Quality in management decision making within a changing context

The aim of this paper is to look beyond the application of quality management controls, assurances and standards which have already been widely addressed in the quality literature. Instead, the focus is on quality in management performance, particularly in relation to effective decision making and the resultant marketing activity against a background of organisational variables and environmental change. Some of the influences on management development are considered. These include: the effect of the organisational structure on managerial decision making; the nature of decision making within organisations; individual responsibility for planning and implementation; and continual managerial development. These aspects are then illustrated using a brief case description of a large multinational company offering a consumer service. The description illustrates the importance of developing the key decision makers in an organisation, particularly in relation to the changing and evolving nature of responsibilities and tasks required from them.