Introduction
Anca Madar’s review evaluates Starbucks’s quality strategies that have enabled it to develop its competitiveness in the market to predominate the food and beverage industry. The publication begins by detailing the concept of Total Quality Management, which leverages quality at all levels of an organizational function to satisfy the needs of consumers and other stakeholders. Drawing from peer-reviewed journals and books, Madar delineates the role of management function in enhancing quality following international standards, ISO 9000. Moreover, the relationship between quality, success, and competitive environment in the management system is described in the case study.
The study’s literature review starts with the gradual development of interest in quality. Madar (2020) details that in the middle of the 20th century, organizations imposed quality norms on suppliers and stakeholders that diversified over time due to different industries. As a result, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was founded to set standards for quality systems. ISO developed its first set of standards in 1987, the ISO 9000 series (Madar, 2020). The interest in quality gradually succeeded in all trade and business transactions, compelling companies to emphasize quality for competitiveness. The impacts, stages, and advantages of implementing a quality management system to meet the beneficiaries’ requirements and social needs are further described in the assessment.
A case study of Starbucks’ management system illustrates how quality gaps are identified and the appropriate managerial concepts for enhancing quality. First, the article describes how market segmentation to attract diverse markets has enabled Starbucks to become a multinational brand. Economic indicators for Starbucks provide statistical data on how Starbucks evolved to increase profitability and outcompete rival brands by tapping market segmentation. Quality strategies, policies, and objectives employed by Starbucks to standardize processes and quality control by utilizing an integrated management system. The case study addresses the factors influencing high quality at Starbucks while emphasizing the need for the company to adopt ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 to further improve its quality assessment strategy (Madar, 2020). Moreover, the concept of continuous improvement in the quality of products and services is described as applied in Starbucks.
The Quality Strategies Implemented by Starbucks
A quality management system capacitates Starbucks to retail high-quality products and services. Essentially, Starbucks embraced continuous improvement of the quality of its products and services. The sourcing of raw materials at Starbucks is primarily from the best coffee growers. The quality of raw materials directly affected the standard of coffee produced by Starbucks and was therefore regulated. An integrated management system was accomplished according to the ISO 9001 standards. To align with the Hazards Analysis at Critical Control Points (HACCP), Starbucks laid quality standards with six manifestos (Madar, 2020). To guarantee quality services at Starbucks’ roasters and retail joints, they employed well-educated and trained employees named “baristas.”
The first is to address the total fulfillment of the consumers by addressing detailed complaints and concerns over the quality of products and services. Among the objectives included a gradual update of the Quality Management Systems per ISO revisions. The third goal is to optimize the quality budget by focusing on prevention and review approaches. Starbucks maintains efficient economic performance by retailing top-quality coffee at competitive prices. The fifth objective is HR-centered, executed by acknowledging and empowering staff to uphold quality under the organization’s mission. Finally, assuming control of all products, including outsourced raw materials and services, enables Starbucks to achieve expedient customer satisfaction.
Additionally, diversification is utilized mainly by Starbucks as a quality factor to offer a variety of beverages, including roasted coffee, soft drinks, and desserts. Diversification is utilized in Starbucks’ products and designing cutlery, equipment, and shop outlook according to customers’ tastes and market segmentations (Pandey et al., 2021). Continuous refinement of the quality of products through testing, innovating and implementing recent equipment and coffee breeds aid Starbucks in maintaining a competitive advantage. For instance, Espresso Machines revolutionized Starbucks’ products and beverage preparation process (Kim & Park, 2021). Starbucks is involved in sourcing the highest quality Arabica coffee from favorable regions through direct support of farmers and verifying quality per Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices. Gradual improvement of services at Starbucks is observed through ensuring high-quality Baristas and discharging continuous skill development programs.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the case study provided substantial insights into the importance of quality in commerce and the process of incepting and implementing a quality management system. The article’s interpretation of the relationship between quality, quality strategies, and competitive edge by reflecting on existent organization enhanced understanding of simple strategies practicable in a real market. All factors that influence the quality of products and services encompassed in the case study literature review give an acumen of quality management implementation. Starbucks’ outstanding performance and growth in the international market relative to market segmentation and diversification. The six objectives laid down by Starbucks on quality management systems highlight the significance of observing regulatory standards, quality assessment tools such as ISO, and the approach to managing standard quality over time. Taking responsibility for quality assurance at all levels of product and development and services is the cornerstone of Starbucks’ success.
References
Case Study: (Article: Madar, A. (2020). The importance of quality and quality strategies for growing competitiveness in the market. Bulletin of the Transylvania University of Brasov. Economic Sciences. Series V., 13(1), 41-48.
Kim, J. E., & Park, E. S. (2021). The Spatial Design Marketing Strategy of Global Franchises Considers the Characteristics of Modern Consumers—A Study Involving the Global Coffee Companies of Starbucks and Blue Bottle. Land, 10(7), 716.
Pandey, R., Ganatra, V., Jamnik, S., Goel, P., Goyal, P., Xuan, C. L. & Zen, L. J. (2021). An empirical study on customer satisfaction, perception, and brand image in Starbucks coffee in India, Asia. International Journal of Tourism and hospitality in the Asia Pacific (IJTHAP), 4(1), 53–63. Web.