Total Quality Management

1.0 Introduction:

Total Quality Management (TQM) was initiated and developed by Japan and their origin can be brought down to the well known "Quality-gurus", which are Deming, Juran, Feigenbaum, Ishikawa and Crosby. Many different definitions for TQM were defined, which vary from the description as "excellence" (Oxford University Press, 1990) towards "fitness for use" (Juran, 1974) to the most common explanation "Quality is meeting and/or exceeding customer's expectations" (Crosby, Feigenbaum, Juran and Deming). To further understand this process we need to evaluate the involved words. Besterfield et al. (1999) evaluated "total" as being something complete, "quality" as being a certain degree towards excellence and "management" as an act which can be referenced to leading or controlling something.

Quality management shouldn't be only considered as a technical system but in fact more as a social system and social being connected to "human systems".

While TQM was started in Japan the first wave came over to the western part of Europe beginning of the 1970's.

2.0 TQM approach:

I would like to point out that in TQM two major aspects are identified, which are the "what" and the "how". "What" is described and evaluated in many different textbooks while the "how" didn't get much attention so far. The "how" distinguishes and defines the differences to other quality management approaches and makes "the difference", which results in "soft" aspects. Key principles within TQM are well known under: "Total employee involvement, continuous improvement, continuous training, teamwork, empowerment, Top-management commitment and support, democratic management style, customer/citizen satisfaction and culture change", defining total employee involvement as being the most important aspect.

The more employees are involved into the TQM process and into the overall quality strategy the higher the information and knowledge flow gets, which results in "distribution of intelligence" for problem solving. Further it's stated that: "Any TQM program requires the commitment of the highest levels of the organization and the outset". (Crosby, 1992, p.13)

From my personal understanding it's obvious to see that the more skilled people are involved the more knowledge can be shared. Imagine being in a team for a new product development for let's says a "new production line for chocolate tablets". Technicians, engineers, managers, co-workers, electricians and so on are involved to make this project happen. Everyone has it's own expertise and is good in what he is doing. Just one person cannot define total quality