TQM - Total Quality Management. Figure 22 Total Quality Management (Oakland, 2003) In the early 1980s organizations began to take interest in quality and how to manage it. During this period a variety of lists and framework were constructed to help with this process. In the same period the understanding of “Total quality management” developed. TQM approaches were linked to direction, policies and strategies of business or organizations. These approaches were then gathered as a basic framework in the TQM model (Figure 14). “The key was to integrate the TQM activities, based on the framework, into the business or organization strategy” (Oakland, 2003). TQM is related to Lean because these two different concepts are built and influent of each other. For Lean management to achieve their objective, we can say that they are using the TQM as one of their prime tools. (Lean manufacturing concepts website, 2008) TQM is an approach for organizations to improving their competitiveness, effectiveness and flexibility. The approach is a way of planning, organizing and understanding each activity, and depends on each individual at each level. TQM is also a way to eliminate duplication of work and unnecessary time consuming efforts by including everyone into the process of improvement, so that results are achieved in less time (Oakland, 2003). The four P’s and three C’s of TQM - Planning: The development and deployment of policies and strategies; setting up appropriate partnerships and resources; and designing quality. - Performance: Establishing a performance measure framework - a “balanced scorecard” for the organization; carrying out self-assessment, audits, reviews and benchmarking. - Process: Understanding, management, design and redesign; quality management systems; continuous improvement. - People: Managing the human resources; culture change; teamwork; communications; innovation and learning. (Oakland, 2003) The three C’s; culture, communication and commitment are looked at as the “soft outcomes” compared to the “hard management necessities” in the P’s. The TQM model is not complete before these soft and hard constraints are integrated and can successfully improve organizations. (Oakland, 2003) While TQM is an approach to assure quality within the company, the next term we will introduce is an extension to this. It is a way to ensure continuous improvement. If the warehouse achieves better results after implementing a new strategy, they should not settle with this, but aim for event better resul...
TQM - Total Quality Management. Figure 22
