Managing Quality offers the following features to facilitate learning: References Reflect State-of-the-Art Research UPDATED! The Acceptance Sampling Supplement in Chapter 9 provides coverage of important quality management tools. NEW! Coverage of process chain network (PCN) diagramming offers a little-known tool that provides an excellent method to redesign service processes. NEW! The primary theme in the text is " currency," featuring updated vignettes and references to maintain the book's competitive advantage. UPDATED! References reflect the state of the art in research. NEW! Text includes the ISO 9000:2015 standard and the most recent Baldrige criteria available. UPDATED! Excel templates allow students to explore and better understand important quantitative concepts. A Highly Visual, Colorful Text Directs Interest to Relevant Content UPDATED! Common questions and issues related to quality outsourcing are covered extensively and segue into issues like managing supplier alliances. UPDATED! Vignettes such as the "Quality Highlights" and "Closer Looks at Quality" include information on recent problems with Toyota, Boeing, and outsourcing to China.

UPDATED! Increased emphasis on emerging topics instill further comprehension for real-life topics such as lean and sustainability. The Supply Chain as a Unifying Theme The supply chain theme focuses on key improvements to quality management by refining supply chain performance--from the suppliers to customer service. The unifying theme provides a link between the roots of quality management (Shewhart and Deming) with new developments such as Six Sigma and service quality. The supply chain thread drives home key quality management concepts by emphasizing strong systems in supply chain management. Integrative Approach Managing Quality's integrative approach discusses what "quality" means in different functional areas of the firm. The up-to-date, integrative approach demonstrates that quality is not owned by any one area such as operations management, supply chain management, human resources, or marketing--but in total customer satisfaction. Contingency Approach Demonstrates that improvement is based on contingent variables and are operative in a case-by-case basis. Instructs students how to assess the current position of a firm and identify an effective strategy for improvement based on a profound understanding of their company, market, customers, and other variables.

From Chapter 1 on, the contingency approach remains an undercurrent throughout the entire text.