Lesson 4.1.3

4.1.3 Maintaining and improving quality Quiz: NCFE Business & Enterprise, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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This lesson is about keeping product quality high. It separates quality control, which inspects output after it is made, from quality assurance, which prevents faults during production, and explains Total Quality Management. It also shows the costs of poor quality and the benefits of reliable standards for reputation and repeat custom.

Key points

  • Quality control inspects finished output and removes anything that fails the standard, but the firm has already paid to make the faulty item.
  • Quality assurance builds standards, training and checks into each stage so faults are prevented before they happen.
  • Checking each part as it is fitted catches faults before the next stage, which is quality assurance rather than final inspection.
  • Sampling tests a few items from each batch, which saves time and avoids destroying every product, as with a crisp factory.
  • Total Quality Management aims for continuous improvement, with everyone in the business responsible for quality rather than one department.
  • Poor quality leads to refunds, rework costs and lost repeat custom, so faults are expensive twice over.
  • Consistent quality builds reputation, bringing repeat sales and word-of-mouth recommendation and sometimes allowing higher prices.

Key terms

Quality control
Inspecting output after it has been made to find and remove faulty items.
Quality assurance
A system of standards and checks during production that aims to prevent faults happening.
Total Quality Management
A whole-business approach where all staff work to improve quality continuously.
Sampling
Testing a small number of items from a batch to judge the quality of the whole batch.
Rework
Fixing a faulty product, which adds cost without adding sales.
Reputation
What customers think and say about a business, built over time by consistent quality.

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The 20 questions

  1. What does a whole-business TQM approach involve?

    • External audits
    • Factory floor checks
    • Manager-only reviews
    • Firm-wide changes

  2. What is the likely financial result of rising product faults?

    • Lower refund spending
    • Higher rework costs
    • Reduced customer returns
    • Decreased waste expenses

  3. How does quality control operate in a factory?

    • Inspecting finished output
    • Training all staff
    • Designing new items
    • Preventing initial errors

  4. What does quality sampling involve during production?

    • Testing sample batches
    • Ignoring all defects
    • Checking every unit
    • Stopping all output

  5. What is the main aim of quality assurance?

    • Preventing production faults
    • Detecting finished errors
    • Increasing product waste
    • Scrapping faulty output

  6. What is the primary focus of quality assurance compared to quality control?

    • Testing random samples
    • Stopping faults beforehand
    • Inspecting finished goods
    • Rejecting faulty batches

  7. What is the main goal of Total Quality Management (TQM)?

    • Faster machine speeds
    • Lower staff wages
    • Ongoing continuous improvement
    • Cheaper raw materials

  8. Under Total Quality Management (TQM), who is responsible for product quality?

    • The production supervisor
    • The quality inspector
    • Senior managers only
    • Every employee

  9. A car plant checks each part as it is fitted, so faults are caught before the next stage. Which method is this?

    • Just-in-time stock
    • Total quality management
    • Quality assurance
    • Quality control

  10. What is a key benefit of consistently meeting high customer quality standards?

    • Lower marketing costs
    • Cheaper insurance rates
    • Increased repeat custom
    • Reduced business taxes

  11. Why might a business use seasonal agency staff during peak demand?

    • Avoiding all tax
    • Lowering staff skill
    • Cutting training costs
    • Matching labour to demand

  12. What is a major advantage of using job production?

    • Meeting exact customer needs
    • Easier staff training
    • Faster output speed
    • Lower unit costs

  13. Why do firms typically outsource rare specialist tasks instead of buying equipment?

    • To lower staff wages
    • To increase daily output
    • To speed up deliveries
    • To avoid idle assets

  14. Which activity is an example of after-sales customer service?

    • Initial sales pitch
    • Wholesale price discounts
    • Free item repairs
    • In-store product displays

  15. What key feature distinguishes mass customisation from standard flow production?

    • Production lines run slower
    • Products are completely unique
    • Labour costs are eliminated
    • Buyers pick design options

  16. What is the primary aim of lean production?

    • Maximising factory size
    • Eliminating operational waste
    • Increasing raw stock
    • Slowing output speed

  17. What is a common drawback of outsourcing business tasks?

    • Guaranteed poor quality
    • Loss of direct control
    • Slower market trends
    • Higher fixed overheads

  18. How do shop-floor workers contribute to Kaizen?

    • Suggesting small improvements
    • Designing new factories
    • Hiring replacement staff
    • Setting annual budgets

  19. What is the main benefit of using just-in-time delivery for fresh food?

    • Cheaper transport costs
    • Fewer delivery trips
    • Lower stock waste
    • Higher bulk discounts

  20. What is the most likely result of a takeaway providing poor customer service?

    • Customers switching rivals
    • Increased local fame
    • Lower staff turnover
    • Higher profit margins

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