Total Quality Management, Essay Example

Total Quality Management (TQM), refers to a group of methodologies that are customer focused.  While there are several theorists who contributed to the area, all Quality Management theories emphasize improving service through a service based orientation to increased customer satisfaction. Companies rely on Total Quality Management methods in order to increase their profit through enhancing their overall business efficiency.  This outcome is accomplished through various Total Quality Management systems use a variety of means to increase the employees’ confidence in their skills, form a team environment, and underscore the customers’ perspective to provide quality goods and services in a timely manner (Barouch, 2011).

According to the American Society for Quality (Westcott, 2013), “[Total Quality Management] uses strategy, data, and effective communications to integrate the quality discipline into the culture and activities of the organization.” Since no two organizations have the same needs when striving for organizational excellence, models of TQM have developed that differ somewhat in the elements included.  The most basic model of TQM includes having a customer based focus, the planning process, process management, process improvement, and total participation (Total Quality Engineering, n.d.).

The first element is ensuring all personnel involved in filling an order understand the needs of the customer. This involves data collection.  In order to fulfill this step a business must consistently obtain information about the customer’s it serves and this information should be analyzed and interpreted by those who are skilled in this process. A report that will be comprehended by those it is sent to should be prepared carefully detailing the data that was collected and what the analysis showed along with implications for future employee behavior.  Sometimes it may also be necessary to obtain information about a competitors clients if possible

in order to become a serious rival in attracting customers.  These steps will enable a business to better predict customer desires in the future such that more consumers will be attracted to take advantage of the goods or services of the business.

The second component uses the customer information gathered as the basis for planning.  Planning includes both short and long term goals.  As the data indicates new trends in customer needs, plans are altered to fit these changes. Without the link between customer information and improvements in employee and management is unlikely to be achieved.

The third step involves competent and knowledgeable management of the entire system. This is needed so customer information can be used in an effective manner to deliver services as scheduled at the lowest price possible.  Streamlining production and delivery decreases time needed to give the end result as well as overall cost of production.  This is the best way to make sure that customers are satisfied.

The fourth step is in keeping with the idea that behavior that meets the customers’ needs at one time may not at another time.  Process improvement methods are used to make sure that every part of the system is constantly made better.  This includes small and big amounts of progress as long as the improvements are constant.

The last element of TQM theory is based on attention to employee behavior.  Management and supervisors lead through example showing how principles are put into place, carried out and promoted throughout the company.  They take responsibility for making sure everyone including themselves are trained appropriately, and that all personnel have the skills needed to take an active role in satisfying customer needs identified in step one in accordance with the plan detailed in step two based on management and growth strategies from steps three and four.  This step acknowledges that in order to produce customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction must also be a priority.

Along with implementing practices based firmly on a strong management theory, for managers to be as effective as possible they must have certain skills.  One skill for effective management is the ability to use power wisely.  Managers will be more effective if employees perceive them as caring about their satisfaction with their job.  Manager effectiveness is also a product of being hands on.  Staying behind closed doors and never being seen or not interacting with employees that managers supervise will not lead to the best employee effort.  Additionally, a hands on approach will make sure managers are aware of employee needs, responses and satisfaction and make sure that their instructions are relayed accurately to employees.  Managers also need to have good coping skills for decreasing stress in order to be effective.  Managing others is not always easy and frequently involves multitasking and dealing with crisis situations.  This means a lot of stress for managers.  Without good coping skills for handling stress managers may feel overwhelmed resulting in the inability to regulate extreme negative emotions which are aimed unintentionally at employees.

Management roles are also important when considering how to manage effectively.  Successful managers constantly seek to improve each step in the process.  When managers constantly try to find better ways to accomplish objectives and goals of the business things run more smoothly.  This will prevent a lot of crises from occurring making the work less stressful for employees and management and employees will view management as trying to help make their jobs easier. Successful managers also seek feedback from employees since employees are the ones engaged in the task of carrying out the process and therefore are aware of problems earlier on and know what is working well.  Along with this, open communication promotes effective management and makes employees feel valued.

In conclusion, TQM is a theoretical methodology that goes beyond theory to include skills, methods, and the most productive and effective practices for achieving and maintaining customer satisfaction.  The best TQM systems lead to constant improvement in employee behavior, participation and satisfaction which leads to increased customer satisfaction.  Adding TQM strategies with best practices related to specific management skills and roles as applied to employee and process oversight will result in the best possible outcomes. When TQM theory is properly implemented in actual practice, and combined with ideal management strategies chances are good that increased revenue will be the result.

References

Barouch, G. (2011). Total quality management as a theory of change. Total Quality Management and Excellence, 29, 15-20.

Total Quality Engineering (n.d.). Total quality management.  Retrieved from http://www.tqe.com/TQM.html

Westcott, R. T. (2013), Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Handbook (4^th ed.), Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Quality Press.