ABOUT KALDER (Turkish Quality Association)*
The Quality Association was established in 1991 with the aim of promoting and disseminating the contemporary quality philosophy in our country. Our association has embraced a contemporary quality philosophy that goes beyond conventional quality control practices. It brings together organizations that implement Total Quality Management or are preparing to implement it. Representing 949 supporting organizations, our association has a total of 1886 members: 1351 full members, 491 honorary members, and 44 student members.
In line with global developments, various sectors in our country are showing interest in the subject and joining the quality community every day. Our association, which has members from almost every sector of industry, has seen participation from banks, insurance companies, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, local governments, and the armed forces.
Due to strong demand from members and the belief that conducting activities from local centers would strengthen the work, efforts were initiated to open branches. In this context, branches in Ankara, Izmir, Eskisehir, and Bursa were opened and have started their operations.
Since its establishment, our association has utilized various tools and carried out activities to promote the contemporary understanding of quality in our country.
National Quality Award
With the aim of showcasing exemplary organizations that successfully implement Total Quality Management and encouraging its more widespread application in Turkey, the TÜSİAD-KalDer Quality Award is given annually by KalDer and TÜSİAD. First established in 1993 based on the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model, this award has been won by BRISA, TUSAŞ, NETAŞ, KORDSA, and in 1998, Arçelik won the Grand Prize and İpek Kağıt won the Achievement Award.
Preparations have been completed to create a separate category for small and medium-sized enterprises within the scope of this award, and awards have been given to organizations of this size since 1998.
National Quality Congress
Every year in November, KalDer and TÜSİAD organize a National Quality Congress with the participation of domestic and foreign experts. The congress, first held in 1992 with the participation of experts from various industrial sectors, universities, and public and private sector organizations, has successively focused on the following main themes: "Quality in Industry," "Quality in the Service Sector," "Quality in Communication," "Quality in Education," "Quality in Political Administration," "Quality in Economic Administration," "Quality in Law," and "The 2000s and Total Quality Management (TQM)." The 2000 congress will focus on TQM and Quality in Public Administration as its main themes.
Training Seminars
These trainings are among the most important products and services developed by KalDer to establish and disseminate a contemporary understanding of quality across all segments of society in Turkey . Offered in two categories – Open to General Participation and In-House – these trainings are grouped under three main headings: National Quality Movement Trainings, EFQM Excellence Model Trainings, and Quality Trainings. Our trainers in these programs, which have been attended by 25,000 people since 1992, are senior managers and experts with practical experience, having actively participated in the practices of organizations that have made progress on their Total Quality Journey.
Expert Groups
Expert Groups have been established within the association with the aim of generating knowledge, evaluating acquired experiences, adapting information produced from foreign sources to our country, and disseminating the results of the studies to a wide audience through various meetings or publications.
Our association views Expert Groups as one of the most effective tools for ensuring that the experience and knowledge transferred to our country through various means do not remain within the confines of businesses but are shared with a wider audience. Experts from successful businesses participate in these Expert Groups, and the information gathered through collaborative discussions is disseminated to a broader audience through publications and various meetings.
Publishing Activities
Book
To address the problem of quality in reference books, important reference books have been translated into Turkish or original books on the subject have been published. These publications, distributed free of charge to members, are available for sale on all accessible platforms and are also sent free of charge to educational institutions and libraries upon request.
Quality First Magazine
Our magazine, "Önce Kalite" (Quality First), published to quickly inform the public about current developments in quality both globally and in our country, and to share successful examples, has completed its eighth year.
Monthly Bulletin
Our association has also been publishing a monthly bulletin since its establishment, which it sends to all its members, both full and honorary, to keep them updated on the activities it has carried out and plans to carry out.
Quality Library
With the increasing interest in the topic of quality, the number of people conducting research on the subject has also increased. To support these research efforts, a Quality Library has been established within our association and made available to all interested parties.
Other Activities
KalDer organizes panels, conferences, and other meetings from time to time. Furthermore, it considers the invitations it receives for these meetings as suitable opportunities to voice its contemporary understanding of quality, and participates in such meetings wherever they are held in Türkiye.
*This page has been created by quoting from the Turkish Quality Association's website. It is for informational purposes only. The organization's website address is: kalder.org