Total Quality Management

Total Quality Management Paper

This paper is about Total Quality Management (TQM). There are several parts to this paper that will now be outlined. First, Total Quality Management will be defined. Second, a description of the impact of globalization on quality will be discussed. Third, traditional management styles will be compared and contrasted with management styles focused on quality. Fourth, an explanation of how TQM should apply to my organization will be discussed.

TQM Defined:

The definition of Total Quality Management was defined by SEMATECH in 1990. This definition has stood up well against scrutiny and is widely accepted as accurate:

“Total Quality Management is a holistic business management methodology that aligns the activities of all employees in an organization with the common focus of customer satisfaction to be achieved through continuous improvement in the quality of all activities processes, goods and services”(Burrill & Ledolter, 1999, p. 35).

Impact of Globalization on Quality

At the end of WWII the US was the only manufacturing player that was not devastated by the war. Since the demand for products was so high, the US could sell essentially anything they produced without regard for quality. During the 1950’s the US had no competition and during the 1960’s little regard was placed on it. During the 1970’s US manufacturing was taking a backseat to higher quality and more efficient manufacturing from global competition forcing the US to wake up and begin taking action in the 1990’s. Globalization put competition into the marketplace in regards to quality. Companies that didn’t produce quality began to be forced out of business while companies that produced quality began to thrive ("MGT 449...

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...(Hashmi, 2008). Globalization has increased the focus of Total Quality Management throughout the world. History has proven that management styles focused on quality are more effective than the traditional management style. Organizations throughout the world are now challenged to practice Total Quality Management.

References

Burrill, C. W., & Ledolter, J. (1999). Achieving quality through continual improvement, 1e. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Hashmi, K. (2008). Introduction and implementation of total quality management. Retrieved September 9, 2008, from http://www.isixsigman.com/library/content/c031008a.asp.

MGT 449 week one. Total quality and business planning. (2008) (Vol. MGT449 Quality Management and Productivity, p. 3).

Quality-focused vs traditional management styles. Retrieved September 9, 2008, from http://www.lotofessays.com/viewpaper/1712709.html.