A utilização do design na gestão da qualidade: uma mudança de paradigmas no setor moveleiro de Santa Maria - RS

Abstract

The purpose aims identify the needs of customers in the furniture sector, of providing subsidies of theoretical order and practical for the aggregation of value on the using design in production in order to break paradigms business. In addition to presenting the design management and quality as a competitive differential for small and medium enterprises in this sector. The design has not been properly stimulated in most of these companies, by the fact that its benefits are not being properly evaluated. The absence of design professionals from these companies is a great challenge, because it involves changes in the paradigms that in turn relates to the acceptance of design as a differentiator factor. Was described the furniture industry for the theoretical foundation study, emphasizing its main characteristics, as well as the origin and evolution of the management of design and quality. How methodology used the qualitative and quantitative research. The field search was conducted through of the semi-structured interviews with the managers of MEP's. Was selected three companies that are part of the Santa Maria furniture core (NUMOV/SM). It was used questionnaire to seek the views of consumers on the importance of the use of design as differential factor. For consumers, the research was conducted through the questionnaire applied in the four districts with the greatest significance of purchases, according to the opinion of managers. The total population of these districts is 66,113 people. On this population was used a stratified sample valid of 385 questionnaires applied, representing a significance level of 5%.The small and medium enterprises in Santa Maria furniture sector recognize the importance of using the design as a competitive factor, however, encounter themselves on the paradigm that design increases production costs. The data presented in this study reinforce the need for companies using the design management and quality. Thus, the strategy of design in this sector, generates innovation and consequently the credibility of the company on the market.