Total Quality Management (TQM) Doesnt Work Essay

Arumugam, V., Chang, H., Ooi, K., and Teh, P. (2009). "Self-assessment of TQM practices: a case analysis", The TQM Journal, 21(1), 46 – 58. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/journals.htm?articleid=1766744&show=abstract#sthash.TkDGZoZ7.dpuf

In today 's competitive marketplace, all firms are seeking ways to improve their overall performance. One such method of improvement, recently adopted by many firms, is benchmarking. Benchmarking is a technique used to evaluate internal business processes. "In this analysis, managers determine the firm 's critical processes and outputs, baseline those processes, then compare the performance of each process against a standard outside the industry" (Bounds, Yorks, Adams, & Ranney 1994). To effectively improve a business process to world-class quality, managers must find a firm that is recognized as a global leader, not just the industry

TQM the process for managing quality must be a continuous way of life, a philosophy of perpetual improvement in everything that companies do. TQM is an integrated organizational

Implementation of TQM is not an easy task as it requires a total change in organizational culture, shifting of responsibility to management, and continuous participation of all in the quality improvement process (Lakhe & Mohanty, 1993: p.19).

There are two board approaches of TQM, which are hard approach and soft approach (Hill, 1991). The hard approach used the statistical methods to emphasize continuous improvement and get better result of productivity and profits whereas soft approach is to create strong organization culture and meet customers’ demand by focusing on leadership, employee involvement and culture change (Fotopoulos & Psomas, 2009). So, there are three TQM fundamental pillars according to most TQM approaches, which are top management commitment, continuous improvement and employee involvement (Slack, Chambers & Johnston, 2007). Top managers can improve the performance and effectively change the culture of an organization (Kaynak, 2013) in ensuring the successful implementation of TQM (Coulson-Thomas, 1991; Doyle, 1992). Xerox’s top management used the benchmarking strategy which is a “ standard or point of reference in measuring or judging quality, value, etc ” (Webster, 1979) to incorporate ideas into own operation by identifying and learning the best perform critical business functions of other organizations. For examples, Xerox studied the ideas from Cummins Engine Company to improve production scheduling and ideas from L.L.Bean for improving the distribution system (Camp, 1992). Besides, top managers of Xerox were required to promote and ensure their employees stay on track with the new quality strategy in their routine

The TQM theory was elaborated by W. Edwards Deming to better the management of industrial units (Militaru et al, 2013). Contributors to the concept of TQM are people such as Deming (Anvari et al, 2011). Dr Deming considered quality and process improvement activities as the catalyst necessary to start an economic chain reaction. Improving quality leads to decreased costs, fewer mistakes, fewer delays, and better use of resources, which in turn leads to improved productivity, which enables a company to

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a long-term process the involves commitment, at all employee levels, and continuous improvement as to how activities are managed and controlled by organizations to present quality goods or services that satisfy internal and external customers' need and expectation(Miller, 1996). TQM is a bundle of tools, techniques, processes, principles and experts practices that over the years has been evolved and improved(Shiba,Graham and Walden, 1993). To name a few, researchers who significantly contributed in evolving TQM philosophy and practices, and tool and techniques are: Walter Shewhart, Edwards Deming, Joseph Juran, Armand Feigenbaum, Philip Crosby, Genichi Taguchi, and Kaoru Ishikawa (Boyer and Verma, 2010). In spite of differences in their TQM philosophy approach and definition, the fundamental principal goals of all TQM are the same. Oakland's idea of TQM does not differ either in that TQM objectives are fulfilled by realizing

For an organization to make improvements, it must consider the external, as well as the internal and relational-based views. TQM affects the process at all levels.

If an organization has a track record of effective responsiveness to the environment, and if it has been able to successfully change the way it operates when needed, TQM will be easier to implement. If an organization has been historically reactive and has no skill at improving its operating systems, there will be both employee skepticism and a lack of skilled change agents. If this condition prevails, a comprehensive program of management and leadership development may be instituted. A management audit is a good assessment tool to identify current levels of organizational functioning and areas in need of change. An organization should be basically healthy before beginning TQM. If it has significant problems such as a very unstable funding base, weak administrative systems, lack of managerial skill, or poor employee morale, TQM would not be appropriate.5

Total Quality Management (TQM) is an improvement tool that is widely used in many companies. It consists of many aspects including Managing people as well as business processes in order to maintain customer satisfaction. With TQM, Businesses starts to do the right thing from the start and to ensure zero error. Therefore, it is important to learn the principle of TQM and how it acts in organizations with its advantages and disadvantages.

TQM gives some short-term advantages, however majority of advantages is long-termed, and tangible benefits from them appear only after successful realization. In big organizations this process can take few years. Long-term benefits expected from implementation of TQM - higher productivity, higher moral tonus of personnel, decreasing of costs and increasing of consumers ' trust.

The fact that globalization has expanded the market for organizations means that TQM is more important than ever before. Customer demands are higher and if a company does not create products and services that meet their expectations they can easily access the same or similar products and services from another company. If managers do not implement TQM into their company procedure then they will fail to meet the high standards of customers all over the world and eventually lose their business. When it comes to implementing TQM, it’s the mangers responsibility to create an environment where people can work together to improve their work processes. If the ownership or senior management does not buy into this concept you will never succeed. Many people in leadership roles are either too set in their ways or closed minded to the necessary change needed to really improve the way things get done. You have to buy into the concept that there is always a better way to do something. By tapping into all the knowledge and experience your employees possess, you develop solutions that not only improve your execution, you provide everyone with a sense of accomplishment.. These "process improvement teams" give employees a chance to help steer the future direction

As assessing TQM as a whole system, it is regarded as an organizational change and individuals’ receptivity to the changes vary considerably (Coyle-Shapiro & Morrow, 2003). The study of

Similar to the previous concepts and components of organizational structure, the principles of effective management have progressed since early management theories into many approaches that both share similar characteristics and vary in many ways. One of the most significant changes from early approaches can be attributed to the total quality management theory (TQM) developed by W. Edward Deming, which emphasized the idea of continuous improvements in every aspect of an organization (CSU Global, 2015). Notions such as the adoption of new philosophies, supervisor assistance, and the elimination of boundaries and numerical standards are all attributes stemming from the TQM approach that remains alive in many organizations today (CSU Global, 2015). However, there remains components of the TQM system that do not apply to every management approach but are useful in the examination into the similarities and differences between the many management theories.

"TQM is a management approach for an organization, centered on quality, based on the participation of all its members and aiming at long-term success through customer