Vouzas Fotis
University of Macedonia, Greece
Katerina Gotzamani
University of Macedonia, Greece
Christos Emmanouilides
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
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Published in: 10th QMOD Conference. Quality Management and Organiqatinal Development. Our Dreams of Excellence; 18-20 June; 2007 in Helsingborg; Sweden
Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 26:61, p.
Published: 2008-02-15
ISBN:
ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)
In recent years quality is becoming the most common used word in the world business environment. Quality is the major concern and a strategic goal in the overall corporate strategy covering all functions within the organization. Research shows that quality is positively related to increased productivity; production efficiency and lower overall costs; market share optimization; etc. According to all quality experts’ quality is everybody’s job and the overall responsibility lies on the top-level management. However; the extensive adaptation and implementation of the ISO 9000 and the increasing customer-orientation focus of organizations brought quality managers at the scene. Quality Managers are usually the people responsible for the implementation and optimization of organization’s quality system and are the link between the company and the certification body.
The aim of this paper is to investigate the current status and the role of the Quality Managers in selected ISO 9000:2000 certified Greek Industrial organizations. The purpose is to examine their professional skills and knowledge; their roles and responsibilities; their future and their fit within the organization. In recent years quality managers were faced with a series of new challenges stemming from the prerequisites of the ISO 9000 certification. The transition from quality control to quality assurance and then to total quality management gave the quality managers new responsibilities and new set of roles demanding more and better skills and knowledge. However; the QC department status and the role of the Quality manager in many organizations is still underestimated and not well appreciated.
