Article
A study of successful quality improvement programs in the transportation industry
Abstract
This article presents the findings of a comprehensive, exploratory survey concerning transportation quality improvement programs. Various quality improvement program dimensions were compared among two groups of respondents: those who experienced market share increases or cost decreases associated with the quality programs, and those who did not.
The survey examined firms' general focus on quality and customers, the use and design of formal quality improvement programs, and the success and current status of these programs. A number
of significant quality program differences were found when comparing the two groups, including differences in top management support, benchmarking practices, customer interaction, and
program design elements.