Cristina Mihaela Stanciu1
Abstract. This paper examines the main tools, methods, and standards used in contemporary quality management, with a focus on their role in controlling variation, supporting decision-making, and improving organizational performance. It begins with the seven classic quality tools, which provide a practical foundation for data collection, visualization, prioritization, and process monitoring. Their continued relevance is discussed in relation to knowledge-based and complex organizational settings. The analysis then addresses advanced optimization approaches, including the Taguchi method and factorial experimentation, highlighting their contribution to robustness and cost-efficient experimentation. Six Sigma is presented as a structured, data-driven methodology centered on variation reduction and process capability, with attention to its integration with Lean principles and digital technologies. The paper also explores quality standards and frameworks, specifically ISO 9001 and excellence models such as EFQM, emphasizing their complementary roles in process governance and organizational maturity assessment. Finally, modern preventive and analytical techniques, including SPC, FMEA, and QFD, are discussed as an integrated system that links customer requirements, risk prevention, and process control. Together, these instruments form a coherent framework for managing quality in dynamic and technology-driven environments.
Keywords: quality management, classic quality tools, process variation, Taguchi method, Six Sigma, ISO 9001, EFQM, Statistical Process Control (SPC), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Quality Function Deployment (QFD), process optimization, data-driven decision-making.
DOI 10.56082/annalsarscieco.2026.2.48
1 National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independenței, București, Romania, ORCID No. 0009-0005-8050-2389, stanciu_cristinam@yahoo.com
PUBLISHED in Annals Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Economy, Law, Sociology, Volume 9 no 2, 2026