El diseño organizativo y la gestión de la calidadCasos prácticos del sector farmacéutico

Resum

This research attempts to study the effects of introducing a quality management system on the structure of an organization. In a brief theoretical framework, the ensuing changes are described in the main design variables, and in particular, variables that refer to job design (degree of specialization, formalization, forms of performance control and outcomes, training and socialization), and structural design variables (training criteria for units, size of unit, linking mechanisms and the design of the decision-making system), after introducing a Quality Assurance Scheme (QA) and a Total Quality Management Scheme (TQM). The study is completed by a qualitative study of two cases of firms from the pharmaceutical sector: one large firm in the form of a wholesaler and a small firm dealing with pharmacy telephone enquiries. Results indicate that the larger firm shows organizational design characteristics that correspond to quality assurance. The pharmacy office, on the other hand, has characteristics that correspond to total quality management.