BHM 451

Quality Management

TU BHM · Semester 8 · Recent BHM syllabus series

Requirement: elective
Credits: 3
Past papers: 1 papers

Syllabus

What this course covers and how the teaching time is divided.

Quality Management Syllabus

Official TU PDF

Tribhuvan University

Faculty of Management

Office of the Dean

Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM)

Course Title: Quality Management

Course Code: BHM 451

Semester: Semester 8

Nature of Course: elective

Full Marks: 100

Pass Marks: 50

Credit Hours: 3 Cr.

Curriculum: Recent BHM syllabus series

Course Description

This course contains introduction to quality and quality management, philosophies and frameworks of total quality management, focusing on customers, quality control process and tools, costs of quality, quality circle.

Course Objective

This course aims to impart the students with knowledge and practical applications of quality control and management system. It will also provide students an understanding of the fundamental principles and high - performance management practices. C oncepts, principles and practices have been covered by developing the subject from ‘Quality’ to ‘Total Quality’ for providing total picture of TQM. Course Description This course contains introduction to quality and quality management, philosophies and frameworks of total quality management, focusing on customers, quality control process and tools, costs of quality, quality circle.

Course Contents:

Lecture hours show the approximate classroom time allocated to each unit.

Quality and Quality Management: Meaning and Concept, Eight dimensions of Quality , Customer - Driven Quality, Service Quality vs. Product Quality , Concept and importance of Quality Management in Hospitality industry, Product and Service Quality Relationship in Hospitality industry

The Deming Philosophies and its foundations , Deming’s 14 points for achieving quality excellence , The Juran Philosophy , Total Quality Management (TQM): Overview, Emergence and Implementation , Benefits and reasons for failure of TQM , Concept of ISO 9000:2000 family of standards, its structures and factors leading to ISO 9000:2000, Implementation, registration and benefits of ISO 9000:2000 series, Six Sigma: Concept, Evolution and implementing Six Sigma

Concept of internal and external customer, The Importance of Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Hospitality industry , Customer satisfaction process , Leading Customer -Oriented Practices , Identifying and Under standing Customer Needs , Gathering and Analyzing Customer Information , Measuring
Customer Satisfaction in Hospitality industry

Quality Control: Meaning, Objectives and Importance , Quality Assurance: Meaning, Evolution and Organization, Process Management: Concept and Scope , Designing process for Quality , Special considerations in Service Process Design , Process Control: Meaning, Concept and Importance , Process Control in Services , Process Improvement : Meaning and Concept , Methodologies for Process Improvement - DMAIC and Deming’s PDCA cycle, Basic Tools for Process Improvement:
1. Flowcharts 2. Ishikawa’s fish bone diagram (Cause-and-Effect diagram)
1. Checklists
1. Pareto Charts
1. Histogram
1. Scatter Diagram
1. Run Charts and Control Charts Statistical Process Control: Meaning and Concept , Construction of X -bar and R Control Charts for statistical control , Interpreting patterns in Control Charts , Acceptance Sampling: Meaning, Importance and Types

Costs of Quality: Meaning and Concept , Prevention Costs , Appraisal Costs , Internal Failure Costs , External Failure Costs, Costs of Quality in Hospitality Industry

Quality Circle: Meaning, Concept and Objectives , Structure of Quality Circles , Steps in formation of Quality Circles, Roles and responsibilities of Quality Circle Members, Implementation of Quality Circles, Problem Solving techniques in Quality Circles - Brainstorming, Da ta Collection, Cause-and-effect
Diagram, and Line Graphs

Past exam papers

Complete papers are arranged by official model question paper.

Dean's Office Official Model Question Paper

Report problem

Tribhuvan University

Faculty of Management

Office of the Dean

Official Model Question Paper / Dean's Office Blueprint

Course: BHM 451 · Quality Management

Level: Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM) · Semester 8

Full Marks: 60

Time: 3 hrs.

Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable. Figures in the margin indicate full marks.

Group A

Brief Answer Questions. Attempt ALL questions. (5 × 2 = 10)

[5*2=10]

Define Quality in the context of the hospitality service industry.

[2]
View model solution
Definition of Service Quality

Consistently meeting or exceeding customer expectations across all service encounters through reliable, defect-free delivery that satisfies both explicit requirements and implicit psychological desires.
What is the Deming PDCA Cycle?

[2]
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Deming PDCA Cycle

A continuous improvement four-step management framework: 1. Plan (identify problem and design improvement), 2. Do (implement pilot test), 3. Check (measure results against target), 4. Act (standardize successful change across operations).
List the five dimensions of Service Quality in the SERVQUAL model.

[2]
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SERVQUAL Dimensions (RATER)
1. Reliability, 2. Assurance, 3. Tangibles, 4. Empathy, 5. Responsiveness.
Differentiate between Cost of Conformance and Cost of Non-Conformance in Quality Management.

[2]
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Cost of Conformance vs. Non-Conformance
- Cost of Conformance: Proactive investments to achieve quality (Prevention costs like staff training, and Appraisal costs like room inspections).
- Cost of Non-Conformance: Reactive expenses resulting from failures (Internal failure costs like food spoilage, and External failure costs like customer refunds, legal disputes, and brand damage).
What is ISO 9001 certification?

[2]
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ISO 9001 Certification

An internationally recognized standard establishing criteria for a Quality Management System (QMS), emphasizing customer focus, leadership commitment, process approach, and continuous improvement.

Group B

Descriptive Answer Questions. Attempt any THREE questions. (3 × 10 = 30)

[3*10=30]

Explain the SERVQUAL Gap Model of Service Quality developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry. Detail the five service quality gaps and explain managerial remedies for each gap in hotels.

[10]
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The SERVQUAL Service Quality Gap Model
1. Gap 1: Management Perception Gap (Customer Expectations vs. Management Perception): Management misunderstands what guests actually expect. Remedy: Comprehensive customer surveys, guest comment cards, and frontline feedback forums.
2. Gap 2: Service Standards Gap (Management Perception vs. Service Specifications): Management understands expectations but fails to establish explicit performance standards. Remedy: Codify precise measurable SOPs (e.g., room service delivery within 25 minutes).
3. Gap 3: Service Performance Gap (Service Specifications vs. Service Delivery): Staff fail to deliver to established SOP benchmarks due to inadequate training or burnout. Remedy: Skills retraining, supervisory coaching, and employee empowerment.
4. Gap 4: Communication Gap (Service Delivery vs. External Communication): Marketing campaigns promise lavish luxury that frontline operations cannot deliver. Remedy: Coordinate realistic advertising promises aligned with true operational capability.
5. Gap 5: Customer Satisfaction Gap (Expected Service vs. Perceived Service): The cumulative discrepancy experienced by the guest ( $Gap 5 = f(Gap 1, 2, 3, 4)$ ). Closing internal Gaps 1–4 automatically eliminates Gap 5.
Explain the philosophy of Total Quality Management (TQM). How do Deming’s 14 Points apply to continuous quality improvement in luxury hotel operations?

[10]
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Total Quality Management (TQM) and Deming’s Principles

1. Core TQM Tenets:

Customer-centricity, continuous process improvement (Kaizen), employee empowerment, and data-driven decision-making.

2. Application of Deming’s Principles in Hospitality:
- Create Constancy of Purpose: Commit to relentless long-term guest service excellence rather than short-term quarterly profit squeezes.
- Drive Out Fear: Cultivate psychological safety so kitchen and service staff report mistakes immediately without fear of punishment.
- Eliminate Slogans & Numerical Quotas: Replace hollow marketing slogans with actionable operational tools and supportive leadership.
- Break Down Barriers Between Departments: Eliminate toxic rivalries between Front Office, Housekeeping, and Food & Beverage.
- Institute Ongoing Training: Invest systematically in frontline skill refinement.
Explain the Cost of Quality (COQ) framework. Categorize Prevention, Appraisal, Internal Failure, and External Failure costs with specific hotel industry examples.

[10]
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Cost of Quality (COQ) Framework in Hotels
1. Prevention Costs (Proactive Quality Engineering):
  
  HACCP culinary hygiene training for chefs.
  
  Preventive maintenance contracts on guestroom HVAC units and elevators.
  
  Ergonomic housekeeping trolley investments.
2. Appraisal Costs (Inspection & Verification):
  
  Floor supervisor room inspection audits prior to guest arrival.
  
  Microbiological swab testing of kitchen prep surfaces.
  
  Commissioning professional mystery guest shoppers.
3. Internal Failure Costs (Defects Caught Before Guest Contact):
  
  Overcooked steaks discarded in the kitchen before leaving the pass.
  
  Reworking unironed banquet table linens.
4. External Failure Costs (Defects Experienced by Guests):
  
  Complimentary dinner vouchers and billing rebates issued to pacify angry guests.
  
  Severe revenue loss from viral 1-star TripAdvisor reviews.
  
  Legal settlement costs from guest slip-and-fall injuries.
Explain the Six Sigma DMAIC methodology (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) applied to reducing room check-in wait times in a 300-room convention hotel.

[10]
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Six Sigma DMAIC Applied to Check-In Wait Times
1. Define: Goal is to reduce peak check-in queue times from an unacceptable average of 14 minutes down to under 3 minutes, achieving $99.7\%$ defect-free check-ins.
2. Measure: Time 500 check-in transactions using digital queue sensors; map the process steps (passport scanning, registration card signing, keycard encoding, credit pre-auth).
3. Analyze: Use a Fishbone (Ishikawa) Diagram to identify root causes: keycard encoders freezing, slow manual passport photocopying, and unassisted luggage handovers.
4. Improve: Deploy high-speed optical passport scanners, mobile check-in tablets, and dedicated pre-arrival digital registration kiosks.
5. Control: Implement Statistical Process Control (SPC) X-bar charts on the front-desk dashboard, triggering automated supervisor alerts whenever wait times exceed 4 minutes.

Group C

Comprehensive Answer / Case Analysis Question. (1 × 20 = 20)

[1*20=20]

Case Study: Quality Turnaround & Service Recovery at Annapurna Crown Plaza, Kathmandu

Annapurna Crown Plaza, a 180-room hotel catering to corporate and diplomatic travelers in Kathmandu, has experienced a severe decline in customer satisfaction over the past year. Its Net Promoter Score (NPS) plunged from +58 to -12, and online rating dropped to 3.4/5.0. Guest complaints catalog widespread quality breakdowns:

Unclean guestrooms with hair on bedsheets and stained towels.
Inconsistent hot water temperature and erratic air conditioning.
Breakfast buffet food served lukewarm in unheated chafing dishes, resulting in guest gastrointestinal complaints.
Rude, indifferent frontline responses to guest complaints.

As newly appointed Vice President of Quality Assurance: a. Apply the 5-Whys Root Cause Analysis technique to diagnose the breakfast temperature and room cleanliness failures. b. Formulate an immediate 100-Day Service Recovery & Quality Turnaround Plan. c. Design a Comprehensive Service Quality Audit Checklist for the Housekeeping and Culinary departments. d. Establish a Customer Feedback and Service Recovery Guarantee Charter with specific compensation matrices for service failures.

[20]

View model solution

Comprehensive Quality Turnaround Masterplan: Annapurna Crown Plaza

a. 5-Whys Root Cause Analysis

Why was buffet food served lukewarm? -> Chafing dish fuel burners were unlit. Why? -> Stewarding ran out of burner fuel cans. Why? -> Requisition was not approved by purchasing. Why? -> Purchasing lacked minimum par stock warnings. Root Cause: Absence of automated inventory replenishment controls.
Why were bedsheets stained? -> Laundry washers were overloaded. Why? -> Staff rushed to meet departure turnover demands. Why? -> 30% of housekeeping workforce was absent. Root Cause: Unbalanced staffing models and lack of automated laundry monitoring.

b. 100-Day Quality Turnaround Plan

Days 1–30 (Immediate Stabilization):
- Institute 100% white-glove supervisory inspection on all departure rooms before releasing them to the PMS.
- Replace all defective buffet induction warming plates; mandate digital temperature logs recorded every 30 minutes.
Days 31–60 (Process Standardization):
- Retrain all staff on revised SOPs; implement the LAST recovery protocol.
- Deploy automated queue-busting mobile check-in kiosks.
Days 61–100 (Cultural Institutionalization):
- Launch monthly Quality Hero awards with substantial cash bonuses tied to verified 5-star TripAdvisor mentions.

c. Departmental Quality Audit Checklists

Housekeeping Audit: 12-point white-glove inspection: 0 hair on pillowcases, pristine shower glass without limescale, fresh floral fragrance, sanitized TV remotes.
Culinary Audit: Food safety logs: cold items maintained $\le 4^{\circ}\text{C}$ , hot buffet dishes held strictly $\ge 65^{\circ}\text{C}$ , clean sanitization buckets at every workstation.

d. Service Recovery Guarantee Charter

Service Defect	Immediate Resolution	Customer Compensation
Room Cleanliness Defect	Immediate room re-cleaning within 15 minutes or room upgrade	Complimentary dinner buffet voucher for two
Room Maintenance Failure (AC/Hot Water)	Technician dispatched within 10 minutes	50% discount on that night’s room charge
Delayed Meal Order (> 35 min)	Food expedited immediately	100% meal cost waived on current check
Inconvenience During Check-in (> 10 min)	Priority expedited check-in	Complimentary signature cocktail at the lounge

Quality Management

Syllabus

Quality Management Syllabus

Faculty of Management

Course Description

Course Objective

Course Contents:

Unit 1. Introduction to Quality and Quality Management

Unit 2. Philosophies and Frameworks of Total Quality Management

Unit 3. Focusing on Customers

Unit 4. Quality Control Process and Tools

Unit 5. Costs of Quality

Unit 6. Quality Circle

Suggested Readings:

Chapter-wise questions

Past exam papers

Dean's Office Official Model Question Paper

Faculty of Management

Brief Answer Questions. Attempt ALL questions. (5 × 2 = 10)

Definition of Service Quality

Deming PDCA Cycle

SERVQUAL Dimensions (RATER)

Cost of Conformance vs. Non-Conformance

ISO 9001 Certification

Descriptive Answer Questions. Attempt any THREE questions. (3 × 10 = 30)

The SERVQUAL Service Quality Gap Model

Total Quality Management (TQM) and Deming’s Principles

1. Core TQM Tenets:

2. Application of Deming’s Principles in Hospitality:

Cost of Quality (COQ) Framework in Hotels

Six Sigma DMAIC Applied to Check-In Wait Times

Comprehensive Answer / Case Analysis Question. (1 × 20 = 20)

Comprehensive Quality Turnaround Masterplan: Annapurna Crown Plaza

a. 5-Whys Root Cause Analysis

b. 100-Day Quality Turnaround Plan

c. Departmental Quality Audit Checklists

d. Service Recovery Guarantee Charter

Chapter notes & lecture slides