What is total quality management?

Total quality management (TQM) is used by manufacturing companies and other organizations to raise awareness about the quality of products. TQM is broken down into the following acronym:

• T - Total = Involvement from everyone at the company


• Q - Quality = The standard in which you define product perfection


• M - Management = The system of managing the different steps of the business management strategy

Companies that implement TQM are looking for a business process to improve quality for a long time. In order to become successful, companies must have the support of all their staff members. The staff must pay attention to the needs and demands of the customers to make sure they are able to benefit from the new system.

TQM requires the company to maintain a standard of quality for all the products and services they offer. Not only does this standard of quality apply to the products, it also applies to the employees of the company. They need to treat every customer equally and provide them with a high level of customer service.

The nice aspect of TQM is that it is an ever-evolving process until many of the other business process improvement philosophies. Excellence evolves to meet the needs of the customers and to meet the needs of product development. In order for the program to work, managers must properly implement it. They are in charge of planning, organizing, directing, controlling, and assurance of the program.

The term quality is twofold, first it is "quality" according to the demands and needs of the customer. It is also "quality" based on the needs of the business. For example, if a business manufactures a cheap promotional product the business standard of quality will be lower from the products they typically sell. To the business, the promotional product meets the quality to the standards. A customer may have a different opinion because they base the level of quality based on the price. Since you will give it out for free, it should meet their quality expectations and it is considered a success. If it fails to meet their expectations, you need to consider re-designing the product.

Total quality control has long been under debate where it started from. Many claim that it started in Japan with Kaizen method. Others claim it started in the United States in the 1950's, it is now known as "quality management" in the United States. Over the years, several TQM leaders have added onto the program to help it become successful to a wide range of businesses instead of just manufacturing firms. W. Edwards Deming is one of the most notable leaders to add his information to TQM.

Deming created 14 different points that must be used to increase productivity and improve quality within the organization, they are as follows:

1. Create constancy of purpose for improving products and services.
2. Adopt the new philosophy.
3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality.
4. End the practice of awarding business on price alone; instead, minimize total cost by working with a single supplier.
5. Improve constantly and forever every process for planning, production and service.
6. Institute training on the job.
7. Adopt and institute leadership.
8. Drive out fear.
9. Break down barriers between staff areas.
10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations and targets for the workforce.
11. Eliminate numerical quotas for the workforce and numerical goals for management.
12. Remove barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship, and eliminate the annual rating or merit system.
13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement for everyone.
14. Put everybody in the company to work accomplishing the transformation.