Centre Name:

East End Computing & Business College

Centre No:

10562

Learners
Name:
Assessors
Name:
Assessors
Signature:

Date:

Date Issued:

First Submission Date:

Final Submission Date

Feedback Date:

Learners Declaration:

I declare that all the work submitted for this assignment is my own work or, in the case of group
work, the work myself and other members of the group in which I worked, and that no part of it
has been copied from any source.
I understand that if any part of the work submitted for this assignment is found to be plagiarised,
none of the work submitted will be allowed to count towards the assessment of the assignment.

Signature______________________________

Date_________________________

Internal verification:
IV Name:

Signature:

Date:

Assessor
Name:

Signature:

Date:

Assignment
Brief

Qualification: Pearson BTEC Level

Unit Number and Title
5 HND Diploma Business
Unit 32: Quality Management in Business
(Management)
Assessment Deadline:
1st Formative submission date: Task 1 & 2 due 31/03/2015
2nd Formative submission date: Task 3 & 4 due 19/05/2015
Final submission date: 01/06/2015
Assessor Name
Rehana Khanam

Date issued:
09/02/2015

Rules and regulations:

Plagiarism is presenting somebody elses work as your own. It includes: copying information
directly from the Web or books without referencing the material; submitting joint coursework as an
individual effort; copying another students coursework; stealing coursework from another student
and submitting it as your own work. Suspected plagiarism will be investigated and if found to have
occurred will be dealt with according to the procedures set down by the Eastend College. Please see
your student handbook for further details of what is / isnt plagiarism.
Assignment Regulations:
1
Students are required to submit their assignment on-line through on-line e-learning
system http://e-shoppingbd.com/moodle/ .Detailed information about this is
available in the student handbook submission. www.submit.ac.uk
2

Details of submission procedures and penalty fees can be obtained from assessment
officers

Late coursework will be accepted by Academic Administration Office and marked

according to the guidelines given in your Student Handbook for this year.

If you need an extension (even for one day) for a valid reason, you must request
one, using a coursework extension request form available from the Academic
Administration Office. The completed form must be accompanied by evidence
such as a medical certificate in the event of you being sick.

General guidelines for submission of Assignment:

a) All work must be word-processed and must be of good standard.
b) Document margins shall not be more than 2.5cm or less than 1.5cm
c) Font size in the range of 11 to 12 points distributed to including headings and body
text. Preferred typeface to be of a common standard such as Arial or Times New
Roman for the main text.
d) Any computer files generated such as programme code (software), graphic files
that form part of the course work must be submitted either online with the
documentation.
e) The copy of the course work submitted may not be returned to you after marking
and you are advised to have your personal copy for your reference.
f) All work completed, including any software constructed may not be used for any
purpose other than the purpose of intended study without prior written permission
from Eastend Computing and Business College.

Learning Outcomes and assessment requirements

Outcomes

Assessment criteria

On successful completion of
this unit a learner will:

To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to:

1. Understand the different

approaches to quality
management appropriate to
commercial operations

1.1 discuss definitions of quality in terms of business and services

provision
1.2 illustrate the processes of inspection and assurance
1.3 discuss a range of approaches to quality management
1.4 explain the similarities and differences between the different
methods

2.1 discuss what is meant by customer satisfaction

2 Understand the benefits of 2.2 explain the meaning of continuous improvement
quality management in a 2.3 illustrate the type of added values to be gained
business
and
services 2.4 describe the types of information made available to customers and
the importance given to effective marketing
context

3. Understand a range of
quality controls and how
service to the customer can
be improved

3.1 explain how quality management can be measured

3.2 evaluate the benefit of user and non-user surveys in determining
customer need
3.3 list the methods of consultation employed in one quality scheme
to encourage participation by under- represented groups
3.4 identify the value of complaints procedures and analyse how they
may be used to improve quality

4.1 report on the role of self-assessment in order to determine an

4. Be able to apply the organisations current state of health
principles
of
quality 4.2 evaluate the importance of communication and record keeping
management to improve the 4.3 Follow guidelines on the stages of staff consultation necessary for
performance
of
an the effective implementation of a quality scheme
4.4 propose new systems or modifications to existing systems that
organisation
could improve service quality

In addition to the above PASS criteria, this assignment gives you the opportunity to submit evidence in order to achieve the following MERIT and
DISTINCTION grades
Grade Descriptor
M1 Identify and apply strategies to find
appropriate solutions

Indicative characteristic/s

Contextualisation
Learner has used effective judgment to identify and
effective judgements have been made
state the similarities and differences between
complex problems with more than one variable have different approaches to quality management or
been explored
identify a range of methods to measure quality
management
Learner has used a range of sources to illustrate the
benefits of customer service, continuous
improvement, complaints procedures and customer
information to improve customer service quality

M2 Select / design and apply appropriate

methods / techniques

relevant theories and techniques have been applied

a range of methods and techniques have been applied
a range of sources of information have been used to
complete work

M3 Present and communicate appropriate

findings

the appropriate structure and approach has been used Learner used technical language and a logical
coherent, logical development of principles/concepts approach to demonstrates the role of self-assessment
for the intended audience
and guidelines for communicating a quality scheme
a range of methods of presentation have been used
and technical language has been accurately used

D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own

work and justify valid conclusions

D2 Take responsibility for managing and

organising activities

D3 Demonstrate convergent /lateral / creative

thinking

Learner has used synthesis to generate ideas to

conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of evaluate the benefits of user and no-user surveys in
ideas and have been justified
determining customer needs

autonomy/independence has been demonstrated

effective thinking has taken place in unfamiliar

contexts

Learner has demonstrated independence in planning

and managing the presentation of completed work

Learner has demonstrated a level of independence in

proposing new systems or modifications of existing
systems to improve quality

Assignment title

Quality Management in Business

Purpose of this assignment

Customers are becoming more sophisticated and more demanding, requiring superior performance from
goods or services and quicker responses from suppliers. Therefore quality management has become an
operational priority to ensure customer satisfaction. Customers expectations vary from value for money,
reliability, durability, performance and serviceability. Quality assurance would help to guarantee that goods
and services are fit for purpose driven by what customers want and willing to pay for. Quality can also be
seen as a competitive advantage for organisations and serve as a tool for branding and improving corporate
image.
This assignment would enable learners to understand the concept of quality in the context of business and
service operations. Assessment criteria would focus on the benefit of quality assurance and continuous
improvement to enhance the performance of an organisation.
Scenario

Toyota is one of the worlds best-known and most successful businesses, building cars and trucks in 26
countries for sale in more than 160 markets around the globe. Worldwide production was 10.12 million (8.89
million for Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles) in 2013, making Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) the
worlds largest vehicle manufacturer in terms of product volume. The level of UK production has made
Toyota a key player in the nations manufacturing industry.
Toyotas high-profile presence in Europe, as a designer, manufacturer and retailer of vehicles, is reflected in
its strategic network of operations. Toyotas European head office is in Brussels, home to key activities for
Toyota and Lexus across the Continent, covering the European Union and beyond. These include overseeing
all manufacturing and engineering operations, marketing, sales, network development and brand
management, public relations, strategic and product planning, logistics, customer services, after-sales and
human resources/business administration issues.
Much of Toyotas worldwide success has been achieved through its forward-looking approach and its
determination to explore new concepts, design, technology and improved safety measures. Innovation has
been sought not just for the sake of science, but in order to deliver increased safety and performance and
environmental benefits in Toyotas mainstream product range.
However the reputation of the organisation has been threatened by customer complaints and product recall
due to safety issues some of the models affected include the Corolla, RaV4, Yaris, Tacoma and the Urban
Cruiser. Since 2012 the company has recalled around 20million vehicles and sold 18.7m. Toyota was fined
$1.2bn (720m) by US regulators over an investigation into misleading statements the company had made
about safety problems with cars. In Toyotas defence the company admitted the faults were caused by overhasty expansion. Never the less each announcement and press put another dent in the recovery and effort put
in place by the company to re-establish the confidence of customers of their standards for design and product
quality.
Company Overview www.toyota.com
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/apr/09/toyota-recalls-over-6m-cars-worldwide
In a bid to resolve Toyotas quality issues, the company has announced the launch of a gifted and talent
program which has links with a local university to train staff in quality management processes. The company
is offering sponsorship and grants to employees that can demonstrate an initiative for innovation and
creativity. Candidates wishing to win a spot on this program have been asked to take part in an essay writing
competition to determine their eligibility. The essay would test candidates on four key areas which illustrated
below.

Task 1 (Essay)
To convince management you are a suitable candidate for this program you are required to show an
understanding of quality management in the context of products and service.
a) Discuss definitions of quality in terms of business and services provision (AC 1.1)
b) Explain and illustrate earlier processes of inspection and assurance (AC1.2)
c) Discuss a range of quality management approaches Organisations like Toyota can adopt, clearly
highlighting the similarities and differences between the different methods. (AC1.3) (AC1.4)
To achieve M1, Learner has used effective judgment to identify and state the similarities and differences
between different approaches to quality management or identify a range of methods to measure quality
management
Task 2
Using Toyota as your organisation of choice comment on the benefits of quality management in a business
and service context. Elaborate on your work to show clear understanding and when necessary give examples
related to Toyota or similar companies to clarify your point of view.
a) Discuss what is meant by customer satisfaction in the context of Toyota (AC2.1)
b) Explain the meaning of continuous improvement with reference to Toyota (AC2.2)
c) Illustrate the type of added values and benefits Toyota would gain from implementing effective
quality management (AC2.3)
d) Describe importance Toyota gives to effective marketing and the types of information made available
to customers by Toyota.(AC2.4)
To achieve M2, learner has used a range of sources to illustrate the benefits of customer service, continuous
improvement and customer information to improve customer service quality.
Task 3
Imagine you have been allocated to work with the customer service team to improve customer satisfaction.
The team recently conducted a survey, whose results clearly showed that customer had declined. Propose
how will you improve customer service by addressing the following questions:
a) Explain how quality management can be measured by Toyota (AC3.1)
b) Evaluate the benefits of user and non-user surveys in determining Toyotas customer needs (AC3.2)
c) List the methods of consultation employed by Toyota in one quality scheme to encourage
participation by under- represented groups (AC3.3)
d) Identify the value of complaints procedures and analyse how they may be used to improve quality at
Toyota. (AC3.4)
To achieve M2, demonstrate the use of a range of sources to illustrate the benefits complaints procedures to
improve customer service quality
To achieve D1, used synthesis to generate ideas to evaluate the benefits of user and no-user surveys in
determining customer needs

Task 4
For the final task you would be tested on your understanding of how to apply the principles of quality
management to improve the performance of an organisation
a) Report on the role of self-assessment in order to determine Toyotas current state of health (AC4.1)
b) Evaluate the importance of communication and record keeping at Toyota (AC4.2)
The last 2 questions are meant to test your creative skills and your ability to propose new systems for
operational activity ..
c) Explain how quality schemes at Toyota can be effectively implemented by following guidelines on
the stages of staff consultation (AC4.3)
d) Propose new systems or modifications to Toyotas existing systems that could improve service
quality (AC4.4)
To achieve M3, used technical language and a logical approach to demonstrates the role of self-assessment
and guidelines for communicating a quality scheme
To achieve D3, demonstrated a level of independence in proposing new systems or modifications to existing
systems to improve quality
Note: The following criterias would need to be evident throughout the assignment for a distinction to be
awarded.
To achieve D2, demonstrated independence in planning and managing the presentation of completed work

Evidence
checklist

Task 1

Summary of evidence required by student

An essay demonstrating an understanding of the different approaches to quality management

appropriate to commercial operations.
An essay that illustrates the benefits of quality management in business

Task 2
An essay that shows an understanding of a range of quality controls
Task 3

Task 4

An essay that applies the principles of quality management to improve the performance of an
organisation

Note:
The report should be written in a suitable business style and should link any academic theories/studies to the
business including appropriate research on quality management and improving product/service quality by
Toyota.

Merit and Distinction descriptors:

The grade descriptors provide a framework for the creation of grading criteria to be written and set
within the context of the assignment. The grade descriptors describe the expected qualities of the
learners work at Merit and distinction levels. The merit and distinction levels have three descriptors.
MERIT Criteria:
M1 Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions.
M2 Select /Design and apply appropriate methods / techniques
M3 Present and communicate appropriate findings
DISTINCTION Criteria:
D1 Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities
D2 Use Critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions
D3 Demonstrate Convergent /lateral/creative thinking
Indicative MERIT and DISTINCTION descriptors are given by individual Learning Outcome below

Merit
M1

Descriptors
Identify and Apply
Strategies to find
Appropriate Solutions

M2

Select/Design and
Apply Appropriate
Methods/Techniques

M3

Present and
Communicate
Appropriate Findings

Indicative Characteristic
Effective judgements have been made when understanding
different ethical perspectives in business.
Complex problems with more than one variable have been
addressed when understanding different ethical perspectives in
business.
An effective approach to study and research has been applied
when understanding different ethical perspectives in business.
Relevant theories and techniques have been applied.
A range of methods and techniques have been applied.
A range of sources of information has been used.
The selection of methods and techniques/sources has been
justified.
The design of methods/techniques has been justified.
Complex information has been processed/synthesised.
Appropriate learning methods/techniques have been applied.
The appropriate structure and approach has been used.
There is coherent, logical development of principles/concepts
for the intended audience.
A range of methods of presentation have been used and
technical language has been accurately used.
Communication has taken place in familiar and unfamiliar
contexts.
The communication is appropriate for familiar and
unfamiliar audiences and appropriate media have been used.

Distinction Descriptors
D1
Use Critical Reflection
to Evaluate own work
and Justify Valid
Conclusions

Indicative Characteristic
Conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas
and have been justified by using different but appropriate
examples.
The validity of results has been evaluated using defined
criteria.
Self-Criticism of approach has taken place when
understanding different ethical perspectives in business.
Realistic Improvements have been proposed against defined
characteristics for success.

D2

Take Responsibility for

Managing and
Organising Activities

Autonomy/independence has been demonstrated.

Substantial activities, projects or investigations have been
planned, managed and organised.
Activities have been managed.
The unforeseen has been accommodated.
The importance of interdependence has been recognised and
achieved.

D3

Demonstrate
Convergent/Lateral/
Creative Thinking

Ideas have been generated and decisions taken when

understanding different ethical perspectives in business.
Self-evaluation has taken place.
Convergent and lateral thinking have been applied.
Problems have been solved
Innovation and creative thought have been applied.
Receptiveness to new ideas is evident.
Effective thinking has taken place in unfamiliar contexts.

Harvard Referencing System

We recommend the use of a Harvard Referencing generator for help with referencing, a good one can be
found at www.neilstoolbox.com
We expect students to use the alphabetical or name-date method known as the HARVARD system.
There are two parts in this system:
1. Citation within text or body of the report:
In this the author's surname and year of publication are cited in the text, e.g. (Bond, 2004).
2. Reference List:
A reference list (of these citations) is included at the end of the assignment, in alphabetical order by
author. The reference list also includes additional details such as the title and publisher.
A bibliography lists relevant items that you have used in the preparation of the assignment but not cited
in your text. A bibliography should also be in the Harvard style and the inclusion of such a list shows
that you have read widely beyond the items you have cited.
Examples of citation within text or body of the report:
1. Cormack (1994, p.32-33) states that................
2. ............ This view has been supported in the work of Cormack (1994, p.32-33).
3. Jones (1946) and Smith (1948) have both shown
4. Corporate Author: 1st citation: Royal College of Nursing (RCN), 2007, 2nd citation: RCN, 2007
Examples of listings in reference list:
1. Books with one author:
Redman, P., 2006. Good essay writing: a social sciences guide. 3rd ed. London: Open University in
assoc. with Sage.

2. Books with two, three or four authors:

The required elements for a reference are: Authors, Initials, Year. Title of book. Edition. Place:
Publisher Kirk, J. & Munday, R.J., 1988. Narrative analysis. 3rd ed. Bloomington: Indiana University
Press.
3. Books with more than four authors:
For books where there are more than four authors, use the first author only with surname and initials
followed by et al.
The required elements for a reference are:
Author, Initials., Year. Title of book. Edition. (only include this if not the first edition) Place: Publisher
Grace, B. et al., 1988. A history of the world. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
4. e-books
For e-books the required elements for a reference are : Author, Year, title of book. [type of medium]
Place of publication: Publisher
Fishman, R., 2005. The rise and fall of suburbia. [e-book]. Chester: Castle Press.
If available at website:

Fishman, R., 2005. The rise and fall of suburbia. [e-book]. Chester: Castle Press. Available at:
www.libweb.anglia.ac.uk/E-books [accessed 5 June 2005].
5. Journal articles
Author, Initials., Year. Title of article. Full Title of Journal, Volume number (Issue/Part number), Page
numbers.
Perry, C., 2001. What health care assistants know about clean hands? Nursing Times, 97(22), p.63-64.
6. Newspaper articles
Author, Initials., Year. Title of article. Full Title of Newspaper Day and month before page numbers of
article. Slapper, G., 2005. Corporate manslaughter: new issues for lawyers. The Times, 3 Sep. p.4-5.
Details explanation of question Key words
Analyse

Show the essence of something by breaking it down into its

component parts and examining each part in detail.
Break an issue down into its component parts, discuss them and
show how they interrelate. Present the case for and against a
particular proposition.

Assess

Consider the value or importance of something, paying due

attention to positive, negative and disputable aspects, and citing
the judgements of any known authorities as well as your own.
Spell out the main aspects of an idea or topic or the sequence in
which a series of things happened
Investigate or examine by argument, examine key points and
possible interpretations, sift and debate, giving reasons for and
against.
Draw a conclusion.
Look in close detail and establish the key facts and important
issues surrounding a topic. This should be a critical evaluation
and you should try and offer reasons as to why the facts and
issues you have identified are the most important, as well as
explain the different ways they could be construed.
Make an appraisal of the worth of something, in the light of its
apparent truth or utility. Include your personal opinion, supported
by evidence. Like assess.
Make clear, interpret, and account for in detail.
Tell how things work or how they came to be the way they are,
including perhaps some need to describe and to analyse (see
above).
Clarify a topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it
occurs, or what is meant by the use of this term in a particular
context. Your writing should have clarity so that complex
procedures or sequences of events can be understood; defining
key terms where appropriate, and be substantiated with relevant
research.
Determine what the key points to be addressed are and
implications thereof.
Make a survey of, examining the subject critically.
Look thoroughly into a subject. This should be a critical
assessment and not merely descriptive.

Describe
Discuss

Examine

Evaluate

Explain

Identify
Review