THE DESIGN OF QUALITY SYSTEMS - A CONTINGENCY APPROACH

While developing quality management, many organizations nowadays focus on the control and improvement of their work processes, the systemati c use of relevant information pertaining to the performance of the wor k processes, and prevention. In this stage, the design of a quality sy stem is important for the organization, since it provides an integrate d and systematic content to quality management. Despite this, not much literature on the quality system subject can be found regarding the c oncepts of quality systems or the design of these systems. We give a f ramework from which decisions for designing a quality system can be de duced. This framework will be fleshed out for a quality system in a bu reaucratic and in a professional services department or organization. A contingency approach is used. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.