Total Quality Management (TQM)

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a people focused management system that aims at continual increase in customer satisfaction at continually lower real cost.

TQM is total system approach, not a separate area or program. TQM stresses continual change in learning and adaptation as keys to organizational success.

Pioneers in field of TQM argued that a more effective management philosophy might focus on actions to prevent a defective products from ever being created, rather that simply screening it out.

W. Edwards Deming is regarded by many as Father of TQM

TQM & Traditional management practices -

• Strategic planning and management
• Changing relationships with customers and suppliers
• Organizational Structure
• Motivation & Job design
• Organizational Change
• Teamwork

Elements of Benchmarking / Benchmarking Process

1. Identifying the need for benchmarking and planning
2. Clearly understanding existing business processes
3. Identify best processes
4. Compare own processes and performance with that of others
5. Prepare a report and implement the steps necessary to close the performance gap
6. Evaluation

Benchmarking – Meaning and Uses

Benchmarking is an approach of setting goals and measuring productivity based on best industry practices.
Firms can use Benchmarking process to achieve improvement in diverse range of management functions like :

• Maintenance operations
• Assessment of total manufacturing costs
• Product development
• Product distribution
• Customer services
• Plant utilization levels
• Human resource management

Six Sigma Methodology

It can be studied under two heads -
(i) For Improvement of “Existing” Product, Process or Service ;

    DMAIC

• Define
• Measure
• Analyze
• Improve
• Control

Six Sigma

“MOTOROLA” is inventor of Six Sigma. Primarily, Six Sigma means maintenance of desired quality in processes and end products.

It means taking systematic and integrated efforts towards improving quality and reducing cost.

Six Sigma efforts target three main areas :

• Improving Customer Satisfaction
• Reducing Cycle Time
• Reducing Defects