tqm.list Weekly Digest Subject: quality policy vs mission statement Subject: Re: quality policy vs mission statement ---------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2000 09:34:03 -0400 (EDT) From: nmoore@pnsonline.com Subject: quality policy vs mission statement I work for a company that is very new (10 months) to the telecommunications industry. We currently do not have a documented quality system in place. We are working towards becoming ISO 9000:2000, and eventually TL9000. In a recent discussion with the president of my company I pointed out that we do not have a quality policy. He stated that what we needed was a mission statement. He also pointed out that there is a difference between a quality policy and a mission statement. I did not ask him what that difference is but, I would really like to know if there is a difference first of all then what the difference is. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Nancy Moore Quality Control Specialist Message posting through the Clemson CQI Web Server. ---------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 19:19:25 -0800 From: Myron Tribus Subject: Re: quality policy vs mission statement Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" At 9:34 AM -0400 10/27/00, nmoore@pnsonline.com wrote: > In a recent discussion with the president of my company I pointed >out that we do not have a quality policy. He stated that what we >needed was a mission statement. He also pointed out that there is a >difference between a quality policy and a mission statement. I did >not ask him what that difference is but, I would really like to know >if there is a difference first of all then what the difference is. >Any information would be greatly appreciated. Nancy: A mission statement states in broad terms the reason why the company exists. A policy statement on quality is a statement which describes how the company intends to guarantee the product of its goods and services. A company may have a variety of policy statements, covering such things as pay policy, health benefits policy, policies towards suppliers, etc., etc. These policies should describe various ways in which the company intends to proceed towards it aim. A company also requires goals. Goals are specific actions a company recognizes it must achieve to fulfill its aim. Goals should be described in terms of time and measureable outputs. That is, to produce xx units by Jan yy,2001 or whatever. The goals should be accompanied by plans and analysis to demonstrate that they are achievable, though not necessarily easily achievable. You also wrote that your company was attempting to obtain various certifications. Thes certifications will be of no value if the other homework has not been done and if the belief system of the company is contarary to the achievement of the goals. Myron Tribus, 350 Britto Terrace, Fremont, CA 94539 Ph:510 651 3641 Fax: 510 656 9875 e-mail: mtribus@home.com Competition brings out the best in products and the worst in men (Sarnoff). ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- End of Digest Provided by the Department of Industrial Engineering, Clemson University Archive files also available by gopher and www at deming.eng.clemson.edu Comments to list@deming.eng.clemson.edu