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When quality definitions and dimensions were first developed, they were designed to provide manufacturing
and service firms a sound theoretical foundation for quality initiatives like total quality management
(TQM). Unfortunately, many of these initiatives have been deemed to be failures (Koch, 2003).
While a n umber of businesses have exp erimented with the a pproach and have become world class
competitors, many others have no t performed according to e xpectations. W orker opinion surve ys
pointed to m anagement attitude as a m ajor source of grievances (Holoviak, 1995). Of course, t his is
hardly what we would expect to happen in a TQM world. It seemed as if m any TQM programs in the
United States have focused too much on intensifying work and failed to address adequatel y the plight
of those who did the work. It also appeared that the TQM structure that emerged from years of application
resulted in more control by management instead of more opportunities given to workers t o influence
the direction and focus of their TQM efforts. There has been little or no shift at all in the attitudes
of people at w ork (Holoviak, 1995). Because of ap parent failures of TQM in the United States, it has
become fashionable to m ock it as a passing fad (Giro ux, 2006). Holoviak (1995) gave a soberin g observation
that “what we have is an attitude problem and that “it doesn’t matter if you start with the president
of the company or the entry level job. If the new philosophy of life doesn’t catch on and then lead
to behavior w hich reflects t he phil osophy, t he TQM pr ogram will fa il. I t’s a bout how people value
people.” It can be postulated therefore that the key to success in any quality initiative lies beyond training,
quality certification, statistical process control, or customer focus. Perhaps m odern quality management
initiatives need to reconsider an important dimension that has proven to be effective over the
centuries – the spiritual dimensi on. The spiritual dimension is pe rhaps the m issing piece that toda y’s
organizations need to have to effect change in the behaviors or attitudes of their w orkers from the top
executive to the entry-le vel employee. After all, “qua lity is about relationships” and “the engine that
drives all m ajor decisions” (Aiken s, 2006, p. 3). How this dimension can be infused into the existing
structure of an organization is the focus of this paper.
PRODUCT AND SERVICE QUALITY DIMENSIONS
Product q uality can be dec omposed i nto eig ht dim ensions (Garvi n, 1988; F oster, 2007; E vans and
Lindsay, 2008). Service quality, on the other hand, can be decomposed into five (Zeithamel, Parasuraman,
and Berry, 1984; Foster, 2007; Evans and Lindsay, 2008). Decomposition provides a descriptive
framework that leads to a better understanding of the concept. It also allows for research, test, and discussion
of quality. The dimensions further provide a framework for examining a product or a service.
The eight product quality dimensions are described below:
1. Performance. Performance refers to the primary operating characteristics of the product.
It norm ally involves objective and measurable product and service attributes and
combines elements of product-based and u ser-based approaches described earlier.
Whether performance difference s can be transl ated into q uality differences depends on
the circumstances as well as on individual preferences.
2. Features. Features are secondar y characteristics that augment the basic operation of a
product. Lik e performance, features involve objec tive and m easurable product and
service attributes. The y are usually m easured in ter ms of variety and the str ength of
their appeal. Co mpared wi th other dimensions, feat ures are more volatile as they can
quickly turn into one of the product’ s prim ary characte ristics over tim e. I n m any
instances, it is difficult to draw the line between a product ’s performance and features.
Whether product characteristics are primary or secondary depends largely on the degree
of importance attached to them by the user. Whether feature diff erences are p erceived
as quality differences depends normally on individual preferences.
3. Reliability. This dimension reflects the probability of failure or malfunction of a product
over a specified period of tim e. Reliab ility increases in signifi cance as maintenance,
downtime, predictability or timeliness becomes more important to the customer.
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