TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT

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Total Quality management is related with quality assessment. Quality assessment is a probe of the level of quality being achieved. This assessment of quality leads to quality control and it includes action taken to do away with unacceptable quality products.

A typical quality control programme is based upon the periodic inspection at various stages of production, later followed by feedback on results and the adjustments made where found essential. The term quality assurance is quality control but with an emphasis on quality at the design stage of the products, processes and jobs and in the selection of manpower and their training.

Another term Total Quality Control (TQC) refers to a total commitment to quality in all its aspects, to commitment of quality in all functional areas of work and utilizes behavioural techniques such as quality circles (QC,S) and zero defect programmes etc.

The biggest misconception among people regarding TQC is that it is restricted to product quality and it is not about the quality of all business processes. The concept of TQM is that, it takes quality from the shop floor to every conceivable activity in an organisation. Keeping the consumer at the centre of all thoughts, decisions and processes.

To Improve a industry’s/company’s operations effectiveness (TQM) is one of the techniques along with others such as supply chain management, reengineering, cellular manufacturing and bench marking etc.

Thus operational effectiveness techniques and TQM can elevate a company’s operation to such a level which cannot be surpassed unless there is some alternative superior technology. This could be a short term competitive benefit. It is essential to appreciate that rival plants/industries can also adopt the same operational effectiveness techniques.

Quality management is also defined as “the system of establishing defect prevention actions and attitudes with a industrial unit/company or a organization on a permanent basis for the purpose of assuring conforming products or services directed at customer satisfaction.”

The TQM provides a entirely different way of looking at the management style. It develops and provides a participative culture where each employee can directly participate in areas concerning his work as well as decisions relating to his work. So it is an approach to improve the effectiveness and flexibility of the organization as a whole.

The basic aim is to involve every person of every department of the organization to work together so as to eliminate errors and prevent waste. The cross functional goals such as quality cost, manpower development, quality of work life are satisfied by this improved performance. Thus all these activities ultimately provide customer and employee satisfaction.

Total quality management (TQM) is the continual process of detecting and reducing or eliminating errors in manufacturing, streamlining supply chain management, improving the customer experience, and ensuring that employees are up to speed with training. Total quality management aims to hold all parties involved in the production process accountable for the overall quality of the final product or service.

TQM was developed by William Deming, a management consultant whose work had a great impact on Japanese manufacturing.1 While TQM shares much in common with the Six Sigma improvement process, it is not the same as Six Sigma. TQM focuses on ensuring that internal guidelines and process standards reduce errors, while Six Sigma looks to reduce defects.

Total quality management (TQM) is a structured approach to overall organizational management. The focus of the process is to improve the quality of an organization’s outputs, including goods and services, through continual improvement of internal practices. The standards set as part of the TQM approach can reflect both internal priorities and any industry standards currently in place.

Industry standards can be defined at multiple levels and may include adherence to various laws and regulations governing the operation of the particular business. Industry standards can also include the production of items to an understood norm, even if the norm is not backed by official regulations.

TQM is considered a customer-focused process and aims for continual improvement of business operations. It strives to ensure all associated employees work toward the common goals of improving product or service quality, as well as improving the procedures that are in place for production.

QMICS provides the following focus as part of Process Quality: