3. The characteristics of TQM companies vs. KBR's characteristics
TQM is a total organizational approach for meeting customer needs and expectations that involves all managers and employees in using quantitative methods to improve continuously the organization's processes, products and services" (American Federal Office of Management Budget Circular cited in Milakovich, 1990).
TQM companies make extensive use of techniques, tools and systems to achieve better results. Some of the most famous tools are: Statistical Process Control, ISO 9000 series, Pareto Analysis, Matrix Diagram, Histograms, Tree Decision Diagram, Critical Path Analysis, Fishbone or Ishakawa Diagram (Psychogios and Priporas, 2007).
KBR is employing a number of high tech solutions for its activities, such as warehouse management strategies. The company makes sure to engage the best warehouse solutions that fit its business: people, technology and processes, given that a considerable number of its contracts are with the American Army. During wars (e.g. Afghanistan and Iraq), KBR was responsible for delivering a number of resources to the American Army. Timing and specific provision were essential for these contracts. The company is employing such techniques along its supply chain to be able to deliver results as expected.
Other characteristics of companies that adopted TQM refer to the management style mentioned in the previous section. As specified, KBR's style was rather different than the participative/democratic one, being oriented more towards an autocratic one.
4. Implementing TQM in KBR
TQM may not be 100% compatible with an organization as KBR. On one side, TQM techniques and tools may have a positive impact on the company's activity and some of them were successfully adopted by the organization. KBR's activity needs precision and quality and timing are essential to achieve...
The techniques and tools just mentioned serve those objectives. Nevertheless, TQM's soft component implies a participative management style, which is not compatible with the strict discipline required to work on military projects or alike.
KBR has a lot to learn from companies that already embraced this management system and it can start by adopting all the hard components recommended by TQM. This step should increase the company's efficiency and efficacy.
The TQM-related changes on the human side should be undertaken carefully and slowly integrated in the organization. However, KBR is a type of company that can adopt changes in this area up to a given limit, which is more restricted than that of an ordinary organizations and this limit is dictated by the type of contracts the company has.
Overall, there are a number of changes that can be implemented in KBR and that also have a high probability to turn into a success. There are also some changes that will never be implemented in this company as they are not compatible with its activity.
Reference List
Engelbart, D. 2000. The Unfinished Revolution - Quality and Bootstrapping. Colloquium held at Stanford University. http://www.bootstrap.org/
Goetsch, D. And Davis, S. (1994). Introduction to total quality: Quality, productivity, competitiveness (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan.
Milakovich, M.E. (1990). Total quality management in the public sector. National Productivity Review, vol.10(2): pp. 195-215.
Morgan, C. And Murgatroyd, S. (1997). Total quality management in the public sector. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
Psychogios, a.G. And Priporas, C.V. 2007. Understanding Total Quality Management in Context: Qualitative Research on Managers' Awareness of TQM Aspects in the Greek Service Industry. The Qualitative Report, vol. 12(1): pp. 40-66.
