The answer to this question was given in an interview to the publication by Yeldos Ramazanov, the Member of the Management Board, the Deputy Chairman of the Board of the NCE RK "Atameken".

The XVI Asian Quality Congress (ANQ-2018) will be held in Almaty on September 19-20. The event takes place in Kazakhstan for the first time, which means that world-class professionals working in the field of quality management, certification, standardization, metrology, models of excellence, benchmarking, ie the main lines that are the basis for solving the main quality problems will gather for the first time in our country.

- Yeldos Muratovich, tell us more about the Congress itself, what goals does it pursue?

- In order to understand the essence of the forthcoming Congress, I think it is worth starting with the background of its occurrence. By cooperating, the regions of Asia formed an entire Asian quality network to promote integration and improve the quality of life. Thus, in 2002, an Asian Quality Organization was established on the initiative of a group of national organizations in the field of quality of Japan, South Korea, China, India and several other countries. The founder is the Honorary Professor of Tokyo University - Noriaki Kano. It includes 17 countries, including Kazakhstan. For today, the Quality Congress has become an annual event held in one of the states of the Asian region. For all time, such events were held in Tokyo, Delhi, Beijing, Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei, Vladivostok and Hong Kong.

An event of this level dedicated to quality issues is held in Kazakhstan for the first time. The Congress is organized to create the largest dialogue platform, a kind of networking for a fruitful exchange of advanced international experience. In our case, Kazakhstani companies will get a direct connection with the world agencies on quality standards and certifications, and they will also be able to study the "rules of the game" in the international arena.

If you remember, during the Soviet era, the quality control of goods remained with the state bodies, then whole scientific institutes were created. To date, every entrepreneur must provide it himself, if he is interested in it. He should understand that the goods produced at a proper quality level will bring the entrepreneur to international markets and provide the company with exports.

Undoubtedly, the Congress will have a positive impulse to modernize our economy, because today the solution of quality problems requires, as time, the active participation of entrepreneurs themselves. This is the modernization of quality management systems, this is an innovative renewal of industries, support for efficient production projects and ensuring their investment attractiveness.

- How is Atameken related with this Congress?

- As you know, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs has been the main organizer of the competition for the award of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Altyn Sapa" and "The Best Good of Kazakhstan" since 2015. These competitions, just the same, are aimed at supporting the domestic producer and popularizing the idea of quality. Conducting the Congress in our country is a unique opportunity for our business community interested in the quality growth of their companies. Today the issue of increasing the competitiveness of domestic business is relevant as never before. Of course, "Atameken" within the framework of cooperation will help to ensure that the quality philosophy, its promotion become an integral part of the corporate culture of every Kazakhstani company. We are interested in ensuring that the best world practices in the field of quality promotion are included in the arsenal of every domestic entrepreneur. As I have already said, at this Congress the business will be able to study these world standards in order to become a full participant in the international market.

It is with the goal of increasing the level of Kazakhstani enterprises that the rules for conducting our republican competitions have undergone changes. First, incentive measures have been introduced - cash awards of KZT 1 million per laureate. Secondly, an additional stage has been introduced, which provides for detailed, on-site inspection of enterprises by qualified experts (assessors). Industry experts will provide the necessary consultation and will encourage our companies to participate in international competitions.

An important step for the Kazakhstani business will be the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation and Joint Activity between the Asian Quality Network and the NCE RK "Atameken". The agreement will enable domestic entrepreneurs to take part in international congresses, master classes and in the "Asian recognition for excellence in quality practice" contest. Also they could apply the experience gained in the field of personnel certification to improve the skills of specialists in their sphere.

- Why the venue became Kazakhstan?

- The choice of the venue for the Congress is not accidental. For Kazakhstan, in the context of accelerated development of integration processes, quality issues are of particular relevance. The work of the Congress will be divided into several thematic streams, such as defining the role and ways to excellence in quality, brand management, the Asian Model of Excellence in Production, the International Quality Alliance Forum "One Belt - One Way" and holding sessions on issues of quality innovation, leadership , improving the quality of services, etc. In addition, the congress will present master classes of professionals in the field of quality from around the world and all sectors of the economy and social sphere.

Within the framework of the Congress, the awarding ceremony for the Ishikawa-Kano award for outstanding achievements in the field of quality and rewarding representatives of Asian companies with ANQ quality awards will be held.

I would like to add that besides the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, the organizers of the Congress were the Kazakhstan Organization for Quality and Innovation Management (KOQIM) with the support of the Asian Quality Network (ANQ), the Technical Regulation and Metrology Committee of the MID RK.

Note:

The Ishikawa-Kano Award is duly named after two outstanding thinkers in the field of quality management in the second half of the 20th century, which improved quality as a way of life in different parts of the world often at their own expense and time - Prof. Kaoru Ishikawa and Prof. Noriaki Kano. Professor Ishikawa is considered the pioneer of the evolution of Total Quality Management in its holistic approach, as it is perceived today.

Its most notable legacy is the participation of people, especially in Gemba (the Japanese term for the place where products are formed or services are provided) through quality control circles, to use their emotional and intellectual potential to manage their work for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Professor Noriaki Kano is considered one of the few modern leaders in the field of quality management in the world, which in many respects made a significant contribution to the concept and practice of quality management. Its most widely used legacy is the Kano model to create an attractive quality that has influenced the product development processes in all sectors of the economy around the world.

- What can you say about the speakers of the Asian Quality Congress?

- As I have already noted, a very high pool of experts has been prepared for this Congress. Very prominent figures, representatives of national organizations of quality of the USA, the European Union, Latin America, Africa will take part, it is more than 200 guests. Such gurus and professionals in management as Professor Noriaki Kano (Japan), Claes Berlin (Sweden), Elizabeth Keim (USA), Professor Mohamed Zaire (UK) and many other well-known scientists, world-class experts will be among the participants.

The program of the Congress presents the reports of world-renowned scientists and professionals working in the field of quality management. They will talk about the main characteristics of current problems, as well as their vision for the successful development of various sectors of the economy in the conditions of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Separately, I would like to single out the president of the Kazakhstani organization of quality and innovation management and the Asian Network of Quality, Professor Azat Abdrakhmanov. It was he who became the first Kazakhstani assessor (expert) of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). Today Azat Abdrakhmanovich actively participates in the work on holding the republican contest for the award of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Altyn sapa" as an expert.

I want to emphasize that today in Kazakhstan there is an acute shortage of such specialists in the field of quality. We need to fill this gap, and it's not just a shortage of workers, but also a lack of conformity of the knowledge they possess with the requirements of the modern market.

- And the last question, is it already known where the next Congress is planned?

- Yes, we already know. The next 17th Asian Quality Congress ANQ - 2019 will be held in Bangkok (Thailand). And Atameken, as the organizer of the Congress this year, hopes to make consolidated proposals, a set of measures to improve the business infrastructure.

- Thank you for the informative interview!