Abstract
D.Comm.
In recent years, the criticality of increased productivity and competitiveness has
accelerated in step with global trends towards privatisation, marketisation, and
democratisation, coupled with a more highly educated, more vocal and more
demanding consumer market. At a time when the technological gap between
South Africa, North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim is shrinking, competitive
boundaries are expanding and, as a consequence, consumers have a growing
range of products from which to choose. Quality increasingly guides produce
selection. Consumer spending patterns have also changed to reflect increased
concern for durability, partially as a response to environmental concerns.
Increasing recognition of the inadequacies of traditional quality control functions
to address the demand for higher quality products and services has launched a
seminal transition to a more comprehensive, integrated approach to quality
management. Total Quality Management (TQM) refers to the implementation of
a "continuous improvement" process to address inefficiencies at all levels of the
organisation.
There is no single theoretical formulation of the TQM approach nor any definitive
short list of practices that are associated with it. It is the product of the work of
such quality experts as Crosby, Deming, Juran, and Ishikawa. The writings of
these Gurus, as well as characteristics typical of most successful TQM processes. TQM is best viewed as a management philosophy which combines the teaching
of Deming and Juran on statistical process control and group problem-solving
processes with values concerned with quality and continuous improvement.
TQM is endorsed as a powerful vehicle in the transition from the traditional price
focus to quality strategies driven by customer expectations. Improving quality and
adopting a customer focused orientation are so fundamental that they must take
root in the very essence of the organisation. To achieve ambitious quality goals,
the TQM philosophy must permeate all aspects of organisational functioning,
underscoring the criticality of human resource excellence to total quality
processes. The TQM approach is frequently endorsed by the impressive results attributable
to it. Marked improvements in productivity and efficiency, profits, customer
satisfaction, management-employee relations, job satisfaction, morale, and
reductions in costs, inventory, defects and inspection requirements are among an
array of reported benefits to be derived from TQM initiatives.
The positive relationship between quality and productivity may be largely rooted
in the involvement of all employees to execute quality agendas. The benefits of
employee involvement from increased productivity, job satisfaction and
performance to reduced absenteeism and turnover are well documented.
Great emphasis is placed on including all employees in the TQM culture.
Employees are expected to take responsibility for quality in two important
respects. They are expected to call attention to quality problems as they do their
normal work. Perhaps more important, they are expected to accept the continuous
improvement culture and look for ways to do their work better. They are also
expected to look for ways in which the overall operation of the organisation can
be improved to enhance customer service. The most important overall focus of employee involvement concerns locating
decisions at the lowest level possible in the organisation. This approach
consistently advocates a bottom-up approach to management. Jobs or work at the
lowest level are thought of as designed best when individuals or teams do a whole
and complete part of an organisation's work process. In addition, it is argued that
the individuals or teams should be given the power, information, and knowledge
they need to work autonomously or independently of management control. The
task of management is seen as one of enabling and empowering individuals or
teams to function in an autonomous manner. Management is an enabler, culture
setter, and supporter rather than a direction of employee action.
This study focuses on the development of the TQM philosophy, and the
development of a TQM model to be used as reference in the design of a TQM
process in a manufacturing environment. It also endeavours to formulate an
implementation process that can be used as guideline for implementing TQM in
an organisation.
Research has been based on literature studies, extensive experience in the
workplace, and interaction with a wide variety of practitioners in the TQM
environment. The study concludes that South African organisations can address the issues
prohibiting real economic growth by continuously improving every product and
service produced through the involvement of an empowered workforce, operating
in teams, with the objective of achieving optimum customer satisfaction in the
long-term.