Management and LeadershipEssay Preview: Management and LeadershipReport this essayIn this paper I will discuss the management and leadership roles and responsibilities in relation to Total Quality Management.Within the past two decades, total quality management represents one of the most profound changes in the way companies are now being managed. According to Biech (1994), “Quality improvement (TQM) is a customer-focused, quality-centered, fact-based, team driven, senior management-led process to achieve an organizations strategic imperative through continuous process improvement” (pp. 1-2). The benefits associated with TQM includes higher quality, lower cost products and services that aligns with customer demands (Zbaracki, 1998). The ability of a company to respond to the needs of its customers measures the overall success of that company. Many organizations may ask the question, what is quality? As Hick (1998) explains, “quality is meeting or exceeding the needs and expectations of the customer” (p.1). What exactly are the expectations of the customers? It is now the responsibility of the organization to define those needs. Perhaps Biech (1994) provides a simpler picture, “Quality is the measure of satisfaction that occurs between a customer and supplier that only they can define. In other words, quality is what the customer says it is” (p.25). Yet according to Perigord (1987), “Total quality means that all participants in a company are involved regardless of their position in the hierarchy” (p.7). Basically making it seem impossible for quality to be successful if all members are not sharing in the same vision and/or goals.
Dr. W. Edwards Deming is well known for the introduction of the concept involving quality management. After World War II, Deming gained exclusive recognition throughout Japan, which later flourished to his homeland. During the early 1950s, Deming was invited to Japan to aide in he recovery of Japans economy. Going through a period of economic hardship and declines, the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) called on Demings expertise. In 1980, Dr. Deming introduced 14 key factors behind this idea of quality management. Gitlow (1994) notes the following as 14 points discussed in Demings work, “Out of the Crisis”. (see Appendix 1).
After Demings success with his Japanese counter partners, many North American manufacturers began to focus in on the Japanese strategies. The Japanese not only adopted Demings ideas for manufacturing, but also expanded them to include administrative and service industries. The implementation of quality concepts began to flourish along with the techniques that focused in on employee motivation, measurement, and rewards (Hick, 1998). During the eighties, quality improvement had yet again changed names and was referred to as Total Quality Management (TQM).
Hick (1998) also explains that the continuous improvement process should “be driven from the top, but implemented from the bottom” (p.2). Next customer focus, which involves the identification of who the customers are. When companies consider process improvements, they must know the people who will be using their products or services. Hick (1998) explains, “the starting point for quality improvement is to determine the customer needs” (p.3). As Allen (2001) also notes, “customer satisfaction is the hallmark of an effective TQM program” (p.5). It is wise for managers to encourage employee-customer exposure to effectively gain understanding of customer needs (Allen, 2001).
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Conclusion:
The TQM process to solve your problem is what drives you through TMOs. There is no need to be a “first line of defense” at a time when companies are in dire need of quality. In order to bring about your TQM solutions, you must have a vision of the problem that is going to work for you and your company. A plan must fit your needs and your own personal goals. A business needs to be able to identify key and measurable characteristics of each project and how you’re doing to achieve those goals. However, don’t fall into either of the two roles. You need to establish the level of commitment to achieve your goals. In order to gain these higher priorities, your team is going to be engaged. You need to be aware of that, and be proactive. These include: working on your TQM product roadmap; how you intend to improve your design,
being aware of which aspects will be relevant to your company,
follow the company’s new vision for TQM,
support for new customers, and
help you develop your customer development plan which meets your goals.
Your company is going to be aware of what its customer needs are, and it may decide how they will benefit from your efforts. Your TQM team needs to get in touch with your customers before you, and get into the information and processes that make it possible to grow your company. After establishing your TQMs, keep an open mind about what you need to accomplish when you begin to work. The problem is, no one is perfect. So be careful, and do your best to take ownership of your decisions when they are not in your best interests. In addition to making the right decisions, you also want to get involved with your customers, their needs, and your team when they need support. You need to be accountable to your customers and staff by making the right decision regarding what you will do with your customer’s money when it’s the right time to engage with them.
Don’t forget to follow those who tell you to focus on customer satisfaction. Those folks are right, and you should follow them. The point is to let the people you serve know about the progress you are making. You also have to let the people that help you know what’s important and what’s not. That puts the business next on your watch list. Your role is to make sure TQMs make sure that the best of them gets to the customer that they’re after.
References
1 As you can see, there’s an abundance of different kinds of customers. Whether you can identify and engage them as they’re moving
Walter Shewhart developed the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle, which provides a methodology for process improvements. Many organizations may use this cycle upon the realization of the need for process improvements. The PDCA cycle is also known as Demings cycle because Deming used this methodology to explain the concepts of continuous process improvements. This cycle consists of four important steps (1) Plan, which is used to determine the processes needing improvement, setting a target, and making all the key players in the effort; (2) do what involves the implementation; (3) check, which included comparing the pre and post improvement data. This step is also used to determine if the post improvement efforts have corrected the original problem; and (4) Act, which involves continuous monitoring of that particular process and moving on in areas that need further improvements (Biech, 1994). Including flow charts, organizations can also use cause and effect diagrams, run charts, and control charts as basic measuring tools.
The main concept behind Demings quality theory was the creation of techniques and procedures for process control (Hick, 1998). The theory was expressed as the responsibility of the organization as a whole.
Almost every thought or action will be affected by implementing change such as TQM. The understanding must feed from the top and filter to the bottom. Every player must be touched with some enthusiasm for change. The old paradigms were the way Western Leaders were trained to act through traditions but now, Deming offers leaders a way to view the new paradigms as a long awaiting change. This new system of knowledge offers management four important but beneficial paradigms that will develop from the implementation to TQM. Paradigm 1 – Manage to create a win-win environment, not a lose- lose environment. Paradigm 2 – Manage to create intrinsic motivation, not extrinsic motivation. Paradigm 3 – Manage with a long-term process and results orientation, not with a short-term results-only orientation. Paradigm 4 – Manage to promote cooperation, not competition (Gitlow, 1994). “Leaders must recognize and accept their role to learn, live, and lead the transformationthey need to set the example – to exemplify the new principles in their own actions and reactions” (Biech, 1994, p.111).
With any major change, TQM efforts may fail with even the most full thought-out plan. The most important resource for any company is to research common mistakes made by other organizations. Biech (1994) list ten most common mistakes which varies from; (1) insufficient training at all levels, (2) executive team not leading the effort, (3) middle management was not involved early, (4) staff-driven, rather than line-driven, (5) customer focus is limited, (6) short-term expectations are too high, (7) impatience with long-term focus, (8) fear-based culture is not changed, (9) communication, reward, long-range planning systems not adjusted to the new way of doing business, and (10) implementation becomes the end, rather than the means. To prevent common mistakes, especially #10, Biech (1994) suggest that leaders who implement TQM should focus their attention on the following: (1) providing a unified focus, (2) implementing process improvement,