- KALDER 20th QUALITY CONGRESS SPECIAL SESSION...
- SABANCI HOLDING CEO ZAFER KURTUL SAID: "OUR VISION IS TO CREATE A DIFFERENCE"
- " QUALITY REQUIRES A SPECIFIC COST''
- "SUCCESS IS ACHIEVABLE ONLY THROUGH TEAMWORK"
Sabancı Holding CEO Zafer Kurtul participated in the special session arranged by KALDER within the scope of 20th Quality Congress. Speaking alongside Akfen Holding Executive Board Chairman Hamdi Akın under the moderation of Murat Sabuncu, Milliyet Newspaper Economy Director, Kurtul emphasized some statements about quality notions and Turkish economy.
Kurtul stated that they created Sabancı Holding vision for the year 2005, and that the vision includes ensuring a permanent upperhand by creating a difference, as well as creating a value for the stakeholders and shareholders in this way. Stating that they put a great emphasis on business perfection and innovation, and believing that the growth in profitability could be leveraged only through these essential principles, Kurtul underlined that quality is an essential part of this process and the competition has evolved, became difficult, based on which, information exchange is conducted quite rapidly.
Kurtul stated that geographical boundaries no longer constitute commercial restrictions, that it is possible to retail products to a wide range of locations through internet, that world commerce has doubled its size since 2003, that they are standing in a market where competition is steep and boundaries have been removed, and that they need to take both business perfection and innovation, as well as the stated principles for granted, in order to be able to stay competitive in this market.
-" THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IS EVEN HIGHER FOR TURKEY NOW"
Kurtul reminded that Turkey has gone through a serious crisis in 2001 and said: ''I remember the year 2001 well. We had some days that required us to stay awake for all night. Another crisis was in America through the years of 2008-2009, and many uncertainties prevailed in 2009 as well.
Currently this is not the situation in Turkey. However, we witness the turbulent times abroad. Our nation has implemented many reforms for the last years. The most positive improvement I see is the financial discipline. In 2002, the rate of public debt is increased by 120% against national income in Turkey. Interests are elevated high. We managed to reduce that level down to 39 percent with a good financial discipline. When we consider the developed countries today, we see that their public debts have reached up to quite high and risky levels. This is an alarming development. On any condition that consumer debts are reduced abroad, old consumer routines will surely cease to exist. Indeed, Turkey is about to enter a more competitive environment in respect of foreign markets. Therefore the mentioned concepts including innovation, business perfection and quality become more and more important for Turkey.''
Stating that the uneasy air thickened further within the banking industry and that it brought significant troubles alongside, Kurtul said that Turkey supported the banking industry with financial boosting program at the first hand, that USA did the same with TARP, and that a capital deficiency is seen within the banking industry in Europe.
Zafer Kurtul said: ''In consideration of our side, our banking industry is in quite sound condition as well as our and financial framework. First off, we hold a very good stance in respect of financial discipline... A secondary topic is our banking industry... The sizes are too small for consumer loans nationwide. This is a significant upperhand. It is not possible to maintain a sustainable growth in Turkey without resolving the current deficit''.
Stating that one significant reason for the current deficit is triggered because the savings are at small rate while significant importation of energy and raw materials exist, Kurtul further said that public industry makes real profit, while it is a considerable roadblock in front of the savings to have low profitability at the private industry. He further emphasized that innovation, business perfection and quality are the essential elements that boost the increase in profitability.
- - "SYSTEMS SHOULD REWARD SUCCESS"
Kurtul stated that success is only achievable through a sound level of teamwork, which should be boosted by organizational culture, and that it should be rewarded by the systems. Zafer Kurtul said: "For the past two years, we have been conducting the Sabancı Golden Collar awards to reward the people who created a difference. Within this scope, we reward our employees at a range of categories including innovation, lean 6 sigma, and perfection. This creates a significant level of motivation on our employees".
Stating that the quality process has improved significantly in Turkey, that they were only controlling the quality and verifying the quality of the end product before the 80s, Kurtul underlined that they have been looking after total quality management during 90s, improving the processes, and focusing on the issues of "creating quality work, ensuring the quality" as well as "continuous improvement", while conducting business.
Kurtul said: "Brisa was the first company to attain the "National Quality Grand Prize" granted by KalDer in 1993. It also was the first Turkish company to receive the "Europe Quality Grand Prize" granted by Europe Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) in 1996. Brisa is the first company to win those prizes at the first nomination".
