PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT or PQM is a very technical subject and understanding it is not very easy unless you have a good faculty to teach you the subject. It has many concepts that will appear for the first time and make things very difficult for you to understand. But ensure that you study well and don’t skip this because many of the concepts are repeated across different subjects in future.
Do not forget:
- PQM being a semi-practical subject don’t ignore sums; at the same time take the theory seriously.
- Try to understand the concepts and ask a lot of questions in class because getting through this subject only on basis of textual learning won’t work out well.
- This is a subject where it is very easy to score to work a little hard and this will boost up your grade points instantly.
Let us have a look at the syllabus and break it down to help us study it better:
I) Concept of productivity and various ways / modes of calculating it.
- Ways to improve productivity.
- Partial productivity and Total productivity.
- Simple direct problems relating to productivity, partial productivity and total productivity.
- Product and Service Quality dimensions.
- Characteristics of Quality.
- Quality Assurance quality Circles Elements of Total Quality System.
- Quality Circles.
- Philosophies regarding Quality namely, Denning and his contribution to
quality. - Deming’s 14-points for management Philip B. Crosby’s philosophy relating to quality, Jurau’s philosophy regarding quality Cost of Quality.
For this section you have theory as well as practical problems. Learn the theory before you solve the sums because understanding what you are solving makes it easier to learn. The only part where you will have to lean by mugging up would be the philosophies regarding quality. If someone has been quoted or a definition or theory provided, ensure to write it down as perfectly as you can.
II) Suggestion schemes.
- Various types of wage incentive plans.
- Total Productivity Maintenance.
- Job evaluation and Job rotation.
- Learning curves – description, limitation and use to management.
- Simple problems on learning curves.
- Lateral thinking.
- Split brain theory.
- Week Study (Method Study, Time and Motion Study)
- Work Measurement Problems on these topics.
The concepts in this section are easy and interesting and the same rules apply to the problems, Try taking up this section last and finish the lengthier sections in advance.
III) Concepts of customer service in relation to right quality, right quantity.
- Total Quality Management
- Definition.
- Basic concepts.
- Eight building blocks.
- Seven stages and pillars of TQM.
- Seven deadly disasters.
- TQM in services.
- Introduction to “lean” thinking Juran’s triology – Muri, Mara, Muda..
- Kepner Trego Method of Problem solving Bran storming.
- Delphi and nominal group techniques.
- Ergonomics.
- Single Digit Minute exchange of Dies (SMED)
- Benchmarking.
The most important section in the entire syllabus, do this one first and thoroughly. Certain concepts from here will be repeated across your future semesters. The weight age of theory questions is also mostly more from this section than the other three so doing this section first is a must.
IV) Holistic Quality Management.
- Quality performance and various excellence awards.
- Six Sigma features, enablers, goals, DMAIC / DMADV.
- Taguchi’s quality engineering.
- Poka Yoke.
- National Productivity Council.
- JIDOKA
- KANBAN
- ISHIKAWA (First Bone) diagram
- ISO standards regarding quality such as ISO 9000, ISO 14000, QS 9000
and other emerging standards. - Malcolm Bridge National Quality Award.
- Deming Application Prize and TPM Awards.
Small concepts and easy to understand this section should come third in your priority list where the learning is concerned. Certain topics from here too shall be repeated ahead so don’t even think of skipping this section.
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