Identification and ranking of education needs of quality control managers using the fuzzy Delphi method: a case study of Iranian industrial sectors

Nowadays, the progress of technology has changed the industrial environment. Addressing the issue of quality is considered as the most important survival factor for production units. In these units, quality control (QC) managers are directly responsible for product quality monitoring. Paying attention to their educational needs and empowering them are necessary. Considering the roles of QC managers in the improvement of industrial sectors, this research addresses the skill expectations of these people. Using the fuzzy Delphi method and taking the advantage of experts’ opinions, the educational requirements of QC managers are identified and prioritized. Totally, eighteen educational needs are identified in this regard. Meeting those needs can enhance the skills of QC managers. As the ranking of educational requirements suggests, the needs of high priority are the ability to judge the quality of raw materials and final products, the ability to stop the production if the standards are violated, the immediate reporting of incidents to the supervising authority, and the up-to-date knowledge of the criteria and standards used in QC at national and international levels. The least important needs, however, have emerged to be the ability to design and develop a product, the knowledge of laboratory activities and methods of testing raw materials and products, and the knowledge of production-related government rules and regulations.