Quality Policy vs. Objectives, Goals, Mission, Target, Vision - Differences

I request the experts on QMS to clarify clearly the difference between mission,quality policy, objectives,goals,targets as theses words are sometimes confusing to correctly interpret.
Thanking you somanath

[Greg Mack]

Hi tsomanath
Hope this info helps you out....

Quality Policy - This should be a brief statement the shows a commitment by your top management to the quality management system. It should also describe the commitment to continuous improvement of the effectiveness of your system as well. A mention about establishing and reviewing objectives relevant to your business needs would also be required. You want to state that the success of your system involves the participation of all employees.

Mission Statement - Easy to answer - What is the purpose of your business? What are you trying to achieve? Typically a one line statement may be all that is required. It typically reflects the comments made in the Quality Policy

Objectives - Set by the top management in your company, these need to be 'SMART' goals. ie. Specific, Measureable, Accountable, Realistic and Time. What is it that you are trying to achieve through your processes?

Goals - These will compliment your Objectives. By way of 'Policy Deployment' the "Objectives" reflect the Quality Policy and Mission Statement and "Goals" reflect the "Objectives". So for an example, the CEO sets Objectives, the Business Unit Manager sets goals that reflect the CEO's objectives, the Department Manager sets Goals that meet the Busines Unit Manager's Goals, and the employees' set Goals that meet the Department Manager's Goals. That way, everyone in the organisation is working towards the same Goals and Objectives which then reflects the Quality Policy Statement. Goals should also be "SMART" in their development and relevant to the business needs.

Targets - would most generally come from goals and objectives set. That is, what do I have to do to achieve my goals? So I need to set minor goals or "targets" along the way to ensure I stay on track in reaching my goal and meeting business objectives.

Hope all that makes some sort of sense. There will most likely be others that may have a difference of opinion, but in reality, it would most probably mean the same thing.

I was given a task to develop a Quality Policy & Objective for the version 2000 standards. I have several questions needed help :-
1) What is the differences between the two ?
2) We have a Vision and Mission, is there a difference betwen the Mission and Quality Policy or Objective ?

Thanks

[Marc]

I would suggest that you start by taking a quick read through:
http://Elsmar.com/ubb/Forum15/HTML/000132.html
and http://Elsmar.com/ubb/Forum15/HTML/000257.html
and http://Elsmar.com/ubb/Forum15/HTML/000154.html

I believe these have the answers you seek. If not, come back to this 'topic' with mose specific questions and we'll try to help.

Also see:
http://Elsmar.com/ubb/Forum15/HTML/000132.html
and http://Elsmar.com/ubb/Forum15/HTML/000257.html <HR>Edited 28 October 2001

I can't re-lookup and change every old link to posts in the old forums. Most of them *should* still be there. If you want to find the post in the New forums, if the link to the thread in the old forums works (most of them should...), look at the thread (topic) title and what forum it is in. Then back here in the New forums - go to that forum and look for the thread topic title - OR - do a Search for the key words from Title (Note - you can search entire threads or just the 'subject' or 'title' - if you look in the Forums search page you'll see the options.

Call me lazy...

If you want to find the post in the New forums, if the link to the thread in the old forums works (most of them should...), look at the thread (topic) title and what forum it is in. Then back here in the New forums - go to that forum and look for the thread topic title - OR - do a Search for the key words from Title (Note - you can search entire threads or just the 'subject' or 'title' - if you look in the Forums search page you'll see the options).

[M Greenaway]

To my mind Mission and Quality Policy are the same thing, i.e. an overall statement of the direction a company wishes to take, including its quality aspirations.

Again Objectives, Targets and Goals are the same thing, i.e. a measurable, quantifiable level of performance that the company wishes to achieve.

I think its that simple !

[qsmso]

Dear Cove friends,
I have done some search, but cannot find exactly.
I have question regarding Quality Objectives and Policy Deployment
1. Should quality objective of each function in the organization correlate with company goals, especially in term of calculaiton?

To clarify my question, here is the situation. For example, the company policy is to achieve 100 % delivery on time for all customers in year 2002, If I am R&D department, how can I deploy this policy to my department’s quality objective.

Can I said that R&D quality objective is to reduce average development time of each model not over 2 trial runs per program. Because I think the faster development time, the faster product launch. Then we can achieve 100% delivery. However, this cannot explain by mathematics how can my objectives have correlate with company goal.

2. Can anybody suggest the systematic way to generate each function measurable objective base on company goals or strategic goals? If you have.

Thank you.
QSMSO

[M Greenaway]

Shortening lead time is not necessarily the same as achieving on time delivery.

Personally I dont think that a company wide objective of achieving on time delivery needs to be translated into a departmental objective for every department in the organisation.

If you ae not achieving your company wide objective you would then take corrective action. Like any CA this will involve determining root cause and taking appropriate action. If in determining root cause you see that the hold up is due to R&D evaluation time then you might create a departmental objective on some aspect of R&D activity to ensure it is carried out expediently.

Well thats what I think.

[gpainter]

MO:
Vision- a statement of what we are trying to do as a business
Mission- what we have to do as a business to achieve our vision
Quality Policy- ties the vision and mission in a brief statement
Objectives/Goals- same.. measurements that will let us know how we are doing in relation to the above
Targets- the attainment number for objectives/goals (e.g. be at 4 sigma)