4.3 Concern with Structures and Systems
QA is a systematic approach to quality [Collins, 1994]. Reduction of variations
and the production of a consistently good quality are essential in any QA
organization. QA leaders are concerned with defect prevention through systems
and documented processes throughout the supply chain [30, 47, 55, 54]. Fenwick
[18] and Scholtes and Hackerbord [54] indicated that management has to
establish organizational policies, structures, and practices that are consistent
with the quality vision. Mallak et. al. [38] indicated that a high level of organization
or formalization is highly supportive of ISO certification. Section three of
this paper suggested that a QA organization is highly formalized and centralized.
It was also argued that QA is primarily concerned with process control.
QA leaders should look for faults in the system [52] in order to reduce special
causes of variations. Leaders should therefore be concerned with systems and
structure in order to convince their subordinates of its importance and to achieve
process control. Such leaders should stress the clarity of employees' roles and
goal and goals very clearly, the control system that will ensure that those roles
and goals are accomplished, and the rewards that will follow these accomplishments.
Proposition 3: Firms implementing QA in order to achieve conformance
to requirements are more successful when their leadership is decisive, patient
with details, and concerned with structures and systems.