Comprehension

1. Answer the following questions.

1. What is quality?

2. How can you define total quality management?

3. What is product quality?

4. What methods were developed by the mid-1950s?

5. Why did the firms start to concentrate on the quality of products?

6. What three views are there for describing the overall quality of a product?

7. What does each of them represent?

8. How many dimensions of quality are identified by David Garvin?

2. Find the English equivalents in the text.

Международные стандарты качества, качество продукции, способствовать, развиваться, методы и приемы, осознавать значение цены и качества, обеспокоенность и предпочтения, общее качество продукции, степень соответствия, иметь отношение, подход, совпадение взглядов, признаки.

3. Fill in the correct prepositions.

1. Product quality is the collection … features and characteristics … a product that contribute … its ability … meet given requirements.

2. Mature methods had evolved … controlling quality by the mid-1950s.

3. Consumers became more conscious … the cost and quality … products and services.

4. Firms began to focus … total production systems … achieving quality … minimum cost.

5. There are three views … describing the overall quality … a product.

6. The manufacturer is primarily concerned … the design, engineering, and manufacturing processes involved … fabricating the product.

7. Quality is measured … the degree … conformance to predetermined specifications and standards.

8. Deviations from the standards can lead … poor quality and low reliability.

4. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate words from the list below.

Standard, determine, adhere, priority, set, global market, competing, collaboration

Maintaining a minimum … of quality for product design and function has become a … for companies entering the …. . Competition on the international market means … against different sets of markers and criteria that vary from nation to nation and region to region. In order to compete on this level, companies must … to principals of quality that are often … by international organizations.

International quality standards are criteria or rules set up by organizations that help … compliance across national borders. These rules make it easier to conduct business and also allow more … by overcoming local or regional constraints.

5. Choose the correct item.

International Organization for Standardization

A number of organizations have taken the lead to set, monitor and manager/manage these standards. The most influential group that monitors global standards/standardization is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It is the international agency/agent for standardization, comprising the nation/national standards bodies of 91 countries. ISO includes roughly 180 Technical Committees, each of which is responsible for one of the many areas of specialization/speciality. ISO's purpose is: (1) to promote the development of standardization to facilitate the international change/exchange of goods and services; and (2) to develop cooperation in economic/economy, intellectual, scientific, and technological activity.

The ISO 9000 serial/series is a set of three categories of international standards on quality assurance and quality management. The series is generic and applies to all types of production/products and services. Corporations around the world continue to assemble/assembly their quality systems around ISO requirements. Both large and small companies with international businesses perceive ISO 9000 as a route to improved competitive/competitiveness and open markets.