Reference no: EM132969171

Explain the relationship between quality and competitiveness.

1. Explain how the costs of poor quality can affect competitiveness.
2. Describe the evolution of the rebuilding effort undertaken by Japan and Germany following World War II.
3. Explain the actions of U.S. manufacturers during the period in which Japan and Germany were rebuilding following World War II.
4. How does a nation's ability to compete affect its quality of life?

Critical Thinking Activity

Locked Out of the Process

Alex Parker is the quality director at CompuTech Inc. His is a ­middle-management position. CompuTech's senior executives have announced that they intend to hire a strategic planning consultant to develop a plan for the company. Planning will begin in about two months. It will take place in the conference center of a local resort and will involve only executive-level managers and the consultant.

Parker has several ideas he would like to propose. In addition, he wants to make sure that quality is treated as a strategic issue during the planning process. Unfortunately, Parker and his fellow middle managers have not been invited to participate. They are locked out of the process.

What do you think of CompuTech's approach to strategic planning? Would you change the process in any way? If so, how? If the process remains as it is, how can Parker get his ideas included?

Factual Review Questions

1. Define the term ethics.
2. What is morality?
3. Explain how a certain behavior could be legal but not ethical.
4. What role does trust play in a total quality setting?
5. Describe how managers can build trust.