Evolution of TQM

• Quality Management philosophy was evolved in Japan after second world war.
• An American expert Edwards Deming helped Japanese to apply concepts of TQM.
• In 1968 the Japanese shaped the phrase Total Quality Control and became the world quality
leader.
• In the 1980 the U.S. Navel Air Systems coined the TQM phrase. The Navy based most of
the principles on the Japanese Total Quality Control philosophy.
• In 80’s most companies in the world started applying this concept and enhanced their
productivity and profitability remarkably.

What is Quality?
Quality is generally defined as conformance to requirements. It is also conformance to a
standard that is required. However, many consider that quality need not just be
conformance to requirements but
should be an assurance of being the best in the world of that type. In addition, it should also
keep a constancy of purpose.
What is Total Quality?
Total quality refers not only to the product but also to the way the product is made as well
as presented to the customer. Total quality asks for customer orientation, process
orientation, people management and leadership. All these are continuous processes.
What is TQM?
TQM is a people driven process. It involves changes in people process orientation and
continuous improvement of the process. It strives for empowerment and autonomy of the
people involved in using processes of production. It asks people to continuously look for
new ways to adapt to the changing
environment. It is a continuous improvement plan, with an effort to bring out the best for
the stakeholders as well as for the institution.
What is Misconceptions about TQM?
It is not an imposition from top downwards. It is not done through inspections. It can work
only when stakeholders understand the importance of guaranteeing quality and improving
continuously. Unless the institution and the stakeholders have a keen desire and a
constancy of purpose, TQM cannot be introduced. TQM is not about working according to
someone else’s agenda, it should be owned by the institution and the members should feel
for the cause and act for it.
Why Focus on Quality?
To understand total quality, one must first understand quality. Customers of businesses will
define quality very clearly using specifications, standards, and other measures. This makes
the point that quality can be defined and measured. Although few consumers could define
quality if asked, all know it when they see it. This makes the critical point that quality is in
 the eye of the beholder. With the total quality approach, customers ultimately define
quality. People deal with the issue of quality continually in their daily lives. We concern
ourselves with quality when grocery shopping, eating in a restaurant, and making a major
purchase such as an automobile, a home, a television, or a personal computer. Perceived
quality is a major factor by which people make distinctions in the market place. Whether we
articulate them openly or keep them in the back of our minds. We all apply a number of
criteria when making a purchase. The extent to which a purchase meets these criteria
determines its quality in our eyes. One way to understand quality as a consumer-driven
concept is to consider the example of eating at a restaurant. How will you judge the quality
of the restaurant? Most people apply such criteria as the following:
Service
Response time
Food preparation
Environment/atmosphere
Price
Selection

The example gets at one aspect of quality the results aspect. Does the product or service
meet or exceed customer expectations? This is a critical aspect of quality, but it is not the
only one. Total quality is a much broader concept that encompasses not just the results
aspect but also the quality Of people and the quality of processes.

Define Total Quality?

TQM is an enhancement to the traditional way of doing business. It is the art of
managing the whole to achieve excellence. It is defined both a philosophy and a set of
guiding principles that represent the foundation of a continuously improving organization. It
is the application
of quantitative methods and human resources to improve all the processes within an
organization and exceed customer needs now and in the future. It integrates fundamental
management techniques, existing improvement efforts, and technical tools under a
disciplined approach.

Give the Basic Concepts of TQM?

• A committed and involved management to provide long-term top-to-bottom
organizational support.
• An unwavering focuses on the customer, both internally and externally.
• Effective involvement and utilization of the entire work force.
• Continuous improvement of the business and production process.
• Treating suppliers as partners.
• Establish performance measures for the processes.

Give the Obstacles associated with TQM Implementation?

• Lack of management commitment
• Inability to change organizational culture
• Improper planning
• Lack of continuous training and education
• Incompatible organizational structure and isolated individuals and departments
• Ineffective measurement techniques and lack of access to data and results.
• Paying inadequate attention to internal and external customers.
• Inadequate use of empowerment and teamwork.

Give the Objectives of TQM?

To develop a conceptual understanding of the basic principles and methods associated with
TQM;
• To develop an understanding of how these principles and methods have been put into
effect in a variety of organizations;
• To develop an understanding of the relationship between TQM principles and the
theories and models studied in traditional management;
• To do the right things, right the first time, every time.

What is a quality policy?

The Quality Policy is a guide for everyone in the organization as to how they should provide
products and service to the customers. The common characteristics are
• Quality is first among equals.
• Meet the needs of the internal and external customers.
• Equal or exceed the competition.
• Continually improve the quality.
• Include business and production practices.
• Utilize the entire work force.

How Is Total Quality Different?

What distinguishes the total quality approach from traditional ways of doing business can be
found in how it is achieved. The distinctive characteristics of total quality are these:
customer focus (internal and external), obsession with quality, use of the scientific approach
indecision making and problem solving, long-term commitment, teamwork, employee
involvement and empowerment, continual process improvement, bottom-up education and
training, freedom through control, and unity of purpose, all deliberately aimed at supporting
the organizational strategy.

Where did the idea of TQM come from?

The notion of TQM was first developed by Feigenbaum and popularises by W Edwards
Deming who implemented many TQM programmes in Japan, where his ideas, initially at
least, were more readily accepted. In essence, Deming, Juran, Crosby and all the other
gurus, said that total quality management involves everyone taking a positive and proactive
approach to quality and that good quality, i.e. consistent conformance to customers’
expectations, can only be achieved if:
The organisation understands what customer needs are and could define and specify all of
them (see quality characteristics chapter 17).
All employees understand that all parts of an organisation have a role to play in meeting
customer expectations, not just the people on the shop floor, but the work of finance staff
for example in ensuring error free invoices for example.
Each employee recognises that they have an impact on quality.
All the costs of quality are considered, not just the cost of putting things right when they
go wrong, but also the costs of trying to prevent problems, with an emphasis on the latter in
order to bring about a reduction in the former.
There is a focus on getting things ‘right first time’ and instead of putting it right when it
goes wrong to try to make sure it does not go wrong in the first place.
There are robust and organisation-wide quality systems and procedures that both ensure
the things above happen, but also the removal of systems and procedures that can make
quality difficult to deliver (see Deliberate Defectives box).
The organisation is concerned with continually improving what it does and how it does it

What are the main differences between traditional quality

management and TQM?
What was different and important about TQM was that it changed people’s views about the
nature of quality problems and the responsibility for quality. Quality was (and still is in some
organisations!) seen simply an issue for manufacturing or service employees where the role
of management is to put checks and controls in place (using some of the techniques
described in chapter 17) in order to ‘inspect-in’ quality. This is what is known as the
‘traditional’ approach to quality. Deming and the other gurus challenged this view with their
beliefs that:
Quality was an issue for everyone (everyone in the organisation and also suppliers and
customers, i.e. the whole of the supply chain).and
Quality had to be ‘built-in’ to prevent problems occurring.
The Eurocamp and Unipart illustrations in the chapter provide examples of this.

What are the main implementation issues in TQM initiatives?

The main implementation issues are:

To realise that TQM is not a ‘quick fix’ but a long-term approach to quality. Good quality
needs to be underpinned by systems with clearly set out goals and guidelines.
The need for top management commitment – because TQM involves the whole
organization without top level support any such initiative is doomed to failure. This support
usually is evidenced by an executive champion, and a high level steering group.
Involving the people who know – TQM is not a management tool but a means of involving
everyone in identifying and solving problems. It is essential that there should be means of
involving everyone, providing necessary training and also recognising success when it is
achieved.
The final issue is that TQM may, over time, lose its effectiveness (see figure 20.8), if it is
seen as a ’programme’ (with an implied start and end) rather than a ‘working philosophy’
that is a part of the organisation’s way of working. To this end many organisations refrain
from using the name ‘TQM’ and simply seek to encourage good (TQM) practice.

How do quality awards and models contribute towards TQM?

The Ulster Carpets box provides a useful example of the application of the EFQM quality
award and how it underpinned the company’s TQM approach.

Quality awards are useful because they:

Provide motivation for improving quality and pursuing TQM approaches.
Provide frameworks to assess quality.
Provide incentives to improve quality.
Provide international recognition of success.
Why TQM Fails?
Yes, Total Quality Management fails. We don't hear too much about those. When it does
not bring about improvement in the workplace, it is usually a result of faulty
implementation rather than anything intrinsically wrong with the concepts.
Reason #1: Improper Planning
Organizations tend to be so anxious to begin doing "something", that they start off being
unclear as to what they are trying to accomplish and how to get there. There is a time to
jump to action and a time to insure that the actions are properly planned and considered.
Jumping in too early creates chaos, and cynicism as expectations are frustrated.
Reason #2: Management Confusion
Managers need to lead the organization to quality processes. Too often managers have not
considered what this means on a day to day level. Many managers will need some coaching
on what their roles might be, and how to carry them out, but quite frequently, managers are
not prepared for the tasks they face.
Reason #3: Inadequate Support To Managers
So far, there has been a tendency to hire TQM consultants to visit for a half-day or so to
start the process. This puts incredible pressure on managers since they have little ongoing
access to the expert help they need to make this work. Also, some activities that are part of
TQM are best carried out by "outsiders" who bring a different kind of objectivity to the
process.
Reason #4: Partial Implementation (Hedging)
Many organizations jump in by implementing only one piece of TQM, usually focussing on
the customer, or collecting information from employees. Customer service is only one part
of the puzzle, and empowering employees is not likely to bring about change unless other
issues are addressed.

Reason #5: Inadequate Marketing

There is considerable cynicism in the public sector these days. Employees have seen
management fads come and go without impact. TQM programs that do not communicate
the TQM principles, and management intent usually fail. TQM must be explained in ways
which show how it will benefit all members of the organization. Then management must
lead by example.
Reason #6: Impatience
Any organization change requires perseverance and patience. Management that is not
willing to work at it over an extended time will start backing off the principles and become
inconsistent in their actions. That destroys their own credibility and the credibility of
organization change in general.

Write short notes on the Three Spheres of Quality

. Quality Control
- Includes phases of analysis, relation, and generalization. - Activities relating to quality
control include:
. Monitoring process capability and stability

. Measuring process performance

. Reducing process variability

. Optimizing processes to nominal measures

Quality Assurance
- Refers to activities associated with guaranteeing the quality of a product or service.
- Quality assurance activities include tasks such as:
. Failure mode and effects analysis
. Concurrent engineering
. Process improvements
. Design team formation and management
. Quality Management
- The management processes that overarch and tie together the control and assurance
activities make up quality management.
- For this reason, a variety of managers, supervisors, and employees are involved in quality
management activities.

Describe the TQM philosophy and identify its major characteristics.

TQM focuses on identifying the causes of quality problems and correcting these problems.
TQM emphasizes the need to include every employee in the organization in the quality
improvement efforts. TQM emphasizes the need to define quality based on the customer’s
needs. Its major characteristics are customer focus, continuous improvement, quality at the
source, employee empowerment, understanding quality tools, a team approach,
benchmarking and managing supplier quality.
Explain how TQM is different from the traditional notions of quality.
Also, explain the differences between traditional organizations and
those that have implemented TQM.
Traditional notions of quality focused on inspection of products. Instead of relying on
inspection as the primary tool for quality, TQM focuses on identifying the causes of quality
problems and correcting these problems. TQM takes a broader view of the organization
than traditional views of quality. Organizations that implemented TQM successfully were
able to produce a higher quality product at a
lower price, thereby increasing market share. Traditional organizations have either failed or
will fail in the future if quality is poor.

Describe the four dimensions of quality. Which do you think is

most important?
The four dimensions of quality are the quality of product or service design, quality of
conformance to design, ease of use and post-sales service. The quality of product or service
design is determined by the features that are included in the final design of the product or
service. The quality of conformance to design is the result of how well the product or service
meets its specifications. Ease of use is determined by the ease of using the product or
service, its reliability and its maintainability. Post-sales service is the level of service
provided after the product or service has been purchased. The four dimensions of quality
are all important in determining quality. However, quality of design is
most important since it determines the ability to meet customer needs, which is the
objective. If the
quality of design does not meet customer needs, then it will not matter if the product or
service meets it design specifications, is easy to use or is supported by good post-sale
service.

Explain the Three aspects of quality

The three aspects of quality and their linkages with each other have been depicted in Fig. 6
below:
Three Aspects of Quality
Quality of Design: The product must be designed to meet the requirement of the customer.
The product must be designed right first time and every time and while designing, all
aspects of customer expectations must be incorporated into the product. The factors need
to consider while designing the product are:
Quality of Conformance: The product must be manufactured exactly as designed. The
activities involved at this stage include: defect finding, defect prevention, defect analysis,
and rectification. The difficulties encountered at the manufacturing stage must be
conveyed to the designers for modification in design, if any. The two-way communication
between designer and manufacturing may help to improve the quality of the product.
Quality of Performance: The product must function as per the expectations of the
customer. The two way communication between designers and customer is the key to have
a quality product