Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Business Management Practice Test

Which function is best described as “the process of comparing quality performance to established standards”?

1. Quality improvement

2. Quality planning

3. Quality control

4. Quality assurance

The correct answer is: Quality control

The correct choice is the function that pertains to the systematic approach of evaluating quality performance against pre-defined standards. Quality control involves establishing criteria for quality and assessing whether the outputs of a process meet those criteria. It often includes various measures and techniques aimed at ensuring products or services are produced in accordance with specified requirements, highlighting any deviations or areas needing improvement. This process typically occurs after production is completed, focusing on identifying defects and ensuring that output aligns with quality standards. It serves to validate that the work product meets customer expectations and organizational standards before it is delivered, allowing for corrections and adjustments to maintain quality consistency. In comparison, quality improvement emphasizes enhancing processes to boost overall performance, while quality planning involves defining quality objectives and criteria before the production process begins. Quality assurance focuses on the systematic processes in place to provide confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled. Each of these functions plays a distinct role in an organization's quality management system, but quality control specifically targets the evaluation of performance against established quality benchmarks.