SYSTEMIC LEADERSHIP FOR STRATEGIC QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Quality constitutes the core of successful business operations in mark er and manufacturing. It assures problem solving designed for the cust omer, on a long-term basis, a systemically and strategically planned d evelopment. Quality represents a strategic factor of its own. It has n ot only to be planned and built in, but also carefully grown according to long-term perspectives. 'Total' quality is equal to 'systemic'. It s design and control pervades all phases of operation and management a like as a key factor of market leadership. In the industrial practice, hence, quality concepts are closely linked to the philosophy of a lea n enterprise. 'Lean' enhances policies as e.g. competitiveness through flexibility and time advantage, high efficiency production and Kaizen , i.e. continuous improvement of all quality originating faculties. Th ere are chances and possible pitfalls e.g. of outsourcing and JIT. Ove rloading the human resources for a better operating efficiency may res ult in personnel troubles. Experiences are carefully evaluated and tra nsferred into a steadily improving self-control of quality operations. Systemic quality management will pursue a long-term optimum of qualit y through a philosophy of strategic quality assurance, which considers all the mutual influences and outbalances all parameters within the q uality network. The worldwide interconnectivity of e.g. customer prote ction, ecology and (inter-)national economic policies (GATT, EC) poses global challenges. They will be met only by a policy of active and cr eative quality.