Quality Circle Competition Winners: The Auto Mechanics Circle of the Sharp (Phils.) Corporation topped the recent Search for the Outstanding Quality Circle Project held during the Annual Productivity Improvement Circles National Convention (PICNIC). Members of the winning group, headed by Jennelyn Leano (front, third from right) present their awards to SPC President Shigeo Kashimi (center), Senior Vice- President Kazuhisa Kamiya and Sharp Philippines Services Corporation (SPSC) President and SPC Vice-President Ernesto F. Rendon (rear, second and third from left, respectively). Sharp, a leading consumer electronics manufacturer is a practitioner of total quality management (TQM). A quality circle is a group, usually composed of about 6 to 9 people, that meet regularly to discuss quality-related work problems so circle members may generate solutions. The organization of a circle is based on the principle of voluntarism.

Sharp (Phils.) Corporation's Auto Mechanics Circle, one of the most active circles in the company-wide Total Quality Management program, won the Most Outstanding Quality Circle Project in the production category in competitions held during the Productivity Improvement Circles National Convention recently. The circle was part of only three entries meeting a benchmark rating worthy of the title.

The circle, which won the gold medal in during the 2002 Quality Circles Regional Competition, was one of the official entries of the Quality Circles Practitioners Association (QCPA), a regional chapter made up of 51 companies from the Luzon region. QCPA is one of four local productivity improvement groups forming the national convention's organizer, the Productivity Improvement Circles Association of the Philippines (PICAP). During the regional competitions attended by 33 companies from the Luzon region, Sharp's circle bested 16 other project entries giving them a shot for the most coveted national award.

As finalists for the national competition, a total of 41 companies gathered at the national convention held in a posh resort in Clark Field, a special economic free zone north of Manila. Sharp's Auto Mechanics Circle emerged as the winner among nine entries in the production category.

SPC pursues its commitment to improve quality and productivity through quality circles program and sustain leadership in its highly competitive field.