Total Quality Management in RWDI - Essay Example

? Total quality management Assignment Total quality management in RWDI Total quality management in RWDI Total Quality Management in RWDI 0 Introduction Total Quality Management is a core aspect in all businesses that are in quest for performance. TQM is a management system that focuses on customers. This is done by giving satisfactory results to the people that need the products and services of the stated business. As such, a firm strategizes on various activities that will improve its performance. In many cases, it is done by ensuring customers are treated with decency and are satisfied with the products that are offered (Hill, 2008:19). Therefore, it is in the interest of a firm to ensure the goods that are produced are of high quality and are appealing to the market as a whole. In making this a reality, the firms have to indulge various aspects which include strategic planning, data collection and effective communication; both inside and outside the firm. The Core Concepts of Quality and Total Quality There are various concepts that are used by firms and businesses to improve the quality of production. When these concepts are implemented the firm gains by giving satisfactory results to customers. The first concept in TQM is developing customer focus (Rawlins, 2008:12). Customers create the main demand for the products and services that are offered, and will have direct impact on the performance of a business. Therefore, as a measure in a firm, it should structure the best ways of creating an impressive reception from the customers. This can be done by ensuring the products that are produced according to customers’ needs. Production in a firm involves transforming raw materials to finished goods, which are used by the clients. Therefore, a business has to ensure it is centred on the production process, which will generate finished goods. This is a concept that involves structured processes that are repetitive. As such, a firm should have a developed way of ensuring these steps are followed to the latter, in ensuring the products are available at the right time (Rawlins, 2008:15). In implementing such procedures, the firm is likely to reflect satisfactory results in terms of production of products and services. 2.0 Total Quality Application to the Organisation in RWDI Formation of an integrated system is a concept in TQM, which explains the connection of all the functional parts in an organisation. While some organisations use the vertical integration of management, other firms embrace the horizontal structure of management. All these activities are vital in coming up with the end products. Therefore, a well arranged structure will accrue the best results in a firm, depending on their effectiveness and efficiency. Therefore, a business has to involve both minute processes and the other large process to record the desired results. Many firms apply the aspect of continuous improvement, especially in performance. This is done in many ways where the products and services of a firm or organisation have to keep improving. In many instances, organisations direct their focus on improving the quality and effectiveness of products and services. With a constant improvement in the products and services, it is guaranteed that the organisation will attract a larger number of customers. As such, it increases the demand for the products of the firm, which in turn increases the performance of the firm. 3.0 Problem Hard and soft problems RWDI has been 3experrincingh a number of problems in regard to its performance. Its performance has been dwindling with time, which has lowered its reception in the market. However, there are two types of the problems that affect the firm. These are soft issues and hard issues where some are measured while others are not measured. To begin with, the firm experiences hard problems which occur from submerging profit levels. This is reflected from the low performance and appeal to the market. Apparently, the costs incurred in the firm are increasing day in and day out, which lessens the profitability levels. This is also worsened by sickness and absence of employees at their work place. This in the other hand increases customer complaints, where they have to recall some products. This in th3e end affects the total yield of the firm, making it to achieve lesser sales. On the soft problems, RWDI experiences dwindling performance from low morale from workers, poor customer feedback and negative attitude. This affects employee performance in that they do not accord the best in their working places. This leads to dismal reception from the customers that need the products and services of RWDI. Similarly, the firm is affected by the perceived loyalty in that the workers are not completely loyal to the firm. This affects the performance of the firm in that there is less concentration and commitment on their work. In addition to this, attitude surveys show that the firm’s performance is affected by the attitude drawn towards the firm. If these issues are solved amicably, the firm could record a positive trend in appealing to the market. Involvement of all the employees in the firm to achieve a common goal is a concept that has been in use in TQM for a long time. Employees in a business are given an obligation of ensuring all the activities are conducted according to schedule (Oakland, 2000:22). Therefore, they all have to complete their obligations at the right time. This will ensure al the planned activities are executed as planned. A lapse on the side of some employees breaks the chain of movement, especially when the products and services are moving fast. This will create a quagmire in the firm as the customers are inconvenienced with the lack of constant production. Therefore, it is a prudent factor to involve all the employees in the development and production in the firm. Without such focus, the firm is not in a stable position to serve its clients satisfactorily. 4.0 Solutions In solving these problems, the firm has to involve all its employees and management. This will ensure there is a unanimous decision that is achieved. In essence, collective decision will help RWDI achieve its set goals throughout the financial year. As such, it will have to involve customer feedback, production of quality goods, employee motivation, marketing procedures and improvement in technology. It will also involve reforms and change in management to ensure “dead weight” is reduced in the firm. “Dead weight” is an expression to reduce workers that are not giving the best utility and replacing such workers with other employees that are ready to deliver. All organisations in the product and service delivery sector have to involve TQM to record impressive results in the market. These are avenues that are used to make an improvement on the products and services that are offered in the market. To begin with, RWDI should advise the senior management and all employees to show commitment to their work. When workers are committed to their work, they give it all their concentration, which results into quality performance. For instance, the employees should show punctuality when reporting to their place of work. This will improve on the time used in production and service delivery in the organisation (Hill, 2008:21). This will be directly related on the amount of products and services that are produced. With such a manoeuvre, there are various problems that will be averted. For instance, work in progress will be seen to decline as most of the workers are investing most of their time in RWDI organisation. Similarly, the culture of quality production will be improved within the organisation. All organisations that need to record impressive results have to meet customer needs and give satisfaction according to customer requirements. When this aspect is fulfilled, the organisation will start recording inclining results. For instance, dealing with customer complains in the shortest time will give the organisation uplift. With such a focus, various problems like poor operator productivity and customer complaints will be reduced. In many organisations, directors incept the Just-in-Time production concept. Some product and services that are offered in the market are fast moving and need constant replenishing. Therefore, a producer has to ensure there is constant production of products and services. This will be an effective manoeuvre in serving all the customers that demand the products. This will reduce the idea of having long queues and waiting long for delivery of the products and services (Hill, 2008:26). Making apt and timely production will reduce the idea of customer complaints, work in progress and improve on customer satisfaction. Lastly, the RWDI organisation could indulge line management. Since the organisation is affected by the hierarchal management aspect, indulging line management could help improve the performance. Line management ensures production is monitored from the top to the bottom. This initiates a culture of performance and customer satisfaction. This will be an avenue of reducing the challenges that are affecting the organisation. 5.0 Total Quality Evaluation There are a number of ways that could be used to evaluate the performance of the RWDI organisation, especially when TQM is incepted. First, employee output could be measured. Each employee has to produce a stipulated amount of products or services which totals to a particular amount of cash. Employees that are below par should be encouraged to shape up and improve on their production (Rawlins, 2008:23). Similarly, this could be directed to line managers, where they have to meet their targets. This is an effective way of measuring the performance of an organisation as the employee output is a strong element. Evaluation of the performance of the RWDI organisation in the market could also be used to evaluate the performance of the organisation. For instance, when the products and services of the organisation are on an improving trend in the market, it is obvious that the business will be gaining. When the products are in high demand, it is admissible that the market is appreciating the products (Jain, 2001:33). However, when the demand market for the products is declining, the organisation will not record impressive results. Lastly, an organisation could involve its total output in terms of production. Measuring the products that are produced and recording the difference could be influential in recording whether there is an improvement or a decline. For instance, when the production is increasing from year to year, then the business is improving in its production. References Hill, D. A. (2008) What makes total quality management work: a study of obstacles and outcomes, New York, ProQuest. Jain, J.P (2001) Quality control and total quality management, New York, Tata McGraw-Hil Education. Oakland, J. S. (2000) Total quality management: text with cases, New York, Elsevier Science & Technology. Rawlins, A. (2008) Total quality management (TQM), New York, AuthorHouse. Appendices Read More