Often, when buying this or that product, we focus on the properties declared by the manufacturer, but do not get what we want, and at the same time, there is nothing to blame the manufacturer for. But what is product quality in general terms? And How general concept applies to each individual product or service? To understand this issue, it is worth determining what a product is and what the quality of a product is, by what criteria the quality of products / services is determined.

Definition of concepts

Determining the meaning of the word "quality", one cannot bypass the concept of "products", they are directly related. If to speak in simple words, then the product is everything that the enterprise produces, if we are talking about production, as well as work performed on order or services rendered.

• commercial products;
• finished products;
• sold products.

So what is quality? Definition of the term according to economic theory or political economy is denoted as the utility of products (goods, services) or consumer utility. But in this case, it turns out that some of the items have no qualities or are useless from the point of view of consumer preferences. As an example one can give medical preparations, which do not help all consumers in a row, which means that for some people they do not have utility and, therefore, are of poor quality. But this is a false conclusion. The concept of quality lies in the plane of the properties inherent in the product that meet the needs.

In other words, the question of what product quality is can be answered as follows: it is the sum of the properties, qualities, and characteristics of goods produced to meet existing needs. Characteristics and properties of products may vary depending on demand.

Quality standards

In the age of advertising, it is difficult to determine by appearance how useful the product will be. The technologies of presenting goods to the consumer are multilayered and often deceptive, because a sandwich in a bun with an appetizing crust that can lie for five years without changing its taste and appearance is unlikely to be useful, but at the same time it remains a quality product. In order to decide on this issue and not get into a mess, a manufacturer that respects itself and its consumers is guided by standards and refers to them to confirm the quality of the goods produced.

State regulation

Normative base Russian Federation consists of types of standards:

• GOST R, interstate standard;
• OST, industry standard;
• STP, enterprise standard;
• regional standard.

Based on regulatory standards, the company manufactures products taking into account the requirements for indicators and properties, which determine the final quality of the product. Product properties - an integral part quality characteristics. Product properties are divided into simple and complex. The simple ones include what can be described by one characteristic, for example, the fat content of sour cream or milk. Complex properties are characterized by a set of features, as an example - food or energy value food.

Quality indicators

Qualitative characteristics have a well-defined expression in physical, quantitative measurements. Usually they are written on the package, for example, a nail of a certain brand must be of the appropriate length, expressed in millimeters, have a certain brand of metal or alloy and a certain number of units in the package. The quality of fruit juice is determined by the amount of sugar, the proportion of natural juice and pulp in the final product in the appropriate proportion, expressed as a percentage. Also, quality indicators include external characteristics: color, shape, and so on.

Metrology

In order to understand what quality is and what it should be for each individual product, the specialized organizations called upon to certify use the evaluation method adopted throughout the world. At the first stage, the type of product, its class and group are determined. The next step is the selection of indicators for specific products, as well as the selection of a basic sample with the appropriate characteristics. At the last stage, numerical, physical indicators of quality assessment applicable to the evaluated product are determined. Based on the given reference qualities, the conformity of the new product is assessed, after which it is assigned a quality class.

Values ​​of quality indicators

Indicators help determine what the quality of a product or service is. They exist in several categories:

• Regulated. Installed and evaluated in accordance with regulatory documents.
• Rated. Regulated deviations in the quality of goods / products within normative documents. For example, the amount of cereal in a pack should be 1000 grams, and the nominal amount may vary within ± 20 grams of a dry product. Ratings are given in reference literature on standardization, drawings, specifications, and so on.
• Optimal. Goods/product quality indicators at which the maximum consumer effect is achieved from the application, operation, and so on.
• Limit. These are the highest or lowest quality indicators allowed by the regulations.
• Permissible. An indicator used for goods / products whose qualitative characteristics are measured by limits, i.e., a quality scale.

Factors that shape quality

The end consumer strives to get only the best and therefore wants to know what quality is. The importance of factors influencing the formation of qualitative characteristics cannot be overestimated, they are the basis for the release marketable products. Formative indicators of quality include:

• Raw material. There are two types of raw materials: main and auxiliary. In production bakery products flour is the main raw material. Depending on it, bread is produced wheat, rye or mixed type. Auxiliary raw materials are additives: flavor enhancers, stabilizers, and so on.
• Materials. Also divided into main and auxiliary. The main ones are the materials received for further processing. A sheet of metal of a certain thickness and grade, through appropriate processing, becomes a pipe or profiled sheet. Auxiliary materials serve for product finishing. For example, processing a profiled sheet with a polymer composition for greater safety or galvanizing it.
• Manufacturing process. Formation of the qualities of the final product through the successive passage of all production cycles: preparatory, shaping, processing. For example, the production of an automobile tire begins in the rubber compound preparation workshop, then the semi-finished product enters the autoclave workshop that forms the tire, from where it enters the final processing workshop and then to the warehouse finished products.

Quality retention factors

Products/goods reach the consumer in an attractive form, which is an important quality feature. For any person, in the definition of what quality is, the obligatory preservation of the appearance and all characteristics of the product from production shop to the store shelf.

Product safety is determined by the following factors:

• Package. It is designed not only to be bright, to have the appropriate labeling, but also to keep the goods intact and intact during logistical transportation. For example, washing machines are additionally equipped with transport bolts for the safe delivery of the device to the final installation site.
• Storage. Any warehouse space where the product is kept before it reaches the final consumer, should be suitably equipped. This is done in order to preserve the quality of products, properties and characteristics inherent in the product.
• Pre-sale preparation. It is carried out for sorting goods in order to reject obsolete products that have lost their presentation or quality. At this stage, the product can be made more attractive by additional polishing, lamination, steaming, and so on, in accordance with the type of product.
• Implementation. The final stage in the production of quality products is the transfer of goods to the buyer in accordance with his requests and needs.
• Service. After-sales service, delivery, installation or advice on the use of goods. Nowadays, quality service is as important as the product itself. Increasingly, after-sales service determines consumer preferences in favor of purchasing goods of one category, but with varying degrees of service in favor of the manufacturer that provides more additional services.

Consumer demand and quality

The market economy dictates its own rules of the game. Often the demand for a product forces the manufacturer to produce products of not the best quality, thereby damaging its image and undermining the credibility of the product. In this case, it is preferable during the period of excitement not to succumb to the temptation of both sides of the interaction: the consumer does not rush to choose and purchase, it is better to find out the quality of the product (the definition of this indicator is the starting point in preferences), and the manufacturer does not chase short-term profit, but release a product with high quality indicators.

1. The concept and indicators of product quality………………………….

2. Product quality management…………………………………...

3. New strategy in quality management……………………………

4. Legal regulation of product quality………………………

Conclusion……………………………………………………………….

1. The concept and indicators of product quality

The modern market economy imposes fundamentally different requirements on the quality of products. In the modern world, the survival of any company, its stable position in the market of goods and services are determined by the level of competitiveness. In turn, competitiveness is associated with two indicators - the price level and the level of product quality. Moreover, the second factor gradually comes to the fore. Labor productivity, economy of all types of resources give way to product quality.

Product quality is the most important indicator of the company's activity. Improving the quality of products to a large extent determines the survival of the enterprise in market conditions, the pace of scientific and technological progress, the growth of production efficiency, saving all types of resources used in the enterprise. The growth of product quality is a characteristic trend in the work of all the leading companies in the world. It covered European, American and Asian enterprises. And the quality of products is the main factor of competition between firms.

What is product quality? This concept regulated by GOST 15 467-79 Product quality management. Basic concepts. Terms and Definitions. Quality is a set of product properties that determine its suitability to satisfy certain needs in accordance with its purpose.

Quality as a factor of competitiveness extends to the entire national economy. It promotes rational use of resources.

The consequences of an insufficient level of product quality are as follows:

1. Economic

1.1. Loss of material and labor resources spent on the manufacture, transportation and storage of products that failed earlier than the planned dates of physical wear.

1.2. Losses in production infrastructure(bad bitumen - bad roads, bad cement - bad storage facilities (elevators), bad communications, bad communications, etc.).

1.3. Additional costs for equipment repairs.

1.4. Additional time spent by the population on the repair of household appliances.

1.5. Loss of natural resources as a result of the use of low quality machines used to extract these resources.

1.6. Lost foreign exchange earnings due to the low share of exports of finished products.

1.7. Additional loss of foreign exchange funds for the import of equipment and consumer goods.

1.8. Additional costs of material and labor resources for the implementation of a multi-link and multi-stage system of technical quality control bodies.

2. Social

2.1. Shortage of domestic products.

2.2. Falling prestige of products manufactured at national enterprises.

2.3. Insufficient satisfaction of the needs of the production, technical and personal plan.

2.4. Decreased growth in the welfare of the population:

2.5. Irrational waste of free time of the population to eliminate defects in the manufacture of consumer goods.

2.6. Deterioration of the moral climate in the team.

2.7. Decrease in the company's profit. 3. Environmental

3.1. Additional cleaning costs: air basin, water basin, land resources.

3.2. Additional costs for measures to improve the health of the population.

3.3. Loss of agricultural productivity due to inadequate air, water and soil quality.

3.4. Accelerated depreciation and additional repair costs for civil buildings and vehicles due to poor air quality.

The concept of technical, product level is closely related to the concept of quality - a relative characteristic of product quality, based on a comparison of the values ​​of indicators that determine the technical excellence of the evaluated product, with the corresponding basic indicators, their values.

Product quality is not limited to only one property, it is a combination of properties. Product properties are quantified in terms of quality. A generally accepted classification into ten groups of properties and, accordingly, indicators.

Purpose indicators characterize the beneficial effect of using the product for its intended purpose and determine the scope of the product. For production and technical purposes, the main indicator can be productivity, showing how much product can be produced with the help of the evaluated product or how much production services can be provided in a certain period of time.

Reliability indicators - non-failure operation, storability, maintainability, as well as product durability. Depending on the features of the evaluated products, both all four and some of the indicated indicators can be used to characterize the reliability. For some products related to human safety, reliability may be the main, and sometimes the only indicator of reliability. The reliability of household electrical appliances, some car mechanisms (brake system, steering) is extremely important. For aircraft, reliability is the only and main indicator of quality. To characterize the shelf life - the properties of the product to maintain its performance during storage and transportation - such indicators as the average shelf life, gamma-percentage shelf life are used. Preservability plays an important role in food production. Maintainability is determined by indicators such as the average cost of maintenance, the probability of performing repairs at a given time. Durability is determined by the cost of maintaining the product in working condition.

Manufacturability indicators characterize the effectiveness of design and technological solutions to ensure high labor productivity in the manufacture and repair of products. It is with the help of manufacturability that the mass production of products is achieved, the rational distribution of the costs of materials, funds, labor and time during the technological preparation of production, manufacture and operation of products.

Indicators of standardization and unification are the saturation of products with standard, unified and original components, as well as the level of unification compared to other products. All parts of the product are divided into standard, unified and original. The fewer original products, the better for both the product manufacturer and the consumer.

Ergonomic indicators reflect the interaction of a person with a product and a complex of hygienic, anthropometric, physiological and psychological properties of a person that manifest themselves when using the product. These may be the efforts required to drive the tractor, the location of the handle by the refrigerator, the air conditioner in the cabin of a tower crane or the location of the handlebars of a bicycle, lighting, temperature, humidity, dust, noise, vibration, radiation, the concentration of carbon monoxide and water vapor in combustion products and etc.

Aesthetic indicators characterize the informational expressiveness, the rationality of the form, the integrity of the composition, the perfection of execution and the stability of the presentation of the product.

Transportability indicators express the suitability of products for transportation.

Patent-legal indicators characterize patent protection and patent purity of products and are an essential factor in determining competitiveness. When determining patent and legal indicators, one should take into account the presence of new technical solutions in the product, as well as solutions protected by patents in the country, the presence of registration industrial design and trademark both in the country of origin and in the countries of intended export. Environmental indicators are the level of harmful effects on the environment that occur during the operation or consumption of products, for example, the content of harmful impurities, the likelihood of emissions of harmful particles, gases, radiation during storage, transportation and operation of products.

Safety indicators characterize the features of products for the safety of the buyer and service personnel, i.e. ensure safety during installation, maintenance, repair, storage, transportation, consumption of products.

The combination of these indicators forms the quality of products. The product must be reliable, aesthetically pleasing to the eye, perform its functions well, i.e. meet the needs for which it is intended. But in addition to all these indicators, the price of the product is also important. It is with the price that the question of economically optimal quality, or economically rational quality, is connected. When purchasing a product, the buyer always compares whether the price of the product compensates for the set of properties that it possesses. In addition to the price, the performance of the product is also important, since they entail operating and repair costs, and if the product has a long service life, these costs are quite comparable to the price of the product, and for some products significantly exceed the selling price of the product.

Economically optimal quality is understood as the ratio of quality and costs, or the price of a unit of quality, which can be expressed by the formula:

K opt \u003d Q / C ∑ ,

where K opt - economically optimal quality;

Q - product quality;

C ∑ - costs w purchase and operation of the product, rub.

It is not difficult to determine the denominator of the formula, since it includes the selling price of the product, the costs of operating, repairing and disposing of the product. It is more difficult to determine the numerator, i.e. quality, including a wide variety of indicators. This is the whole science of qualimetry, which has developed quite acceptable methods for quantifying product quality.

So, the quality of products in the conditions of modern production is the most important component of the efficiency, profitability of the enterprise, and therefore it must be given constant attention. Everyone should be engaged in quality - from the director of the enterprise to the specific performer of any operation. All processes for ensuring, designing, maintaining quality are integrated into a quality management system.

2. Product quality management

Quality management - actions carried out during the creation, operation or consumption of products in order to establish, ensure and maintain the required level of its quality.

The universal scheme of product quality management proposed by prof. A.V. Glichev.

The scheme consists of six blocks. Factors affecting quality (rectangle in the central part of the diagram) include:

Machine tools, machines, other production equipment;

Professional skills, knowledge, skills, psychophysical health of workers.

The terms of quality assurance that surround the rectangle of factors are more numerous. These include:

The nature of the production process, its intensity, rhythm, duration;

Climatic state environment and industrial premises;

Interior and production design;

The nature of material and moral incentives;

Moral and psychological climate in the production team;

Forms of organization of information services and the level of equipment of workplaces;

The state of the social and material environment of workers.

The essence of any control lies in the development of control decisions and the subsequent implementation of the control actions provided for by these decisions on a specific control object. When managing product quality, the direct objects of management, as a rule, are the processes on which product quality depends. They are organized and flow both at the pre-production stage, and at the production and post-production stages. life cycle products

Control decisions are developed on the basis of a comparison of information about the actual state of the controlled process with its characteristics specified by the control program. Normative documentation regulating the values ​​of parameters or indicators of product quality (technical specifications for product development, standards, specifications, drawings, stand conditions) should be considered as an important part of the product quality management program.

The main task of each enterprise (organization) is the quality of products and services provided. The successful operation of an enterprise should be ensured by the production of products or services that

Satisfy the requirements of the consumer;

Comply with applicable standards and specifications;

Meet the current legislation and other requirements of society;

Offered to the consumer at competitive prices

Aimed at making a profit.

Product quality management should be carried out darkly, i.e. the enterprise should have a product quality management system, which is an organizational structure that clearly allocates responsibilities, procedures, processes and resources necessary for quality management.

IN last years ISO 9000 series standards, which reflect international experience in product quality management at the enterprise, have become widespread. In accordance with these documents, a quality policy is distinguished - the quality system itself, including the provision, improvement and management of product quality (Fig. 1).

The quality policy can be formulated as an enterprise principle or a long-term goal and include:

Improvement economic situation enterprises;

Expansion or conquest of new sales markets;

Achieving a technical level of products that exceeds the level of leading enterprises and firms;

Orientation to meet the requirements of the consumer of certain industries or regions;

development of products, functionality which are implemented on new principles;

Improving the most important indicators of product quality;

Reducing the level of defectiveness of manufactured products;

Extended product warranties;

Service development.

In accordance with ISO standards, the product life cycle, which in foreign literature designated as a quality loop, includes 11 stages (Fig. 2).

With the help of the quality loop, the relationship between the manufacturer of products and the consumer, with the entire system that provides a solution to the problem of product quality management, is carried out.

Along with product quality management systems, an important role in the study and implementation of quality programs belongs to quality circles (or quality groups). As foreign experience shows, quality circles are a form of democratization of capital, it creates the interest of workers in quality, and changes the psychological climate in the enterprise.

Principles of organizing quality circles:

Voluntary participation;

Striving for collective forms of finding the right solutions, their prompt consideration, implementation of accepted proposals into production; moral and material satisfaction with the successes achieved, stimulation of the results of creative activity; support of the initiative by the management and public organizations at all levels of enterprise management; ensuring publicity and promotion of their activities by all forms and mass media, generalization and dissemination of work experience.

Quality circles originally originated in the United States, but a significant impetus to this movement was given by Japanese firms, where both the qualitative and quantitative growth of circles took place. Then they covered the countries of Europe, America and Asia.

Quality circles help enterprises solve both technical and economic and socio-psychological problems of the enterprise.

Three or four people serving this or that technological process or part of this process remain after work and

11 discuss the so-called "bottlenecks": improving quality, increasing efficiency, reducing costs. They can meet and discuss issues (one to three) once or twice a month (once a week) and discuss one to three topics. Discussions can take place in work time stimulated financially or morally.

Quality circles are common all over the world. They represent an important element of public participation in quality management along with consumer societies.

3. New strategy in quality management

A lot of attention is paid to product quality management in all countries. In recent years, a new approach has been formed, a new strategy in quality management. It is characterized by a number of points:

Quality assurance is understood not as a technical function implemented by any one unit, but as a systematic process that permeates the entire organizational structure of the company;

The new concept of quality must meet the appropriate organizational structure of the enterprise;

Quality issues are relevant not only within the production cycle, but also in the process of development, design, marketing and after-sales service;

Quality should be focused on meeting the requirements of the consumer, not the manufacturer;

Improving the quality of products requires the application of new production technology, from design automation to automated measurement in the quality control process;

Comprehensive quality improvement is achieved only by the interested participation of all employees.

All this is feasible only when a well-organized quality management system is in place, aimed at the interests of consumers, affecting all departments and acceptable to all personnel.

General quality control, carried out by firms in the US, Japan and Western Europe, involves three mandatory conditions.

1. Quality as basic strategic goal activities are recognized by the top management of firms. At the same time, specific tasks are set and funds are allocated for their solution. Since quality requirements are determined by the consumer, there can be no such thing as a constant level of quality. Quality improvement must be incremental, because quality is an ever-changing goal.

2. Quality improvement activities should affect all departments without exception. Experience shows that 80-90% of activities are not controlled by quality and reliability departments. Particular attention is paid to improving quality at stages such as R&D, which is due to a sharp reduction in the time needed to create new products.

3. An ongoing learning process (focused on a specific workplace) and increasing staff motivation.

The US Gallup Institute conducted a survey of about 700 firms operating in industry and the service sector. The survey showed that executives began to pay more attention to quality issues: 57% of them said that quality issues are preferable to cost and profit issues, but 32% put profit first. More than half of entrepreneurs do not believe that improving quality is one of the surest and most reliable ways to reduce costs. More than 70% of executives showed ignorance of the fundamentals of the economics of their firms, saying that the cost of quality assurance is 5 to 10% of gross sales, while in reality it is 20 to 30%. Every sixth manager generally answered that he had no idea about the amount of costs that ensure product quality.

Only a lack of understanding of the quality problem can explain such statements by managers as “product quality management means tightening product acceptance”, “product quality management means more active standardization”, “quality management is statistics”, “quality management in practice seems to be a very laborious process” , “let the acceptance or control department deal with product quality management issues”, “the enterprise's success in product quality management excludes the implementation of additional measures”, “quality management is not related to the enterprise administration or the sales department”.

In a highly competitive environment, firms will be able to successfully develop only by introducing systemic product quality management. The growing demands to improve the quality of products is currently one of the characteristic features of the world market.

New product development systems should contain three main provisions:

Quality is treated equally with all technical innovations from the very beginning of product development;

Research and development planning is organized in such a way as not to limit the design of product options with the best characteristics;

The acceleration of product development should be the main criterion for the effectiveness of the development system.

4. Legal regulation of product quality

Legal support product quality management consists in the use of means and forms of legal influence on the bodies and objects of management of the organization at all stages of the product life cycle in order to ensure its high quality. Legal support of product quality management is aimed at solving the following main tasks:

Legal regulation of relations developing at all levels of product quality management;

Establishment of a legal and regulatory framework that ensures proper legal regulation for effective implementation of product quality management functions;

Protection of the rights and interests of employees arising from labor relations.

The regulatory framework for product quality management includes various regulations and rules.

A normative act as an independent form of law is an act issued by a competent and authorized state body that establishes, changes or cancels legal norms (rules of conduct). For example, compliance with the requirements of the standards is ensured by normative acts of civil, labor, administrative and criminal law. The general classification distinguishes two main groups among normative acts: laws and by-laws. Scheme of normative acts of the Russian Federation.

The top step in the hierarchy is occupied by the law, i.e. A law is a legal act that has been passed supreme body government or directly by the population and has the highest legal force.

All other normative acts are called by-laws and are adopted by authorized bodies of power and administration:

Decrees (and orders) of the President of the Russian Federation issued within his competence;

Acts (decrees and orders) of the Government of the Russian Federation (most non-normative government acts are called orders);

Acts of state regional and local municipal authorities ( representative bodies and administration bodies), which, in accordance with the competence of these bodies, are binding on all persons within a given territory - region, region, city, district;

Departmental acts - acts of specific ministries, committees, departments, which have mainly intra-departmental legal significance and apply to persons who are in the system of managerial, official and disciplinary subordination of this department.

Establishing product quality control, the organization is obliged to fulfill the basic requirements of maintaining production processes and ensure appropriate product quality. At the same time, product quality can be determined in various ways: according to a sample, according to a specification, based on a standard, according to a preliminary inspection, and others.

A sample is a product instance that serves as a quality standard for the products sold. The use of a product standard (several copies of a product) in business is an important condition for resolving quality disputes between the parties.

Determining the quality of products according to the specification (description) means that the product must meet all the parameters, performance characteristics contained in its accompanying documents.

The most common way to determine the quality of a product is to refer buyers to the appropriate standard. This method is widely used in both national and international trade. In modern conditions, the standardization method is the main one in the field of product quality management.

Product quality management is carried out on the basis of international, state and industry standards and enterprise standards 1 . The State Quality Management System of the Russian Federation was created taking into account international standards for quality systems (MS ISO 9000 series).

International standards ISO 9000 guarantee the consumer the right to more actively influence the quality of products; provide a legislative framework, the standards of which provide for the active role of the consumer in the manufacturing process. These standards include five basic models (MS ISO 9000 series - IS ISO 9004 series) of a quality system that establishes the basic requirements for the establishment of general quality management programs in industry and the service sector.

Competent authorities government controlled product quality develop state standards, areas of their distribution, their scope and dates of their introduction. State standards are mandatory rules for manufacturers, since state standardization acts as a means of protecting the interests of society and specific consumers and applies to all levels of government. Therefore, state standards relate to the safety of products for the environment, life, health and property of consumers, to ensure technical and information compatibility, interchangeability of products, the unity of their control methods and the unity of labeling. They are also mandatory in other cases, if it is established by the competent authority.

Subjects economic activity are obliged to comply with the requirements of state standards and maintain the product quality system at an appropriate level. This is provided for by the relevant agreements between organizations, technical documentation of the manufacturer (executor, supplier) of products.

To assess the compliance of product quality with the requirements, there are standards of industries, enterprises, standards of scientific and technical, engineering societies and other public organizations that organize and carry out standardization work in accordance with the Law of the Russian Federation "On Standardization". Each industry develops industry standards within its competence, which are approved by the relevant bodies of the state standardization system. The effect of such standards applies to enterprises in a particular industry.

The standards of scientific, technical, engineering and other public organizations are developed by these organizations and approved by the relevant government body for standardization. The main purpose of such standards is to disseminate knowledge about the achievements of science and technology. Such standards can be used by business entities (customer, performer) when concluding agreements between them of the appropriate level, which provide for conditions on the conformity of products, work performed and services provided. The considered standards are compiled on the basis of the requirements of state standards and should not violate the norms and rules provided for in them. Responsibility for the compliance of the requirements of the standards of business entities with the mandatory requirements of state standards is borne by the business entities that approved them.

In the conditions of market relations, the legislation of the Russian Federation grants the right to organizations to independently enter foreign market. Such organizations often face the problem of assessing the quality of their products, which is based on the method of conformity of products to the requirements of state standards.

There are two ways to confirm the compliance of products and services with the requirements of state standards: by certification or by labeling products and services with signs of compliance with state standards.

Practice shows that the main tool that guarantees the compliance of product quality with the requirements of state standards is certification.

The labeling of any product is regulated by the relevant State Standard or TU (technical specifications). The basic requirements for product labeling are diverse and specific. Regulatory requirements are differentiated depending on what kind of marking is applied to the product (or packaging) (manufacturing, trade, transport, special, etc.). General requirements for product labeling: reliability, availability, sufficiency. They are regulated by federal rules for the sale of non-manufactured and manufactured products.

Product marking is carried out with the help of a sign of compliance with state standards.

Mark of conformity - a mark registered in the prescribed manner, which, according to the rules established in this certification system, confirms the compliance of the products marked with it with the established requirements. The conformity mark is established by an organization that has a license issued in the manner prescribed by the State Standard of the Russian Federation. Organizations that have received such licenses, as well as products and services marked with this sign, are entered in a special state register.

The Russian Federation has created a comprehensive system of state certification of product quality. The first sign associated with the problem of product conformity in our country was the “Quality Mark”. Now there are many conformity marks of the product quality assessment system. These include such as the certification mark of the Soviet Quality Association, the mark of conformity in the system of certification of measuring instruments, in metrology there is a mark of approval of the type of measuring instruments.

The integration of the EU countries has raised issues of product certification and labeling of products that meet the requirements of European norms and standards. As mentioned above, the EU countries have introduced a single conformity mark, which is represented by the CE symbol.

Day of organizations producing products, the most important is the mandatory labeling of products - "production mark". Production requirements for product labeling are regulated by the relevant standards for products, packaging, and labeling. This production mark indicates the manufacturer of the product. The symbolism of the production brand (MP) is placed on the product itself or, in extreme cases, on its packaging. The MP sign must contain the necessary initial information about the organization, the type of goods and the number of the state standard. The MP mark is not registered and is used regardless of the trademark. However, it serves as a means of strengthening the responsibility of organizations for the quality of their products. The absence of a MP or incorrect labeling entails the responsibility of the organization, and for its leaders - disciplinary or criminal liability.

CONCLUSION:

♦ The quality of manufactured products at the enterprise is an important factor of activity in the market conditions, since it ensures the expansion of market segments, the prosperity of the enterprise, and profit growth.

♦ International experience shows that quality improvement works should be carried out within the framework of system management, which covers the entire life cycle of products - from design to consumption and disposal.

♦ Product quality management is based on standardization, which is a regulatory and technical basis that defines progressive requirements for products manufactured for the needs of the national economy, population, defense, and export.

♦ The final assessment of the quality of manufacturing products is carried out with. through certification, which means testing products, issuing a certificate of conformity, labeling products (conformity mark) and monitoring the status of subsequent production through control tests.

♦ Implementation of regulatory acts in product quality management allows organizing an effective system of legislative assurance of product quality and safety. The regulatory and legal framework for product quality management, created taking into account foreign and domestic practice, stands for the protection of rights in case of violation of the rights and interests of citizens and legal entities on the territory of the Russian Federation.

LIST OF USED LITERATURE:

1. Economics of the enterprise: Proc. / Ed. V.Ya. Gorfinkel, V.A. Shvandar. - M.: Banks and exchanges, UNITI, 1998.

2. Economics of the enterprise: Per. with him. - M.: Infra-M., 1999.

3. Economics of the enterprise: Proc. / Ed. O I Volkova - M.: Infra-M, 1998.

4. Enterprise Economics / Ed. Doctor of Economics, prof. A.B. Dwarf: Proc. allowance. - St. Petersburg: Publishing House of St. Petersburg GUEF, 1999.

5. Economics of the enterprise and industry. - 3rd ed. revised and additional / Ed. d.e.s. prof. A.S. Pelik. -Rostov-on-Don, Phoenix, 1999.

The quality of products or services is the basis for the success of any business. In this article, we will talk about the quality of products or services produced. It makes no sense to talk for a long time about the importance of the quality of products or services provided in the existence and development of a business. The release of low-quality products has ruined many businesses. Almost all small business activities depend on the quality of products or services.

Introduction.

I do not think that any of the consumers will buy a low-quality product again. Or he will go back to the barbershop where he got a bad haircut. Or he will go to dinner at a restaurant where he was served badly or was offered stale food. The market imposes very strict requirements on the quality of products or services.

The quality of products or services is one of the most important indicators of business performance. Improving the quality of products to a large extent determines the survival and success of small businesses in a market environment and fierce competition with larger businesses.

Product quality - what is it?

However, first, let's try to understand the definition of product quality. What is the quality of the product? It seems the answer is very simple. I once conducted a survey among buyers of the products of my business. And one of the questions went something like this: What products do you consider to be of good quality? In most cases, the answer was very simple - "A quality product is a good product."

Now let's do a little experiment. Set aside reading for a few minutes, think, give your definition of the quality of products or services, and then continue reading and compare with what we will write in the future.

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Well, how did you define it? Then let's continue. For example, I still have not found a simple and clear definition of product quality. The quality of a product or service is a rather complex concept. And they tried to define this concept for a very long time. I will give just a few definitions as an example.

Even Dahl in his dictionary gave the following definition: “Quality is everything that makes up the essence of a person or thing.”

International Standard gives the following wording: “quality is the totality of properties and characteristics of a product or service that give it the ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.”

I will also give the wording given by the Russian standard: “quality is a set of product properties that determine its suitability to satisfy certain needs in accordance with its purpose”.

I think it's enough to bore you with examples of existing formulations, especially since, in my opinion, they have no practical meaning. I can only add that in the circle of specialists in quality problems there are a large number of definitions of this category (up to 100 different definitions). This diversity is associated with the multifaceted interpretations of the category of quality and the difference in approaches to the meaning of the category itself.

In practice, we have to deal with two definitions of quality. Let's dwell on them in more detail.

Product quality is determined by demand.

The first, and rather popular, definition can be formulated as follows: product quality is determined by the fact that the product or service meets the specified requirements. Everything seems to be simple and obvious. Product requirements should be defined and documented in the form of standards, specifications and release the product in accordance with these requirements. These requirements will change over time, due to the improvement of technology, the improvement of the quality of the materials used, etc. But how many examples do we know of products that meet all the requirements, but are not bought by the consumer.

A simple example can be given. On the counter in the store exhibited several varieties of some product, such as cheese. All of them strictly comply with all standards and norms, but not all are equally in demand. And some varieties are not sold at all. They are not sold, because it is the consumer who considers this variety to be of poor quality. Perhaps in taste, perhaps in appearance, perhaps because of the fashion for other varieties. Although there are no signs of violation or deviation from established requirements of this type of cheese, can it be considered of high quality? At least the consumer doesn't think so. As you can see, quality can be determined by the demand for products.

Or an example from the service industry. In the same cheese shop, a very diligent seller works. He not only releases products, but even manages to talk with customers. Many are very happy with this communication and consider its services to be very high quality. I hate standing in line and waiting for someone to talk enough with the seller. So for me, his service is not of high quality, and I will try to bypass this store. As you can see, quality can be relative.

And I want to give one more life example. Let's say a consumer bought shoes. He purchased them for several reasons:

- firstly, because he simply needed them;

- secondly, because their parameters (size, style, color, material, etc.) corresponded to his wishes and his taste;

- thirdly, because their price corresponded to its capabilities.

And only the coincidence of all these reasons prompted him to acquire them. And he, of course, will consider these shoes to be of high quality. Unless they fall apart in a couple of days. But let's hope that doesn't happen. And the other consumer will not even look at the same shoes. They are of no value to him and, naturally, he will consider them of poor quality.

The quality of the product is determined by the consumer.

Therefore, now, when determining the quality of products, they began not to build on established requirements, but took as a basis the requirements of consumers for products. A product or service can be considered quality if it meets the requirements of consumers.

The consumer will appreciate the quality of the product better than all controllers. He will choose for himself exactly the product that, in his opinion, is of the highest quality. At the same time, he himself will determine which products are most important to him. Moreover, the same product for some consumers will be of high quality, but not for others. And no matter how the manufacturer praises the quality indicators of his product, the final assessment still remains with the consumer. Therefore, let's define the concept of product quality, based on the needs of the market. Those. quality is a set of product properties that determine its demand by the consumer on this moment time and provided by the manufacturer.

As you can see, we have linked product quality to a time function. Let's not go into the depths of this issue. For clarity, we can give a lot of examples when time (of course, not just time, but the emergence of new technologies and materials over time) changed the needs of the market beyond recognition. Well, who wants to buy a cathode ray tube TV today? I don't think an answer is required.

By the way, during periods of crises or recessions in consumer markets, the main strategy should be to focus on consumers and ensure the quality of products (or services provided). This will allow small businesses to survive even in the most difficult conditions.

THEORETICAL QUESTIONS

• 1. Product as a result of the enterprise. The concepts of "product", "service", "range" and "nomenclature" of the enterprise's products. The main indicators of production at the enterprise.
• 2. The concept of "product quality". System of indicators of product quality. The value of quality improvement. The main directions of the company's policy in the field of quality: control, standardization, product certification. Product quality management cycle. "Quality Loop". Production departments of the enterprise dealing with quality issues.

A product is a product obtained from raw materials and materials in such a way technological way, as a result of which the properties source material completely disappear, and the product acquires an independent consumer value.

Thus, products (products) are objects that have a material form and are able to satisfy certain needs. It should be noted that society, as an aggregate consumer, is interested in meeting its needs with consumer values ​​in their natural-material form (bread is needed, not its ruble equivalent, manicure, not its cost). In the modern lexicon, the terms are used: product and product, which are practically interchangeable. However, there is a difference. Everything that is developed and produced in the company is a product. But only the product that is intended for sale is called a commodity.

The product (goods) can be tangible (a refrigerator, a house), or it can be intangible (a concert, a tourist package, a consultation, a lecture). The product can be expensive (for example, an airplane) and very cheap (seeds). Some products are short-lived (ice cream, flowers), while others are durable goods (houses, cars). In connection with the development of information services, the term "information product" appeared ( computer program, television content, methodological developments etc.).

In a broader sense, the term "product" includes not only the product or service itself, but also the so-called peripheral factors, without which the consumer will not be completely satisfied. For example, tourism product this includes hotel accommodation, excursions, travel and much more. Your stay in your room is not just an overnight stay, but the food you eat in a restaurant is more than just satisfying your hunger. Hotel and restaurant services are a product that includes service quality, environment, design, etc.

A service is a type of activity, the result of which is the satisfaction of needs and which does not change the natural-material form of the product.

An example of a service is the transport of goods; packaging of goods in containers; repair and imparting individual improved consumer properties to products (car washing, polishing, etc.); product advertising; organization of its sales, etc.

Products, goods and services are produced in a certain range and assortment.

Nomenclature - a list of types of products, work or services produced or performed by the enterprise.

Assortment - the composition and ratio of individual products in products of a certain type within one position of the nomenclature.

Classification of goods and services

Typically, products are divided into two categories - consumer and industrial (industrial) goods.

Consumer goods are divided into three categories: consumer goods, goods chosen when buying goods with special characteristics.

Consumer goods are those goods that are bought frequently, quickly, without comparison with other goods (a number of food products, cigarettes, newspapers, drinks, etc.). Usually these goods are non-durable products.

Items selected at purchase. The buyer selects these goods during the purchase process and compares them with others in terms of quality, price, style, color, etc. (clothes, shoes, furniture). These products often do not have well-known trademarks. Even if these trademarks exist, it does not really matter to customers when choosing.

Products with special characteristics are products with unique data. They usually have a trademark and are targeted at certain groups of buyers ( special types and types of jewelry, radio electronic equipment, cars, custom-made clothing, etc.). The buyer makes a purchase decision based on the presence of a trademark or company name known to him.

Consumer services. Services are actions that result in some useful effect (lecturing, consulting, translation, editing, reprinting of the manuscript, etc.), or some kind of product (custom-made wardrobe, dress, suit, etc.). e.)

Industrial goods fall into four categories: finished goods, goods for industrial purposes, goods for the service sector, industrial services.

Finished goods. As a rule, these are semi-finished products, as well as products that can be considered as a finished product or a product for production purposes (paint, varnish, car radio, electric motor, drill).

Goods for industrial purposes. These goods are used in the production of other products (tools, equipment, machines).

Goods for the service sector. These goods are used by firms in management, commercial operations, etc. ( cash registers, office equipment, etc.).

Services of an industrial nature. This is pre-sales and after-sales service of machinery and equipment, consulting in the field of engineering, accounting, marketing, advertising, finance, etc. This area is rapidly developing as scientific and technical products become more complex.

The system of estimated indicators of the volume of production should characterize its quantitative and qualitative aspects. Used in the process of planning and management, the system of indicators of production volume consists of natural, conditionally natural, labor and cost indicators.

Products in their natural-material form are taken into account by firms primarily in natural (physical) units of measurement (pieces, tons, sq.m., number of customers, etc.).

If several varieties of a product are produced that have common basic consumer properties, a company, in order to simplify accounting and technical and economic calculations, can use conditionally natural units of measurement (conditional cans of canned food, the weight of fertilizers of the same type in terms of the content of the main nutrient, etc. .)

Labor indicators express the volume of production in terms of time - standard hours, machine hours, machine shifts, man-days, workdays, etc.

Cost indicators express the volume of production in monetary terms. In terms of value, the volume of production is measured as gross, marketable, sold and net output.

Gross output (VP) is the value of the entire result of the company's production and economic activities for a certain period, that is, all products produced at the enterprise, including work in progress (WP) and work and services performed for oneself (SP).

VP=TP+NP+SP

Marketable output (TP) is the value of products that have the type of goods, including finished products in stock.

Shipped products (OP) are products sent to consumers, regardless of whether they are paid for or not. It is defined as the difference in the balance of finished products in the company's warehouse.

Products sold (RP) is the cost of products sold or sales revenue. A very important indicator. Because profit is calculated on its basis. In developed market economy a large number of goods are sold on credit, that is, with installments or deferred payment. Therefore, the volume of sales includes both the products for which the money was received, and receivables.

Net output (NP) is the cost of products sold without taking into account material costs (MC).

It should be noted the importance of carefully developing a system of indicators of production volume to achieve the desired result of production and economic activities

Product quality- a set of properties and characteristics of products, goods, services that determine their ability to meet the needs and demands of people, meet their purpose and requirements. Quality is determined by the measure of compliance of goods and services with the conditions and requirements of standards, agreements, contracts, consumer requests.

The concept of "quality" is defined by ISO 8402-94 as "the set of properties and characteristics of a product or service related to its ability to determine the intended needs." Quality is created through technology based on the right mindset. This approach leads to the concept of quality in philosophy universal control quality. Another formulation of the concept of "quality" is based on several different principles, based on which it is possible to display the whole multidimensionality of this concept.

• 1. In terms of an objective assessment of the characteristics of a product, quality can be measured. Differences in quality can be quantified using the conditional features of a product or service.
• 2. From the point of view of the consumer, the quality of a product is established primarily by the subjective assessment of the buyer, and only then by the characteristics of the product itself. Some consumers have diverse requirements, and those products that best meet these needs are considered to be of the highest quality.
• 3. From the point of view of the production process, quality is the adherence to specifications, and any deviation from them leads to a deterioration in quality. best quality implies a well-done work, the result of which fully meets the requirements.
• 4. From the point of view of value for money, quality is manifested through costs and prices. A quality product performs a specific function at an affordable price and to specification at an affordable cost.

There are the following main reasons why the problem of quality assurance is so relevant and important in modern production activities:

• 1) quality is a key aspect for making a purchase for the most significant consumers. Losing an order because of insufficient quality is much worse than losing an order because of too high a price: in this way you can lose a buyer forever;
• 2) quality is all-encompassing. An organization undertakes many specific actions to counter competition. Quality and quality management systems offer a set of operations that integrates all phases of the production process - product policy, planning, marketing, sales, personnel, innovation and technology - in order for an enterprise to successfully function in the market;
• 3) quality is the main tool for reducing costs. It is always cheaper to do it right the first time than to fix a mistake later;
• 4) quality leads to the strengthening of the company's position in the market. In open and liberalized markets, products and services are becoming more and more interchangeable. The level of product quality becomes decisive.

The concept of "quality" is also considered as a two-level one.

First level quality (i.e. technical quality) - is produced at the stages of research, development and production. Quality management at this stage contains actions to comply with the required minimum of qualitative and quantitative requests for products.

Quality of the second level (communicative quality)- develops at the stages of pre-sales and after-sales service. To ensure quality at these stages, operations are carried out that are oriented to the exhaustive satisfaction of consumer requirements.

Product properties can be characterized quantitatively and qualitatively.

Product quality indicators- a quantitative characteristic of one or more product properties that make up its quality.

It is possible to evaluate the quality of products by a set of indicators that are directly related to it and determined in accordance with the purpose of the goods. Product quality indicators are relative, because certain and planned needs change over time: for example, once this product satisfied the consumer, but now it is unnecessary and undesirable for him.

Qualimetry- the science of methods for quantifying product quality.

The choice of quality indicators determines the range of quantitative characteristics of product features that are part of its quality and provide an assessment of the quality level of products.

The rationale for choosing a list of quality indicators is made taking into account:

• 1) purpose and operating conditions of products;
• 2) studying the needs of buyers;
• 3) tasks of product quality management;
• 4) primary requirements for quality indicators;
• 5) composition and system of characterized features. The main orientations for establishing the composition and the system of characterized features reflect the classification of indicators used in assessing the level of product quality.

According to the characteristics characterized, the indicators are divided into single and complex.

Single indicators- indicators that characterize any one property or quality of the product.

Complex indicators are divided into:

• 1) generalized - indicators that characterize the most significant set of properties by which quality is assessed;
• 2) integral - indicators reflecting the ratio of the total beneficial effect and the total costs of use;
• 3) index - indicators that reflect the ratio of the quality of heterogeneous products. They can be expressed in physical units (kilograms, meters, liters), in cost units.

By application, absolute and relative indicators are distinguished.

Absolute- indicators expressed in physical and cost units.

relative- indicators characterizing the quality in comparison with the base, reference or competing sample.

Depending on the stage of determination, quality indicators are divided into:

• 1) predictable;
• 2) production;
• 3) design;
• 4) operational.

According to the elements of the business process, quality indicators are divided into:

• 1) informational - associated with the receipt, processing and transmission of information;
• 2) material - include the provision of input control raw materials, materials, semi-finished products;
• 3) technical and technological - associated with the maintenance of equipment and its condition;
• 4) labor - show the level of training of personnel in the field of quality;
• 5) organizational - reflect the application of progressive methods of organizing production.

Quality indicators must meet the following requirements:

• 1) to help ensure that the quality of products meets the needs and demands of the population;
• 2) to promote the systematic growth of production efficiency;
• 3) be sustainable and stable;
• 4) characterize all the features of the product that determine its quality and suitability;
• 5) to take into account the modern achievements of science and technology and the trends of technical progress in the spheres of the national economy.

The procedure for choosing a list of product quality indicators involves the establishment of:

• 1) type of product group;
• 2) the purpose of using the list of indicators of product quality;
• 3) the original nomenclature of groups of quality indicators;
• 4) the method of choosing the nomenclature of quality indicators.

The objects of product quality management are all elements that form a quality loop. Under the quality loop in accordance with international standards ISO understands a product life cycle closed in the form of a ring (Fig. 1), including the following main stages:

Marketing; design and development technical requirements, product development; logistics; preparation of production and development of technology and production processes; production; control, testing and examination; packaging and storage; sales and distribution of products; installation; operation; technical assistance and service; disposal. It must be borne in mind that in practice, for the purposes of planning, control, analysis, etc., these stages can be divided into components. The most important thing here is to ensure the integrity of quality management processes at all stages of the product life cycle.

With the help of the quality loop, the relationship between the manufacturer of products and the consumer and with all objects that provide a solution to the problems of product quality management is carried out.

Fig.1.

Product quality management is carried out cyclically and goes through certain stages, called the Deming cycle. The implementation of such a cycle is called the turnover of the Deming cycle.

The concept of the Deming cycle is not limited to product quality management, but is also related to any managerial and household activities. The sequence of stages of the Deming cycle is shown in fig. 2. and includes: planning (PLAN); implementation (DO); control (CHECK); action control (ACTION).

Fig.2. Deming cycle

The circular cycle that we subconsciously use in everyday life is the essence of the implementation of the so-called general management functions discussed earlier, bearing in mind that these functions are aimed at providing all the conditions for creating high-quality products and its high-quality use.

Thus, in quality management, in order to ensure the consistency of this process, it is necessary to combine the quality ring with the Deming cycle (circle), which will characterize the main types of actions throughout the product life cycle. Then the completeness of the main activities in the entire field of the resulting matrix will characterize the degree of complexity of the quality management process for certain types products.

Quality management is different from control, which is basically about separating good products from bad ones. The quality of the product after the completion of the production process cannot be changed as a result of the control.

Quality management deals with the entire system of development, production, operation (consumption) and disposal of a product. The goal of quality management is to identify the causes of defects, wherever they occur, and then eliminate these causes and ensure the production of better quality products.

PRACTICAL TASK

Determine which of the following characteristics apply to large or small enterprises.

Characteristic	Small or large enterprise
1) Costs decrease with an increase in production volumes
2) The possibility of reducing costs due to narrow specialization
3) Opportunity to start a business with a small start-up capital;
4) Use of high-performance technology
5) High mobility in matters of development strategy, including in the field of using non-capital-intensive achievements of scientific and technical progress
6) Proximity to the consumer; to local markets, the ability to quickly respond to changes in market conditions;
7) Ability to conduct R&D and marketing research
8) The presence of capital allows you to diversify production
9) Mobile structure, unburdened by past decisions and personnel
10) The relative simplicity of management systems, planning, control, coordination of work within the company

1. Single production is characterized by:

b- a wide range of products and a small volume of production of identical products;

2. Accelerated depreciation is used:

V- for fixed assets operating in an aggressive environment or in high-shift mode;

3. Working capital of an enterprise is:

V-inventory, work in progress, deferred expenses.

4. The level of production labor is characterized by:

a - return on assets;

V- capital intensity;

5. To pay for the labor of auxiliary workers who help the main workers, apply:

G- indirect piecework;

IN modern society There is a strong opinion that the state is obliged to control the quality of all manufactured and sold products in the country. In fact, this judgment is very far from the truth. The government exercises control exclusively over the safety of products, using certification and declaration procedures for these purposes. Product safety is one of the most important components of quality, but it does not guarantee the absolute quality of the product. At the same time, many succumb to the delusion, believing that it is the quality of products that is certified. But the truth is this case is such that only product safety, and not its quality, is subject to certification. The manufacturer is obliged to guarantee, first of all, the safety of the product, and whether it will be of high quality or not, remains on his conscience. It is possible to assess the attitude of the state to the quality control of goods approximately as follows: the main rule is safety, and overall quality is secondary.

Quality control by the government

The low quality of products on the shelves of stores causes extreme concern in society. This is also connected with memories of those times when the state was directly involved in product quality control. A little more than two decades ago, during the Soviet planning system, it was precisely the government bodies. However, it is necessary to understand whether in fact there was compliance with all the rules and regulations that guaranteed the quality of the products?

For the Soviet economy, meeting the necessary quality standards has always been a significant problem. Perfectly aware that it is thanks to the quality of products, in to a large extent the level and life expectancy of the population are determined, the leaders of the country proclaimed the struggle for quality as one of the main tasks of the country. The main weapon in the fight against quality goods became well known State standard(GOST). All GOSTs regulated the basic quality requirements, which were mandatory for execution. Gosstandart was engaged in direct supervision of compliance with all norms and rules in the manufacture of products. It was possible to achieve significant results, since this department had great influence and broad powers. General supervision over compliance with GOSTs on the ground had to be carried out by the territorial bodies of the State Standard, which were specialized centers for standardization and metrology.

What threatened non-compliance with GOST

The standards were mandatory for all manufacturers of products, at all stages of its production. Each standard declared that non-compliance with it would lead to legal prosecution, up to and including criminal liability. The system really worked, and many were really persecuted.

Dictatorship of the standard - why was it necessary?

Why was drastic action necessary? First of all, it was necessary to design a mechanism to stimulate the production of quality products in the absence of market competition, which could serve as the main incentive for the production of high quality products. Simply put, the standardization of each type of product and the requirement for strict compliance with all the rules and regulations attributed to the standard at that time was the only effective method to achieve and maintain the quality of the goods at the proper level.

The complete absence of a market system in the country with all the advantages and disadvantages was presented to the population as the historical achievements of socialism, which help to stay away from the world crises of overproduction, which arose with enviable constancy in capitalist countries. Central planning made it possible to accurately calculate, produce and distribute the required amount of goods and products for the whole country. Resources were not wasted on the production of products that had a chance of not being sold. The idea was put forward for the people that it was not expedient to achieve the quality of products, their excess production and healthy competition in the market, as is done in the capitalist countries. Products must be produced exactly as much as is necessary for the needs of the country.

How things were in reality

In fact, there was a constant crisis of overproduction in the country, but unlike capitalist countries, this was not a competitive product, but a low-quality and unclaimed product that was not purchased by the population, but after a while was sent to the warehouse. In conditions of constant shortages for almost all types of goods, the main indicator of the economy was considered the gross amount of manufactured products, the whole country sought to fulfill the planned plan, meanwhile working not for the consumer, but for the "warehouse"! Fulfill the plan at any cost, as a rule, it was the valuable quality of the goods that was carried out! Records in the high-speed production of products that were defective, of poor quality and did not meet elementary standards, not only could not solve the problem, but aggravated it even more. There was a constant shortage of the most necessary goods in the country.

Methods of dealing with marriage

At that time, the country's leadership seemed to be the best way out of this situation - tightening the measures for meeting standards, as well as stimulating the manufacturer to produce high-quality products using strict administrative methods. In the 70s - 80s, it becomes clear that the repressive methods against scammers do not lead to significant changes, certain ideas appear on the introduction of economic incentives for the manufacturer if he releases quality products. However, in such a case, it became necessary to evaluate the quality of the product.

The main difficulty in assessing quality was the scarcity, with which it is quite difficult to assess the true quality and purchasing power of any product. State certification of all manufactured products for all available categories was introduced. For herself the highest category an honorary Quality Mark was introduced, which gave the right to sell these products at higher prices. The stimulation of the release of new types of products, which were produced under the “H” index, will be introduced. For each enterprise, region and region, a specific plan was established, in which the highest quality products had to occupy a certain percentage. For non-fulfillment of the plan, a number of punishments were envisaged, and, among other things, deprivation of bonuses for a year.

Quality system: "Made in the USSR"

The "carrot and stick" programs, which were the main ones in the integrated management of quality standards, began to be supplemented by the development of special programs in quality management systems. Each region has its own special program. This method, named as the process of complex standardization, which was born back in the defense enterprises of the Soviet Union, became a compensation mechanism in the absence of any other mechanisms for monitoring and raising the quality level. These innovations served as a remarkable prototype for the creation of management systems, which today have become widespread throughout the world. In those years, there was a decisive struggle for quality, with a certain degree of success.

State acceptance - the last desperate step

The struggle for quality, or rather with its complete absence, was reminiscent of the work of a swan, cancer and pike from the famous Krylov's fable, and was one of the most vulnerable places in the socialist economy. General Secretary Yu.V. Andropov tried to greatly tighten labor discipline by introducing such a concept as State acceptance, when a number of specialists were sent to each enterprise, who were instructed to carry out strict quality control and acceptance of manufactured products.

It was a truly remarkable undertaking, a lot of painstaking work was carried out. The principles of discipline in production were laid down, technical re-equipment was carried out; enterprises were equipped with modern instrumentation; regulations for conducting operations and production processes were developed. The result of all the efforts is well known - the state acceptance was the last, completely lost battle for quality. It was she who was able to clearly demonstrate the inconsistency of the aspirations to find any ways that can replace market motivators for quality improvement. Seriously began to consider the issue of transition to a market economy.

Market relations will judge everyone

With the transition to the market, state control became a thing of the past. The principles of the operation of market relations, the abundance of goods and healthy competition should have put everything in its place, and become effective motivation improving the quality of manufactured products. Quality control was now assigned to the manufacturers themselves, who, in an effort to sell the goods, were interested in producing quality products.

For the current situation, the words once said by V. Chernomyrdin are most suitable: “We wanted the best - it turned out, as always”! It’s easier to say that such a brilliant idea again did not turn out to be anything good. The elimination of state control led to the fact that the market was quickly filled with counterfeit and counterfeit products from all over the globe, there was no need to talk about any quality here at all.

Mandatory certification - as one of the outputs

To save the market from the dominance of low-quality goods, mandatory certification of products was introduced for compliance with all safety requirements (not quality!) At the initial stage, state institutions, the same centers of metrology and certification, were involved in certification. After years given function out of state control.