Total Quality Management the Concept

Total Quality Management

The concept of total quality management is relatively new and its application is still ambiguous. In the absence of a universally accepted definition and framework for implementation, total quality management is understood as the organizational commitment towards the creation of high quality products and services, by using high quality technology, by implementing the standards of high quality business and by training high quality staff members. At a generic level, TQM is a complete and complex business process which integrates the commitment to quality at all organizational levels.

At the manufacturing level of for instance, quality is ensured through the usage of the most adequate technologies. It is also ensured through the adequate training of the staff members and through the purchase of high quality commodities

At the sales level, the quality is ensured through the adequate training of the sales staff and through the offering of high quality products

At the marketing level, the high quality is ensured by a high commitment to customer satisfaction, by the adequate training of the staff members or by the integration of the latest technological tools and techniques to support processes such as communications with the public or the construction of most appealing marketing campaigns

At the administrative level, the quality is ensured by the commitment of the executives' team to the satisfaction of the employees, to the creation of value for the stakeholder categories, to the protection of the social and environmental values. In other words, at the administrative level, total quality management materializes in the construction of numerous business goals, through which the greater goal of revenues registration would be accomplished. In a traditional sense, economic agents would focus on revenues registration, but with TQM, they focus on customer satisfaction, employee motivation or stakeholder value as a means of creating organizational funds.

At the level of information system, the commitment to quality is materialized in the purchase of the latest and most efficient technological applications which support organizational activities, but also by the adequate training of the staff members on how to best capitalize on the technological appliances.

The list of examples as to what elements constitute necessities in the cases of TQM adoption could go on for page, but the most important point has been made -- total quality management is not an isolated strategy, but an ongoing and ever present business model. A company cannot succeed in its TQM implementation until it recognizes the need for a uniform approach and implementation of TQM at all organizational levels.