MSc. MSc. Supported Distance Learning Programmes. The Centre of Quality Excellence. in the Management of Quality Excellence

Transcription

1 The Centre of Quality Excellence Supported Distance Learning Programmes MSc in the Management of Quality Excellence MSc in Customer Service Management

2 U NIVERSITY OF L EICESTER The University of Leicester The University of Leicester is a leading UK University with a proud past and an exciting future. We deliver high quality undergraduate, postgraduate and professional education and create research that has impact internationally. The University of Leicester is the UK s leading provider of taught postgraduate education. The Financial Times has placed Leicester at the head of a league of their own for provision Leicester s teaching is of high quality. Fourteen consecutive assessments by the Quality Assurance Agency, stretching back to March 1998, have all returned scores of excellent (ie a score of at least 22 out of 24). Only one other university can match this consistent string of results. The discovery of DNA Genetic Fingerprinting and pioneering space exploration are our most famous achievements, but our world class research stretches across the arts, science, medicine, law, education, biological sciences and social sciences. Mission Statement "The University of Leicester reaffirms the commitment in its Charter to the advancement of knowledge, the diffusion and extension of arts, sciences and learning and the provision of liberal, professional and technological education and will strive to enhance its position as a leading research and teaching institution, cultivating the synergy between research and teaching." The Centre of Quality Excellence pg2 The Centre of Quality Excellence at the University of Leicester was established in January 2002 to reflect the growth of research and teaching activity in Quality Excellence within the University and its desire to develop this area further. There has been a Quality Excellence group at Leicester since 1998 when Professor Tony Bendell joined the University, and specialist MSc programmes in this area since January Research Research is a core activity of the Centre of Quality Excellence. To date, the Centre of Quality Excellence has enjoyed research funding from a number of organisations including; Rolls-Royce plc, The European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), the British Quality Foundation (BQF), Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), Lloyds Register Quality Assurance, SGS Yarsley, The Patent Office, and the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA). Professor Bendell and the other academic staff in the Centre are currently leading research and PhD programmes in a number of areas including Quality Management and Service Excellence, Benchmarking, Six Sigma and Statistical Quality Improvement, Reliability Analysis and Optimisation, IS09001: 2000 and Small Businesses, IPR and the Modelling and Assessment of Academic/Industry Technology Transfer, and the impact of the effective implemention of organisational excellence on key results. Mission The centre s mission is to foster a rigorous, yet creative approach to the development of Quality and Service Excellence in management, engineering, systems and services across UK and world industry, commerce and the public and voluntary sectors by: Creating a recognised centre of expertise in Quality and Service Excellence and related fields Undertaking academic research in the subject of Quality and Service Excellence and related fields Providing specialist postgraduate education in Quality and Service Excellence and related fields Forming links with European, and world industry, commerce and the public and voluntary sectors in relevant fields of management, engineering, systems and services Forming links with policy-makers, academics and professional institutions that will lead to future collaboration in research and postgraduate teaching Professor Tony Bendell Director, The Centre of Quality Excellence University of Leicester, UK. Professor Bendell is the founding Director of the Centre and his chair of Quality and Reliability Management at the University has been established with funding from Rolls-Royce plc. He is a key figure in the UK Business Excellence and Quality Management arena and is the principal author of numerous books and papers including the best-selling Financial Times book Benchmarking for Competitive Advantage.

3 Supported Post Graduate Distance Learning Programmes T HE C ENTRE OF Q UALITY E XCELLENCE The Centre of Quality Excellence runs two supported distance learning programmes. These are the MSc programme in the Management of Quality Excellence and the MSc programme in Customer Service Management. Whilst students are expected to invest time and effort in their studies, the Centre of Quality Excellence recognises that for students to be successful it is important that students are provided with appropriate support. The support that the Centre of Quality Excellence offers to its students has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of its distance learning students and is based on the University s extensive experience of the needs of distance learning students. Support from The Centre of Quality Excellence for its distance learning students includes; Academic Support Access to teaching staff via telephone, and on-line A revision session at the end of each Module held at the University of Leicester Specialist tutorial support for the project/dissertation stage of the MSc Online Support Facilities Blackboard Web-cast revision session for each Module Library Facilities The University Library provides a range of library and information services. Once registered as a distance learning student will benefit from: Enquiry services Document delivery Access to the online catalogue Internet and database services Literature services Information skills support In-Company Programmes The Centre of Quality Excellence also runs in-company corporate programmes. To discuss your company s requirements, please telephone + 44 (0) or send an enquiry to cqe@le.ac.uk. Certification Activities The Centre of Quality Excellence also acts as a recognition centre for in-house Quality Excellence and related training/educational programmes. pg3

4 U NIVERSITY OF L EICESTER MSc in the Management of Quality Excellence To deal with the Quality challenges faced by organisations in the pursuit of Excellence it is necessary for effective Quality Professionals and functional managers to understand and be able to put into practice Quality processes and approaches covering a wide range of areas such as Total Quality Management Systems, Statistical Quality Techniques, Business Excellence, Benchmarking and Customer Service Management.The course is suitable both for Quality specialists and for all managers and professionals. Course Aims A principal objective of the Leicester MSc in the Management of Quality Excellence is to help candidates become competent and capable quality professionals. The programme covers a wide range of quality issues and aims to increase a quality professional s ability to make good strategic decisions. Thus quality professionals can draw upon this learning to generate a range of options that can be applied to problems arising in any business environment. Professional Recognition This course meets the full academic requirements for full membership of the Institute of Quality Assurance (IQA), the only institute to recognise quality professionals in the UK. The IQA has granted us the status of Centre of Excellence in Quality Education. Enhanced Learning Scheme The Centre is an approved Learning Provider on the Enhanced Learning Scheme for the armed forces. Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma In addition to the MSc, students may take a sub-set of the course for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate. For Postgraduate Certificate the first 6 Modules are taken and for Postgraduate Diploma all Modules are taken other than the Project. Induction Students are encouraged to attend an induction to the course. The induction includes; An introduction to the MSc programme Networking with student peers Study skills Accessing online facilities Using the distance learning library International Experts Day Each year students can attend an International Experts Day that enables them to hear the latest thinking on the Management of Quality Excellence subjects. Admission Requirements A second class honours degree from a UK University or its equivalent, or A recognised professional qualification plus at least 2 years relevant managerial experience Exceptionally, students with limited academic qualifications but with suitable management or professional experience can be admitted (sometimes via Certificate route). Core Structure The Leicester MSc in Management of Quality Excellence consists of: 10 Core Modules 1 Project Dissertation Duration MSc: 24 months Postgraduate Certificate: 12 months Postgraduate Diploma 8 months Dissertation: 4 months Intake October, April Programme Structure POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE 12 MONTHS POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA MSC 8 MONTHS MSC 4 MONTHS MODULE CONTENT ASSIGNMENT ASSESSMENT 1 HUMAN ASPECTS OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT & CUSTOMER SERVICE 1ASSIGNMENT 2 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AND ACCOUNTING 1ASSIGNMENT 3 QUALITY AND THE CUSTOMER INTERFACE 1 ASSIGNMENT 4 INTRODUCTION TO QUALITY 1 ASSIGNMENT 5 TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) 1 ASSIGNMENT 6 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 1 ASSIGNMENT 7 CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGEMENT 1 ASSIGNMENT 8 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE 1 ASSIGNMENT 9 BENCHMARKING 1 ASSIGNMENT 10 STATISTICAL QUALITY TECHNIQUES OR THE LEAN ORGANISATION* 1 ASSIGNMENT A PROJECT DISSERTATION OF BETWEEN 12,000-15,000 WORDS. *Please note that students elect to take either Statistical Quality Techniques or the Lean Organisation 2 TWO HOUR EXAMINATION PAPERS AFTER MODULE 6 4 TWO HOUR EXAMINATION PAPERS AFTER MODULE 10 pg4

5 T HE C ENTRE OF Q UALITY E XCELLENCE MSc in the Management of Quality Excellence Overview of Modules Human Aspects of Quality Management & Customer Service This Module considers key themes in human resource management and development in the context of customer service management and quality excellence. It includes an overview of approaches to management, reviews team theory and discusses and evaluate approaches to leadership theory. Consideration is also given to learning, training and development, internal consulting and organisational development as far as they influence, and can be influenced by, customer service and quality excellence. Performance Measurement and Accounting This Module focuses on the measurement of organisational performance including financial and non-financial measurement as the basis for policy deployment and process management. It covers the perspectives that are identified in the EFQM Excellence Model and the Balanced Scorecard approaches. The disciplines of measurement and the development of measurement and performance systems within organisations is also considered. Quality and the Customer Interface This Module focuses on the interfaces between organisations and their customers from the point of view of quality management and customer service. Rather than taking a traditional marketing approach, this module turns the subject on its head and focuses on customer interfaces within Quality Management. The module considers both general principles and those appropriate to specific organisational types of markets. Introduction to Quality This Module explores the fundamental concept of Quality. Students are introduced to the concept and principles of improvement. Deming s theory of profound knowledge, how organisations are structured, the interface between organisations and customers and the Plan, Do, Study, Act Cycle (PDSA) that emphasises the concept of continuous improvement is explored. Students are also introduced to the concept of process thinking including its depiction through flowcharts, the various levels and types of flowcharts that can be used together with their advantages and drawbacks, and when they are best used. Finally, the Module draws together the issues that students have examined for discrete process improvement activity into a framework that relates to the whole organisation. Total Quality Management (TQM) This Module explores the historical development and practice of Quality as a management theory. Definitions of Quality are considered and the meaning and principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) are explored. Students are also introduced to the various Quality Gurus that have made a significant contribution to the field of Quality, including; Deming, Juran, Fegenbaum, Taguchi, Ishikawa, and Shingo. Consideration will also be given to key areas that have been shown to be at the very centre of any organisation which has a successful quality programme such as; top-level commitment, customer satisfaction, employee motivation and self-assessment. Students will then explore the relationship of TQM to classical management theories. Finally, students consider a number of stages that can help an organisation to implement a TQM programme. Examples are given of stages that cover understanding quality, commitment and leadership, planning, quality systems, improvement, teamwork, training and education and finally implementation. Quality Management Systems This Module explores the principles and purpose of Quality Management Systems. Students consider the evolution of international quality management system standard ISO 9000 and in particular the new Quality Standard ISO 9001:2000. Consideration is then given to structuring a quality management system and the documentation that is required in this respect. Commonality with environmental management standards is then reviewed. The final Sections of this Module consider the auditing process and the role of certification and accreditation bodies Customer Service Management This Module considers the history of service development and the development of the service era. Students explore the different methods of service classification and the different characteristics of service and then to onto look at service orientation. This includes, service culture and the importance of a cohesive culture within a corporation, characteristics of a customer focused organisation and competitive strategies within Services. In the final sections of this Module students review the process necessary for service development, the necessity of service blueprinting in the creation of an efficient service, the theory of quality function deployment, dimensions of service quality. Also included are the general dimensions customers use to make their service quality judgements and the how to measure and monitor of service quality. Business Excellence This Module explores the concept and practice of excellence. Three models that encapsulate the principles of excellence are considered. These are; the Deming Prize Model, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Model and the EFQM Excellence Model. The Module then goes on to look at other Quality Awards, accreditation standards and management systems as they relate to excellence. Students also consider approaches to self-assessment both for award purposes and for self-assessment within organisations themselves. The Module then considers the application of excellence principles, and of the excellence models in different types of organisations using case study examples from both the UK and US. Finally, the Module examines the available evidence that use of the excellence models works in a way that might help to convince sceptics. Benchmarking This Module considers both the theory and practice of benchmarking. The Module starts with the history and nature of benchmarking and then moves on to explore the practice of benchmarking from an operational perspective. Methodologies for the practice of internal and external benchmarking are put forward. The practical application of benchmarking is underpinned by case study material of company experience and approach to benchmarking. This includes a consortia benchmarking project that was conducted by a group of nine charities. Finally, the interface between benchmarking and the law is considered. Statistical Quality Techniques* The Module is concerned with the statistical approach to variation reduction and quality improvement such as is utilised in the six sigma methodology. In particular the Module focuses on statistical process control and design of experiment methods. The Lean Organisation* This Module introduces students to five key themes. These are; Lean Thinking, Fundamentals of Lean, Organisational Development and People Issues, Implementation of Lean and Business & External Implications. This Module has been designed to raise awareness and to put lean into the complete business environment. It will also provide students with a basic toolkit and help erect some signpost for students to facilitate the achievement of organisational transformation to lean in the future. * Please note that students elect to take either Statistical Quality Techniques or the Lean Organisation. pg5

6 U NIVERSITY OF L EICESTER MSc in Customer Service Management Customer service is not just a front-line activity, it is strategic and linked to policy deployment and senior management decision-making. The course is distinctive in focusing on Customer Service Management as a management discipline at postgraduate level with strategic implications, rather than as a front-line skill to which most provision is addressed. This is suitable both for customer service specialists and for all managers and professionals. Course Aims This course introduces and develops the purpose, nature and requirements of customer service management theory and practice. Aims of this course are to equip students with techniques and practices of customer service management, to explore the principles upon which these techniques and practices are based and to reflect upon and evaluate these techniques and practices as they relate to customer service management generally and specifically in terms of their own organisation. Enhanced Learning Scheme The Centre is an approved Learning Provider on the Enhanced Learning Scheme for the armed forces. Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma In addition to the MSc, students may take a sub-set of the course for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate. For Postgraduate Certificate the first 6 Modules are taken and for Postgraduate Diploma the first 6 Modules are taken plus the 4 approved Option Modules. Induction Students are encouraged to attend an induction to the course. The induction includes; An introduction to the MSc programme Study Skills Using the distance learning library Accessing online facilities Networking with student peers International Experts Day Each year students can attend an International Experts Day that enables them to hear the latest thinking on Customer Service Management. Admission Requirements A second class honours degree from a UK University or its equivalent, or A recognised professional qualification plus at least 2 years relevant managerial experience Exceptionally, students with limited academic qualifications but with suitable management or professional experience can be admitted (sometimes via Certificate route). Core Structure The Leicester MSc in Customer Service Management consists of: 6 Core Modules 4 Elective Modules 1 Project Dissertation Duration MSc: 24 months Postgraduate Certificate: 12 months Postgraduate Diploma 8 months Dissertation: 4 months Intake October, April Programme Structure POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE MODULE CONTENT ASSIGNMENT ASSESSMENT 12 MONTHS POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA MSC 4 MONTHS 4 MONTHS MSC 4 MONTHS 1 HUMAN ASPECTS OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT & CUSTOMER SERVICE 1ASSIGNMENT 2 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AND ACCOUNTING 1ASSIGNMENT 3 QUALITY AND THE CUSTOMER INTERFACE 1 ASSIGNMENT 4 INTRODUCTION TO QUALITY 1 ASSIGNMENT 5 TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) 1 ASSIGNMENT 6 CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGEMENT 1 ASSIGNMENT PLUS TWO OPTIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING 7 8 CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT CUSTOMER SERVICE MEASUREMENT BENCHMARKING PLUS TWO OPTIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING ORAGANISATIONAL EXCELLENCE PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY 9 10 PLUS: QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS A PROJECT DISSERTATION OF BETWEEN 12,000-15,000 WORDS. 1 ASSIGNMENT 1 ASSIGNMENT 1 ASSIGNMENT 1 ASSIGNMENT 2 TWO HOUR EXAMINATION PAPERS AFTER MODULE 6 4 TWO HOUR EXAMINATION PAPERS AFTER MODULE 10 pg6

7 T HE C ENTRE OF Q UALITY E XCELLENCE MSc in Customer Service Management Overview of Modules Human Aspects of Quality Management & Customer Service This Module considers key themes in human resource management and development in the context of customer service management and quality excellence. It includes an overview of approaches to management, reviews team theory and discusses and evaluate approaches to leadership theory. Consideration is also given to learning, training and development, internal consulting and organisational development as far as they influence, and can be influenced by, customer service and quality excellence. Performance Measurement and Accounting This Module focuses on the measurement of organisational performance including financial and non-financial measurement as the basis for policy deployment and process management. It covers the perspectives that are identified in the EFQM Excellence Model and the Balanced Scorecard approaches. The disciplines of measurement and the development of measurement and performance systems within organisations is also considered. Quality and the Customer Interface Quality management principles are not confined to the operations function. Quality and the Customer Interface examine the marketing function from a quality perspective. It shows quality managers and quality professionals the principles underlying marketing strategy and function so that they can relate them to their own environments and contribute to their organisations future successes. Introduction to Quality This Module explores the fundamental concept of Quality. Students are introduced to the concept and principles of improvement. Deming s theory of profound knowledge, how organisations are structured, the interface between organisations and customers and the Plan, Do, Study, Act Cycle (PDSA) that emphasises the concept of continuous improvement is explored. Students are also introduced to the concept of process thinking including its depiction through flowcharts, the various levels and types of flowcharts that can be used together with their advantages and drawbacks, and when they are best used. Finally, the Module draws together the issues that students have examined for discrete process improvement activity into a framework that relates to the whole organisation. Total Quality Management (TQM) This Module explores the historical development and practice of Quality as a management theory. Definitions of Quality are considered and the meaning and principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) are explored. Students are also introduced to the various Quality Gurus that have made a significant contribution to the field of Quality, including; Deming, Juran, Fegenbaum, Taguchi, Ishikawa, and Shingo. Consideration will also be given to key areas that have been shown to be at the very centre of any organisation which has a successful quality programme such as; top-level commitment, customer satisfaction, employee motivation and self-assessment. Students will then explore the relationship of TQM to classical management theories. Finally, students consider a number of stages that can help an organisation to implement a TQM programme. Examples are given of stages that cover understanding quality, commitment and leadership, planning, quality systems, improvement, teamwork, training and education and finally implementation. Customer Service Management This Module considers the history of service development and the development of the service era. Students explore the different methods of service classification and the different characteristics of service and then go onto look at service orientation. This includes, service culture and the importance of a cohesive culture within a corporation, characteristics of a customer focused organisation and competitive strategies within Services. In the final sections of this Module students review the process necessary for service development, the necessity of service blueprinting in the creation of an efficient service, the theory of quality function deployment, dimensions of service quality and the general dimensions customers use to make their service quality judgement and the how to measure and monitor service quality. Customer Relationship Management This Module is concerned with the Management of the whole relationship with customers and includes aspects related to determine and meeting customers day to day contact requirements, handling feedback on complaints and proactive involvement with customers to address their needs, expectations and concerns. The Module also covers aspects such as following up on the sales, servicing and contacts, innovation and creativity in the customer and servicing relationship and the use of structured data gathering in order to determine customer service satisfaction levels. Customer Service Measurement This Module is an in depth investigation of the measurement dimensions of customer service and the use in customer service design and management. The Module includes the measurement of outputs and outcomes including perception based measures as well as process and input performance indicators covering all aspects of the customer service requirement. Both for standalone services and for the product and service elements associated with products. Benchmarking This Module considers both the theory and practice of benchmarking. The Module starts with the history and nature of benchmarking and then moves on to explore the practice of benchmarking from an operational perspective. Methodologies for the practice of internal and external benchmarking are put forward. The practical application of benchmarking is underpinned by case study material of company experience and approach to benchmarking. This includes a consortia benchmarking project that was conducted by a group of nine charities. Finally, the interface between benchmarking and the law is considered. Organisational Excellence This Module explores the concept and practice of excellence. Three models that encapsulate the principles of excellence are considered. These are; the Deming Price Model, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Model and the EFQM Excellence Model. The Module then goes on to look at other Quality Awards, accreditation standards and management systems as they relate to excellence. Students also consider approaches to selfassessment both for award purposes and for selfassessment within organisations themselves. The Module then considers the application of excellence principles, and of the excellence models in different types of organisations using case study examples from both the UK and US. Finally, the Module examines the available evidence that use of the excellence models works in a way that might help to convince sceptics. Public Service Delivery In many countries, the public sector is being squeezed by the combination of budgetary or efficiency pressures and rising expectations. The result is often a loss of confidence in the public sector s ability to deliver. Governments at all levels have reacted by introducing modernisations programmes to improve customer focus, public accountability and performance management systems. This Module examines the quality implications of these pressures and modernisation programmes. Quality Management Systems This Module explores the principles and purpose of Quality Management Systems. Students consider the evolution of international quality management system standard ISO 9000 and in particular the new Quality Standard ISO 9001:2000. Consideration is then given to structuring a quality management system and the documentation that is required in this respect. Commonality with environmental management standards is then reviewed. The final Sections of this Module considers the auditing process and the role of certification and accreditation bodies. pg7

8 For more information please contact: The Centre of Quality Excellence University of Leicester University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, England Telephone: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) The Centre of Quality Excellence University of Leicester University Road Leicester LE1 7RH England