Total Quality Plan
Total Quality refers to a management approach whose aim is to maintain a business’ long-term success by ensuring that customers are satisfied. It is a management philosophy which integrates the functions of an organization. TQM can also refer to a continuous and systematic process of improving the quality of services and products using all accessible capital and human resources (Dahlgaard, & Mi, 2006). It is a way of ensuring that a firm improves its performance continuously at every stage of its processes. The purpose of ensuring an efficient TQM in a firm is to improve its services, products, culture, and processes. In order to achieve total quality initiative, the management should offer decent leadership skills and traits as a support. Prevention serves as the key towards high quality and not detection. Therefore, quality can be referred to as a moving target that needs commitment so as to achieve continuous improvement.
Total Quality Initiative Steps
The company is in the position to introduce steps that are key in evaluating the effectiveness of TQ in identifying the major implication it has while trying to realize the set goals and objectives (Sila, 2007). This is a universal process conducted by the management so as to provide steadiness and prevent variations. Often, the initiative steps may differ from one business to another but the process entirely depends on the core values and nature of the firms. Therefore, below is a discussion of our company’s initiative.
Choosing a Control Subject: Our control subject will entail process and product traits set out in provisions and manufacturer manual. We will ensure that it is not biased in any manner and it must portray a good number of satisfactory criteria for our rationalization.
Establishing Measurement: After undertaking the selection of the control subject, the next step is to establish clear measurement, which will be realized by the actual performance of our services and goods. The standards of our measurement can be stated by outlining the measurement frequency, the method of recording data, recording format as well as the person who will be assigned the duty of ensuring this process is conducted properly.
Setting Performance Standards: Most importantly, for every control subject selected, it will be compulsory to establish and stabilize performance standards. For instance, good quality performance, objectives, and targets must be evaluated for the purposing of setting higher standards (Dahlgaard, & Mi, 2006). If this is achieved, it will be our principal goals towards product durability and reliability.
Actual Performance Measurement: Measurement of actual performance of a product is the most critical stage of total quality. This will enable the company management to compare the performance standards. The management then will use it in drawing necessary judgement with an aim of bettering the services and products of the company.
Interpretation of standard and actual performances: Conducting a comparison between the actual performance of a particular product and its standard performance will be great for the firm to establish whether the product conforms to the goals of desired quality. The comparison will help the organization to know if there are some variability and differences in the performance gauge.
Undertaking a Corrective Action: To ensure that the TQ system is functioning, it must actuate an action in restoring conformance of set standards. With improvement in technology, computerized systems can be used to adjust machines tools to bring out the desired results. The corrective action should be applied to improve the quality and reinstate conformance to obligations and ensuring product quality durability and reliability is attained.
Team Meeting on TQ Objectives
As a team, we should strive towards reducing the number of mistakes in our operations sector. We can achieve this by identifying faults in machines used in processing stage. By recognizing mistakes at this stage, we will be assured of preventing more mistakes (Sila, 2007). This is a simple thing if we implement regular inspection of the entire system. In many a times, we have experienced losses and inconveniences due to our fault. In the past, we failed to undertake close monitoring in the company’s’ operations. This gave rise to mistakes, which now compromises the total quality team. We should always ensure that everything is on the right track if we expect to improve performance to the desired levels. As, a team, we should all ask ourselves, where we went wrong to let our quality department be questioned. All that we need to do is to set clear objectives that will guide as to continuously improve quality of our products and service.
Firstly, we must ensure customer satisfaction. Realizing total quality requires that we meet all the expectations of our clients. This can be achieved by offering them with good service as well as products. Secondly, we must make sure that we have a superior performance. This can be done through enhancement of the speed, reduction of cost, quality improvement, and product flexibility. We can achieve this as a team when we make our firm customer and marketing focused.
Evaluation of Strengths and Weaknesses
The strength about our TQ plan is that it has support of the top management. The management has ensured continued moral and financial support towards ensuring an effective TQ system in the organization. This gives us motivation as a team. Also, the company has assigned enough manpower to man this whole process. This is essential in that every staff plays a role towards improving quality of our services and products.
The main challenge realized in this plan is that mistakes are recognized very late. This has made it difficult for our team to fix things in real time. This has led to time wastage which could have been avoided through preventive measures. Also, some member is not committed towards improving the standards of our performance. They often need to be pushed to perform their responsibilities.
References
Dahlgaard, J. J., & Mi Dahlgaard-Park, S. (2006). Lean production, six sigma quality, TQM and company culture. The TQM magazine, 18(3), 263-281.
Sila, I. (2007). Examining the effects of contextual factors on TQM and performance through the lens of organizational theories: An empirical study.Journal of Operations management, 25(1), 83-109.