Philip Crosby Contributions to Quality

The road to quality is not always easy, but Philip Crosby he made it a little clearer for all of us. He was a pioneer, a visionary, and a tireless advocate of quality in all aspects of business.

Philip Crosby was one of the great quality gurus of the 20th century. His theories and approaches to quality are as relevant today as when they were first proposed.

From the start of his career, Crosby understood one fundamental thing: quality is not an extra, but an integral part of any successful business activity. And even more, he maintained that quality not only does not cost, but in the end, it saves.

In order to understand Crosby's contributions to quality, it is important to analyze his vision and the proposals he formulated. You will learn about Crosby's philosophy, which he revolved around the idea of ​​"Zero Defects" and how it can help us improve quality in our own companies and careers.

Throughout this article, you'll discover how Crosby revolutionized the concept of quality and how his insights continue to shape the way businesses operate today. We'll explore his founding principles, his vision of total quality, and how top management can lead the change toward quality.

Crosby's Philosophy

We can summarize Crosby's philosophy in the following 6 points that will be developed throughout this article.

1. Faced with the crisis that threatens the company, total quality is required to survive, grow, export and compete.
2. Quality is free, what costs are errors and defects.
3. Defects are not only correctable but also avoidable.
4. Every quality process has to start with a change in the attitude of the general management towards total quality.
5. The cost of non-compliance (defects) is high and can be reduced.
6. Zero defects is the philosophy of not accepting defects or mistakes.

• Known: Crosby's 7 Steps

Total Quality: The Response to the Business Crisis

Total quality may sound like a complicated technical term, but it's actually quite a simple concept. Refers to the aspiration to achieve perfection in all aspects of a company. But what does this have to do with a business crisis?

The answer is quite simple. A business crisis can have many causes, but it is often the result of a series of small mistakes that accumulate over time. They can be errors in the production process, errors in customer service, or even errors in the management of the company. These errors, however minor they may seem, can lead to catastrophic results if not handled correctly. And this is where total quality comes in.

Philip Crosby was a tireless advocate of total quality and firmly believed that total quality is not only an ideal, but an absolute necessity for any company that wants to survive, grow, export and compete in the business world modern. overall quality, according to Crosby, is the key to avoiding and managing business crises.

To illustrate this point, he considers the case of a company that produces a defective product. Defects may seem small at first, but over time, they can lead the company into a crisis. Dissatisfied customers may stop buying the product, which can lead to financial loss and damage to the company's reputation. But if this company were to adopt a total quality strategy, it could avoid these defects and thus avoid the crisis.

So, we can see that total quality is much more than a simple ideal. It is a powerful tool that can help companies avoid crises and thrive in the competitive business world.

Quality is Free

Perhaps one of Crosby's most famous phrases is "quality is free". But what does it really mean? This concept, although it may seem contradictory, is based on a simple but powerful idea: errors and defects are what really cost companies.

In other words, Crosby argued that the costs associated with preventing errors and improving quality of products or services are actually investments that save money in the long run. term. When errors are identified and corrected before they reach the final product, costs are avoided. associated with product returns, repairs and damage to the reputation of the company.

Therefore, investing in quality is actually a strategy to reduce costs. It must not be forgotten that defects are not only correctable, but also preventable. If the root causes of the errors are identified and measures are implemented to prevent their recurrence, the The result will be a reduction in the number of defects and therefore in the costs associated with them.

To illustrate this point, he considers a company that produces one million units of a product and has a defect rate of 1%. This means that 10,000 units will have defects. If it costs $10 to fix each defect, the company will spend $100,000 on fixes. But if the company can reduce its defect rate to 0.1% through quality prevention measures, it will only have to correct 1,000 units, at a cost of $10,000. The company has saved $90,000 simply by investing in quality.

In summary, quality is not an expense, but an investment that saves companies money in the long run.

The Shift Towards Total Quality

Philip Crosby not only spoke of the importance of quality, but also emphasized the importance of change of actitud in running an organization. According to him, Every quality process must begin with a change in attitude of the general management towards total quality..

A company's management plays a crucial role in setting culture and expectations. If top management sees quality as a priority, this attitude is likely to be reflected at all levels of the organization. On the other hand, if top management sees quality as secondary, it is likely that employees will also see it in the same way.

So how can top management change its attitude towards total quality? Crosby suggests that this can be accomplished through education, training, and the understanding that total quality is a viable and profitable business strategy.

Here are some steps that top management can take to initiate this change:

1. Education: General management must understand the importance of total quality and how it can benefit the company.
2. Training: Company leaders need training in total quality principles and techniques.
3. Commitment: The general management must be committed to total quality and establish it as a priority for the company.
4. Communication: Top management must communicate its commitment to total quality at all levels of the organization.
5. Example: Company leaders must lead by example and demonstrate their commitment to total quality in their daily actions.

This change in attitude will not happen overnight, but with time and effort, it can have a significant impact on the overall quality of the company.

The Cost of Non-Compliance: Understanding Defects

Philip Crosby had a very clear philosophy: defects have a cost and can be reduced. That is, every time a product does not meet the established quality standards, the company pays the price. This cost of non-compliance can manifest itself in many forms, including product returns, repair of defects, loss of customers, and damage to a company's reputation.

But here's the good news: These costs can be reduced. Crosby believed that defects are preventable and that, with the right approach, it is possible to get closer to the ideal of "Zero Defects."

It is important to understand that the cost of defects is not just a monetary expense. It can also be a cost in terms of wasted time, effort, and resources. For example, if a company has to spend time and resources fixing defects, those are resources that could have been used more productively elsewhere.

Ultimately, Crosby's approach leads us to a simple but powerful conclusion: invest in quality, and you will save on costs.

"Zero Defects": The Goal of Total Quality

Philip Crosby is known for his philosophy of "Zero defects". At first glance, this may seem like an impossible ideal to achieve. After all, is it really possible to produce something without any defects? Crosby thought so. More than that, he argued that this should be the goal of any quality improvement effort.

"Zero Defects" does not mean perfection in an absolute sense. Instead, it refers to the idea of do not accept defects or mistakes. This means that quality must be a priority at all levels of an organization and that everyone must strive to avoid errors in their work.

Here are some key principles of the "Zero Defects" philosophy:

1. Commitment to quality: Everyone in the organization must be committed to quality and strive to do things right the first time.
2. Prevention over inspection: It is better to prevent defects than to find and correct them later. This involves planning and designing for quality from the start.
3. quality standards: Clear quality standards must be established and everyone must understand and accept these standards.
4. Measurement: It is important to measure quality and use these measurements to continually improve.

Crosby's "Zero Defects" philosophy is more than just a quality management strategy. It is a mindset that emphasizes the importance of quality in all facets of an organization's operation.

• Follow with: Example of Zero Defects

The Four Absolutes of Quality according to Crosby

Crosby is also known for his conceptualization of the "Four Absolutes of Quality." These are fundamental principles that, according to Crosby, must be followed to achieve total quality:

1. The definition of quality is conformity to requirements: Quality means doing the job right from the beginning, meeting the expectations and defined requirements.
2. The quality system is prevention: The emphasis should be on preventing defects rather than detecting and correcting errors later.
3. The performance standard is zero defects: Crosby promotes the goal of "Zero Defects", which means that any level of defects is unacceptable.
4. The measure of quality is the price of non-compliance: Costs associated with defects (rework, returns, warranties, lost customers, etc.) are a measure of lack of quality.

• Follow on: The 4 Absolute Principles

Crosby's Quality Improvement Process

In addition to his conceptual contributions, Crosby developed a practical process for quality improvement, known as the "Quality Improvement Process" or PQI. This process is a step-by-step guide for companies seeking to implement the Crosby philosophy in their operations.

The PQI consists of 14 steps, including the formation of quality improvement teams, the establishment of quality measures, recognition of quality achievements and training constant in quality. This systematic approach allows organizations to identify opportunities for improvement, implement changes, and assess their impact.