What is Total Quality Management?
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In simple terms, total quality management is an approach to delivering long-term product success and customer satisfaction. TQM involves all members of the organization working together to improve processes, products, and services.
Hence, Total Quality Management is defined scientifically as a customer-oriented process. The aim of total quality management is to continuously improve the business. Importance of TQM ensures that industry components work together to improve the quality of its products and services.
Generally, total quality management focuses on improving production processes and service processes. In order for the organization to progress, the entire process is based on performance.
Several authors have introduced the concept of Total Quality Management (TQM), including Deming, Feigenbaum, and Juran. Originally developed for manufacturing, TQM is now used by all sectors of an industry, including employees. Both customers and organizations benefit from TQM.
Nevertheless, TQM had already been conceived and laid its foundations, even when it was officially coined. TQM has been used by an organization at different stages. Assurance, Quality Control, and Inspection are some of the processes of TQM in organizations.
Characteristics of Total Quality Management
Total quality management has some rigid characteristics. The key elements of Total Quality Management are:
- Customer satisfaction and needs are at the heart of quality management. TQM puts the customer first.
- In an ideal TQM process, employees are dedicated to the organization’s goals and 100% focused on them.
- A TQM process that never ends is ideal.
- Organizations are continuously improving their intermediate processes through TQM.
Principles of Total Quality Management
The Total Quality Process is rigid and disciplined. An organization can lose a lot of money due to a minute error. TQM is based on the following principles:
- Commitment of partners.
- Improvements are continuous.
- Employee empowerment.
- Customer-focused.
Importance of Total Quality Management
As its name suggests, total quality management (TQM) is essential to implementing quality products and processes within an organization. In addition to quality delivery, TQM has the following functions.
- Establishes detailed product specifications and product quality specifications.
- Employees can easily access the written obligations and necessities of the intermediate process.
- TQM principles are used to characterize material quality design and approval guidelines.
- The TQM approach also contributes to the design and construction of infrastructure. Additionally, it facilitates the selection of efficient equipment.
- Furthermore, TQM provides employees with proper training so that they will be able to perform their duties efficiently.
- TQM principles also apply to inventory control systems used in shipping and handling products.
- A quality management system revolves around quality assurance and quality control.
- An organization can approve services only after assessing and confirming that the entire process has been completed satisfactorily.
- Quality management maintains a healthy work environment for employees and the organization as a whole.
- In order to serve the needs of customers, TQM enables industries to respond to complaints and needs.
Advantages of Total Quality Management
- Eliminate errors as much as possible.
- Efforts to improve reputation faults.
- Identify and fix the problem
- A higher level of employee morale.
- Motivate teamwork, decision-making, and extra responsibility within the organization.
- Optimization of costs and time.
- Customer satisfaction and quality.
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