The paper identifies and discusses what is considered to be the three most critical points, both up-stream and down-stream to Enterprise Modeling, for ensuring the usefulness and use of EM results in the continuous improvement of organizations. The model type that is targeted in the cases discussed in the paper is the process model, but other related model types, e.g. goal models and concepts m...

The selection and implantation of sufficient and appropriate continuous improvement strategy are the key success factors for improving firm performance and enhancement of competitive advantage on manufacturing industries. As a result special role are given to Continuous improvement programs such as Supply Chain Management (SCM), Six-Sigma, Total Quality Management (TQM), Kaizen, Just-in-Time (J...

Statistical process control is an excellent quality assurance tool to improve the quality of manufacture and ultimately scores on end-customer satisfaction. SPC uses process monitoring charts to record the key quality characteristics (KQCs) of the component in manufacture. This paper elaborates on one such KQC of the manufacturing of a connecting rod of an internal combustion engine. Here th...

Continuous process improvement is a constant preoccupation of companies operating in strong competitive markets (Thawani, 2002; Cronemyr, 2007). The goal of process improvement projects is about increasing both efficiency and effectiveness of the business system (Brad, 2008). A widely used methodology for process improvement is Six Sigma DMAIC (Cascini et al., 2008; Hamza, 2008). Some researche...

During the process of developing new and sophisticated methods of teaching, teachers often neglect the fundamental principle of quality management, which is to adopt a customer orientation. This study proposes a new methodology to involve students in the education improvement process. The emphasis is placed on investigating student expectations, transforming student expectations into actions an...

BACKGROUND Intraoperative awareness in patients undergoing general anesthesia is an infrequent but well-described adverse outcome. The reported incidence of this phenomenon is between 0.1% and 0.9%. METHODS With institutional review board approval, the authors reviewed continuous quality improvement data from 3 yr (2002-2004) at the locations where the physician group provided anesthesia. Boa...

Physicians must be ready to assume an active role in the design, implementation, and improvement of emerging models of health care delivery. Knowledge and skill in continuous improvement prepare them to engage seriously in the processes of change, on the basis of the same scientific principles they always have relied on in the use of evidence to improve outcomes. This includes include the abili...