Quality improvement programs such as Total Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma use a number of common tools for problem solving and process improvement. Many of these tools have been in use for many years in various quality improvement programs prior to their integration into TQM and Six Sigma. Common quality tools include flowcharts, check sheets, histograms, Pareto charts, scatter diagrams, run charts, control charts, and cause-and-effect diagrams. Common tools for generating ideas include brainstorming, benchmarking, and quality circles. In this exercise we examine these tools and how they are used for problem solving and process improvement. The basic steps in the TQM problem-solving process are: Step 1) Define the problem and establish an improvement goal.
Step 2) Develop performance measures and collect data.
Step 3) Analyze the problem.
Step 4) Generate potential solutions.
Step 5) Choose a solution.
Step 6) Implement the solution.
Step 7) Monitor the solution to see if it accomplishes the goal.

Assume that all of thurmond company’s sales are credit sales. it has been the practice of thurmond company to provide for uncollectible accounts expense at the rate of one-half of one percent of net credit sales. for the year 20x1 the company had net credit sales of $2,021,000 and the allowance for doubtful accounts account had a credit balance, before adjustments, of $630 as of december 31, 20x1. during 20x2, the following selected transactions occurred: jan. 20 the account of h. scott, a deceased customer who owed $325, was determined to be uncollectible and was therefore written off. mar. 16 informed that a. nettles, a customer, had been declared bankrupt. his account for $898 was written off. apr. 23 the $906 account of j. kenney & sons was written off as uncollectible. aug. 3 wrote off as uncollectible the $750 account of clarke company. oct. 20 wrote off as uncollectible the $1,130 account of g. michael associates. oct. 27 received a check for $325 from the estate of h. scott. this amount had been written off on january 20 of the current year. dec. 20 cater company paid $7,000 of the $7,500 it owed thurmond company. since cater company was going out of business, the $500 balance it still owed was deemed uncollectible and written off. required: prepare journal entries for the december 31, 20x1, and the seven 20x2 transactions on the work sheets provided at the back of this unit. then answer questions 8 and 9 on the answer sheet. t-accounts are also provided for your use in answering these questions. 8. which one of the following entries should have been made on december 31, 20x1?

Awork system has five stations that have process times of 5, 9, 4, 9, and 8. what is the throughput time of the system? a. 7b. 4c. 18d. 35e. 9

Jodie lives in a developing nation where the local markets are underdeveloped in terms of domestic exposure. her country wants to boost these domestic industries in the face of heavy competition from foreign players in the market. which trade practice should jodie’s country adopt to shield its domestic industries from foreign players? jodie’s country should adopt to shield its domestic industries from foreign players. typing answer