and implement initiatives on quality management, especially in the context of product development.
Leadership, perceived team climate and process improvement in municipal government
Authors: Howard Larry W. , Foster S. Thomas , Shannon Patrick 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo examine the role of perceived team climate in facilitating leadership and sociotechnical optimization to affect quality related outcomes in a municipal government.Design/methodology/approachA survey was administered to employees working in a municipal government, measuring leadership, perceived team climate, technical subsystem components, and team performance. Hypotheses were tested with multiple regression, and the fit of a path model implied by all hypotheses was tested with structural equation modeling.FindingsInstitution‐level communications and department‐level leadership had the greatest effects in shaping perceptions of team climate. Perceived team climate predicted process improvement, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction. Perceived team climate also substantially mediated relationships between leadership support for teamwork and technical components with these outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsData were collected at one point in time from a single source, workers in a US municipal government. Some measures were new. A longitudinal design would strengthen causal inferences regarding the origins and effects of team climates.Practical implicationsSoft controls such as norms influence the effectiveness of teams in process improvement. Mid‐level managers have the greatest impact among leaders in creating a team climate. Open communication makes a difference to virtually every aspect of performance.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates the importance of shaping perceptions of a team climate to facilitate process and quality improvement. It emphasizes the importance of open communications and clarifies changing roles of leadership in modern organizations. Finally, it provides rare documentation of quality management in government.
Conflict between theory and practice: TQM and performance appraisal
Authors: Soltani Ebrahim 
Published: January 2007

PurposeA remarkable amount of theory‐based research is beginning to suggest that, even in organisations that pride themselves on having a quality orientation, the approach driving current policies and practices for human resource (HR) performance appraisal might be in fundamental conflict with essential requirements of total quality management (TQM). Seen in this light, this article aims to explore such (in)consistency between HRM theory and TQM precepts and assumptions.Design/methodology/approachGiven that there is relatively little evidence regarding the nature of HR performance appraisal in quality‐driven organisations, this research used a combination of quantitative and qualitative investigation of performance appraisal and TQM assumptions.FindingsThe research highlights that while some of the quality management gurus, followed by other TQM scholars, advise organisations to relinquish and eliminate performance appraisal practices, this is not a unanimous view in both the literature and practice.Research limitations/implicationsThe research has the potential to aid researchers in comprehending the broad and complex mix of performance appraisal practices with those criteria underlying TQM. Therefore, the fundamental need is for more empirical research and analysis in order to test various theoretical assumptions about the impact of HR‐related practices on organisational performance in quality‐driven organisations.Practical implicationsThe results of the research should enable practicing managers to determine which HR performance characteristics are more consistent with TQM initiatives. In particular, the research findings should also facilitate more valid diagnosis of TQM failures.Originality/valueThe paper highlights that the effectiveness of TQM can be enhanced by designing a performance management system that fits the culture and strategy of the organisation and also strongly supports a quality‐driven management strategy.
Inter‐project improvement in product development
Authors: Antoni Marc , Nilsson‐Witell Lars , Dahlgaard Jens J. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeProduct development projects can be utilized to create not only new products or services but also competitively important capabilities on how to work with product development. The resulting capabilities can be, and often are, as important as the product itself. Although there is potential for an organization to improve product development performance, most organizations can learn even more from their development experiences. A reliance on post‐project reviews to share knowledge across projects is doomed to fail, since it usually is of low priority and does not capture the complexity of development projects. The aim of this research is to investigate what organizations can do to reduce the effect of losing valuable experience gained in product development projects.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case study approach, using both qualitative and quantitative data, is used to perform a study of two high‐tech product development organizations with respect to their inter‐project improvement activities. A framework concerning inter‐project improvement is presented, containing concepts such as levels of learning, improvement content, and axes of improvement.FindingsTo avoid losing valuable experience, an organization should use multiple strategies to share knowledge across projects. Examples of successful strategies are to use a well‐established product development process, professional full‐time project managers as well as modularization of the product.Originality/valueAlthough research on organizational learning in product development has increased significantly during the last few years, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of inter‐project improvement by combining perspectives from quality management, organizational learning, and knowledge management.
Organisational performance improvement through quality award process participation
Authors: Eriksson Henrik , Garvare Rickard 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to describe the activities initiated based on participation in a quality award process and with the intention to improve performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study presents a case study of three organisations that have participated in the Swedish Quality Award process. The cases were selected in order to clarify how this award process could be used to improve organisational performance.FindingsSeveral examples of activities on how to improve organisational performance are provided. Specifically, the areas of customer orientation, process orientation, continuous improvement, committed leadership and participation by everyone have been improved due to the initiated activities. Furthermore, the studied organisations have been successful in their development and communication of visions, and in their empowerment of employees.Research limitations/implicationsAn interesting area of further research would be to compare different methodologies for performance improvement with one another.Practical implicationsFindings from the case studies, and of importance for organisations applying for quality awards, indicate that, if the goal is to get lasting results, it is not sufficient to participate in a quality award process only once. Instead one should participate in the process several times, with enough time in between the applications in order to complete as many as possible of the improvement projects resulting from the evaluations.Originality/valueIt is the authors' intention that the guidelines presented in the paper might be helpful for organisations considering a participation in a quality award process.
Managing knowledge contributed by ISO 9001:2000
Authors: Lin Chinho , Wu Chuni 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis study seeks to explore the interrelationships between knowledge management and ISO 9001:2000, and details knowledge management and ISO 9001:2000 practices for organizations, according to the prevailing ISO 9001:2000 guidelines and processes.Design/methodology/approachThis study proposes an intact process model that integrates ISO 9001:2000 processes in order to exploit critical knowledge within an organization. A Delphi approach is designed and used to identify activities within this process model, which will facilitate knowledge flow practices. In addition, a knowledge management conceptual framework which integrated ISO 9000 processes, quality information system and infrastructure is proposed. Empirical research, involving a case study with thematic analysis, is presented to discuss the proposed framework.FindingsThis paper identifies the most important activities within ISO 9001:2000 processes which can facilitate knowledge flow. Meanwhile, a comprehensive ISO 9000 process‐based knowledge management system architecture which is derived from the in‐depth interview and the qualitative analyses will be proposed.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited in its research methodology. This case study is considered as only one empirical illustration of many other possible implementation processes. It is not assumed that this company is a paradigm or that its specific situation is applicable to all other business enterprises.Originality/valueThis architecture offers an initial model for an organization that wants to facilitate knowledge flows according to the prevailing ISO 9001:2000 guidelines and processes, and further proceed with its knowledge management system implementation to encourage the management of corporate knowledge and effectively enhance the firm's competitiveness.
Systematic failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) using fuzzy linguistic modelling
Authors: Sharma Rajiv Kumar , Kumar Dinesh , Kumar Pradeep 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo permit the system safety and reliability analysts to evaluate the criticality or risk associated with item failure modes.Design/methodology/approachThe factors considered in traditional failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) for risk assessment are frequency of occurrence (Sf), severity (S) and detectability (Sd) of an item failure mode. Because of the subjective and qualitative nature of the information and to make the analysis more consistent and logical, an approach using fuzzy logic is proposed. In the proposed approach, these parameters are represented as members of a fuzzy set fuzzified by using appropriate membership functions and are evaluated in fuzzy inference engine, which makes use of well‐defined rule base and fuzzy logic operations to determine the criticality/riskiness level of the failure. The fuzzy conclusion is then defuzzified to get risk priority number. The higher the value of RPN, the greater will be the risk and lower the value of RPN, and the lesser will be the risk. The fuzzy linguistic assessment model was developed using toolbox platform of MATLAB 6.5 R.13.FindingsThe applicability of the proposed approach is investigated with the help of an illustrative case study from the paper industry. Fuzzy risk assessment is carried out for prioritizing failure causes of the hydraulic system, a primary element of the feeding system. The results provide an alternate ranking to that obtained by the traditional method. It is concluded from the study that the fuzzy logic‐based approach not only resolves the limitations associated with traditional methodology for RPN evaluation but also permits the experts to combine probability of occurrence (Sf), severity (S) and detectability (Sd) of failure modes in a more flexible and realistic manner by using their judgement, experience and expertise.Originality/valueThe paper integrates the use of fuzzy logic and expert database with FMEA and may prove helpful to system safety and reliability analysts while conducting failure mode and effect analysis to prioritize failures for taking corrective or remedial actions.
Business values of ISO 9000:2000 to Korean shipbuilding machinery manufacturing enterprises
Authors: Park Dong‐Joon , Kim Ho‐Gyun , Kang Byung‐Hwan , Jung Hyun‐Seok 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to furnish empirical evidence on the degree of performance of the 23 major requirements of the ISO 9001:2000 standard implemented at Korean shipbuilding machinery manufacturing companies.Design/methodology/approachDeep interviews and surveys were made to measure how well the companies comply with the requirements of the new standard. Correlation analysis, standard t‐tests, and one‐way ANOVA were employed to identify significant differences for each major requirement depending on company size, top management type, implementation motive, and operating period.FindingsLarge‐sized companies achieved compliance with monitoring and measurement better than small‐sized ones; professional manager‐CEOs accomplished compliance with nine major requirements better than owner‐CEOs; companies that certified because of internal development reasons performed compliance with seven major requirements better than those that certified because of customer request; companies with different operating periods showed significant difference in performance for infrastructure, purchasing, and monitoring and measurement.Originality/valueAdds to the body of knowledge concerning the ISO 9000(2000) version focused on Korean shipbuilding machinery manufacturing companies.
Quality management and health: a double connection
Authors: Lagrosen Yvonne , Bäckström Ingela , Lagrosen Stefan 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine and discuss the effects of quality management in the health care sector and the general effects of quality management on the health of the employees.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical basis consists of three case studies in one industrial manufacturing company and two hospitals. The empirical data have been gathered with both qualitative and quantitative methods.FindingsThe twofold value of quality management, of preventing disease by supporting more rewarding working conditions as well as improving the treatment of disease by increasing the effectiveness of health care organisations is indicated. Leadership commitment was found to be the most crucial common prerequisite for successful quality management implementation and for creating a healthy work environment. In addition, continuous improvements and participation of everybody were found to have importance for well functioning quality management as well as for health.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper provides additional understanding of the influence of quality management on health and a model is presented. A limitation is that the factors studied are fairly broad and for further research it will be useful to go deeper into the mechanics of them.Practical implicationsThe three factors, leadership commitment, participation of everybody, and continuous improvements, have been shown to be vital contributors for health and managers should make every effort to implement them.Originality/valueThe double effect of quality management on health has not been studied before and knowledge of the factors contributing to it is valuable.
A meta‐analysis of quality measures in manufacturing system
Authors: Jitpaiboon Thawatchai , Subba Rao S. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe manufacturing community has embraced the concept of total quality management (TQM) but little research has been published on how each aspect of quality is measured. This paper provides a deeper understanding of current quality measures and recommendations for appropriate TQM practices. This article adopts meta‐analysis approach to study issues concerning reliability of TQM measures and find consensus on the relationship between TQM practices and organizational performance across studies. The research findings and managerial implications are discussed.Design/methodology/approachA meta‐analysis approach was used to study 421 items relating to TQM practices in 50 refereed articles.FindingsItems were categorized according to Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) categories. A total of 77 items were not matched and eliminated. Findings reveal that the mean value of reliability coefficients (α) is 0.84 in TQM research compared to 0.77 in marketing and 0.81 in MIS. The mean values of α are significantly different across studies based on years and nations. The mean values of α from the nations of North America, South America, Africa, and Asia are significantly higher than those of Europe and Australia. Top management support shows the highest mean effect size of the relationship between TQM practices and organizational performance compared to other relationships.Originality/valueMeta‐analysis is used to enhance the understanding, applicability, and generalizability of a comparable research with diverse results. It does not require the original data. Using data from already published TQM research, meta‐analysis can be used to improve the understanding of current TQM issues manufacturing firms are facing.