Preface by Serge Kubla, Minister for Economic Affairs, SMEs, Research and New Technologies.
Preface by Jean-Pierre Renard, Quality Director at “Air Liquide Santé", France.
 

"Why this book?"

• Because the word "Quality" frightens those who wrongly think that Quality is expensive and isn't profitable.
• Because the word "Quality" makes some people break out in a rash.
• Because it is time to move the word "Quality" into a fairer, more positive context.
• Because it is time to restore shine to the word "Quality", which has lost its meaning and allure. The word has been misused and thrown into every sauce.
• Quality and life are indissociable:
  • Quality for ensuring life
  • Quality can be a question of life and death
  • The use of an obsolete plan could lead to a team of workmen cutting into a gas main and causing an explosion with particularly serious consequences.
     

Quality to Ensure Quality of Life

The quality of the products or services we buy concerns us all. Whether it is a car or a seminar we are buying, we have expectations and we expect our suppliers take them into account.

The quality of the products or services we buy contributes to the quality of our lives. Who has never been irritated by someone who is more preoccupied by their own business than by our requirements? Who has never wanted to throw their computer away when a virus has caused several hours of work to be lost? Who, on the other hand, doesn't want to enjoy the experience of a well-organised holiday which fulfils all our expectations?

Quality and the Life of Businesses

By realising the importance of managing Quality, enterprises give themselves the means to face new challenges. Any organisation (companies, businesses, freelancers, public services) which loses sight of its clients' expectations or which lets clients down will sooner or later have to face the consequences. The story of British motorbikes illustrates this point. During the 50s and 60s, these motorbikes were the best in the world. They won all the competitions. Whenever clients complained to the manufacturers, they invariably replied:  “We are the best." These manufacturers did not really take into account changes in the market. Consequently, Japanese motorbikes, especially the Honda 750 cc, revolutionised the market. These motorbikes were a direct response to clients' requirements. Apparently today the only purely British component of a Triumph motorbike is the manufacturer's brand sticker!

Quality and the Life of Products

A high quality product or service is often associated with a longer useful life

Why do we trust one make of car more than another? Because these cars retain their quality throughout their lives and consequently, have a higher resale value. We don't like it when a dishwasher doesn't work after only three years (whether that is 1 year or 2 years after the guarantee runs out). The longevity of a product is often a sign or an expectation of quality.

Lifelong Quality for an Organisation
Quality is not a fashionable phenomenon and still less a simple marketing tool.
Quality must be envisaged over the long term.

A management system must not be designed with the sole aim of obtaining a certificate.

This management tool must allow the organisation to develop but it must also itself evolve according to new objectives or new orientations. It must not be a rigid system established once and for all.

It is an integral part of the organisation. The idea of managing a company without a high-quality, efficient management system is extremely dangerous. The danger is not only one of risking the loss of a certificate. It is obvious that a non-existent, irrelevant, cumbersome or rigid management system can lead the organisation to catastrophe.

In the field of medical devices, a European Directive requires the implementation of a high-quality management system. A serious breach of compliance with this requirement can result in products being excluded from the market.

Clearly this would mean severe financial losses for the manufacturers or even bankruptcy for those who are not in a strong enough financial position.

These organisations cannot allow themselves the luxury of taking management systems lightly. Their goal is not merely a "piece of paper" but the guarantee of being able to market their products.

Conclusion
This book presents a new approach to Quality, a new way of thinking which is applicable in professional situations as well as in daily life.
This new approach takes the Human Dimension into account, with Rigour and Creativity expressed side by side. 

The author Jean-Michel Compère has been an administrator and senior consultant at QUASYS since 1990. He is a qualified pharmacist, specialising in industry and pharmaceutical engineering. 

Published by Editions Luc Pire.