By RANOBA BAOA
Fiji National University’s National Training & Productivity Centre has noted that while many companies are taking their Convention on Quality programmes seriously, others are being too complacent.
National Training and Productivity Centre manager quality awards, Robin Anganu, said these companies failed to see its national and international benefits in terms of increasing quality productivity.
He made these comments at the 18th National Convention Quality Convention yesterday at Holiday Inn Suva.
Mr Anganu said it was imperative to take their programmes onboard their organisational business structure so Fiji will be in a much better position to compete on the international front.
“Fiji needs to be on an innovative path because we are competing in the global world and that the global business village is a small place,” Mr Anganu said.
“Fiji to be on par with other countries that we do business with is necessary and that our organisations are selling our goods and providing the right services.
“They’re able to say to the world that ‘yes we are also on the innovative, productivity journey and that we have all these best practices in place’.”
Overcoming challenges
Other challenges faced by the industry are brain-drain and organisation’s decision to discontinue with their programmes when stuck.
These comments were highlighted by the National Training and Productivity Centre’s Productivity & Quality manager, Binesh Chand.
But in overcoming these challenges, the centre is promoting all organisation members’ initiatives and improving them.
“There are a number of initiatives which improve this Quality Circle and besides that there is another training department on quality which improves quality,” Mr Chand said.
“Initially, the Quality Awards was set up to create an awareness and for the organisation to have a better standing and they initiated a project.
“So were are now doing is they are promoting different types of training and they have come up with introducing consultancy exercises.
“This not only provides training and leaves that organisation on their own, but NTPC is also assisting that organisation at critical stages during the implementation of the project that can help an organisation to move on with their quality journey.”