"Ultimately, process-oriented certification is nothing more than intelligent staff management. In the course of our partnership with DNV, we have been able to successively increase the individual responsibilities of our employees," says chief executive of BMW M GmbH, Ulrich Bruhnke.
When Ulrich Bruhnke starts talking about his company's hand-made M engines, it becomes immediately apparent that this is a man who has found his vocation. In the eyes of many a BMW enthusiast, professor Ulrich Bruhnke, chief executive of BMW M GmbH, has the most coveted job in the world. This is the man who presides over the fortunes of BMW's sports cars. The nippy, top-end BMW M line, that has achieved cult status among its fans, is designed, developed and manufactured, in part manually, here at the Munich headquarters.
"We're the inspiration team within the BMW group," explains Bruhnke, not without pride. "Our development department is a think-tank in which the whiz kids with a real driving passion can let their hair down."
Quality needs to be managed Although an enviable job in one of the most vibrant sectors in the world, creativity and dynamism must be balanced by discipline and quality controls. "Speed in our market often goes hand in hand with quality deficiencies," Bruhnke continues. "BMW M GmbH stands for the best sports engines around the globe and for unconventional, custom-made products. We are goldsmiths and high-performance sportsmen in one." Not an easy task in a market as merciless and unforgiving of quality defects as the automotive sector. For this reason, the industry is turning increasingly to the objective assessment and monitoring of its performance by impartial experts such as DNV.
In 2002, BMW M GmbH hired DNV for the first time to assess the company's performance according to the EN ISO 9001:2000 quality management system. "We are grateful for the methodical support and far-sightedness of DNV's quality auditors," says Bruhnke. "The auditors boost staff awareness of their work processes."
BMW M GmbH has the motto "Creativity by design", a goal which is supported by DNV's auditors who analyse the work processes jointly with the staff, identifying responsibilities and highlighting potential bottlenecks.
The learning company "Companies that don't learn sufficiently quickly will be chastised by the market. It couldn't be simpler," says Bruhnke. "We regard our collaboration with DNV as a form of joint, escorted learning. Ultimately, it is our customers who benefit at the end of this value-added chain. They are individuals who invest not only in the ultimate driving experience but also in their confidence in a world-class technology."
This can only be assured in the long term by a management that takes a committed approach to anticipating risks and bottlenecks. Risk management is therefore commonplace at BMW M GmbH, with DNV's auditors acting as a mirror that regularly reflects the staff potential for improvement. "If you're going to spearhead the market, you must also set the benchmarks," Bruhnke continues. "For our staff, this collaborative venture is a sportsmanlike assessment of their abilities and potential."
BMW M GmbH can look back on many years of measurable benefits for its staff from the collaboration with DNV. This is the best incentive to continue fervently along this path. Ultimately, a motivated workforce offers the best guarantee for quality. No one knows that better than Ulrich Bruhnke.
Text: ISABEL RADWAN
Date: 2005-09-06