Many people confuse the terms and have little understanding of the real meaning of the word quality.
For example, when people describe a Jaguar as a quality car as opposed to say a Mondeo, what they actually mean is that a Jaguar is an expensive and prestigious car compared with a Mondeo. I would suggest that they are both quality cars, both having undergone rigorous research and testing before coming to the market suitably designed for their intended purpose. As for quality control versus quality assurance, most people believe them to be one and the same. To put matters straight, a few definitions are in order. Quality control is the process of sampling and testing to ensure that the product meets the intended specification.