Mideast catches up with quality

The concept of quality is increasing in its scope and importance in the Middle East, especially in the UAE where the government initiative in continuous improvement in processes and products is to be applauded.

The recent agreement between the Dubai Quality Group (DQG) and the University of Wollongong in Dubai to strengthen cooperation between the two organisations (Gulf News, May 8) should contribute in raising awareness about quality among the UAE businesses.

Will increased quality awareness in turn contribute to a better management of risk amongst corporate bodies, one might wonder?

Does Quality Management System (QMS) really generate profitable returns to the Shareholders or is it another 'management fad'?

Does QMS lead to increased turnover or is it another way for creating a new job position for the quality manager? Does QMS actually lead to customer satisfaction or is it a form of lip service by the chairman of the company to appease the public?

These are some of the questions bothering some management practitioners when they are faced with the decision to invest in quality.

In today's competitive business climate of 'one up man-ship' it is rare to find a company which does not have a 'quality policy' displayed prominently in their offices.

But the question is is quality a means for high profile preaching, leaving wide gaps between what is proclaimed and practiced?

Merck, which has a reputation for being one of the most quality conscious global corporations, is suspected to have been negligent in producing a defective product Vioxx, because of which it has been facing an avalanche of lawsuits, even though the drug was pulled off the market in September 2004.

An independent study had apparently found that using Vioxx continuously was associated with increased risks of heart attacks and strokes.

Obviously, the company must not have listened to the quality control department's forewarnings or there was something seriously wrong with the way the quality is practiced in the corporation.

Bausch & Lomb, another multi national corporation which equally bandies 'quality' as a way of life , had to recently halt sales of a contact lens cleaner which was apparently linked to an outbreak of a severe fungal eye infection.

The repercussions of the corporate action were felt even in the Middle East, when many pharmacies in the region had withdrawn the lens cleaner ReNu with MoistureLoc solution, from their shelves.

Although the US health officials have so far found no direct link between MoistureLoc and the infections, a high incidence of the affected patients who had used the brand, once again implies that quality control was not implemented with 'zero tolerance'.

Real quality in products and services require substantial investment in terms of finance and technical resources, but then quality will minimise a corporation's possibilities of getting involved in product liability controversies, increase its customer satisfaction and in the process, improve the bottom line.

What is required however is a corporate determination to practice quality in spirit as well as in letter.

Ultimately, the brand equity of a company will have a direct correlation with the effective way it handles quality issues.

The company that practices quality will manage its risks better.

The writer is Deputy General Manager with Al Rajhi Company for Cooperative Insurance, Riyadh. The views expressed herein are his own and not necessarily subscribed to by his employers.