Basic Tools of Quality in Media Industry - Case Study Paper Example

Every organization needs quality products or services to deliver to their customers to promote their business and promote customer satisfaction. Tools of quality refers to the various concepts used by an organization for the purpose of ensuring standards. The tools make it easier for an organization to run effectively and achieve its long term goal. Since quality is essential for every organization, the media industry is on the forefront to enhance use of tools of quality for the purpose of ensuring quality and control

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

The media is regarded as an independent industry in terms of their capabilities in providing information from their own view basis. They do this independently guarded by the tools that govern the quality of the information they provide and uncover defects which is used by the management for policy and decision making. The management will either allow for the release of the information of hold it to themselves. There are seven tools of quality used by the media for this purpose

Check sheet

This is a document used to collect, analyze and study data in real time from the location where it was extracted. The data captured in real time is highly effective because it cannot be manipulated in any form. It acts in monitoring the changes that might occur on the particular set of data from the same location. The data captured in real time can be both quantitative or qualitative. The sheet makes sure standards and quality processes are followed in recording data. The sheet is made of grids, rows and columns. Each row is filled with data captured from the real time study. The table enhances an efficient and easy look at the statistics of the data for the purpose of analysis. Since the media gather real time data on a regular basis, the journalist in the field of study fills the sheet with data as it is, which can be either quantitative or qualitative. The sheet consists of the name of the journalist who recorded the data, the field of study and the collection dates

For example, if the journalist recorded data during the whole week, he will fill the data in a row either using numbers or using tally marks which brings in the name tally sheet sometimes used when the data collected is quantitative. By the use of a tally sheet, the media industry has a great resource in itself because it monitors data through a series of time, which can be in use for decades as of Using quality tools and techniques successfully, The TQM Magazine Vol. 7 Iss: 6, pp. 37-42 by R.E. McQuater, C.H. Scar, B.G. Dael, P.G. Hillman, (1995)

It can be used by the media in various times by the journalist at the location, such as when data is easily accessible to observe in a particular point of time by the same person. By the constant change of events, a check sheet is suitable to gather the information that is due to frequency of changing events. Since the media industry also takes part in production, such as processing magazines, journals or newspapers on a frequent basis, use of a check sheet is significant to develop a clear performance in the daily production numbers and sales.

A check sheet represents data that were filled using a procedure by the journalist. He must decide on a number of things which are; the problem that he will observe, how long he will collect data and observe simplicity when filling the data on the grids for ease of use

Defects/Problem occurrence Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday TOTAL

Grammatical errors 50 15 17 73 45 82 6 288

Publishing faults 0 15 100 58 38 55 19 85

Misguided Sources 0 0 33 11 15 92 0 151

Data inconsistency 5 8 0 0 0 10 7 30

False reports 0 3 6 25 9 18 0 61

TOTAL 55 41 156 167 107 257 32 615

Use of check sheets by a media group helps it find various types of defects that might have been caused by the researcher or in a location. Therefore, the defects will help the media managed to formulate policies and decisions to improve the performance of the company

Citations from: McQuater, R.E., Scurr, C.H., Dale, B.G. And Hillman, P.G., 1995. Using quality tools and techniques successfully. The TQM Magazine, 7 (6), pp.37-42.

Cause and effect

This is a quality tool used in describing how an event occurred, how it might occur and its possible causes. The cause and effect diagram sorts and categorizes possible reasons of how of the appearance of a problem. It is represented diagrammatically in a cause and effect diagram. The diagram shows a mutual relationship between the causes and the problem, which is within a period of time. The diagram relates to a fish structure, thereby bringing in the name Fishbone structure. This tool of quality consists of a line which defines the outcome, and several branches is attached with the line which represents the possible reasons for the outcome. The media industry uses this to find the possible causes of a problem in their firm

This tool if significant for the company to categorize possible causes for its loss. The firm will ensure all its departments perform its various tasks in ensuring quality is promoted to realize profits.

A Pareto Chart

A Pareto chart or distribution shows how things are unevenly distributed. It is represented on a graph by use of variables; both dependent and independent. It shows that not every unit of input can produce the same value of output in a constant environment. It is represented in a graph as it decreases gradually from the left towards the right, which contains both bar and line graphs. The chart is used in identifying problems that need attention first which is located in the left axis as an important unit.

Its use in a media firm will be to identify the most common problem for public complaints about their service delivery. As a tool of quality, this will be used by the firms management to find the necessary control for the defect.

Citation from; Tague, N.R., 2004. Seven basic quality tools. The Quality Toolbox. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: American Society for Quality, p.15.

Histogram

A histogram uses a graphical representation to record data that is collected regularly. Since data is collected continuously, the data is therefore quantitative. It represents data through frequencies in a series of bar graphs. This makes it simple to statistically analyze the data and understand the problems through the chart and formulate a corrective action. In her article Histogram as a Component of Seven Basic Quality Tool, Seema Sonkiya, an Author who has practiced project management and business analysis, argues that when Histogram is used in control quality to identify sources of poor performance in the process products. In a media industry, the intensity of a cause of a problem will be established by the frequency.

A histogram will help the media firm monitor its performance over a series of time, and promote decision making.

Control chart

A control chart identifies if a process is under control by studying if it is stable, and how it can be predicted over a period of time. This can be a business process. It consists of three elements that makes it suitable to perform its statistics. At center line, which is the main data, cuts across the graph in a straight line. Control limits consists of Upper and Lower limits that show variance in data. If the control chart realizes that the process is in control, it will not apply any correction or changes in the process, but if it realizes a problem is out of control, it will solve it by analyzing the control limits. The chart is helpful for future performance. If the media is not in control, the control chart establishes necessary measures within the data to control its activities on the inside and outside. Its highly used for measuring time series data.

Citation from; Shainin, P.D., 1990. THE TOOLS OF QUALITY. 3. CONTROL CHART. Quality Progress, 23 (8), pp.79-82.

The Scatter Plot

It shows a relationship between two variables that is the X and the Y axes. The variables have a set of data which is dotted to show a clear detail of the variables.

For example, a media industry cannot have access to a wide information with only a few a number of journalists. In this case, the scatter plot will identify the relationship for the two variables and how they are linked together.

Citation from; Nancy R. Tague (2004). "Seven Basic Quality Tools". The Quality Toolbox. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: American Society for Quality. p. 15. Retrieved 2010-02-05.

The Design of Experiments (D.O.E)

This tool of quality explains the variables from a multiple set of information. In a set of variables, the design of experiments tends to predict the outcome by using the current conditions. In an instance of change in those conditions, there will be a change in the outcome. A design of experiment should be reliable in providing changes to provide a valid, legitimate outcome.

In the Design of Experiments, from the perspective of Competitive Advantage, the Author Edwin B. Dean notes from Montgomery (1991) that a designed experiment is a test which purposeful changes are made to input variables in a process

Citation from; Montgomery, D. C. (1991). Design and Analysis of Experiments, 3rd. Ed., John Wiley and Sons, New York NY.

Conclusion

From a personal view, the seven tools of quality have a relation in determining why something occurred and its possible causes. Since media are a wide industry with several departments that deal with data collection, analysis, obtaining real-time data and publishing. Tools of quality is helpful in monitoring every activity. In case of an outcome, the most effective course will be determined. Every media journalist in a field of study, collecting data goes through tough times that at time might tend to interfere with the data. This is e...