Discuss the application of William Edwards Deming’s 1st principle of quality management (i.e. create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service) through the use of a 21st Century industry example.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the major themes of the quality movement in the past 25 years along with some of the lessons learnt from this. The future direction of quality is then explored by identifying a number of issues which are likely to impact on quality in organisations. Design/methodology/approach – The approach is a review of trends in the academic, professional and business world around quality. Findings -The main outcomes from the past 25 years of quality are presented and discussed along with the lessons from this experience. A number of current and future trends on the quality movement are identified and discussed. Research limitations/implications – Emerging trends are identified which could provide the stimulus for future research. Originality/value – Lessons for managers and leaders on the mistakes of the past and matters which they will need to deal with in the future are presented.
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The TQM Journal 25th anniversary special issue
Edited by Dr Alexander Douglas
Introduction
Quality can be defined in various ways although meeting or exceeding customer expectations is a frequently used term. The general principles of quality include ([8] Evans, 2005):
– continuous improvement;
– teamwork;
– empowerment;
– use of data and facts for decision making;
– problem solving; and
– customer satisfaction.
The quality movement can be seen as a term which could be seen as referring to a set of ideas and principles incorporating those listed above which are adopted in organisations under a variety of names including: total quality management (TQM), Six Sigma, ISO 9000, business excellence and many other more specific tools and techniques such as lean manufacturing, quality function deployment and statistical process control (SPC). It might be considered as encompassing broader organisational cultures, strategies and structures involving leadership, continuous improvement and employee involvement to very specific operational tools such as seven tools, SPC, 5S and so on.
Whist the idea of quality has been around for a long time, it really became widely discussed and adopted during the 1980s. Stimulated by increased global competition and rising consumer expectations, quality became very much front page in business publications and the consulting world. Publicity around organisations who had successfully adopted it was widespread. National and regional quality awards emerged and academics started researching the phenomenon. Journals specifically devoted to it were launched.
Looking back, what has been learnt from the past 25 years or so and what trends are apparent now and what might emerge in the next 25 years?
The quality movement in the past 25 years
If we look at what has happened in quality over the past 25 years, we can see a few key themes and foci. These are discussed as follows.
TQM and the quality gurus
The 1990s saw TQM as headline quality in many western countries. A catalyst was the publicity surrounding Deming’s views in the business press and an environment in which many US companies were facing considerable competitive pressures from Japan. Japanese products, once judged as inferior, had infiltrated many US markets, particularly motor vehicles, household appliances and electronics. US companies were finding that they could adopt the ideas which Deming and Juran had provided to the Japanese following Second World War. The trend was also strong in Europe, the UK, Australia and elsewhere. In Australia, a number of seminars and user groups spread the message of the benefits of quality management and usually showcased how organisations were using it to experience benefits. It also prompted academic researchers to investigate claims of the benefits of adopting quality.
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