The Quality Business

This book is the first to seriously consider quality issues in smaller firms, based upon well-conducted research and careful theorizing. Subjects covered include:

* the relevance of formal quality standards such as BS 5750 to small firms

* definitions and implementations of ''quality'' in a business context, from formal standards to Total Quality Management

* interviews with a selected sample of over 150 owner-managers

* detailed case studies of small firms

* analysis of self-generated quality strategies

* the variety of formal methods of quality control.