Total quality management essay

Total quality management (TQM) involves managing the whole production process in order to produce an excellent product or service. This is aimed at long-term success through customer satisfaction in which all members of an organization are involved in the improvement of processes, products and services. The concepts of Total Quality Management were pioneered by Philip Crosby, Kaoru Ishikawa, Joseph Juran, Armand Feigenbaum and Edwards Deming (Organisation Wide Approaches, 2010). Deming is credited for having given 14 management practices that helped companies increase their quality and productivity.

In light of this view, the essay will discuss contributions of Edwards Deming in Total Quality Management (Mouradian, 2002). Quality does not have any universal definition. However, many agree that it entails meeting or exceeding the satisfaction of customers. On the same note, quality should be practised at every stage of the production process and it ought to involve three main elements namely quality, teamwork and process improvement. Implementation of Total Quality Management involves participative management, continuous process improvement and team utilization (Besterfield, 1999). In participative management employees are incorporated in the process of management and decision making. Deming introduced the concept of continuous process improvement which is a step by step method towards the achievement of ultimate organisational goals.

It is also worth noting that teamwork makes use of work groups in problem solving. Deming developed statistical control charts that were used by managers to control the production process. During World War II, he applied these techniques for the government on war production. He was later sent to Japan in aid of the manufacturing plants that had been devastated by the war and it bears noting that his teachings included building quality at all stages of the production process. The concept of Edward on continuous process improvement was taught in form of a chain reaction. As quality improves, costs go down and productivity equally goes up which leads to more jobs, greater market share and consequently long-term survival of an entity (Mouradian, 2002). The Japanese GDP as a result of the contribution made by Deming, increased steadily by more than 10 percent per year from 1960s (Deming, 1986).

The book by Deming, “ Out of the Crisis” emphasized on the improvement of quality as a priority before meeting short term financial goals. The principles of management that were developed by Deming were the creation of a plan, learning and adopting the quality philosophy. In addition, understanding the aim of inspection, stopping the awarding of business based on price alone as well as constantly improving the system and training are also part of the principles.

Moreover, teaching and instituting leadership, driving out fear, the creation of trust and climate of innovation, optimizing work groups as well as providing achievement methods. It is also worth noting that other principles such as the elimination of numerical quotas for the work force, removal of barriers that rob people of their workmanship pride, encouraging education and self improvement of everyone were among the principles that he taught. On the same note, he emphasized that the final principle which needed to be employed was an action to be taken for accomplishing the transformation (Goetsch & Davis, 2001). Deming is also popular for introducing the Deming’s cycle popularly known as the Plan Do Act Check cycle.

Quality elements increase efficiency in a process for instance, more products are manufactured at low costs and minimum time. Involvement of the work force in management and decision making processes bring more information in the limelight since managers set policies after receiving advice from the workers. In addition, continuous process improvement leads to zero defects while teamwork pools together individual efforts of employees and ensures that all efforts are directed towards the same direction (Goetsch & Davis, 2001).

Total Quality Management systems have been implemented in many companies in order to make them globally competitive. Human resource managers and engineers are currently employed depending on whether they possess TQM training or not. This has prompted an introduction of quality management training in colleges and universities.

Similarly, many companies are currently ISO certified while others are striving to, thus this indicates that quality has been embraced universally. Word Count 691                  References: Besterfield, D., Besterfield-Michna, C., Besterfield, G., & Besterfield-Sacre, M. (1999).

Total Quality Management. New York: Prentice-Hall. Deming, W. (1986). Out of the Crisis.

Cambridge: MIT Press. Goetsch, D., & Davis, S. (2001). Total Quality Handbook.

New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Mouradian, G. (2002). The Quality Revolution. New York: University of Press of America. Organisation Wide Approaches. (2010).

Retrieved 5 15, 2010, from ASQ: http://www. asq. org/learn-about-quality/total-quality-management/overview/overview. html