DEFINING QUALITY: ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS

The trade-offs inherent in accepting one definition of quality over another are described and the implications of using various definitions of quality in future research are discussed.

Abstract

The search for a universal definition of quality has yielded inconsistent results. Such a global definition does not exist; rather, different definitions of quality are appropriate under different circumstances. In this article, we trace the evolution of quality definitions and describe the trade-offs inherent in accepting one definition of quality over another. The implications of using various definitions of quality in future research also are discussed.