Book excerpt: Many organizations have realized bona fide reward payoffs using a systematic continuous approach to quality and quality improvement. Divided into two sections, this book begins with an easy overview of quality fundamentals and productivity followed by a more detailed explanation of the key quality improvement tools and techniques. Chapter topics include the evolution of quality, management by commitment and leadership, customer satisfaction, organization planning, partnerships and strategic alliances, need for a systems approach in process improvement, quality costs, current engineering, and much more. Includes many examples and study questions to make it useful as a business reference or text. Principles and Practices of Organizational Performance is the evolution of the author's best-selling book, Principles and Practices of TQM, certain portions of which have been included in this book. Selected as an Outstanding Academic Title by Choice Magazine, 1999.Benefits: Discusses international quality standards(ISO). Provides an overview of the essentials in quality improvement awards - both national and international.liIncludes a glossary of terms that aid in communicating the language of improvement. Contents: Productivity Fundamentals, Management and Organization Change, Customer Satisfaction and Focus, Employee Empowerment, Quality Planning and Deployment, Quality Systems and Improvement, The New Quality Assurance, Supplier Quality Management, Quality Costs-Old and New, Tools for Continuous Improvement, Quality Standards and Awards, Quality Function Deployment, Design of Experiments