| A | B |
|---|
| competitive advantage | a particular feature that a business is able to claim makes its product stand out from the others in the market, thus enabling that business to sell more or charge a higher price |
| goodwill | an intangible asset usually related to the reputation of the company; the value of goodwill is difficult to calculate, but can be significant |
| Consumers' Association | an independent body which campaigns for improved standards of consumer protection; it publishes 'Which?' magazine |
| statistical quality control | a technique to measure the degree of accuracy of production; it makes use of tolerance levels, normal distribution curves and standard deviation |
| TQM | a method designed to reduce or even prevent defects from occurring during the production process |
| quality circles | a method of solving particular problems within a given workstation; a group of usually 4 -10 workers will meet regularly on a voluntary basis |
| BS5750 | the number given to the standard for quality procedures by the British Standards Institute |
| JIT | just-in -time refers to the manner in which parts are ordered and made avilable prior to being used. The idea is to ensure that the parts are delivered just before they are to be used, thus reducing costs |
| kanban | a bar coded card that triggers the reordering of parts; essential if JIT is to operate |
| jidoka | an automatic fault detection process which can stop the production line to prevent further goods being produced that are faulty |
| cell production | a method of organising workers into groups which are then responsible for the production and quality of the goods produced |
| kaizen | a system of continuous improvement |
