In these days of global sourcing, it is often difficult to physically visit suppliers to appraise capacity with regard to infrastructure, equipment and management processes. The procurement personnel frequently have to choose between suppliers they have never met and whose facilities they have not visited. When it comes to assessing suppliers for quality therefore, the procurement process has to rely on the companies being accredited to an institution recognised for the regulation of quality.

Organisations wanting to project a quality image to potential customers may seek to be accredited by implementing a quality management system recognised by customers.

(a) Outline any organisation that you are familiar with, and discuss how they may implement a quality management system of your choice?

(b) Demonstrate three benefits of implementing the system you have described in (a) above?