Total Quality Management - General Motors - Assignment Example

Running heading: business operations Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Management refers to the act and attitude of being in charge of responsibilities of controlling other people or activities. Management comprises of Planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling an organization with the aim of accomplishing a set of common goals. Management can also be expressed as an activity that controls and monitors workers in any organization with the target of achieving some desired goals set by the firm. With the changing time, management has also evolved. This is as a result of decentralization in the model of the organization where management has evolved resulting in some alterations, in the duty of management. Nowadays, management mainly focuses on facilitating the activities of the workers rather than controlling them as was the norm in earlier days. Proper management is best tool to ensure productivity in an organization or a company. General motor is an automaker company that is based in the United States. It is the first automotive research centre in the world and was invented by Charles Kettering in 1920. Since then, the automaker company has made a substantial progressing its development and was listed as a leading stock exchange company in November 2010. It has several branches in United States and even some in other continents. This shows how enormous the company is, and how famous it has become all over the globe. General motors is the second automaker company worldwide, and it's headquarter is based in Detroit, Michigan. This company is among the best automakers in the world, and that produces the best vehicle models. Total quality management (TQM) is a business philosophy that encourages quality management in every stage of production. It is believed that adding value or improving the quality of products will help in marketing, since it will improve competitiveness. General motors implemented this in order to provide proper services to their customers. TQM only requires one to the system of operation in a business and implementing better methods and ideas. For example, there should be training for employees in order to ensure that they provide quality service to customers. There should be a close relation between the workers and the management where by the workers are allowed to make a decision at all levels. This makes them feel responsible and will be committed to their duties without supervision. Although TQM may be a bit expensive, it has been evident that GM cannot regret having implemented it. This system has ensured that GM has remained to be among the best producers of cars and trucks worldwide. The company offers training sessions for their workers and ensured that they gain the best skills. Empowerment of workers improved the relationship between them and the customers. One of the key factors that they are taught is the best ways of handling customers. Some customers are polite and other extremely rude. This provided the workers with knowledge and skills to handle different people. The workers in the production sector are also trained on how to produce quality products that would please the customers. The customers are provided with quality service making them comfortable in buying their goods in the company. Workers handle customers with professional skills making them feel appreciated. They see the company as a civilized one since the workers handle their customers in a disciplined manner (De Cieri, 2005). The success of general motors is impacted by their leadership skills. General motor’s MD has a group of managers who he believes in, and has experience in management. According to Greenwood (2005), a skilful manager should be knowledgeable and competent so that he can effectively influence and direct his subordinates. He should also be decisive in his entire decision making process. He must strive to practice integrity and honesty always. This is because a manager and should be a role model to rest by exercising good values and ethics. Moreover, manager should be courageous and not afraid to take the initiative. He should be a go- getter and should grab opportunities as they arise rather than sit waiting for them to drop on his lap. This will help him to push the organization to a higher level, and he will always be one step ahead. He also ought to possess good and fluent communication skills. This is to allow him to communicate his business ideas clearly to his subordinate, for implementation. Motivation skills are also essential for a manager to posses at all times. This is because he will constantly need to motivate demoralized workers into continuing to work. A skilled manager needs to constantly motivate his team, to put more effort in their expertise in order to complete a task successfully (Bush, 2003). Kevin wale who is GM’s managing director, adopted IT so as to enhance efficiency of his employees. Information and technology (IT) is the method used to communicate electronically using computers. It is also the use of computer technology and network in conducting services in businesses. IT is used in developing and reducing manual work in companies leading to improving of services and contention of customers. In the modern world, IT has been adapted almost everywhere making the world a better place for everyone. Since the invention of information and technology, there have been several business transactions. This has improved business, and there is positive economic growth worldwide. This improves the quality of service provided to customers. Some gargets have been used in monitoring activities of employees by managers. This increases efficiency in performance of their activities. Cameras installed in their stores helps in recording activities and therefore, ease the task of managers. Quality management system (QMS) can be defined as the organizational procedures and structures that implement quality management in businesses. For instance, there should be total supervision of the activities taking place so as to ensure that everything runs smoothly. The supervisor should adapt ways of satisfying most customers by constantly improving the quality management. In addition to this, person in charge of the store should develop plans for product realization. One should learn the perfect ways of impressing customers, by investing on quality services provided to them (Greenwood, 2005). The vehicles produced in general motors are such as, Chevrolet, Vauxhall, Cadillac, GMC among others. Most of the contracts given to general motors are production of trucks and cars. The company provides its customers with security and information services that will help then in securing their vehicles. The vehicles produced in general motors have alarms and alert systems made with the latest technology techniques. This company has adapted a production system named global manufacturing system. This is a system meant to improve the standards of their products so as to attract more customers worldwide. This system can somehow be compared to the lean production because; they almost have the same rules. Lean production is a production system that was developed by Toyota and other manufacturing companies of automobile. Lean production has been there for some time, and the system has brought immense progress in the automobile world. General motors decided to implement this system, because they had seen how lean production improved the production standards of Toyota. The company gives their customers and the public the opportunity to suggest the models they prefer. This has allowed customers to get what they want since the company knows what they like. The public feels appreciated and give back by influencing other people to buy vehicles in general motors Automakers Company. Due to suggestions made, the customers are sure to get certain models in the company. The company does not disappoint its customers and instead; they provide all that was suggested by people. The relation between the administration of the company and the people is fantastic, and people freely commented on changes made. This helped the company discover their best move towards their aim. The people trust company and did their best in promoting them. Nowadays, companies have been using advertisement as a form of marketing their products locally, and internationally. Companies always know what people like, and they try to make the impossible to be possible in their advertisements. Companies do not care the welfare of the consumer as much as their own. I mean, they lie to consumers in advertisements, so as to convince them in to buying their products. However, there are some products that beneficial and are correctly advertised. Most of the companies trick the consumer in to buying their products, without giving them full description on the product. For instance, they only give the customer the positive effects of the product, without mentioning the negative. On the contrary, general motors ensure that their customers have satisfied by any thing they purchase from the company. Consumer habits otherwise known as consumer behavior refers to the aspects about a consumer that mostly influence the choices they make in purchasing products. Consumer habits influence the consumer’s decision making process, as far as purchasing a particular product is concerned. Consumer habits can be as a result of their lifestyle, motivation, personality, knowledge, perceptions, beliefs, and feelings, ethnicity, past experiences, market mix factors and attitudes. Moreover, the environment also plays a crucial role in consumer habits. Some of the environmental stimuli that influence consumer habits may include political situation in the country, the technological advancement in that country, the culture practiced by the community, the demography of the country and the economy of the country. Consumer habits are hardly ever constant and they keep on changing their habits with time. This made general motors to keep moving with the trend of changing designs and models (Edwards & Rees, 2006). The company administrator ensures that their customers are contented by the goods they buy. For instance, the products made by the general motor are original and not counterfeits and they are also made with the latest designs. Over the years, this has won the trust of customers and the influence of the customers has brought more customers. By doing so, it is hard for a customer to shift to other company if all their requirements are met. The demand for products has made them identify the most preferred and those that are least preferred. In the beginning of implementing new ideas, the company ensured that they did it the right way, at least for the first time so as to attract many customers. This switched the mentality of the customer that every thing in the company was of high quality. This means that people had faith in general motors and believed they had the best. People were even eager to seen the new products and models made by the general motors automotive company. Since this was the first company to hold a centre for research on automotive, the company gained skills on how to handle business on the right way. General motors decided to minimize inventories, since they were spending a lot of funds producing new models that were not liked by their customers. This was a system meant to improve the company standards, but it did not work. The company had to take other responsive measure so as to ensure the company is still on the top. Although the competition was stiff, this made it worse for the company, since they were running out of funds to develop their projects. By maximizing inventories, the company was able to concentrate on the best-selling models and the ones that most preferred by the customers. With time, the company was able to improve the quality of their products without changing their models. This attracted more customers and at the same time improve the financial status if the company. The company also maximizes the flow of their products. In the past, the company bought excess product for their production, and wasted a lot of resources. They budget was strictly followed and no money was wasted in buying excess goods. The saved cash could later be used in improving the standard and quality of their products. The company ensured that the funds set for emergencies were only used only when there were no other options. This requires a lot of discipline to follow these rules. Small projects were allocated with few funds, and the most profitable project gets most of the funds. This was not only a way of saving money, but also a way of disciplining the worker in moving in the right direct that leads to success. This ensured the company’s future was secure, and it will still run if funds were few. The company could not succeed on its own and had to partner with its suppliers. Before the vehicle were produced there was sourcing of different products from many suppliers that would make one product. The company made contracts with its suppliers so as to ensure that they received quality products. For example, they promised to give the suppliers a certain percentage of money if the company gained past the amount they agreed. This made the suppliers contribute in improving the standards of products in general motors, since they received a bonus for their hard work. The suppliers also felt as part of the company and gave the best products that would produce quality products. This also ensured that the company constantly improved the amount of the profit they gained, since the suppliers made efforts to ensure that the company progressed well. GM has maintained a healthy relationship with their suppliers and as a result, receives the best products. They have proper coordination with their suppliers, distributors as well as their customers. Coordination is linking and uniting of different parts of an organization in order to achieve a targeted goal. This also means every one performing his or her duties effectively for the purpose of accomplishing a task. Controlling is the last duty in management. It does not refer to managers manipulating the behavior of their employees; rather it refers to work related activities. It therefore, involves looking out for errors and weaknesses in the system of the organization by monitoring and controlling feedback. This is done to ensure all activities conform to the plans policies and directives as set up by the management. It is also done to ensure performance does not deviate from the organizations standards. Organization also involves monitoring the progress of the firm and ensuring that the goals set are being met. Where an error is identified, corrective and preventive measures should be implemented. For a manager to effectively control, he requires to have a clear understanding of the organizations plans that highlight the organizations standards and objectives. This way, the manager will be able to detect any deviations and control them in time. Over the years, new discoveries have been made as a result of growing technology. These new discoveries have been aided by the availability of better learning facilities and equipment. These were not available in the early days. As scientists continue to discover and invent new equipment, the world is adapting them and incorporating them in the societies. As a result, the world we are living in is heavily dependent on inventions and machines to carry out tasks. Moreover, as a result of the advanced technology, people are getting more intelligent hence they are able carry out more researches of their own as well as make their own new inventions. General motors have taken advantage of this by creating new models and designs. This includes, the speed, entertainment system, comfort in the inner environment, braking and steering systems. References Dickmann, M 2008, International Human Resource Management: A European Perspective, 2nd ed. Taylor & Francis, London. Kreitner, R 2008, Management, 11th ed. Cengage Learning, New Jersey, De Cieri, H 2005, International HRM: an Asia-Pacific focus, Routledge, New York. Edwards, T & Rees, C 2006, International human resource management: globalization, national systems and multinational companies, Financial Times Prentice Hall, Toronto. Bush, T 2003, Theories of educational leadership and management, 3rd ed. SAGE, Los Angeles. Greenwood, W 2005, Management and organizational behavior theories: an interdisciplinary approach, South-Western Pub. Co. Michigan. Read More