Total Quality Management Explained

TQM is the process of applying a zero defects philosophy to the management of all resources and relationships within an organization as a means of developing and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement which focuses on meeting customers expectations.


Characteristics of Total Quality Management Programs

(a) Organization wide there must be acceptance that the only thing that matters is the customer.

(b) There should be recognition of the all-pervasive nature of the customer-supplier relationship.

(c) Instead of relying on inspection to a predefined level of quality, the cause of the defect in the first place should be prevented.

(d) Each employee or a group of employees must be personally responsible for the defect-free production or service in their domain.

(e) There should be a move away from “acceptable” quality levels. Any level of defect must be unacceptable.

(f) All departments should try obsessively to get thing right first time, this applies to misdirected phone calls and typing errors as much as to production.

(g) Quality certification programs should be introduced.

(h) The cost of poor quality should be emphasized, good quality generates savings.

(source : BPP Learning Media)



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