Concept and Definition of TQM (IEM TQM 07April 2021)

Concept and Definition of TQM

 

Total Quality Management (TQM) describes a management approach to long-term success through customer satisfaction. In a TQM effort, all members of an organization participate in improving processes, products, services, and the culture in which they work.

 

TQM, is a method by which management and employees can become involved in the continuous improvement of the production of goods and services. It is a combination of quality and management tools aimed at increasing business and reducing losses due to wasteful practices.

 

Total quality management is a mana­gement’s approach towards the quality; it can be in regard to products, customer satisfac­tion and employee’s satisfaction.

Total Quality management can be divided into four categories:

Planning Phase

Planning is the most crucial phase of total quality management. In this phase employees have to come up with their problems and queries which need to be addressed. They need to come up with the various challenges they face in their day-to-day operations and also analyse the problem’s root cause. Employees are required to do necessary research and collect relevant data which would help them find solutions to all the problems.

Doing Phase

In the doing phase, employees develop a solution for the problems defined in planning phase. Strategies are devised and implemented to overcome the challenges faced by employees. The effectiveness of solutions and strategies is also measured in this stage.

Checking Phase

Checking phase is the stage where people actually do a comparison analysis of before and after data to confirm the effectiveness of the processes and measure the results.

Acting Phase

In this phase employees document their results and prepare themselves to address other problems.

Benefits of TQM include:

·                  Reduce risk and mitigate risk when designing new products and processes

·                  Resolve problems before they occur

·                  Resolve problems that occur during operations

·                  Improve supplier performance

·                  Control processes to avoid risk even when scaling up

·                  Increase productivity or all employees

·                  Reduce the total cost of quality not just the costs of poor quality of products

·                  This will increase the awareness of quality culture within the organization.

·                  A special emphasis on teamwork will be achieved.

·                  TQM will lead to a commitment towards continuous improvement.