Delta Plastics, Inc.
Assignment #2
Discuss how an organization can benefit from the Total Quality Management program.
Total quality management (TQM) is an integrated organizational effort designed to improve quality at every level (Reid & Sanders, 2010). TQM is a comprehensive system approach that works horizontally across an organization, involving all departments and employees and extending backward and forward to include both suppliers and customers (“Total Quality Management,” 2011). In response to massive market share gains achieved by Japanese companies during the late 1970s and 1980s, U.S. producers scrambled to adopt quality and productivity techniques that might restore their competitiveness (“Total Quality Management,” 2011). TQM provides a framework for implementing effective quality and productivity initiatives that can increase the profitability and competitiveness of organizations (“Total Quality Management,” 2011).
There are six attributes of a successful TQM program for any organization. Those attributes are customer focus, process focus, prevention versus inspection, employee empowerment and compensation, fact-based decision making, and receptiveness to feedback (“Total Quality Management,” 2011). In addition to these attributes, there are three characteristics necessary for TQM to succeed with an organization (“Total Quality Management,” 2011). Those characteristics are participative management, continuous process management, and the utilization of teams.
Analyzing the case more closely, speculate which definition of quality each of the four main players was adhering to and discuss your rationale for each employee.
Each of the four main players was adhering to a different definition of quality. Isabelle Harrison, director of R&D, stated that more product testing was needed in order to fine-tune the characteristics of the new material (Reid & Sanders, 2010). Jose DeCosta, director of manufacturing, supported Isabelle, stating...