Which practice ensures quality across all stages of production?

• A. Purchasing
• B. Quality Assurance
• C. Six Sigma
• D. ISO 9000

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is preventive, process-wide oversight that makes sure quality is built into every step of making a product. Quality Assurance is the practice that does this by planning, standardizing, and monitoring the entire production process—setting standards, defining procedures, training people, auditing activities, and implementing improvements so defects are prevented before they happen and quality is maintained from design through delivery.

That broad, proactive approach is what sets quality assurance apart. Purchasing deals with sourcing inputs, not the full chain of production. Six Sigma focuses on reducing defects through project-based improvements in specific processes, but it doesn’t automatically span every stage of production. ISO 9000 provides the standards for a quality management system; it outlines what a company should have in place to manage quality, but QA is the ongoing practice that actually ensures quality across all stages.