What strategies can businesses use for continuous quality improvement?

Businesses can use strategies such as Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, Lean Management, and Benchmarking for continuous quality improvement.

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management approach that aims for long-term success by focusing on customer satisfaction. TQM is based on the participation of all members of an organisation in improving processes, goods, services, and the culture in which they work. It involves a strategic, systematic approach to improving the overall quality and involves all departments, from management to assembly line workers, in a company.

Six Sigma is another strategy that businesses can use. It is a disciplined, statistical-based, data-driven approach and continuous improvement methodology for eliminating defects in a product, process, or service. It was developed by Motorola and is widely used in many sectors of industry. Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimising variability in manufacturing and business processes.

Lean Management is a method for the elimination of waste within a system. Lean methods aim to incorporate high quality into processes, which results in less time and resources used. The main objectives of Lean Management include improving overall customer value, reducing working capital, increasing efficiency, and improving quality.

Benchmarking is a process of measuring the performance of a company's products, services, or processes against those of another business considered to be the best in the industry, aka "best in class." The point of benchmarking is to identify internal opportunities for improvement by understanding and applying best practices.

By implementing these strategies, businesses can continuously improve their quality, leading to increased customer satisfaction, reduced costs, and improved overall efficiency. It's important to remember that continuous quality improvement is a long-term process that requires commitment and regular review.