The Implementation of Total Quality Management in Libyan banking sector - Essay Example

Continuous improvement is a key element which enables the organisation to meet customer requirements, but it can be achieved when all employees understand what and how they are supposed to do and in what direction. Hence it is the responsibility of the management team to generate opportunities for continuous improvement. Although many strategic management theorists agree that internal and external factors affect the way organisations are managed, but, there are times when some important factors remain unnoticed by contemporary TQM theorists and gurus.

TQM philosophy shows that countries such as USA, Japan and the majority of countries in the European Union have already adopted TQM as a basic business management approach. However, this does not seem to be the case with many developing countries. Crosby (1979) proposed 14 steps for attaining quality improvement and his approach is more focused on quality. He says : "we all believe that the problem belongs to management, prevention is the way to get it and we are all impatient that everyone is not leaping into what we see as a sensible mature philosophy of doing things, .

Deming (1986) says that quality should focus on the worker, since worker is also the internal customer and that his needs, which, is job satisfaction should be met. Improvement in quality cuts down costs and increases the profit margin of organisations. He also emphasises the importance of commitment and determination of management to improve quality and argues that employees cause only 20 percent of all the defects in an organisation. Juran (1995) too shares the opinion expressed by Deming, by saying that 80 percent of all quality defects are caused by factors which are directly under control of management.

He is also emphasizing the fact that top management should remain involved and must try hard to eliminate