Why does contemporary calculation proceed as calculation of the quality of everything, to the extent that quality comes to be perceived as a controversial word, endowed with enigmatic power? How should we consider calculation of quality? And how, from the perspective of quality, can we renew questioning on the very nature of the calculative and on the (in)calculability of the human? In what way should we approach quality and calculability in current socio-economic and managerial scenarios? In considering quality of life and its calculation, how can we reflect on the issue of life enhancement? What does it mean that, precisely under the banner of quality, life, in its individuality and totality, emerges as being obviously calculable and enhanceable? How should we think of quality, calculation and life when life resonates on the scale of the post-human?
These are some of the main questions that the book addresses through a phenomenological investigation and an analysis of the social science debate.

Over the past two decades, 'quality' in Higher Education has become a central feature in Higher Education strategy, both at the European and at the nation-state levels of policy-making. This book weighs up the possible consequences of introducing Quality Enhancement and Risk Management as new dimensions to quality control in Higher Education, examining broad trends at the cross-national and continental/regional level and also considers the views taken at the institutional level, among academic staff, students and QA agencies. The volume includes contributions from Chief Executive Officers of Quality Agencies in the US, Chile and Europe, together with policy analysts currently engaged in shaping up the 'new instrumentality' in inter-governmental (OECD) and European (HEQA) organisations as well as academic contributions from well-established and leading scholars in the fields of Quality Evaluation and Comparative Higher Education policy analysis.

Six Sigma is Business and Industry's newest recognized quality program. This text provides information and instructions for new and current quality professionals in order to help employ methods to attain Six Sigma defect quality assurance within their company.
All areas of business and manufacture are covered. Detailed checklists, questionnaires and forms assist personnel in developing their own programs to 'prevent' problems from occurring and to solve new and long-term problems in services and manufacturing. Examples and formulae are provided for use to determine if, when and then how much a process may be adjusted for reaching higher quality assurance levels. Knowledgeable readers will be able to use this comprehensive text immediately in the workplace.

Computational intelligence (CI) lies at the interface between engineering and computer science; control engineering, where problems are solved using computer-assisted methods. Thus, it can be regarded as an indispensable basis for all artificial intelligence (AI) activities. This book collects surveys of most recent theoretical approaches focusing on fuzzy systems, neurocomputing, and nature inspired algorithms. It also presents surveys of up-to-date research and application with special focus on fuzzy systems as well as on applications in life sciences and neuronal computing.

Effective Management Control deals with a critical but relatively neglected and misunderstood aspect of organizational effectiveness: the process of controlling the behavior of people in organizations. The issue of organizational control and the design of an optimal control system is essential for the long term effectiveness of an organization: too little control can lead to confusion and chaos; conversely, too great a degree of control can result in the erosion of innovation and entrepreneurship. This monograph presents a conceptual framework for approaching these issues, and examines the role accounting can play in a successful control system. The author works towards an understanding of the nature, role, elements and functioning of organizational control and control systems in organizations. The book posits and discusses the features of a core control system and its component parts, including: planning, measurement and feedback, evaluation and reward sub-systems. It also discusses the ways in which a core control system operates within a larger organizational structure and culture. The theory is illustrated through its application to a particular case study.

On September 1st 1996, ISO 14001 was published, worldwide. Written over five years in consultation with international industrial experts, non-governmental organizations and regulators, this environmental management systems standard will help organizations manage their impacts on the environment, no matter what their size, nature or location. The implications for the future are enormous. But what does the standard mean in the real world? What changes do managers have to make to accommodate its principles? What decisions need to be faced and when? Is it really going to make a difference or is it just another case of global greenwash? Will it be another missed opportunity for you, your organisation, or your market? At the start of what promises to be a worldwide explosion of interest in standardised EMSs, ISO 14001 and Beyond looks at their creation, their use, and their limitations, attempting to discover the essential truth about this important management tool and where it will take industry. ISO 14001 and Beyond assembles the leading thinkers and practitioners in the field to record their thoughts and experiences on the new standard, its advantages and disadvantages. The book is designed to provide the reader with enough information with which to form an opinion on the future, and how that will influence subsequent actions. It also provides reassurance that, although the problems are real, so are the solutions. ISO 14001 and Beyond gives you the opportunity to read what some of the best minds have made of the standard so far and what they think lies ahead. There are reports covering a global spectrum of concern: from the US, Russia, Japan, Canada, Germany, the UK, and more; from multinationals, small- and medium-sized enterprises, local government, universities and professional bodies. All this material is gathered together in one book to give you the best, most meaningful information for the crucial decisions that you will need to make in the coming months.

The principal aim of this book is to help practising managers to develop and implement a strategy for the introduction of Total Quality Management (TQM) within their own organizations. "TQM in Action" prvides a practical guide to the stages, key considerations and potential pitfalls of implementation. The book provides a template for implementation which should help managers get started and keep the process going. The authors recognize that the main difficulty encountered by managers in introducing TQM is changing "organization culture". The planning process outlined for TQM is therefore based on an examination of the prevailing culture. This allows individual organizations to tailor the installation process to their own needs rather than imposing a theoretical framework which may or may not fit.

Commercial systems built today are increasingly using XML technologies for storing any amount of text or data. Services and Business Computing Solutions with XML: Applications for Quality Management and Best Processes collects the latest research for academicians and practitioners that describes the use and synergy between data structure technologies. This book explores and investigates various issues of XML data and related applications summarized by Web services.

This book is a compilation of perspectives provided by several winners of the ASQ Feigenbaum Medal, which is awarded each year to an individual under the age of 35 who has made a significant contribution to the field of Quality. As such, it serves as a valuable reference book in this area. It is primarily based on the medalists' vision to "refresh" and "re-think" the quality concepts that have been used over the past century and the future development of the topic. Maximizing readers' understanding of the ways in which Quality is created, it provides insights from pioneers in this field from around the globe and anticipates how and what Quality will be in the future, as well as how people and organizations can benefit from it today.

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a journey towards improvement, guiding you through a continuous reassessment of yourself, your work and your organization. The author demonstrates how to improve your daily workload in order to create a quality product, control costs, and foster customer loyalty. Not only does this give your organization an edge in a competitive business environment, it also helps you grow and excel.Rampersad guides you through the effective use of problem-solving tools and helps you apply the quality improvement process in all aspects of your work. The book`s modular, practical and integral approach will appeal to today`s busy manager. All aspects of Total Quality Management are clearly, concisely, and didactically described, illustrated by a wealth of real world examples.

Purpose The purpose of this book is to provide the reader with an understanding of the ISO 9000-3 guideline and how it applies to the specification, development, test, and maintenance of software. We will show that the basic practices and procedures that define software engineering and the ISO guideline are, for all intents and purposes, one and the same. We hope that the readers of this book will use the information found within not only to pass the certification audit but as a tool to be used to create the well-managed engineering environment needed to create reliable, well engineered products in a consistent manner. Audience This book is intended for senior software engineers, software managers, and non software managers within software organizations whose aim is to create an engi neering environment within their company or organization. In addition, individ uals outside the software organization who have responsibility for the specification of the software product and preparing their organization to take ownership of the developed product will find this book of great interest. Finally, those who must choose software companies to do business with or audit software companies to determine their ability to engineer and maintain a software product will find this book helpful. 2 Introduction Overview This book is made up of twenty-four chapters that can be grouped into four sections. Chapter 1 through Chapter 4 set the basis for the following chapters that deal directly with the guideline."

Quality issues are occupying an increasingly prominent position in today's global business market, with firms seeking to compete on an international level on both price and quality. Consumers are demanding higher quality standards from manufacturers and service providers, while virtually all industrialized nations have instituted quality programs to help indigenous corporations. A proliferation in nation-wide and regional quality awards such as the Baldridge award and certification to ISO 9000 series are making corporations world-wide quality-conscious and eager to implement programs of continuous improvement. To achieve competitiveness, quality practice is a necessity and this book offers an exposition of how quality can be attained. The Handbook of Total Quality Management: Explores in separate chapters new topics such as re-engineering, concurrent engineering, ISO standards, QFD, the Internet, the environment, advanced manufacturing technology and benchmarking Discusses the views of leading quality practitioners such as Derning, Juran, Ishikawa, Crosby and Taguchi throughout the book Considers important strategies for quality improvement, including initiation and performance evaluation through auditing, re-engineering, and process and design innovations. With contributions from 47 authors in 13 different countries, the Handbook of Total Quality Management is invaluable as a reference guide for anyone involved with quality management and deployment, including consultants, practitioners and engineers in the professional sector, and students and lecturers of information systems, management and industrial engineering.

Carlos Noronha examines the influence of cultural values on total quality management (TQM). This volume is the first to show the influence that culture has on the success of TQM, and uses the case of Chinese companies operating in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to support the assertion that culture has a greater effect on TQM than has been previously acknowledged. This book will be compelling reading for students, researchers and professionals concerned with cultural diversity and alternative approaches to TQM.

This manual reviews the definitions and typical approach to quality assurance in healthcare and includes a review of the most prominent quality studies. A program for quality management in surgery is presented with chapters reviewing patient safety and external reporting requirements. An introduction to medical malpractice and risk management is also provided and followed by a chapter on how to implement the necessary behavioral changes to improve quality practices. The appendix includes useful protocols, forms and order sets.

In his ground-breaking book, Reinventing Communication, Mark Phillips shows how even the most mature organization can fail to deliver successful projects - and worse, how this can lead to an organization's demise. With clear examples, Mark reveals the underlying principles at work and introduces a revolutionary new technique for harnessing the power of communication to ensure long term success. For organizations of all sizes, this book changes the way we think about management and leadership. Mark makes his case by looking at teams and individuals that set out to deliver ambitious achievements in complex and challenging environments. We meet the leadership team that built the F-18 Super Hornet fighter jet, one of the US Navy's most successful programs. We discover the untraditional approach to risk used in building a new terminal at London's Heathrow airport. We draw lessons on corporate survival from the cat and mouse fight against IED's in Afghanistan, and are introduced to a website where online video gamers solved a critical piece of the AIDS puzzle using their gaming prowess. Reinventing Communication is about creating the conditions for performance and attaining long term success. Whether a start-up, a global enterprise or a government agency, this book shows us how to deliver ambitious achievements by getting communication right. It is a book that no manager, leader or innovator should be without.

Exploring the concept of quality management from a new point of view, this book presents a holistic model of how consumers judge the quality of products. It links consumer perceptions of quality to the design and delivery of the final product, and presents models and methods for improving the quality of these products and services. It offers readers an improved understanding of how and why the design process must consider how the consumer will perceive a product or service. In order to facilitate the presentation and understanding of these concepts, illustrations and case examples are also provided throughout the book. This book provides an invaluable resource for managers, designers, manufacturers, professional practitioners and academics interested in quality management. It also offers a useful supplementary text for marketing and quality management courses.

This book discusses the integrated concepts of statistical quality engineering and management tools. It will help readers to understand and apply the concepts of quality through project management and technical analysis, using statistical methods. Prepared in a ready-to-use form, the text will equip practitioners to implement the Six Sigma principles in projects. The concepts discussed are all critically assessed and explained, allowing them to be practically applied in managerial decision-making, and in each chapter, the objectives and connections to the rest of the work are clearly illustrated. To aid in understanding, the book includes a wealth of tables, graphs, descriptions and checklists, as well as charts and plots, worked-out examples and exercises. Perhaps the most unique feature of the book is its approach, using statistical tools, to explain the science behind Six Sigma project management and integrated in engineering concepts. The material on quality engineering and statistical management tools offers valuable support for undergraduate, postgraduate and research students. The book can also serve as a concise guide for Six Sigma professionals, Green Belt, Black Belt and Master Black Belt trainers.

As its name implies, the aim of Systems Design and Engineering: Facilitating Multidisciplinary Development Projects is to help systems engineers develop the skills and thought processes needed to successfully develop and implement engineered systems. Such expertise typically does not come through study but from action, hard work, and cooperation. To that end, the authors have chosen a "hands-on" approach for presenting material rather than concentrating on theory, as so often is the case in a classroom setting. This attractive and accessible text is a mix of theory and practical approach, illustrated with examples that have enough richness and variability to hold your attention. Models are presented for controlling the design, change, and engineering processes. Various aspects of systems engineering and methods providing the big picture at system level are discussed. In some ways, you can think of the book as a compact "starter's kit" for systems engineers. Although the authors are recognized experts in academic settings, they attribute much of their success in systems engineering to their own hands-on experiences and want to show you how to achieve that same level of expertise. Simply reading this book or any other book will not suffice for the learning process to become a systems engineer - no book will do that. However, by following the principles laid out in this book, you can develop the necessary skills and expertise to help you start an interesting, challenging, and rewarding career as a systems engineer.

As a manager, you have the responsibility to plan, organize, implement, delegate, and control. To be a leader, however, you must also inspire your staff, your colleagues, and your workplace. You have the ability to take these people to greater heights, both personally and professionally.

This guidebook can help you meet these challenges. You'll learn how to

resolve conflicts between employees;

coach and mentor young professionals;

deal with those who don't play by the rules; and

reduce the stress that comes with being a manager.

In addition to a broad-based discussion of leadership practices, "Quit Your Job, Enjoy Your Work" also explores the ins and outs of servant leadership and emotional intelligence. Managers who are interested in creating a positive work environment need to better understand both of these contemporary approaches to leadership.

Written for organizational managers, leaders, and staff who want to understand their workplace, this guide enables you to fulfill your potential. In "Quit Your Job, Enjoy Your Work," you can discover how to create a better workplace for all.

Implementing ISO 9001:2015 - A practical guide to busting myths surrounding quality management systemsIn his new book, Andrew W Nichols debunks many of the common misconceptions about ISO 9001:2015 and describes the many advantages the standard brings. Drawing on more than 30 years of hands-on experience, he gives clear, practical and up-to-date advice on how to implement a QMS (Quality Management System) to maximum effect. In September 2015, the much-anticipated sixth version of ISO 9001 was published, and, with it, several myths were given life. Implementations of QMSs, based on the requirements of ISO 9001, have been plagued by misunderstood and misinterpreted requirements, from the earliest version back in 1987. New myths have arrived with the publication of the ISO 9001:2015 edition. This book exposes many of the myths and enables a better understanding of ISO 9001:2015 by those who seek to create, implement, and improve an effective QMS for their organizationThousands of organizations worldwide are reaping the benefits from adopting the ISO 9001:2015, and implementing an effective QMS, and this book will provide you with the tools to do the same! Full of real-life examples, this book enables you to read and successfully interpret the ISO 9001:2015 documentation