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Strategic Quality Management and Customer Satisfaction

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a. How quality is linked to your organization's strategic plan and strategic objectives.
b. An analysis of a process improvement plan that the organization currently uses.
c. Examples of the tools and techniques used to measure quality and customer satisfaction within your selected organization.
d. Who has ultimate responsibility for quality assurance?
e. The extent to which the organization's process improvement plan is related to the organization's strategic plan.

I need help only on section D. Thanks!

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Kudler Fine Foods' Strategic Plan

Introduction
Strategic planning for business is informed and knowledge planning using the Total
Quality Management (TQM) techniques for optimum results. Kathy Kudler's passion and dream
are to provide fine foods with one-stop shopping and reasonable prices (University of Phoenix,
2007). Refinement, elegance and superior character best describe Kudler Fine Foods (KFF).
Competing superior, gourmet foods too, can benefit from the use TQM management principles
for Kathy's vision and mission. European style baking, organic products and imported wines are
available to a growing niche of special customers, TQM training can be used to capture and
sustain those customers. Management of three different California locations of Kudler Fine
Foods is an opening for powerful, competitive expressions of the company's strengths,
optimization of opportunities, neutralization of threats, and knowledge of current trends to attract
new customers. This awareness and action shall also prepare Kudler for the impact of
globalization. This essay shall explore Kudler Fine Foods' execution of planned strategic
objectives with winning Total Quality Management techniques.

Kudler Fine Foods
Kathy Kudler has always had a fascination for gourmet foods, wines, and different beverages; in fact, Kathy decision to open a gourmet food store was brought to surface as she noticed how hard it was to find different ingredients for gourmet meals and beverages. When Kathy realized that she was not alone in her frustration, she began implementing ways to shop for the ingredients in one place. Therefore, Kathy decided to open Kudler Fine Foods, which is a store that carries different types of spices, meats, diary, cheese, and wines, which a consumer will need to complete the gourmet meal of his or her choice. The strategic objectives of this company are to lead the market in offering gourmet products in a one stop and shop atmosphere, continual updating ideas, goods, and products. In fact, one of Kudler Fine Food's main objectives is to maintain a healthy relationship with all suppliers and meet the needs of customers through workshops, seminars, cooking classes, and surveys.

Kudler Fine Foods has a mission that accurately communicates what is the company's purpose and mission. The mission of any business is to explain directly its purpose for existing, its goals, and how it intends to obtain them. Furthermore, the mission of this company is to satisfy all customers entering this establishment by offering the best prices, customer service, tools, and knowledge for creating gourmet meals. The vision is to make it simpler for consumers to purchase gourmet ingredients at reasonable prices and experience gourmet foods in different ways (University of Phoenix, 2007). Kudler Fine Foods offers cooking classes and wine tasting seminars to maintain its mission. Kudler carries all the necessary cookware, glasses, plates, utensils, and any other pertinent item to help their customers complete their meal ideas. Kudler has trained chefs from different parts of the world that specializes in deserts, fine meats, and food preparation. Furthermore, Kudler Fine Foods' vision and mission has proven both sufficient and reliable; therefore, the company was able to open two other stores throughout the California area.

TQM as a Strategic Objective
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a vital objective in providing reliable products.
Helping customers achieve their culinary vision is a commitment Kudler foods believes can only
be accomplished through exceeding customer expectations. According to Young and
Wilkinson (2001), the legendary Baldwin Quality Award provides extensive guidelines for TQM
implementation:
1. Management Leadership
2. Information and Analysis
3. Strategic Quality Planning
4. Human Resources Development
5. Management of Process Quality
6. Customer Focus and Satisfaction

Although Kudler Fine Foods is a small premiere gourmet store, customer's demands of
quality are still intense, therefore; TQM has become a crucial component in the execution of
organizations strategic objectives. Kudler has adopted many of the comprehensive guidelines
outlined in the Baldridge Quality Awards. Managing quality requires effective leadership to
outline a clear vision of the improvement process based on customer requirements (Young &
Wilkinson, 2001). The Director of Store Operations is responsible for the development of
policies and procedures to ensure product principles are in direct correlation with customer
demands. For instance, as a method to monitor quality, the bakery department has a concrete
belief; if a customer is not completely convinced that Kudler baked goods are among the best he
or she have every tasted, Kudler does not expect the customer to pay (University of Phoenix,
2010).

Just as an effective leader is crucial to the implementation of quality processes,
human resources development is also an essential aspect in an organizations ability to create an
environment conducive for superior quality (Hanson, 2005). Kudler's employees take part in
extensive training programs that promote product knowledge and quality guidelines.

Furthermore, one of the most significant attributes of TQM is the recognition that the customer
ultimately determines whether or not a product meets or exceeds a particular quality level. For
this reason, the involvement of the entire organization to create value through meeting
customers' expectations is paramount throughout the Company. Creating loyalty through
continuous improvement is vital; as a result, Kudler invites customers to the stores to sample
improvements made of products and services. Personnel use customer feedback to track the
causes of quality issues while making enhancements to processes and employees to accomplish
these goals (University of Phoenix, 2010).

Globalization Impact
Management at Kudler Fine Foods (KFF) knows the world of today is a global
marketplace and not just local. KFF is currently in the San Diego, California area. In
regard to total quality, their strategic business approach will prepare KFF for the future and
market expansion efforts. KFF knows that their strengths and opportunities lie in the quality of
their staff, their products, and the potential to grow as a business. In a sense, globalization will
not impact the total quality management of KFF. Total quality management will affect the
potential for globalization.

For Kudler Fine Foods, total quality management will have to transform into
global quality management. Most of the pressure that KFF endures derives from its mission
to provide its customers with the finest quality gourmet goods that money can buy.
That mission has proven its fulfillment through the ability of KFF to open a second store
location. To open a second location, the company business model has performed well
enough to retain customers and create the ability to seek on new ones. Kudler Fine Foods has a
knowledgeable staff and an adequate inventory of fresh goods to ensure customers have a
pleasant shopping experience (Kudler Fine Foods, 2010).

The shift in management thinking must comes from the drive to expand Kudler Fine
Foods. KFF will have to begin looking at quality as a quantitative aspect. Focus has to shift from
the aspect of product to processes and operations. Society and environment are also important
factors that KFF will need to introduce into their strategic plan for globalization. Global quality
management is an extension of total quality management. Factors that KFF will have to consider
that they would not with total quality management will include language, culture, tax and tariffs,
government, global supply chain, etc. The technology structure of KFF will likely have to
change to accommodate global activity. Where Kudler Fine Foods obtains its supply of goods is
another global factor the business must consider; especially because its goods are perishable
(Soriana, n.d.).

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a quality and customer oriented process, which in
present is used by Kudler Fine Foods to attain its strategic position through incessant procedure
development. The first word total of total quality management signifies that in this improvement
every employee whether he is from junior or senior level should be considered in the relentless
development efforts and the second word quality depicts an apprehension for customer
contentment and the word management cites to the people and processes, which are necessitated
for an organization to attain the quality.

Because of its number of benefits, Kudler Fine Foods had adopted it, but in present due to
increasing globalization the total quality management had become more complex in regard to its
effects. This is all because of the effects of globalization, which is making total quality
management more complex because of incompatible business environment, high cost of
production, mounting prices of products and unfair competition in market (Introduction &
Implementation of Total Quality Management, 2008). All these major constraints that most of
the company is confronting as Kudler Fine Foods are the results of increasing globalization.

In present increasing globalization had made tremendous effects on Kudler's total quality
management operations and this could be understood with an example as when the business is
doing good, the company management can easily develop quality products and services but
when it confronts high competition in the market because of globalization its start losing its
breakeven point, which in turn negatively affect its quality operations and the whole efforts can
concentrate on maintaining breakeven point.

All these problems can be resolved by adopting appropriate measures. The company
management should try to have market research to please its customers as well as managerial
competence and effectualness. In addition to this, for dealing with the complexities of
globalization, the company should also develop strategic management techniques to stand in
open market economy. Once the proper strategies will be adopted by the company, it can see
well and further augment the wide are of TQM devices in the direction of the customer's goals
attainment (Introduction & Implementation of Total Quality Management, 2008).

Conclusion
The aim of every business is to prosper and increase the bottom line for the
stakeholders. Kudler Fine Foods shares this distinction, too. Customer satisfaction,
lower costs and prices, increased quality; productivity, enhanced profits and market share
are the seven aspirations of the Deming Chain Reaction (Cohen, 2010). The strategic
ambition of Kudler Fine Foods' is to achieve and sustain all the above values at all
times; especially when challenged by unfavorable conditions of the marketplace, like
global trends and competition. Such leadership requires a comprehensive management
plan (TQM) to achieve efficiency, solve problems, global ISO 9000 standardization,
statistical control other aspects of Kudler's business (Britannica, 2010). New statistical
data are an asset in areas like developing a balanced scoreboard; means of assessment;
reviews and audits; a control system for managing data systems (Godfrey, 2010). All the
above coupled with the consistent expressions of strengths and other SWOTT positives
will generate a healthier the return on the investment (ROI).

References
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia (2010). Total Quality Management. Retrieved 2/7/10.

Answers.com. http://www.answers.com/topic/tqm.

Cohen, P. (2010). Deming's 14 Points. Retrieved February 1, 2010.

http://www.hci.com.auhcisite2/articles/deming.htm

Godfrey, A. B. (1997). Statistical Standards and Quality. Retrieved February 7, 2010.

http://www.qualitydigest.com/oct97/html/qmanage.html

Hanson, K. (2005). Quality-Control Management. Wood Digest, 36(6), 18-20. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=17652681&site=ehost-live
Introduction & Implementation of Total Quality management. (2008). Retrieved February 5, 2010, from http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/introduction-and-implementation-of-total-quality-management-tqm-an-overview-608115.html
Kudler Fine Foods (2010), Retrieved February 7, 2010 from
http://www.ecampus.phoenix.edu
Soriana, S. (N.D.¬), From TQM to GQM - A New Shift in a Globalized World, Retrieved
February 7, 2010 from http://steconomice.uoradea.ro/anale/volume/2008/v4-
management-marketing/107.pdf
University of Phoenix. (2007). Kudler Fine Foods. Retrieved February 8, 2010 from University
of Phoenix, MGT449 website.
University of Phoenix. (2010). Kudler Fine Foods. Strategic Plan. Retrieved February 4, 2010.
MGT. 449. Quality Management and Productivity.
https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Kudler/Admin/StrategicPlan2003.pdf
Young, J., & Wilkinson, A. (2001). Rethinking total quality management. Total Quality Management, 12(2), 247-258, 12. doi:10.1080/09544120120011460

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Answer D
Quality assurance is the main part of the Total Quality Management, which also helps Kudler to increase the satisfaction of the customers. The quality improvement process proves to be progressive for the success of the company. All the persons in the organization are responsible for the quality assurance, so it is necessary for the each person in the organization to understand his role and perform the work accordingly.

The quality control department is ultimately responsible to assure the quality of the product. In order to assure a certain quality level in a product or the ...

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