The Six-Step Methodology in Performance Standards for Operations within Educational Organizations

<p>There's no one definition of 'quality' that applies to every discipline. In education quality occurs when students are learning and schools and universities create value for those they serve and those who serve them. Concepts such as these can guide improved teaching and learning in ways that students teachers administrators and the community will notice and appreciate on a daily basis. (ASQ 2010). Green and Harvey summarized five different approaches to describe quality viz-a- viz exceptional consistent relevant valuable and transformative (Green & Harvey 1993). Sir John Daniel President and CEO Commonwealth of Learning describes quality as 'fitness for purpose at minimum cost to society'. In a service oriented industry like academics quality is more a process; a process that requires to adhere to the changing dynamics of relevance and transformation yet maintaining consistency in value. Among the various reasons quoted by researchers (Mishra 2006) in their study of inquiry into Why quality in academics? factors such as 'Competition' 'Student satisfaction' 'Standard maintenance and compliance' 'Accountability' and 'Motivation' were named. (Owlia 1996). Globalization of higher education (Altbach 2001) the competition associated with it (Franck Egon & Sch��nfelder. 2000); the mounting expectations (Russell 2007 Sep 25) and the shifting dynamisms of the Academia (Boddy 2007) has intensified the competition in this sector. This has prompted the management of Universities and Institutes of Higher Education to pay more attention in assessing the overall student's perceived service quality! (Kwek Tan & Lau 2010)</p>