Automotive Quality Systems Handbook, 2nd Edition

•

the capability of the available resources (capacity, responsiveness, technology);

•

the quantity and quality of the available resources (materials, equipment, finance,

people);

•

the condition and capability of the facilities, plant and machinery;

•

the physical environment in which people work (heat, noise, cleanliness, etc.);

•

the human environment in which people work (freedom, empowerment, health

and safety).

It follows therefore that a management system consists of the processes required to

deliver the organization’s products and services as well as the resources, behaviours

and environment on which they depend. It is therefore not advisable to even contem-

plate a management system simply as a set of documents or if we do go someway

towards ISO 9000:2000, a set of processes that simply converts inputs into outputs.

Three out of the seven factors above relate to the human element – we therefore can-

not afford to ignore it.

Following the argument above, if the management system is a collection of processes,

we can think of the organization as a system of interconnected processes and there-

fore change Figure 1.12 so that it reflects reality.

Functional approach versus process approach

Organizations are usually structured functionally where a function is a collection of

activities that make a common and unique contribution to the purpose and mission of

the business.

17

This results in marketing, engineering, production, purchasing, quality,

maintenance and accounts departments, etc. However, the combined expertise of design,

quality, purchasing and production are needed to fulfil a customers requirement. It is

rare to find one department that fulfils an organizational objective without the support

Basic concepts 53

Mission

Organization

Drives

Delivers

Results

Delights

Interested

parties

Demands

Figure 1.12 The business management cycle (a pragmatic view)

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