Total quality management in Thailand : a case study approach

Total quality management (TQM) has been applied widely in developed countries. In contrast, in developing countries ISO 9000 series standards have been the focus of quality management and development, and TQM is a new and challenging concept. In Thailand, TQM companies are rare. Consequently, there have been few studies on TQM implementation in Thailand. The literature review suggests that Thai culture including high power distance, high uncertainty avoidance, and high Kreng- Chai negatively affect TQM implementation in Thai firms. This leads to an assumption that TQM implementation in Thailand can be impeded by Thai culture. However, since the time that those studies were conducted, there have been significant economical and structural changes in Thai culture and management system. Therefore, the purposes of this study are to examine how TQM in Thailand is implemented in this changing business environment which is different from the past. This study was carried out using qualitative case-study analysis to investigate how a Thai company had adopted TQM. The research was conducted at a carbon black manufacturer in Thailand. Documentation, in-depth interview, and direct observation were used to collect data from the most management, and some employees of the case company. Also, Nvivo, qualitative analysis software, was used to organise, analyse, and make the linkage between all factors. This study reveals an interesting emerging theme which is - the situation of TQM implementation in Thailand today is different from that in the past studies. For example, while the previous studies suggest that only national culture factors and organisational factors influence TQM outcomes, this study found more factors that need to be considered, namely leadership characteristic, age and education. The right mix of Theory Y leadership characteristics, younger ages and better education are less likely to be influenced by cultural factors, so Thai companies with these characteristics have more opportunity to be successful in TQM implementation than those without them. Moreover, the last chapter proposes the summary of the thesis, limitation and future research

Postprandial Effects of Pecans Ingestion on Plasma Level of Nutrients, Polyphenolic Compounds and Biomarkers of Antioxidant Status in Human Volunteers

Pecans (Carya illinoinensis) are rich sources of polyphenolic compounds and nutrients, which have antioxidant capacity results in favorable reductions in plasma lipids and lipoproteins. However, the health benefits of pecans may not be limited to blood lipid changes. There has been very little investigation into the contribution of bioactive components found in nuts to antioxidant protection. The purposes of the study were 1) to determine the impact of pecan consumption on concentration of total plasma polyphenols and their peak concentration over time. 2) to measure the effect of a pecan diet on postprandial levels of plasma lipid peroxidation and on plasma antioxidant capacity. Sixteen healthy subjects participated in our randomized 3x3 crossover study. A test meal of whole pecan, ground pecan or purified olive oil (control) was given to each subject immediately after a baseline blood draw. Blood specimens were collected thereafter at 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, 8-, and 24-h. The study was split into 2 phases, with 8 subjects in each phase. Results were said to be significant at p =\u3c 0.05. Total polyphenols reached the highest level at 5-h after the baseline draw for the pecan meal. The ORAC and FRAP assays each reached their highest level at 2-h (ground pecan, p = 0.001 and whole pecan, p = 0.002). TEARS decreased the greatest at 8-h (p = 0.013) and oxidized LDL at 3-h (p = 0.018). Our results indicate that antioxidants found in pecans may increase antioxidant capacity and ability, and therefore decrease oxidative stress. Regular consumption of pecans may contribute to a reduction in chronic and age-related diseases

Evaluation of Sacha Inchi (<i>Plukenetia volubilis</i> L.) By-Products as Valuable and Sustainable Sources of Health Benefits

By-products from sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) oil extraction as the husk and shell are used as low value fertilizer or animal feed. The nutritive values, antioxidant activities, phenolics, and in vitro health-related activities of the sacha inchi husk and shell were investigated and compared to increase their economic potential as future food sources. Higher protein, carbohydrates, and total dietary fiber content were detected in the husk, while higher fat content and energy were found in the shell. Several phenolics were also detected in both the husk and shell, with p-coumaric acid being the most abundant phenolic in the shell and caffeic acid in the husk. Total phenolic content was 1.6-fold greater in the shell than in the husk, leading to 1.8–2.7-fold higher antioxidant activity and 1.2-fold higher anti-glycation activity. Various types and quantities of phenolics also led to diverse in vitro enzyme inhibitory activities in the husk and shell. Knowledge received from this research might be useful to maximize the utilization of by-products from sacha inchi oil extraction as future food sources with valuable nutritional compositions, phenolics, and potential health benefits. Further investigations on the health properties of the sacha inchi husk and shell should include toxicity, bioaccessibility, and in vivo experiments

Effects of Maturity and Thermal Treatment on Phenolic Profiles and In Vitro Health-Related Properties of Sacha Inchi Leaves

Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) has been adopted as a novel economic crop with well-studied nutritional and bioactive benefits for human health. Sacha inchi seeds and oil have high commercial value but scant research has focused on its leaves. This study investigated and compared phenolic compositions, antioxidant potentials and in vitro health-related properties of both young and mature sacha inchi leaves after freeze-drying and oven-drying processes. Results showed that p-coumaric acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid and gallic acid were predominantly detected in both young and mature leaves that also exhibited similar total phenolic contents (TPCs), while higher TPCs were detected in freeze-dried than in oven-dried leaves. Mature leaves exhibited higher antioxidant potential than young leaves after freeze-drying, while the opposite results were observed for oven-drying. Overall in vitro health-related activities were higher in mature leaves compared to young leaves regardless of the drying process. Knowledge gained from this study can be used to encourage prospective utilization of sacha inchi leaves as a source of health-promoting compounds. This, in turn, will increase the commercial value of the leaves and provide a wider market variety of sacha inchi products

The Effects of Different Roasting Methods on the Phenolic Contents, Antioxidant Potential, and In Vitro Inhibitory Activities of Sacha Inchi Seeds

Roasted sacha inchi seeds are now commercialized as a health food product, but the influence of roasting methods on their proclaimed health effects has yet to be explored. This study investigated the total phenolic contents (TPCs), antioxidant potential, and inhibitory activities of raw and roasted sacha inchi seeds in vitro. Individual phenolics in raw seeds were also identified in an attempt to explain the bioactivities of the seeds. The results suggested that roasting in a cooking pan, vacuum oven, and tray dryer had distinct impact on TPC in sacha inchi seeds, and thus differentially altered their antioxidant and inhibitory properties. Seeds that underwent roasting exhibited 1.5–2.7-fold higher antioxidant potentials than raw seeds. Certain roasting methods provided the products with anti-α-amylase and anti-cholinesterase activities, while inhibitions of these enzymes were not detected in raw seeds. Roasted seeds also possessed superior anti-lipase and anti-glycation activities when compared with raw seeds (up to 1.7- and 4.8-fold, respectively). The inhibitory properties observed in the seed samples might be attributed to their p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and quercetin, as these potential enzyme inhibitors were predominant in raw seeds. The overall results showed that pan-roasting could be used to obtain relatively high health benefits from the antioxidant and inhibitory activities of sacha inchi seeds. The information obtained from this study may serve as the basis for the proper processing of sacha inchi seeds to optimize their functional food and nutraceutical applications