Apparel Quality Management

Faculty: Garima Srivastava

What is Quality?

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Quality has to be designed and built into the products, not just inspected into products. According to Websters II New Revised University Dictionary, Quality is essential character: nature, an ingredient or distinguishing attribute: property, a character trait, superiority of kind, degree of grade or excellence.

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Quality means different things to different people:

 

 

 

The best money can buy Meeting a specification or conformance to specifications Craftsmanship The degree of excellence that an item possesses No more than 1% defective lot Anything Japanese or German
Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

What Quality means to people depends on their perception of the value of a product or service under consideration and their expectation of performance, durability, reliability, etc., of that product or service. In its broadest sense, Quality can also mean the absence of variation Quality can also mean meeting or exceeding customer expectations all the time!

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Further definitions of Quality

David A. Garvin, author of Managing Quality: The Strategic & Competitive Edge, proposed that a definition of Quality can be Product based User based Manufacturing based Value based

   

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

A Product based definition of Quality views quality as a precise and measurable variable A User based definition of Quality simply means that quality is whatever the customer says or wants A Manufacturing based definition of Quality means meeting specifications, conformance to requirements, etc. Any deviation from meeting requirements means poor quality. A Value based definition of Quality takes into consideration cost or price of a product or service.
Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Garvin also proposes the following eight dimensions of Quality:



Performance: based on the primary operating characteristics of a product. Features: secondary characteristics that supplement a products basic functioning Reliability: the probability of a products malfunctioning or failing within a specified period of time. Conformance: refers to the degree or extent to which a products design and operating characteristics meet pre-established standards.
Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Eight dimensions of Quality: (contd)



Durability: means length of time a product will last or product life. Serviceability: refers to the speed, courtesy, competence, and ease of repair of a product. Aesthetics: refers to how a product looks, feels, sounds, tastes or smells. Perceived Quality: refers to what the customer perceive to be the quality of a product based on image, advertising, and brand name reputation.

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Fitness for use

Dr. Joseph M. Juran came up with the concept of quality of a product, in terms of its fitness for use. Companies should judge fitness for use of a product from a customers viewpoint and not from a manufacturers or sellers viewpoint.

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

For a garment to be fit for use:



 

It must be free from defects such as stains, material (fabric) defects, opens seams, loose hanging (untrimmed) threads, misaligned buttons and buttonholes, defective zippers, etc. It must fit properly for the labeled size. It must perform satisfactorily in normal use, meaning that a garment must be able to withstand normal laundering/ dry-cleaning/ pressing cycles without colour loss or shrinkage, seams must not come apart, fabric must not tear, etc.

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Quality can also mean meeting or exceeding customer expectations. Quality is also a reflection of customers opinion of the value they see in your product compared to that of your competitor's. In other words, quality is whatever the customer says it is or the customer is the final judge of quality.

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

ISO (International Standards Organization) definition of Quality



Quality is defined as the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Quality related terminology as taken from an American National Standard ANSI/ASQC A3 Quality Systems Terminology published by the American Society for Quality:


Quality Management- That aspect of the overall management foundation that determines and implements the quality policy.

Quality System: The organizational structure, responsibilities, procedures, processes, and resources for implementing quality management. Quality Plan: A document setting out the specific quality practices, resources, and activities relevant to a particular product. Service, contract, or project.

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Quality Policy: The overall intention and directions of an organization as regards quality as formally expressed by top management. Quality Assurance: All those planned or systematic actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that product or service will satisfy given requirements for quality. Quality control: The operational techniques and the activities used to fulfill requirements of quality. Statistical Quality control: The application of statistical techniques to the control of quality. Inspection: Activities, such as measuring, examining, testing gauging, one or more characteristics of product or service, and comparing these with specified requirements to determine conformity. Testing: A mean of determining the capability of an item to meet specified requirements by subjecting the item to a set of physical, chemical, environmental, or operating actions and conditions.
Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Factors influencing consumers perception of quality:



Price: Consumers tend to associate quality with higher price. There is some evidence that price is used by shoppers in quality estimates and that for some product consumers estimates of quality are affected by price Technology: This indicates factors such as fabric and seam strength, colorfastness, shrinkage, and other properties that are affected by the state of technology in the industry. Psychology: A garment can be reasonably priced and the best that technology can offer, but if it is not attractive in appearance, if it is not fashionable, if it does not meet the aesthetic requirements of the customers, than it is not quality garment.
Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Time orientation: This includes durability. The importance of durability varies with categories of garments. E.g., childrens garments are expected to be more durable than ladies high fashion garments. Contractual: This refers to a product guarantee, the refund policy of a store, etc. Ethical: This refers to honesty of advertising, courtesy of sales personnel, etc.

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai

Benefits of Quality
     

Greater Market share Higher growth rates Higher earnings Premium price Loyal customers Highly motivated employees

Garima Srivastava Asst.Prof. NIFT Mumbai