Why TQM? The Inevitability of offering poor quality products or services to today’s sophisticated buyers is the direct loss of profit and market share. New ventures getting their nascent operations off the ground as well as established enterprises are facing this reality routinely. Consequently CEO’s around the world have begun viewing quality more seriously than they have done in the past. Some are seeking ISO 9000 accreditation, while others are integrating quality formally into their business strategy. However, many of them find the related tasks to be a bigger challenge than commissioning new technology or getting a collaboration to work smoothly. Success in today’s competitive market place appears to depend on one key factor- the proximity of company’s practices to Total Quality Management (TQM). Experts remind repeatedly that TQM goes considerably beyond ISO 9000 and also beyond QS 9000. TQM means a major re-orientation in a company’s practices. Indeed TQM requires all functional activities to be conducted with the soul purpose of satisfying the customer. Running a company based on such a philosophy therefore is tougher than acquiring an accreditation. TQM holds that all other business objectives follow from the single objective of “satisfying the customer”. TQM has no other mission. 1
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Why TQM?
The Inevitability of offering poor quality products or services to today’s sophisticated
buyers is the direct loss of profit and market share. New ventures getting their nascent
operations off the ground as well as established enterprises are facing this reality
routinely. Consequently CEO’s around the world have begun viewing quality more
seriously than they have done in the past. Some are seeking ISO 9000 accreditation,
while others are integrating quality formally into their business strategy. However,
many of them find the related tasks to be a bigger challenge than commissioning new
technology or getting a collaboration to work smoothly. Success in today’s
competitive market place appears to depend on one key factor- the proximity of
company’s practices to Total Quality Management (TQM).
Experts remind repeatedly that TQM goes considerably beyond ISO 9000 and also
beyond QS 9000. TQM means a major re-orientation in a company’s practices. Indeed
TQM requires all functional activities to be conducted with the soul purpose of
satisfying the customer. Running a company based on such a philosophy therefore is
tougher than acquiring an accreditation. TQM holds that all other business objectives
follow from the single objective of “satisfying the customer”. TQM has no other
mission.
In organization under TQM achieving customer satisfaction and ceaselessly seeking
incremental improvement become the guiding beacons. In these organizations CEO’s
commit their time, their enthusiasm and the resources of the organization to achieve
satisfaction of “internal and external” customers.
What is TQM?
TQM is said to be a major augmentation to the traditional way an enterprise does
business. TQM requires all activities of the enterprise to be managed with the single
focus “satisfy the customer”. All other objectives if the enterprise – profits market
share expansion, improved competitive position, capital productivity, cost reductions
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etc follow as its consequences. When quality products and quality services become
the enterprise’s obsession, productivity and lower cost’s materialize from reduced
scrap, rework, returns and the reduced recurrence of quality problems. Productivity is
also positively affected by the extend each employee owns the results of his/her
efforts.
Ownership of results means that the individual or team has taken responsibility for
and is willing to be held accountable for improving the performance of the process.
Training greatly enhances this willingness. Improving a process implies, improving
not only the process itself, but also improving the links between that process and
others- either before it or after it, or parallel to it. Participation in delivering and
sustaining quality thus becomes necessary to adopting TQM successfully. This is a
state that traditionally managed enterprises find very difficult to attain for they
provide little, if any training. TQM is defined as an organizational obsession with
meeting or exceeding customer expectation.
Principle of TQM
There are numerous valuable contributions related to the theory, techniques, studies
and guidance on TQM. The philosophy of TQM is trying to involve employees at all
levels to promote well-being of the company as a whole. TQM depends on linking the
top management goals with a set of TQC tools for the operators to achieve these
goals. Dr.W. E. Deming and Dr. J.M. Juran were the pioneers who introduced
concepts of TQM. When compared with the 20 requirements of the ISO 9001 quality
system. Dr. Deming and Dr.Juran also list 14 points and 7 points respectively as
guidelines on quality systems.
As previously stated, quality is everyone’s responsibility. TQM is a method by
which all people can be involved in improvement. The philosophy and techniques
used TQM can be applied throughout the organization. They are equally useful in
finance, sales, marketing, engineering and production; to everyone involved in a
company’s activities. To be successful in promoting business efficiency and
effectiveness, TQM must be truly company- wide and it must start at the top
management level. The following are the key elements for successful implementation
of TQM (10):
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Commitment and involvement by top management;
A team work approach to solving problems;
Thorough training to promote quality awareness;
Improvement of quality control techniques and method;
A continuous improvement programme;
Participation of staffs at all levels.
THE VALUES OF TQM IN THE REVISED ISO 9000 QUALITY
SYSTEM
ISO 9000 background
The ISO 9000 series of quality management and quality assurance standards
are published by the International organization for standardization (ISO),
which is based in Geneva. The standards were published in 1987, based on
The earlier British standard 5750 with input from other countries such as Canada.
The five standards in the series (ISO 9000-ISO 9004) provide a framework for quality
system development in nearly all types of industry.
At present, more than 50 countries, including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the
UK and the USA, have adopted the ISO 9000 series as their national quality system
standards. In most cases, these national standards are identical to the ISO 9000 series.
The ISO 9000 standard were also originally adopted in Europe as EN 29000 and now
have been redesignated EN ISO 9000. Any mandatory requirement for quality system
within European community (EC) directives will refer to these standards.
However, careful study of the ISO 9000 series of standards in recent years by
certain major groups of users or potential users identified a number of needs that are
not easily met in the 1987 version. Also, a number of users felt that the 1987 version
should be revised to take into account changes in technology, terminology and
practice. In particular, the key areas to be addressed in the revision were:
The importance of all peoples needs being satisfied (including employees,
Owners, suppliers/subcontractors and society);
Management commitment with a greater emphasis on executive roles;
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Full involvement of personal;
Operational processes showing linkages to the overall system;
Customer satisfaction and importance of meeting customer requirements.
Accordingly, the technical committee of ISO (TC176) has revised the ISO 9000 series
and released them mid-1994. The new revision is part of a broader programme
resulting from a long-term strategy, which was published as document-Vision 2000.
One of the elements addressed were the need to make more significant changes to
take account of the move towards the principles of total quality management (TQM).
Thus the TC 176 directive, in revising the ISO 9000 series, is to “build in” some TQM
ingredients into the system including: quality improvement; management commitment
with a greater emphasis on executive roles; operational processes showing linkages to
the overall systems; and customer satisfaction.
Worldwide awareness of Quality
Since the EC has begun to eliminate internal trade barriers by harmonizing the
standardization process (although not very successfully), ISO 9000 has become a
trademark for manufactures to demonstrate their “good quality system” to their
international purchasers. Many companies, originally unconcerned about quality, have
started to establish their on quality systems in complaints with ISO 9000
requirements, in order to survive and remain competitive in their market.
Consequently, the ISO 9000 quality system has created a quality – oriented climate
around the world, and people have become more quality conscious and aware.
As yet, there seems to be no other quality methodology or philosophy (e.g.
SPC, TQM, quality function deployment (QFD), 0 defect, six sigma) that has same
influence on the world market. Even television and newspaper advertisement
frequently mention the ISO 9000 quality system! Through ISO 9000 quality
certification, worldwide awareness of quality has been created.
A similar situation was found in Hong Kong. Over 1000 companies have no
setup their quality system according to ISO 9000 requirements and received
certification in Hong Kong. A significant number of those certified are companies in
the building industry. The driving force came from the housing authority department
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of the Hong Kong government, which enforces the ISO 9000 certification of its sub
contractors.
ISO 9000 has brought quality awareness to Hong Kong. However, it does not
bring a cultural change in attitude on quality as evidence shows that most companies
apply ISO 9000 because of customer requirements, and do not introduce internal
quality and the productivity improvement. Unlike TQM, which is management system
to mobilize and motivate all employees for continuous quality and productivity
improvement, ISO 9000 on its own can hardly results in such a cultural change in a
company.
Effectiveness of ISO 9000
Surveys on ISO 9000 perception
A recent survey contacted in Malaysia, the UK, South Africa and the USA revealed
the world’s perceptions of the ISO 9000 quality systems. In the survey, when asked
why companies go for ISO 9000 quality system certification 36 percent said that they
used ISO 9001 because of customer demand, expectation and requirement; 23 percent
said that it was because of foresee ably quality benefits and cost reductions; and 18
percent said that they used it to gain a marketing or competitive advantage.
When asked what was the most important internal benefit of ISO 9000
certification, 41 percent reported a greater quality awareness, 32 percent said that a
better documentation system resulted: and only 16 percent reported efficiency
productivity increased and reduced rework.
On the question of what were the most important external benefits of
certification, 33 percent responded that there was higher perceived quality; 27 percent
reported improved customer satisfaction and 21.5 percent felt that they had gained
competitive edge.
A similar survey was contacted subsequently on more than 600 Canadian
companies and US. The reason for attaining ISO 9000 certification was reported as
being mainly due to customer demands and market advantage (43%), while the
internal benefit of certification where reported as better documentation and greater
quality awareness (57%).
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Collectively, these to surveys revealed that the driving force to setup a quality
system in accordance with ISO 9000 requirements and be certified resulted largely
from customer expectations, market demand and competition. The internal benefits
identified were mainly better documentation and quality awareness.
The revised ISO 9000 quality system (1994revision)
In mid-1994, the ISO 9000 quality system standards were completely revised and re-
issued. They consist of three revised assessment standards (ISO9001, 9002,9003), two
sets of revised guidance documents (ISO9000’s and 9004s) and other auxiliary
documents.
The changes in the assessment standards (i.e., ISO 9001,9002and 9003) will
not be detailed here as this is not the focus our discussion in this paper. Our main
focus is the changes in the ISO 9000s and ISO 9004s guidance documents, which
relate more directly to the well known TQM philosophy and system.
Emphasis on better management quality
Many changes are found in the revised guidance documents (viz. ISO 9000 and
ISO9004 series documents). More emphasis has been put on quality management.
Although the stated objective of the revised ISO 9000 quality system continues to be
the quality control of products and service, it address more issues than just meeting
customer-stated requirements. The revised ISO 9000 standards aim to reduce,
eliminate and prevent quality deficiencies and take into account both the customer’s
and the companies on needs and expectations. More elements in the revised ISO 9000
system place and emphasis on better quality management and look more closely at
market-oriented requirements, for example:
Measuring and evaluating quality costs (guideline ISO 9004, section6);