Definition of Total Quality Management - Essay Example

Name Instructor Course Date Total Quality Management TQM also known as total quality management is more of a philosophy management that is usually integrated to aid or ensure that there is improvement not only product quality but also processes quality. TQM is based on the idea that product quality and also processes quality is the mandate or responsibility of each and individual that is involved in the making or utilization of products and services that are an organization has to offer, requiring the participation of the relevant management, labor, people referred to as suppliers and of course customers or consumers to meet or surpass expectations by the customers or consumers. TQM is a concept that covers nearly or even each and every part of practices in business. It is a process whose main agenda is improvement and not just improvement but improvement that is continuous, that keeps on changing or being dynamic, that keeps on growing and in so doing redefines itself. The ultimate goal of total management and objective is that there are no defects whatsoever or there is faultless customer contentment. Principles of TQM have resolute that individual or personal ownership and self-importance in one’s workmanship by all relevant and involved employees as well as departments gives an end result that is satisfying, an end result of products which are not only good or better but also of high quality and that pleases the eye. Requirements in TQM may be separately defined regarding a particular company or organization or may also be in observance to standards that have been established. A worthy or key thing to note about TQM is that it is based on management that is quality from a point of view by the customer (John 257). “Total Quality Management” is indeed enough for competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is mainly or is simply advantage or pros or gains or even benefits that an organization or company or firm might have over others or competitors. Competitive advantage allows an organization to make or have sales that are in definition great and it also an organization to be able to maintain customer loyalty more than its competitors. TQM ensures that products and processes within an organization are quality and that they satisfy the customer or consumers. In general when TQM puts its efforts in ensuring that an organization or company is able to manufacture a product or provide services that are of high quality to customers and products or services that customers can really rely on then that organization will in no doubt whatsoever have a cutting edge over its competitors. TQM also ensures competitive advantage by ensuring that an organization or firm or company is able to achieve their goal of satisfying customers by providing services and making products that are cheap to manufacture and that sell at a relatively cheap or affordable price that the market can hold. A company that is able to maintain customer satisfaction more than its competitors is more inclined or posed to have a competitive advantage (John 276). In evolution of quality, “Total Quality Management” is in itself a concept that over time has kept on evolving and still doesn’t stop but keeps on evolving. Evolution of quality becomes continuous in this case. In its evolution, it ensures that the first fifty issues involving management in both production and also operations are addressed and that the main goals and objectives are achieved. The fifty issues of management address or point out to one overall agenda which is performance improvement. TQM thus comes in and helps in ensuring that there is a remarkable improvement in performance and quality is achieved (John 300). Practices of “Total Quality Management” in our today environment has become broader and increased in that more and more businesses, organizations, companies, firms and even non governmental organizations are embracing the idea of “Total Quality Management”. This is because of the underlying importance of TQM. It is through TQM that an organization can be able to evaluate its own performance. This is done through customer satisfaction. When a company is able to retain its customers and even attract more customers and generate more income and is able to have an advantage over its competitors in the market then it will be able to say that through TQM, it has been able to achieve success. Customer determination of services is the driving point of most organizations. Practices of TQM in today’s environment have become more or increased in number such that you find even churches having to embrace the principles of TQM. Practices of TQM in our today’s environment have had a different approach in that each and every part of the organization, firm, business or company has to refer to “Total Quality Management”. When organizations come up with different strategies, they have to put in mind the processes of TQM. They have to achieve goals in TQM and have to adhere to the principles of TQM. This is so because it helps the organization to achieve success. TQM practices have thus been more used or become in our today’s environment. They are common because they are not just useful and important but also they are part of the larger picture or point of success in a company, they are the driving machinery or engine of a company that wants to achieve success and generate more and more income and have an upper hand in a highly competitive market. TQM practices in our today’s environment have all but ensured excellence and customer satisfaction. They have enabled a highly competitive market which makes it more conducive for a customer or consumers. This is because, when for example, there are two companies let’s say company A and company B. Company A and B both involve TQM practices in their workforce and they both produce similar products. Both Companies will thus highly compete with each other and in so doing will manufacture quality products and pro vide better services to customers as they try to win them over to themselves. In large, practices in TQM in our today’s environment have become a necessity in our today’s environment. They are the basis under which, we customers have to rely on in order to purchase or buy products and hire services that we can rely on without regrets whatsoever because they are quality and of great importance (John 324). TQM has also influenced Information and Technology. Information and technology largely has to do with communication and TQM works to ensure that Information and Technology leads to success and quality is generally achieved. According to TQM or in “Total Quality Management” it is a customer who gets to ensure that the efforts made by a company, organization, firm or business are worthy and deserve to be applauded. This is the same case in information and technology, when it comes to ensuring effective communication, software upgrade or even information strategies etc. information and technology definitely has to work with what customers think of their achievements. TQM influences or ensures that I.T is able to achieve customer contentment and that quality services are provided for. A firm that specializes in I.T and wishes to venture into any market has to ensure that the principles of TQM are adhered to. The principles include focus on customers, good leadership, involvement by staff, effective approaches in processes, good relationship with suppliers and lastly, improvement that is not stagnant but continuous. TQM thus has top influence I.T in such a way that will help it achieve or meet its desired goals and objectives. It influences I.T firms, organizations, companies or businesses positively and in such a way that they will not only achieve customer satisfaction but also in a way that will ensure that there will be no defects whatsoever or there are nil defects and that profits are gained as customer loyalty is maintained and that also they have a competitive advantage. Computer systems and dissemination, retrieval and sending of data have to be up to standard and achieve quality. This cannot happen if a firm does not put into measure “total quality management”. In conclusion, TQM influence information and technology positively to ensure success and customer are satisfied by the products and services that come with it (John 343). Conclusion “Total quality management” is more of a philosophy management or concept that is aimed at ensuring companies, organization, firms or businesses are able to satisfy its customers by providing them with products and services that they can rely on and use for their own sake without any regrets. It is abbreviated as TQM and ensures that organizations can be able to evaluate their performance through customers or consumers. TQM also comes in and helps in ensuring that there is a remarkable improvement in performance and quality is achieved. Practices of TQM in today’s environment have become more or increased in number. . In large, practices in TQM in our today’s environment have become a necessity in our today’s environment. They are the basis under which, we customers have to rely on in order to purchase or buy products and hire services that we can rely on without regrets whatsoever because they are quality and of great importance. Works Cited John Oakland. Total Quality Management: The Key to Business Improvement. London: HarperCollins, 2005. Print. Read More