Total Quality Management Summary Essay Example

have shown that employee involvement in quality improvement is a more effective way to manage, different from the autocratic model. These companies also introduce high quality at lower cost, changing the competitive equation for everyone. Total quality management is a continuous improvement approach that applies to every level and functional area of the organization, using all available human and capital resources. Improvement efforts are aimed at meeting board goals such as cost, quality, market share, schedule, and growth. Achieving these goals requires ongoing commitment and discipline.The process of quality management involves integrating all employees, suppliers, and customers within the corporate environment.

Total quality management is based on two key beliefs. The first belief is that quality management is an inherent capability of employees. The second belief is that it is a controllable process rather than a random one. In the 1950s, W. Edwards Deming effectively employed the concept of a comprehensive, human-centered system approach to management. He shared his methodology with the Japanese, urging them to adopt his methods and become global leaders. Deming's proposed system had a revolutionary impact on management philosophy in several ways. It now serves as the foundation for total quality management philosophy, which comprises fourteen functional elements. Here are some examples:

The organizational vision is a concise, one-sentence guide or motto that all employees are aware of and believe in. It serves as the guiding framework for a company's beliefs and values and can withstand technological changes. The vision statement should include both external customers and employees without creating division between them. General Motors, for example, provides its employees with a card outlining their strategic vision, emphasizing teamwork. However, merely stating the

vision is not enough; it must be demonstrated through the actions of executives, managers, and individuals. Consistency in demonstrating the vision is essential, along with careful consideration of goals and strategies that align with the workforce's values and culture.

While it is important to have top-management commitment, managers should also understand when to take charge and when to give up control. Quality management is a management approach that starts from the bottom and works its way up. No matter what product or service is being offered, it is vital to create a culture of accountability towards customers.

Resistance to change is a common issue in quality management. To overcome this resistance, it is important to empower those directly involved to initiate the change instead of relying on management alone. Continuous improvement, by its nature, requires embracing change. However, there are barriers that can impede this process. These include assuming what others want without seeking their input, prioritizing low initial costs over quality in decision-making, and recognizing the potential for improved corporate performance through effective accounting practices.

(d) The issue lies in the incapacity to produce competitively at lower levels, necessitating senior management's emphasis on strategy rather than operations. Success is desired, while failure is not. If a system isn't malfunctioning, there's no need for adjustments. Finance and marketing are the primary fields for recruiting senior management. Increased quality leads to increased expenses. It is impossible to prioritize time, quality, and cost simultaneously; only two out of the three can be selected.

Barrier removal involves several steps: (I.) Identifying the barrier, which may hinder progress. (II.) Categorizing the barriers and analyzing their systemic causes. This categorization can be facilitated using

cause and effect diagrams or quality function deployment. (III.) Establishing priority by developing an objective process free from management influence or hidden agendas. Barriers are evaluated based on their validity and the severity of the problem. (IV.) Problem-solving, which goes beyond symptom removal to address the root causes. Sick organizations cannot fully recover if the symptoms are merely masked. It is crucial to tackle the underlying problem. Eliminating one barrier can potentially solve multiple problems, such as improving communication between management and staff. It is important to consider resource estimates for solving the problem during the analysis stage. (V.) Setting goals and strategies for resolution.

Resolution of problems may require setting realistic and attainable goals over a period of months or years. Strategies are necessary to ensure that these goals can be accomplished. It is important to note that numerical goals may not always be the solution and may even restrict growth, especially in organizations accustomed to incremental progress.

Communication is essential for all techniques, practices, philosophies, and tools. It can be written, verbal, or nonverbal. Everyone must continuously understand and improve their skills for each type of communication. All forms of communication involve the sender, receiver, message, and medium. The medium, or method of delivery, can impact the message. The saying "the medium is the message" refers to how the message can be affected and influenced by personality factors and filtering effects. Office memos and reports require significant time and effort, so it's important to carefully choose the words in their final form. Adding space and graphical elements like charts and figures enhances readability. Given the amount of time spent on reading and creating memos, letters,

and proposals, it is better to have more written communication rather than less. However, it's better to have less permanent forms of communication like electronic memos, faxes, or handwritten notes on letters compared to typed or recorded replies.

Verbal communication occurs in various settings and takes on different forms. Vocabulary selection differs when addressing shareholders versus chatting with co-workers.

The main deficiencies in verbal communication lie in public speaking and small group interactions. People are terrified of public speaking, but this fear can be overcome through training, organization, and practice. Additionally, reviewing and practicing presentations through video recordings and gaining confidence by engaging in small group interactions can be helpful. Small group interactions are necessary for establishing trust and ease within the group, promoting teamwork, and facilitating casual conversations among team members.

Nonverbal cues, such as body language and attire, provide humans with a substantial amount of information.

Nonverbal cues in guiding our interactions with others are subject to differing opinions on their importance. While there are shared aspects of nonverbal communication, cultural variations also play a role. It is crucial to comprehend these differences instead of solely depending on interpreting body language. Nonverbal cues are often overanalyzed and given meaning, even when someone may have hearing difficulties or impaired vision rather than showing disinterest or excessive interest.

Feedback is essential for continuous improvement as it allows a company to evaluate whether they are meeting their goals. The feedback mechanisms can range from simple reports to advanced information systems or automated statistical analyses with expert systems. Timely receipt of this information is crucial for taking corrective action. In the construction industry, feedback from engineers, subcontractors, and others can help

managers identify cost and schedule reduction measures. Architects can also benefit from feedback in determining effective construction methods and influencing design choices.

Continuous improvement, in contrast to innovation, is less resource-intensive and relies more on everyone's talent and some amount of serendipity. Japanese companies have embraced this concept for a while and refer to it as kaizen. This approach aligns well with the team building approach.

The primary objective is to improve the project creation process to save time and costs and boost productivity. Enhancing the process, including minimizing costly order changes, reduces time complexity as well. By examining and analyzing the process together, everyone gains a collective learning experience, and the acquired knowledge and understanding of the process serve as a basis for future enhancements.

Quality improvement is based on the principles, and quality leadership heavily relies on top management.

To determine quality, one must identify the activities within the organization that have an impact on it.

Having written procedures is crucial for both communication and effectively carrying out the management tasks of directing and controlling.

Creating a clear and concise description of the services that will be obtained is an important task in quality improvement.

When evaluating and selecting suppliers, it is important to consider the importance of the goods and services being procured in terms of cost, time, and effort.

Quality audits are responsible for assessing the adequacy and adherence to established policies, procedures, instructions, specifications, codes, standards, and contractual requirements. They also evaluate the effectiveness of these measures. Ultimately, the primary objective of most quality audits is to gather reliable data through inspection, observation, and inquiry in order to reasonably assess the quality of the audited activity.

The key

to quality control is obtaining timely and accurate information, which enables the identification and improvement of systems lacking consistent quality.

A cost-effective quality program can assist the management team in allocating strategic resources to enhance quality and minimize expenses.

Productivity, profit, and quality serve as the ultimate indicators of success for the production system.

The idea of "listening to the customer" has grown in importance, even though it may seem obvious. After World War II, the United States was distinct from other major nations in having a functional economic infrastructure that allowed for producing and selling goods of any quality. Industries mainly prioritized their internal requirements rather than satisfying customer desires. However, as international markets expanded, new competitors with advanced technologies emerged and started providing higher-quality products while also actively interacting with customers.

This technique produced extraordinary results for these emerging sectors and gained invaluable insights. Here are a few tactics to enhance both customer and vendor relationships.

Connect the organizational vision with customer satisfaction.

Provide incentives for suppliers.

Combine everything into one source.

Reduce the total number of vendors.

Identification of both internal and external customers is required.

Consumers and suppliers should be identified.

Maintain regular communication with customers.

Engage the customer in both the planning and development phases.

When selecting vendors, it is essential to assess their qualifications and the alignment of their policies with our own. Viewing these vendors as allies rather than adversaries can be beneficial. This perspective aids in the successful implementation of cost-saving strategies such as just-in-time delivery, which entails supplying materials when they are needed.

Empowering the worker involves enabling them to reach their highest potential. This concept is both powerful and useful in quality management for many American companies. It

may seem obvious or impossible, but it is neither. To empower workers, organizational charts need to be flipped upside down. Management should be there to help workers overcome problems, not create obstacles. Empowering strategies include giving employees ownership of tasks, projects, or divisions. This ownership implies trust and involves delegating authority that matches the responsibility of the task.

Ownership can also be given to a team, requiring that the owner handles the final resolution of the tasking.

Value all contributions, regardless of appreciation, to enhance the contributor's self-esteem; accept and evaluate their contribution.

Everyone has inherent worth and should be treated with respect. Every type of work holds dignity and importance.

Teams need to take ownership of their problems. If management rejects or significantly alters their recommendations, teams become ineffective and a waste of time. If management lacks trust in the team's recommendations, it indicates a fear-based management approach, leading to decreased productivity.

Delegate authority to the lowest possible organizational level because nobody knows more about a job than the person directly involved in it.

The outcome of training results in changed behavior, which can improve interpersonal skills or specific manual skills. This modification is easily recognizable. Training does not have to solely involve traditional classroom teaching. One effective method is employees training their peers. Each department should have a company-wide curriculum that caters to their individual needs. Courses should be of appropriate length to achieve effectiveness. Immediate reinforcement is crucial for the training to be effective.

The primary benefit of TQM is its emphasis on quality, a significant aspect in the field.
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