**2.4 Manufacturing: quality planning, assurance and control**

As already pointed out, the concept of quality planning, assurance and control in manufacturing and production is well embedded. In manufacturing industries, many firms have adopted a TQM approach, which is a holistic view of quality where quality is essentially linked to the firm's overall strategy and is fundamental to the firm delivering value to the customer. Quality management is a core competence inclusive of quality planning, assurance and control. From a planning perspective, quality planning is well articulated, and it is a living plan subjected to continuous improvement. Quality assurance is closely coupled with standards like IS0 9000 and other such standards. Quality control is clearly visible with statistical process control (SPC) techniques. Initiatives like quality circles are practiced, and kaizen philosophies are a way of life.

Some techniques in no particular order of merit utilized for continuous process improvement (CPI) are depicted in **Table 3**. These techniques are widely used in the manufacturing industry and indicate the level of quality maturity in this industry.
