Realising quality models

The Shaikh Khalifa Industry Award is designed specifically for Abu Dhabi's manufacturing sector.

Launched in accordance with the wishes of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan to accomplish the comprehensive development of the UAE, the Shaikh Khalifa Industry Award (SKIA), with the patronage of the President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has been motivating industries in Abu Dhabi to pursue excellence for several years.

SKIA is a continual process for evaluating management efficiency and an organisation's approach to quality. Designed specifically for the manufacturing industry, SKIA aims to improve the development of the industrial sector in Abu Dhabi by promoting the use of the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM).

Since its inception, the General Industry Corporation (GIC) has supervised the award programme in cooperation with the consultant association, in order to elevate its standard to the level of other established international programmes such as the Deming Award, Malcolm Baldridge Award and the European Award for Quality.

Improvements are constantly being introduced to the evaluation criteria to produce more accurate analyses. Each year's awards can be viewed as a continuation of the previous year's, and the strategies utilised by companies are studied and evaluated, ensuring that companies continue with the implementation of their plans.

The International Standards Organisation (ISO) amended the standards addressing Quality Management systems in 2000. As part of this, ISO issued a standard providing guidelines for performance improvement - ISO 9004:2000. SKIA adopted this standard as it included a process-based excellence model.

The four main sections of the SKIA model are:

- Management responsibility: Strong leadership and commitment coupled with the active involvement of top management are crucial in order to sustain an effective quality management system that will benefit all stakeholders of the firm. This would also entail establishing, sustaining and augmenting customer satisfaction.

- Resource management: The firm's top management ought to ensure that the resources that are considered essential for the implementation of strategy and the achievement of objectives are identified and made available. This may include, among others, resources for operation and improvement of the quality management system.

- Product realisation: The management top brass should ensure the efficient operation of the process network so that the organisation is capable of satisfying all interested parties. The realisation and support processes are crucial and add value both directly and indirectly.

- Measurement, analysis and improvement: Measurement data are important for making fact-based decisions. Management ensures measurement, collection and validation of data to ensure the organisation's performance. This would include a review of validity, purpose of measurements and the intended use of data to ensure added value.

Taking into consideration the special business environment in Abu Dhabi, SKIA has taken measures to meet its requirements.

Since it was observed that small, simpler factories find it arduous to go through the entire rigorous globally benchmarked self-assessment process, the award is designed in three criteria-based assessment processes, each leading to a different level.

Criteria have been established for the main grades of the award: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond. Companies meeting the standards receive the appropriate award.

Every year, SKIA establishes standards for factories operating in the emirate's industrial sector and provides much-needed guidance to the participants to develop their operations. Companies are recognised during the award ceremony for being truly committed to improving the quality of their operations.

This year's award has permitted the factories that participated in last year's competition to display the advancements they have made with respect to business excellence and quality management.

Just as importantly, it has fulfilled another critical responsibility by allowing newcomers to the SKIA process the opportunity to judge and benchmark themselves - against the very best in the industry.