Introduction to Total Quality Management.
Organization from organization find it very difficult to achieve the benefits that are involved after adopting Total Quality Management approach in their system and they continue to struggle of what could be the cause of such problem in their system, the aim of this article is to throw more light of solutions to the problem militating against the benefit of Total Quality Management approach in the organization system as we consider firstly, the elements that are involved, before implementing Total Quality Management approach it into the system. and if these are carefully managed, it will serve as an advantage in bringing out the benefit of the TQM approach after implementation into the firm operations.
By definition, TQM is a way to continuously improve the performance at every level operation, in every functional area of an organization using all available human & capital resources
Other definitions, refer TQM as systematically & continuously improving quality of products, service and life using all available human & capital resources.
Why Total Quality Management TQM approach. There are a lot of reasons why we need to consider the necessity for implementing a TQM approach into the firm system and these are itemised below:
• It aids in anticipating competitive by striving for quality improvement continuously
• TQM reduce the turbulent caused as a result of new technology put in put in place
• TQM provides galvanizing impulse that an organization needs to provide that dissipate frustrations & capitalizes upon pent up energy of its workforce
• It provides a work atmosphere that nurtures a work ethic and allows workers to achieve their potential as workers as well as humans
Eight key elements of Total Quality Management:
• Organization vision: it provides the framework that guides a firm s beliefs and values. The organizational vision should be simple and accurate and must be able to communicate in such a way that it will achieve the desire purposes.
• Barrier removal: since the future is unrealistic and it is inevitable that change will be resisted, a great deal effort in TQM is expanded in overcoming such resistance that might likely occur in an organization, so all effort is made to introduce education and communication, participation, facilitation and support, negotiation, focus on common objectives as many others as to avoid resistance to change during the process etc
• Communication: one of the elements of TQM is communication which may be written, verbal or nonverbal. All forms of communication involve four elements i.e sender, receiver, message and the medium .the tool should be managed in such a way that it will not jeopardise the management interest of the firm.
• Continuous evaluation: feedback is essential to continuous improvement, which enables the sender to know whether its information has achieved a desirable result. The key of continuous evaluation is that information is received in time to allow initiating corrective actions, not only that it enables the sender to know whether the information is delivered to someone who can initiate action.
• Continuous improvement: continuous improvement process is easier to manage and utilizes every employee or worker talents, the Japanese ideology called these approach KAIZEN. This idea fits hand in hand with team-building approaches such as quality circles, brainstorming e.t.c
• Customer-vendor relationship: the customer-vendor relationship is a very essential key in TQM approach and to achieve these, there is a necessity to implement some strategies as to improve the relationships e.g, link organizational vision to customer satisfaction, reward suppliers, more to single sourcing, minimize the overall number of vendors, identify internal & external customer, establish a routine dialogue with the customer, involve the customer in planning & development aspect e.t.c
• Empowering the worker: this means enabling the worker to achieve his or her highest potentials. Empowerment requires recognizing that management is in place to aid the worker assistance in overcoming problems they encounter and not to place new roadblocks in their way.
• Training: one of the elements of TQM is training, which could be on the job or off the job as the case may be. All employees or workers in the firm need and deserve training services in order to improve their skills competency, efficiency & effectiveness to the successful implementation of the TQM approach in the firm system
Summary, having considered eight elements of TQM approach, if it is well managed and implement critically & carefully in the organization system.it will go along way in adding more value as a result of implementing it in the system.
You can see more of our management training, business, and marketing materials HERE.