Implementation Of Total Quality Management example essay topic

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION Throughout their military careers military personnel will always face some type of inspection, whether it's internal or external. Today, some units are inspected at least four times a year in supply operations, for example, Command Supply Discipline Program, Command Inspection Program, Command Logistics Review Program, and maybe the Supply Excellence Award. How does the unit prepare for all these inspections? The unit faces many great challenges. There are a lot of steps taken to prepare for inspections. There are many checklists to follow but not enough time and personnel to accomplish these many tasks.

There are many subjects areas which, the unit must cover that might be inspected. AR 11-l (Command Logistics Review Program), AR 735-5 (Policies and Procedures for Property Accountability), DA PAM 710-2-l (Using Unit Supply System Manual Procedures), and AR 710-2 (Supply Policy Below the Wholesale Level) are the governing policy documents and should be understood prior to an inspection. There are a lot of non value added procedures and many tasks that overlap, where in some cases the distribution of soldiers is not according to the need of each work place. There are many soldiers assigned to tasks different from what 1 they are supposed to do, which results in no incentive for performing better. In other words, the soldiers consume their energy striving to overcome problems inherent in the supply system instead of trying to maximize the effectiveness of supply operations. A transformation in the supply operations in the units could be achieved by the adoption of a new management philosophy that could help provide greater efficiency.

Currently, one of the most advanced philosophies in the managerial field is the Total Quality Management (TQM) concept. But how compatible is the TQM philosophy to the units under the current circumstances? Can the adoption of this concept help the units to overcome their problems? What changes are necessary for a successful implementation? There is a need to examine the applicability of the TQM concept to supply operations.

PURPOSE The purpose of this research is to evaluate potential of TQM for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of supply inspections. What is Total Quality Management? Total Quality Management is the process of improving the organization performance at every level of operations by using all possible human and capital resources. TQM involves every member of the organization utilizing the principles of continuous improvement. By recognizing that people are a company's most important resource, the TQM philosophy gets people at all levels to meet on a committee like equals to discuss needs and desires that the company should strive for. Each source used in this research begins with the people as its basis.

Then by creating a committee, a 'team' has formed to make the company's goal of success the same as the 'team's' goal. Everybody wants their team to win. Society teaches us to compete with each other and at times when working for a company on an individual basis, people work against each other therefore hindering the company's goal. The TQM 'team' concept gets people to work together in the same direction. That is when goals may be achieved in quality control of products, and in customer satisfaction. It does not work unless everybody works together.

The sources describe TQM implementation point by point over a time-table and what positive and negative effect comes from a TQM turnover. TQM requires that leadership, employees are committed to improve management, and the organization. They must create a working environment which capitalizes on the creativity and ingenuity of all employees. TQM organization focuses on the needs and expectations of customers, both internal and external. Emphasis is placed on prevention of the causes of defects rather than the correction of defects.

The organization must build a long-term relationship with suppliers based on mutual trust and respect. TQM encourages innovation and application of new technology and procedures to enhance quality improvement. The process of continuous improvement applies to all aspects of the organization including administrative and production functions. TQM is the process of several fundamental concepts. These concepts include the definition and assignment of responsibilities, the importance of teamwork, understanding requirements and expectations, and principles of good communication. The implementation of Total Quality Management involves the application of the principles of continuous improvement.

These principles include constancy of purpose, commitment to quality, customer focus and involvement, process orientation, continuous improvement, system-centered management, teamwork, conservation of human resources, total involvement and perpetual commitment. Top management must spearhead the movement toward continuous improvement and actively participate in the TQM process. Former Vice President Dan Quayle said, 'President " Bush believes we must establish a firm commitment to Total Quality Management and the principle of continuous quality improvement... the taxpayers have every right to expect and demand high quality and that is what we must deliver. ' SIGNIFICANCE TQM is what catapulted Japan into the industry lime-light. Since World War II, America has watched Japan pass us by in industry. CONCLUSION By reestablishing team work values this nation can manufacture high quality products.

We can again become number, one in industry. B. Two Pioneers of Total Quality Management Notable authors on quality, whom recommend principles of effectively managing TQM, include Dr. W. Edwards Deming and Dr. Joseph M. Jur an. Both of these authors discuss the 14 ideals of top management commitment, education, continuous improvement, and employee involvement. Examination of these and other principles provides a foundation of recognizing areas critical to and change in quality focus. Deming's Fourteen TQM points for Organization Improvement According to Brocka's book on TQM, Deming defines 'quality is a predictable degree of uniformity and dependability, at low cost, suited to the market. ' lo What Deming is saying is, whatever the customer needs and wants process quality. Since customer needs and wants change constantly, quality must meet customer's requirements constantly. Deming believes that management is responsible for '94 percent of quality problems, and points out that it is management's task to help people work smarter, not harder.

Deming has established fourteen TQM points for organization improvement. TQM in the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Total Quality Management in Federal Government is concerned with providing practical insight in order to solve real-world problems. It focuses on the sometimes mundane, but often critical, details of how work is accomplished and how organization change their routines and methods of working. No data from Federal Government literature was found directly related to supply inspections. However, if TQM can be implemented on a military as well as civilian level, the Department of Defense poses as a good crossover point in relation to this study. TQM is a Federal Government initiative for continuously improving performance at every level and area of government responsibility.

Improvement is directed at satisfying broad quality, productivity, cost and schedule goals, and at modifying management techniques. TQM brings together existing improvement efforts and specialized technical skills under a disciplined structure focused on improving all Federal Government processes. It demands commitment and discipline. It involves everyone. Increasing user satisfaction is the overriding Total Quality Management objective. ANALYSIS The term Total Quality Management, or more commonly TQM, is encountered virtually every day in some form or other.

Formally, TQM has come to represent the concept of everyone working together to achieve a common goal of excellence. However, there is no doubt that it is difficult to understand exactly what TQM means and how it is achieved. The problem is to identify some approaches that units can take to implement TQM philosophy. By organizing a team to implement TQM, the commander takes a participative style of leadership. This style is better suited to the TQM philosophy than other styles of leadership such as authoritative and lass e-faire. By integrating TQM into the military, it forces commanders to rely on and trust their soldiers.

They may have always done this but TQM teaches a mutual respect between commander and soldier that may be absent under other conditions. TQM implementation makes every soldier of all ranks feel like a valued member of his unit. By residing on the TQM committee every soldier's input is valuable. When changes in the unit occur as a result of a soldiers feedback, it makes them feel like what they do matters. That's what makes soldiers want to excel and that's the attitude required for a team concept for TQMimplementation.

TQM could be implemented based on a combination of the needs of the inspection and the unit. The TQM committee could analyze the inspection task by task and make necessary adjustments based on the capabilities of the unit. By using the fourteen step implementation plan in the Army supply inspection System high success can be achieved. Among numerous plans researched, the fourteen step plan (shown below) appears to be the best suited for the Army supply inspection system. This plan was initiated by P endell Pittman and Pat O'Farrel at the Sixth Annual National Conference on Federal Quality on July 20-23, 1993. The terminology in this plan has been modified to reflect Army inspection system.

A Proposed Fourteen Step Implementation Plan For a successful TQM program, it must be implemented utilizing the talents and knowledge of those who operate your process on a daily basis working together in quality improvement teams. Officers provides guidance, training, the by resources, and recognition. Soldiers provide the desire and the ability. TQM implementation is accomplished in stages as described in the following 14-step implementation plan. This plan encompasses an approximate 12 - 18 month timetable. Step 1.

Executive Commitment to Total Quality Managementa. Principles of TQM. b. Application within the organization. c. Team approach to quality improvement. d. Importance of top management commitment. Create a workshop for top level managers of any origination that is contemplating implementation of TQM.

Focus on the management commitment that is needed for TQMimplementation. Utilize hands-on exercises to provide a functional analysis of responsibility and provide some knowledge how the work technique can be applied. Step 2. Create a Vision and a Philosophy. Formulate a vision and a philosophy that will guide the organization's quality efforts. b. Issue a policy statement on the organization's principles of quality.

The purpose of this vision and philosophy is to setup the foundation for TQM and reflect the management's support for this concept. Step 3. Establish a. Include Top and the field. b.

Include the Quality Council executives from the headquarter office head of the agency on the council, or charter the council to act on a behalf of the agency. The Quality Council, or Executive Steering Committee, had the responsibility for providing TQM guidance. Members of the council or committee should be from the highest level officers and noncommissioned officers from various functional parts of the organization and a representative form the union. Step 4. Develop a Total Quality Management Strategy. a.

Determine an approach to institutionalizing quality in the organization. b. Determine. local leadership structure of TQM efforts, such as establishing local Quality Councils. c. Incorporate TQM activities into the strategic plans. d. Establish a system for organizational units to set quality improvement goals. The Quality Council plans TQM implementation, and set up the timetable. Step 5.

Select an Organization to implement TQM. a. Determine readiness of the organization. b. Determine the scope of the implementation (across the organization or within a limited number of components). Establish quality improvement teams where they would be most welcomed. Begin with projects most apt to succeed timely manner so that soldiers are more receptive to subsequent projects. Step 6.

Conduct Training Needs Analysis. a. Analyze training needs of officers, noncommissioned officers and soldiers. b. Determine types of courses that need to be developed for each group. Training should be conducted at all levels of the organization, but the training plan should be flexible. Step 7. Determine Resources for Implementation. a.

Determine time frames and costs of developing and conducting training. b. Identify the sources of funding for training and awards programs. c. Determine whether in-house staff can develop and conduct training. The Quality Council will evaluate training sources. Step 8. Select Suppliers of Training and Expertise. a.

Identify individual (s) with quality expertise to serve as consultants. b. Identify suppliers of training. c. Develop and conduct training. Step 9. Identify Standards and Measures. a. Ensure that organizational units develop standards for measuring whether products and services meet internal and external customer requirements. b.

Adjust existing measurement and management systems to measure whether customer requirements are being met. The Quality Council should consider accomplishing this by conducting a function analysis exercise encompassing all operation entities within the organization. Function analysis establishes the mission for each operational function, identifies internal and external customers, their needs, expectations and quality measures, and identified opportunities of quality improvement projects. Step 10. Institutionalize Total Quality Managementa. Institutionalize systems for training, involving, rewarding and recognizing employees. b.

Institutionalize strategies, goal setting and measurement of improvements in quality. c. Institutionalize process analysis and structured problem solving approaches. Initially TQM is looked upon, in some cases, as a massive intrusion into the way an organization is managed. Gradually it becomes the way the organization is managed. Step 11. Monitor and Evaluate Results. a.

Monitor the progress of teams on quality improvement projects. b. Track quality improvement Establish a monitoring system against goals so the Quality Council can track the progress of the implementation and reward those involved. Step 12. Publicize and Recognize. a. Publicize success. b.

Reward and recognize quality improvement. c. Promote TQM throughout the organization. Team accomplishments must be recognized and rewarded. Soldiers mostly want recognition for quality work and to see their ideas put to use. Step 13. Adjust the TQM process. a.

Use feedback to modify and improve the process. b. Expand the other segments of the organization TQM implementation plan will have to be flexible to make needed adjustments. Step 14. Continuous Improvement. a. Select new processes to improve. b. Continue to improve all processes to remove defects.

TQM is geared to long-term quality improvement in every aspect of an organization's activities, not short-term results. It becomes a way of life, a cultural change, a new management paradigm. By using these fourteen steps for an TQM plan, it involves everyone. To promote a team to set up TQM goals for the unit, each member is just as important as the other, no matter what level. It forces officers and soldiers to listen to one another. This plan produces a harmonious workplace, voids the selfish offspring of the 'me' generation.

A workplace comprised of the 'we' generation. CONCLUSION TQM would be ideal except for one enormous difference. RECOMMENDATION Recommend that a unit be selected as a 'test pilot' for TQM philosophy and principles applied to supply inspections... The Army may realize major long term gains from TQM 'test pilot' and increase the quality of awareness of I logistics through all levels of command. TQM will assist in identifying and resolving systemic and compliance problems that need corrective action which will improve Army logistics readiness and sustainability. Maybe mini-TQM projects can be accomplished through out the units on a three month and sis month long basis.

TQM style training could be pasted along from outgoing to incoming commanders and soldiers. For example, if there are areas of the inspection, convert five areas to TQM philosophy.

Bibliography

A. BOOKSAguayo Rafael, Dr. Deming: The American who taught the Japanese about Quality First. Carol Publishing Edition, 1990.
Brocka, Bruce and M. Suzanne. Qualitv Manauement: Implementing the Best Ideas of the Masters. Richard D. Irwin, INC., 1992.
Carman, James M. 'TQM as a Survival Strategy: the Southern Pacific Experience. ' California Manaqement Review, Spring 1993.
pp. 118-132. Dressler, Gary 'Managing Quality and Productivity' Human Resource Manauement Prentice-Hall, Inc., 6th edition, pp. 309-323. B. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONSPenDell Pittman and Pat O'Farrel, 'Transforming Government: Putting People and Quality First', Covering m the Bases: A 14 Step Guide to TQM Implementation (Sixth Annual National Conference on Federal Quality, July 20-23, 1993).
United States Office of Personnel Management, Federal Total Qualitv Manaqement Handbook, (Federal Quality Institute, May 1991).
Research report, Total Qualitv Manaqement (TQM), An Overview, Anthony Coppola, Air Force Systems Command, September 1991, p.