Quality Management and Quality Techniques

Code School Level Credits Semesters
BUSI4495 Business 4 20 Spring UK
Code
BUSI4495
School
Business
Level
4
Credits
20
Semesters
Spring UK

Summary

This module is organised into two main components:

a) Quality Management: The module begins with a historical introduction to the evolution of quality management thinking, emphasising the necessity for quality and exploring definitions, ideas, and key concepts. It covers prominent figures in quality management known as quality gurus. Additionally, the module delves into Quality Management Systems (ISO 9000), auditing, and certification. Topics such as quality economics, performance measures, benchmarking, supply chain quality, and service quality are also addressed.

b) Quality Techniques: This section focuses on specific quality techniques, including process capability, variation risk management, loss function, capability assessment, and six-sigma. 

Target Students

Available for MSc Industrial Engineering and Operations Management OR MSc Supply Chain and Operations Management OR MSc Information Systems and Operations Management OR MSc Food Production students AND MSc Exchange students.

Classes

This module is taught through a combination of lectures, lecture engagement sessions and seminars.

Assessment

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Quality and its management are key aspects of modern business and have a great impact on both industrial and service sector enterprises. This module aims to develop an understanding of the issues involved and the approaches employed in quality management, and a knowledge of the techniques of quality improvement.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and understanding: This module develops a knowledge and understanding of:
•    Customers and stakeholders - customer expectations, service and orientation
•    The management of operations
•    The management of quality systems
•    The management of projects
•    Tools and techniques for transforming (big) data into useful information for business analysis and decision support
•    Develop and understanding of issues involved in Quality Management techniques, TQM, Six Sigma, Statistical Process Control, Quality Planning (FMEA, QFD, Taguchi), economics of Quality

Intellectual Skills: This module develops:
•    Being able to solve complex problems and make decisions: establish criteria, using appropriate decision-making techniques including identifying, formulating and solving business problems; and the ability to create, identify and evaluate options; the ability to implement and review decisions
•    Using information and knowledge effectively in order to abstract meaning from information and to share knowledge, including the use of quantitative skills

Professional Practical Skills: This module develops:
•    The ability to conduct research and enquiry into business and management issues either individually or as part of a team through research design, the collection and analysis of quantitative data, synthesis and reporting
•    The ability to recognise the need for and initiate change and to be able to manage change

Transferable (key) Skills: This module develops:
•    Effective communication: networking, listening, oral and written communication of complex ideas and arguments, using a range of media, including the preparation of business reports
•    Soft skills: understanding the needs of others and empathy towards them; sensitivity to diversity in people and in different situations

Conveners

View in Curriculum Catalogue
Last updated 07/01/2025.