Implementing Total Quality

1. Introduction
This research paper provides a suggestion for a possible way to implement Total Quality (TQ), which is supposed to help a colleague with the implementation within his organization. It provides theoretical, as well as practical advice.

2. ISO 9000 and Malcolm Baldrige Award as a starting point
For some companies choosing a starting point appears to be so challenging that they never begin. This is is referred to as the so called ‘total quality paralysis’ (Oakland, 2003, pp. 339).
When a company is not yet fully ready to implement TQ but wants to develop in this direction there are several other options, namely getting ISO 9000 and making a self-assessment according to the Malcolm Bardrige Award. The preparation for ISO 9000 includes a lot of points that also need to be addressed during the implementation process of TQ. Furthermore it is a prerequisite for cooperation for many companies. The Malcolm Baldrige Award emphasizes the importance of quality for the economic situation of the whole country, recognizes great performance and superior competitiveness. It also encourages the exchange of information and experience among US companies. The preparations are expensive but frequently subsidized by the government. Most of the companies preparing for this award do not do it with the intention of winning the price. It helps them to gain an overview over their status compared to the best organizations worldwide and to identify potential areas for improvement (Kelada, 1996, pp. 328-329) (Goetsch and Davis, 2010, pp. 438-439).

3. Why is it necessary to implement total quality?
First of all it is necessary to make yourself aware of the reasons why the current system is no longer acceptable and why the implementation of To...

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