Improving Service Quality in the Global Economy

Citation

Narasimhan, K. (2006), "Improving Service Quality in the Global Economy", Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, Vol. 16 No. 5, pp. 548-549. https://doi.org/10.1108/09604520610686179

To survive and progress in the global market organisations, in both private and public sectors, have resorted to encourage innovation to improve productivity by simultaneously enhancing effectiveness and efficiency. This book is a guide to applying knowledge and quality management practices for promoting task‐related leadership principles to achieve high performance.

Professor Michael E. Milakovich works at the University of Miami, Florida; and teaches international comparative development, etc. He has published numerous articles in academic journals and is a member of the American Society for Public Administration.

The book comprises ten chapters, eight appendices, and 25 case studies of varying lengths (two to four case studies at the end of chapters 1 to 9). Most of the chapters end with a list of key terms used and “notes”. The appendices include Deming's 14 points, Crosby's 14 steps, the list of Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Performance Excellence Criteria (2004), the bibliography, and glossary and acronyms.

The need for improved global service quality is explained in chapter 1, followed in the next chapter description of the evolution of the concept of total service quality. Chapter 3 gives a detailed description of the theories of various quality gurus (Deming, Juran, Feigenbaum, Ishikawa, and Crosby) that have guided the move from quality control to quality improvement.

Chapter 4 explains ten quality improvement guidelines, and their implications, to adopt a holistic approach for implementing total quality human resource management. The focus of chapter 5 is process management; and the topics covered include the importance of process monitoring, reducing the costs of poor quality (direct and indirect), and merging the definitions of cost, quality and productivity. Rewarding service quality is the theme of chapter 6 and it briefly describes various quality award programs such as the Deming Prize and Citizens' Charters, used for encouraging innovation and rewarding performance.

The next three chapters deal with service quality in three non‐market‐driven, regulated public and non‐profit services: managing performance in the public sector (chapter 7), improving quality in education by paying attention to people, processes, and policy (chapter 8), and implementing continuous quality healthcare improvement.

Leadership for service quality improvement is the topic of the final chapter. First, a summary of the key points covered in the previous chapters is given. Then barriers to achieving quality in services are identified and seven strategies to overcome these obstacles are discussed. It is emphasized that total quality service is not a destination, but rather a continuous journey.