TQM Colte, Melody K.

Abstract: Everyone has had experience poor quality of when dealing with business organizations. The experience of poor quality is exacerbated when employees of the company either are not empowered to correct quality inadequacies or do not seem willing to do so. The consequences of such an attitude are lost customers and opportunities for competitors to take advantage of the market need. Successful companies understand the powerful impact customer-defined quality can have on a business. For this reason, many competitive firms continually increase their standards. That is, making the quality a priority a means of putting customer needs first. Thus, meeting and exceeding customer expectations by involving everyone in the organization through an integrated effort which gives total quality management a meaning in the world of management.

Keywords: Organization, Practices, Principles, Six Sigma, Strategy, TQM

I.

Introduction TQM is a set of management practices throughout the organization, geared to ensure the

organization consistently meets or exceeds customer requirements. Total Quality Management (TQM) is an approach that organizations use to improve their internal processes and increase customer satisfaction. When it is properly implemented, this style of management can lead to decreased costs related to corrective or preventative maintenance, better overall performance, and an increased number of happy and loyal customers. However, TQM is not something that happens overnight. While there are a number of software solutions that will help organizations quickly start to implement a quality management system, there are some underlying philosophies that the company must integrate throughout every department of the company and at every level of management. Whatever other resources you use, you should adopt these seven important principles of Total Quality Management as a foundation for all your activities.

II.

Total Quality Management Total Quality Management or TQM is an integrative philosophy of management for

continuously improving the quality of products and processes. TQM functions on the premise that the quality of products and processes is the responsibility of everyone who is involved with the creation or consumption of the products or services offered by an organization. In other words, TQM requires the involvement of management, workforce, suppliers, and customers, in order to meet or exceed customer expectations. Considering the practices of TQM as discussed in six empirical studies; Cua, McKone, and Schroeder (2001) identified the nine common TQM practices as: 1. cross-functional product design 2. process management 3. supplier quality management 4. customer involvement 5. information and feedback 6. committed leadership 7. strategic planning 8. cross-functional training 9. employee involvement The TQM concept was developed by a number of American management consultants, including W. Edwards Deming, Joseph M. Juran, and Armand V. Feigenbaum. Originally, these consultants won few converts in the United States. However, managers in Japan embraced their ideas enthusiastically and even named their premier annual prize for manufacturing excellence after Deming.

The Six Sigma management strategy originated in 1986 from Motorolas drive towards reducing defects by minimizing variation in processes. The main difference between TQM and Six Sigma (a newer concept) is the approach. At its core, Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management approach to long-term success through customer satisfaction. In a TQM effort, all members of an organization participate in improving processes, products, services and the culture in which they work. The methods for implementing this approach come from people such as Philip B. Crosby, W. Edwards Deming, Armand V. Feigenbaum, Kaoru Ishikawa and Joseph M. Juran. 7 Important Principles of Total Quality Management 1. Quality can and must be managed Many companies have wallowed in a repetitive cycle of chaos and customer complaints. They believe that their operations are simply too large to effectively manage the level of quality. The first step in the TQM process, then, is to realize there is a problem and that it can be controlled. 2. Processes, not people, are the problem If your process is causing problems, it wont matter how many times you hire new employees or how many training sessions you put them through. Correct the process and then train your people on these new procedures. 3. Dont treat symptoms, look for the cure If you just patch over the underlying problems in the process, you will never be able to fully reach your potential. If, for example, your shipping department is falling behind, you may find that it is because of holdups in manufacturing. Go for the source to correct the problem. 4. Every employee is responsible for quality

Everyone in the company, from the workers on the line to the upper management, must realize that they have an important part to play in ensuring high levels of quality in their products and services. Everyone has a customer to delight, and they must all step up and take responsibility for them. 5. Quality must be measurable A quality management system is only effective when you can quantify the results. You need to see how the process is implemented and if it is having the desired effect. This will help you set your goals for the future and ensure that every department is working toward the same result. 6. Quality improvements must be continuous Total Quality Management is not something that can be done once and then forgotten. Its not a management phase that will end after a problem has been corrected. Real improvements must occur frequently and continually in order to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. 7. Quality is a long-term investment Quality management is not a quick fix. You can purchase QMS software that will help you get things started, but you should understand that real results wont occur immediately. TQM is a long-term investment, and it is designed to help you find long-term success. Before you start looking for any kind of quality management software, it is important to make sure you are capable of implementing these fundamental principles throughout the company. This kind of management style can be a huge culture change in some companies, and sometimes the shift can come with some growing pains, but if you build on a foundation of

quality principles, you will be equipped to make this change and start working toward real longterm success.

III.

Conclusion At its core, total quality management (TQM) is a management approach to longterm

success through customer satisfaction. In a TQM effort, all members of an organization participate in improving processes, products, services, and the culture in which they work. With TQM, it offers benefits to organization like: Strengthened competitive position, adaptability to changing or emerging market conditions and to environmental and other government regulations, higher productivity, Enhanced market image, Elimination of defects and waste, Reduced costs and better cost management, Higher profitability, Improved customer focus and satisfaction, Increased customer loyalty and retention, Increased job security, Improved employee morale, Enhanced shareholder and stakeholder value, Improved and innovative processes. TQM places strong focus on process measurement and controls as means of continuous improvement.

IV.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_quality_management http://managementhelp.org/quality/total-quality-management.htm http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/total-quality-management/overview/tqm-gets-results.html