A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Advanced Technologies

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1997

This study gives suggestions for increasing the efficiency of present quality award criteria practiced in Sri Lanka. Three models have been used for this purpose. The model 1 and model 2 are the present quality award criteria and the Australian Quality Award framework respectively. The model 3 has been developed considering the existing quality award frameworks of USA, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Europe. A survey has been carried out in Sri Lanka using a questionnaire prepared based on these models. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method has been used in preparing another questionnaire to evaluate the weights of the criteria in model 2 and model 3. The former questionnaire has been responded by the organizations in Sri Lanka, and the later questionnaire has been answered by the individuals, specially directors of the Sri Lanka Standard Institution (SLSI), visiting faculties of the SLSI and managers of the organizations which had won the national quality award already. The weights of the sub-criteria have been calculated by computing the average of scores given by the individuals. The output of the survey has been analyzed and the results stress that the present quality award model has to be modified considering culture and environmental aspects, and assigning new scores to the criteria and the sub-criteria. The results also indicate as to which areas the Sri Lankan organizations must concentrate more on their task of quality improvement and St!ggest a method of self assessment to measure the level of quality of an organization.