1st Edition

The Quality Business Quality Issues in the Smaller Firm

    This book is the first to seriously consider quality issues in smaller firms, based upon well-conducted research and careful theorizing. Subjects covered include:
    * the relevance of formal quality standards such as BS 5750 to small firms
    * definitions and implementations of 'quality' in a business context, from formal standards to Total Quality Management
    * interviews with a selected sample of over 150 owner-managers
    * detailed case studies of small firms
    * analysis of self-generated quality strategies
    * the variety of formal methods of quality control.

    Chapter 1 Small firms and quality management; Chapter 2 Quality: definitions and conceptualisations; Chapter 3 Researching quality in small firms: the methodological issues; Chapter 4 Small firms and quality: a quantitative approach; Chapter 5 Small firms and quality: owner-managers?€? strategies; Chapter 6 Small firms and formal methods of quality control; Chapter 7 A theorisation of quality management strategies in small firms; Appendix: the case studies;4 Case Study 1: Genprint Printers; Case Study 2: Compsys; Case Study 3: Transys; Case Study 4: Electromend; Case Study 5: Autorep; Case Study 6: Meditron; Case Study 7: Beeplant; Case Study 8: Console; Case Study 9: Electrico; Case Study 10: Paperco; Notes; References; Author Index; Subject Index;

    Biography

    Julian North is a Researcher in the Small Business Research Centre at Kingston University., Robert A.Blackburn is Director of the Small Business Research Centre at Kingston University., James Curran is Emeritus Professor of Small Business Studies at Kingston University.,