Quality and small business competitiveness: Where are we and what needs to happen?
- New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces, NM (United States)
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Quality management is more than an idea whose time has come, more than a passing fancy. Quality will be an imperative for competitiveness in the 21st century. Many large US firms have already implemented or are considering implementing total quarry management practices and processes. While most of the current literature on quality management focuses on large firms, quality management is arguably even more relevant to small businesses. As global markets become increasingly a reality in today`s world, small business managers and owners must focus on customer, satisfaction and continuous improvement if they are to survive the global competitive battle. Quality management may not be a luxury but rather, an essential focus for successful small business oompetitiveness. This paper examines quality management practices, awareness level, needs, and successes for small businesses in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. This region is especially dependent upon small business competitiveness for economic survival and growth. A significant percent of total employment and sales in this region of the US is attributable to businesses classified as small. The specific purposes of the paper are: to report the results of a survey of small manufacturers` use, success, awareness, and interest in quality management practices and programs; to provide a profile of those manufacturers who have implemented quality management programs; and to describe a unique partnership between a state university and a large national lab designed to assist small business owners and managers in evaluating and implementing total quality management techniques.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 10192234
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-93-1945C; CONF-9310155-1; ON: DE93040047
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Mountain Plains management conference,Cedar, UT (United States),7-9 Oct 1993; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Final technical report for: Development and Application of Mechanical Metamaterials to Address Needs in Geothermal Technologies
Rapid response manufacturing (RRM). Final CRADA report