Introduction and Implementation of Total Quality Management

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Success rates of companies
Should TQM be applied very selectively?
Adoption of TQM
Quality management influence
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Total quality management is the integrative, prudent management with the intention of improving the quality of the products produced while encouraging conformity with the process and the environmental requirements. Total quality management is a cure-all process in all forms of business set ups (Ahire19). For any form of business to gain or improve on its competitiveness in the market, its management must fully exercise total quality management.

Today we are enjoying a single global economy where all companies operating in the same industry are supposed to comply with the changing business environment and technology to survive. Monopoly of a company in a single economy is no more. Managers therefore are encouraged to oversee their companies through these dynamic environments while keeping in to consideration the company goals, mission and vision (Ahire 20).

Success rates of companies

A majority of the companies reveals that the success rate of TQM is quite low at the organizational level. The reason behind this is that some of the top level management assumed that this program is a cure-all and as such, it is capable of solving virtually everything that could face an organization and at the same time, still ensure that an organization continues to realize better financial results.

Proponents of TQM argue that challenges arise when there is a lack of understanding, patience, and commitment, in as far as the top management is concerned. For a better adoption of TQM at the organizational level, there is need to ensure that team work and quality exists.

In the companies where TQM has been implemented with success, these have certain elements in common that have ensured the successful adoption of the TQM program. In all these companies, the top management is highly committed, and they re also in charge of the TQM program in the company. In addition, the organizations also enjoyed TQM-friendly cultures. The successful organizations also possessed many of the practices and values that are important for the successful implementation of TQM.

Should TQM be applied very selectively?

There is no need to selectively apply the TQM program because the most important thing is to ensure that the right people to implement it are first identified. These are the same individuals who will ensure that all the tools and instruments needed to facilitate in the implementation of the TQM program. In order for the TQM program to succeeded, all the employees of an organization should be made aware of it and its associated benefits.

They should be assisted to own it, and to take part in its implementation. This is because TQM program is a people program, as opposed to a management program. As such, all the employees should be encouraged to get involved in the various stages of its implementation. The TQM program should not be left for the companies that claim that they have in place the “right” climate to ensure the success of this particular program.

For a total quality management cycle to be complete, customers should be involved in all decisions made for a perfect realization of the company goals. Customer is the most important stakeholder in a company or any other form of business. All decision made in a company or a business aims at winning the customers loyalty therefore calls for a customer’s involvement in any move in business. Businesses should operate within the customer’s interests and preferences (Cua et al 678).

Management should come up with products and motivational programs that will help them maintain the already existing customers and get other new reliable customers. It is evidently that it is expensive to get a new customer than to maintain an existing customer.

A customer is for sure the most important stakeholder because without him the business cannot grow. Customer handling services should always be observed by all employees of a company with due care and dignity. Managers should at all times acts as an example to other employees and show them how to handle the customers.

It is always important to improve communication with the customers and advice them accordingly where need arise for it helps to gain their loyalty. He or she should not be taken as a bother but as if he or she is giving us privilege to be served by that specific company (Cua et al 679).

If at all the management of an organization wishes to attain total quality management, customers and the general public comments and compliments to the company are considered when making decisions. Feedback is important to the company decision makers because they can note where to improve on and where to hold on.

All complains come through feedback channel that act as a mirror to a company. Negative feedbacks should be handled with carefully to avoid further image and reputation destruction. The quality of the products produced is guaranteed if the feedback is positive. In case the management want to change the name or even the look of the products, customer’s response is paramount.

A customer satisfaction can be noted only by his or her negative or positive feedback. If a company fails to satisfy its customers, then it holds no meaning to continue operating and should close down their plant. To avoid this bitter end, managers always strive to satisfy their customers with all means possible for a better future of the company.

Committed leadership is one of the key elements of a total quality management. Managers should manage the companies they are entrusted on with an utmost good faith. A manager should be the face of the company, the improvement in achievements should be credited on him or her. At the same time, a fall should mean an improper management from him or her (Anand, Ward and Mohan 304).

He should be a point of reference from the juniors. Prudent leadership is not the lack of failure but the ability to collect the mistakes and move forward. Managers who practice the total quality management practices should commit themselves fully to the business with an intention to make the best out of it. A manager should act as the eyes of the other stake holders putting their interest firsts and acting in the interest of the company.

For any quality management to be fulfilled, managers should be part of the planning and implementation team in a company. Strategic planning is necessary for any body or any organization that would wish to achieve its objectives set aside. Strategic planning provides a highway for the company to oversee its future.

Strategic planning is a streamlined mission of any company or even a country that has a prospect to grow or to attain a certain level fair than what they are having today.

For a company to grow, it must have a direction which is this laid down plan that guides the management when meeting the day to day duties. Any action taken in the company must comply with the strategic plan. This helps them work as a team holding a common vision. All departments in a company should follow strictly these guiding plans to the best of their ability.

Irrespective of other obstructions that might divert the attention of the company from implementing its strategic plan, management should always guide on the way forward to avoid losing the objectives. Due to the changing environment, the strategic plan should always be reviewed to fit the situation to shield the company being edged out of business by the upcoming business set ups (Anand et al 305).

A manager should always attend regular training to equip him or her with the new advisement in the ever changing business environment. This will help him steer the company to the right direction. At the same time he or she will be able to head the company to comply with the new developments, rules and regulations that might have come up.

For example, the environment related rules. At the same time, all employees should be involved directly in decision making and their views should be given a chance. This will help to develop an all inclusive organization that will make everybody feels to be part of it success.

Adoption of TQM

In spite of the level of success that has been documented by the various organizations that have implemented the TQM program. Nonetheless, some of the managers still claim that TQM is nothing more than a fancy name for various practices that they have always employed at the company. These concerns include issues of quality, teamwork, and participative style, among others.

These practices are important because they make the adoption of a TQM program much easier at the organizational level. In addition, the adoption of the TQM program also ensures that an organization increases and improves its production levels.

In addition, TQM enables accompany to produce significant results on the company’s competitive position. The issues of TQM are bound to heighten everyone’s conscious. On the other hand, there are those who try to ask who they are as an organization, and what they stand to gain from the implementation of the TQM pram. This group is also concerned about the best way to adopt TQM in order that it can suit their respective needs.

For this group of individual, they have a higher likelihood of realizing positive results from the TQM program. On the other hand, we also have other organizations who think that by just plugging in the program into the system of the organization, they are bound to realize the benefits of the TQM program. Such organizations are bound to fail and in the process, everyone is likely to go cynical.

Quality management influence

In this day and age of high-tech production and operations, some companies may feel that there is less need for TQM, seeing that fewer people are also employed in these organizations, nonetheless, this does not in any way reduce the need for implementing the TQM program. Even in an organization characterized by fewer employees, TQM is important in order to increased efficiency.

Even in an organization with a reduced workforce, it helps to increase and improve production. Some of the organizations that have successfully implemented the TQM program are modest in size but still, they have managed to record impressive financial results. In fact, modest-sized organizations with fewer employees and fewer levels of management are necessary characteristics in order to ensure that a TQM program succeeds.

By perfecting this quality management, decision making can be easy and effective when solving the day to day challenges. Customer service improves significantly and more sales are expected hence posing a chance to make more profits (Cua, Kristy, and Schroeder 676). Employees also find a reason to relate themselves with that company because they find themselves as part and Parcel of the company.

The effectiveness of communication processes within a company is enhanced because every stakeholder in that company finds himself or herself responsible of his department or line of duty. Production and other related output in a company that practice quality management increases keeping in mind that their products are of high quality due to specialization of labor.

Supplier quality management is another important total quality management principle. A good manager should plan and help implement the plan on how the goods produced should reach the customer at the right place, time and in the right form. The channel of distribution should be reliable and easy to maintain and manage.

Prudent supply manager should squarely establish himself to his targeted customers by keeping time and being reliable (Cua et al 677). The channel of distribution should be equally economical for the company to maximize its profits. For example, if a company produces breads in an urban area, its most targeted customers are the working class. This group of people wakes up very early in the morning to get to their working place on time.

The supplying means then should therefore be able to meet this requirement strictly to avoid losses of customers which might lead to heavy losses because of breads perishability nature. In such a case, the most economical means of transport chosen from the varieties should be able to transport the product in question on time irrespective of the weather condition. The number of middlemen involved should be reduced as much as possible (Cua et al 677).

These reasons therefore will help the retailers and the final consumers to have the ability to afford the company products. The more the middlemen the more expensive the goods become. This is because everyone within that line of distribution will have to make a profit on that item in question. Managers should carry out a study to help them decide on which method to use when supplying their products or to whom to entrust with the distribution of their products.

Conclusion

Total quality management not a cure to all. This is because no achievement can be attained without maximizing its relevance while in any business form. Without practicing a prudent management within an organization setting, the objectives set aside can only remain a dream. It is therefore important to affect a total, all inclusive quality management in all walks of life if at all we need to grow together as one guided society for a better tomorrow.

Works Cited

Anand, Gopesh, Ward, Peter and Mohan, Tatikonda. Role of explicit and tacit knowledge in six sigma project: An empirical examination of differential project success. Journal of Operations Management, 28 (2010): 303–315

Ahire, Sanjay. Management Science-Total Quality Management Interface. Michigan: Michigan University Press, 1997. Print.

Cua, Kristy, Mckone, Kathleen and Schroeder, Roger. Relationship between Operations Management of TQM, JIT, and Manufacturing performance. Journal of Operations Management, 19 (2001): 675–694

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