Quality and Ergonomics Management

Abstract

Although there are many conceptual similarities in-between the areas of quality and ergonomics, and despite that several indicators point to the fact that poor ergonomics causes quality deficiencies, there are up to date few examples of integrated improvement efforts. As a consequence there is also lack a well-grounded common theory. To overcome some of the gaps this paper outlines a conceptual framework for an integrative approach to the development of quality and ergonomics in concert – the reasoning and results based on a extensive research program involving experience from twenty-five Swedish organizations during a period of eight years.