The commonly used tools for Total Quality Management of IKEA is Value added analysis, and quality improvement team. Value-Added Analysis is process of evaluating all work activities, materials flows, and paperwork to determine the value that they add for customers. For example, IKEA have a very systematic process for each of their product to ensure its quality. As a first process of creating a high quality, easily assembled, and good looking furniture, the designers of IKEA will design their product on computer. Then, they will make a prototype which they use to test the product to ensure the quality. The prototype is sent to the test center to be checked on certain aspects. (example: pressure that it can withstand). After it has been approved, IKEA will finally sent the prototype to be mass produced. If it is not approved it will undergo another tool of quality management which is process reengineering to improve quality and productivity. Furthermore, they also ensure the quality of their flat pack furniture with the help of robots which can pack 720 packs in just an hour. Through these processes we also can see the cooperation between many work areas in IKEA to produce a high quality product.

The next tool used by IKEA is by getting closer to the customer. IKEA know what their customers want in the products they consume. For example, they provide their products at a cheap price. For instance, IKEA flat pack their product to save money in storage and transportation. They also produce their products at a very big scale to lower their product’s price. 

Last tool used by IKEA is improving its environmental performance based on ISO 14000. For example, they use recycled items such as recycled sawdust in production of their product.

Yong Jia Kang 1171101006

Wong Kian Meng 1171101672

Tai Jia Wei 1171100246

Lai Yan Bo 1171102073

In our opinion, Ikea ensure total quality management through out the operation process in good service and quality goods.

IKEA use high technology by using robots to packaging. Using robots can save more time and in video had said robots can package 720 packs per hour. Besides that, Ikea also like to use recycle thing to produce their products. This also can effect the products cost. Ikea use flat pack to their products. Flat pack can help Ikea to have more space to their storage and easy to transportation. Ikea products are more cheap and have quality. Ikea have to make sure that their products have been tested(withstand pressure, knock ).

-designing process of the product done in computer (so that they can have a clear and full image about the object that going to be produced)

-the design of their products are simple (make sure the products can be transport easily and assembled easily by the customers) 

-the testing of product at the test center before the product being mass produced(test the sterngth of the products to withstand pressure/knock, ensure the quality of the product)

-IKEA used robots in their factory for flat packing (720 packs per hour, work 24 hours per day in whole year)

-they separated their designing, producing, testing and distributing field for their products, this ensure only one kind of task are going on in a single factory and avoid confusion in operation processes.

1171100636   Pang Ming Quan 

1171101518   Leong Boon Sheng 

1171100524   Chan Ting Chang 

1171101051   Chia Jia Huey

In our opinion, IKEA ensures the total quality management through producing high-quality material with blue plastic and recycled sawdust pellets which are baked together to form the chair. other than that, they use smartest robots to replaced man power inside their factory so that it can reduce the human error. these robots handle any shape and size of the item and it works 24 hours everyday. Robots can handle 720 items per hour compared to human that can only done 20 items per hour. Besides that, they create a prototype for every chair and they will sent the furniture to do undergo some test such as pressure test to see how many pressure the chair can withstand before tipping over, how often it can be sat upon without the joints breaking, and how it will cope with being knocked over. If the test is passed, it will then be send to the factory for mass-producing. All these points show that IKEA prioritize the quality of their item and proves their high quality management throughout the operation process.

Chew Mun Chung 1171101449

Soh Yean Fong 1171101931

Hui Min Shien 1171101378

IKEA ensured their total quality management by producing a high quality designed furniture and giving it at a much lower price for their furniture. They also use flat pack technique for their products so that it can be easily assembled and transported. This means that IKEA can save their costs, reduce the number of lorries to transport goods and at the same time flat packing can reduce the risk of the products for damaging. Besides, IKEA makes a prototype for every single furniture and sent to the test centre for testing. For instance, the chairs are being tested how much pressure it can withstand before tipping over and how often it can be sat often without the joints breaking and knocked over. Once the product passes, it will be sent to the factory to be mass-produced. This means that this process can ensure the safety of their products before releasing to the market. Other than that, in order to manage to flat pack millions of items of such different shapes and sizes quickly and economically, IKEA uses robots to handle any shape and size of the item and flat packs 720 an hour. Once the packing is complete, the flat packs are sent to the distribution centers and ready to be shipped around the world.

IKEA produces its products using recycled sawdust. By recycling sawdust, IKEA is directly ensuring less pollution in the environment. Next, IKEA does directly check upon its prototype to ensure the best customer experience.

IKEA designs their furniture with a lowest price and simple. After creating, they send to test centre for testing the function of furniture. For example, the pressure that it can withstand before tipping over was tested on the L arm chair.