CULTURAL DIMENSIONS IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TOTAL QUALITY

By: Rosidah
(Lecturer in the Faculty of Social Sciences, State University of Yogyakarta)
Abstract
Human resource is the key factor of organization development for the public
and business organization. Organization development orientation does not
Directly concern with human being. However, it's implication is refer to
human resource. Therefore, its existence is needed to be given a serious
attention. One of methods is Total Quality approach. This paper discusses
some problems of developing a good quality of working culture.
Key words: Culture, Human Resources
A. Introduction
In the face of the global era organization
faced with competition both scale
nationally and internationally. each
Companies must be able to expand
business beyond the limits of interstate
(borderless). Moreover, supported by
communication and technological development, it
The increasingly easy business contacts between
one country to another. condition
The trigger unit development Source
Human (HR) for always working
develop it so that it can
meet the demands of the global era. by The
because the quality factor becomes very
important and has taken into account the public
international, with standards imposed
quality certification ISO 9000. In order to have a
The standards need of human resource development,
which in turn have an influence
towards improving the quality of work and
quality of the product. therefore
management of human existence
in the organization should be a priority.
Operational activities of the company are always
trying to reduce the cost of production,
master the technology and capital are
enough. But in a global era means
The apparently not been able to fully
meet as a means for organizations
is to achieve success.
Global business strategy shows that
core competency, intangible assets and
organizational capability is a factor that

influence business success in the era

global. In the case of human factor
is a key element. development
organizations associated with HR can
conducted through a variety of approaches. wrong
only with increased performance, one
only through total quality approach.
The concept of quality (quality) always
developing and perceive
different, depending on which aspect
touched. For example, the quality of the company
the food. In terms of what the emphasis of quality
which will be prioritized by the owner:
whether their products, whether from
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Journal of Economics and Education, Volume 2, Number 1, August 2004 53
services, prices or presentation
(packaging) or all of the above criteria.
The definition of quality is very complex, not only
in terms of products and services, including
also processes, people and the environment.
In this case Deming (David L. Goetsch &
Stanley Davis, 1995) stated that
Quality has many different criteria and that
Reviews These changes continually criteria. in
simple well defined that the elements
quality include: a) quality Involves meeting
or exceeding customer expectations, b)
Applies to quality products, services,
processes, and environments, c) quality is an
ever-changing state-what is Considered
quality to day may not good enough to be
Considered quality tomorrow. Observing
The definition, the issue of quality
have different criteria and more
its aspects, whether in terms of expectations
customer, service, products, environments. in
Besides what has been the standard
now perhaps different quality for
time will come. in fulfilling
quality can not be separated from the question
change. It is highly dependent
on the dynamics of the organization in meeting
market demands and segments of society.
Thus improving the quality should always be
attempted (continuous) if you want to

meet the changing external / internal.

B. Total Quality in Improvement
Human Resources (HR)
The use of the concept of Total Quality, in
term management called Total Quality
Management (TQM) is in order
implementation of the functions of HR Management
which includes the analysis and design
work, withdrawal of labor,
education and training, development
labor, performance appraisal, giving
compensation and labor relations.
Improving the quality of each element
need to get attention
proportional. Total quality is aimed at
focus of cost reduction and increased
sustainable quality in process
achievement of objectives. The problem
in total quality is how the effort
in order to increase productivity performance
HR optimal. It is not put
HR factor solely as a tool and
inanimate objects in achieving goals
organization. Humans are viewed as
human capital and an asset
worth. Reflection of the role of HR,
presented by Ancok, as written by
Hezekiah & Amber (2004) that the revitalization
HR's role in the organization include: a)
man is no longer considered a cost
but as an asset, b) employees are not always
prosecuted in compliance but developed
commitment to the work or the results
work c) no employee orientation course
in itself but is focused on work
together for the common good.
Total quality issues can not be separated from
factor for understanding cultural change
quality is a dynamic statement,
associated with a product, service, person,
process and the expected environment or
meet environmental demands.
The problems that often arise in
seeking quality are cultural factors
work / organization, or company culture
rooted in the organization's environment.

In this regard to note the presence of

strong culture (dominant culture) and sub
culture. Susanto (1997) gives a definition
that the dominant culture is a picture
of the core values espoused and also
Increasing Cultural Dimensions in Human Resources ... - Rosidah
54 Journal of Economics and Education, Volume 2, Number 1, August 2004
the contribution of the values of the majority
members of the organization. The sub-culture
are other cultures that grow
in the organization, which specifically
grown by different parts or
geographical differences, which is the result
contribution value of minorities
members of the organization. Strong culture will
easier to influence the attitudes and
behavior, on the other hand did not close
the possibility that culture has a strong
difficult to change, but with different
approach it is possible to
changed. The role of sub-culture is the role
supporter. In this case the leadership must
wise to tolerate the presence of
sub-culture, the origin of existence influential
positively to the increase in work culture
which leads to improved performance.
To implement a quality culture in
HR needs to be a commitment from the helm
to the lowest level in
organization. In total quality needs
actualize the mission and vision
organization be supported values,
which then serve as guidelines attitude
and employee behavior. implementation of
embodiment of the mission / vision into order
values and attitudes and behaviors necessary
involve HR in the whole section
For organizations that need to disseminate the
mission / vision proclaimed. one of the
methods of socialization among others through
approach to prospective employees on
recruitment process, namely by: 1)
indoctrination, b) brain-washing ritual, 3)
lecture with a screening of
desired work culture of the company,
Socialization is intended to give insight

on employees, prospective employees that the

companies there is a perception, values
believed, norms, habits, attitudes
as well as human behavior, which eventually
will be working culture, which should
understand and guide the behavior.
As stated by Edward Burner in
Taliziduhi Ndraha (1997: 43) that Culture
or Civilization, taken in its wide ethnographic
sense, is that complex whole roomates includes
knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom,
and any other capabilities and habits acquired
by man as a member of society.
In addition to the above approach, the work culture
company as a code of conduct should
stated explicitly: can the
statements, slogan or motto
the company; if not then less
have the ability to influence
employee behavior, so to say
explicitly and formalized. culture
company is a fastener that
directing members to
together achieve a goal that
destination. But the weakness is often
emerged, which must be anticipated is
that slogan / motto is simply
statement, less socialized
substance. So that it is able to
influence the behavior of members of the organization
the understanding of the formation
motto / culture must be owned by
members of the organization. Beginning of the culture
Companies typically formed by
founder / founders, in which
containing or digging of perception,
beliefs, values in HR. values
such that there are core values
which usually characterizes the organization
which supports the process of acculturation.
That understanding is important for members
organizations have the awareness that
implementation of grain cultures performed
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Journal of Economics and Education, Volume 2, Number 1, August 2004 55
with autonomous consciousness, ie they

do something it is not by force

but because they are consciously aware of it
is good for the sake of
himself and his company. with
Thus, the autonomous moral will
very helpful in supporting and
encourage the achievement of objectives
desired.
The corporate culture must be seen
as a management tool to achieve
organizational goals. The existence of culture in
organization is part of the synergy
which resulted in the development of the organization
because in fact, the culture will
closely related structural components
and organizational strategy. organizational strategy
a response to the realization
organizational vision. Being very structure
affect the implementation of the strategy
and the process of socialization strategy changes
culture. As explained Susanto (1987)
that in order to obtain optimum results
development organizations must exist
alignment between: a) strategy, how
organizational goals, b) structure
(how to form an organization that can
supports the achievement of goals, c) culture,
(how the right move for
achieving goals). so that implementation
organizational culture must be understood in
whole (holistic), because understanding
the partial will be obstacles in
optimize the implementation of cultural
The.
It is no less important in
implementation of total quality is a sense
togetherness, which should be developed in
Among the members of the organization. realization
commitment, solidarity and cooperation
all members of the organization in achieving its
overall aim is not only
the success of each
section but includes success
all components in the organization
The. Cooperation that appear in the
organization is in synergy, which will

become symbiotic mutualism.

Another approach that can be used in
implementation of Total Quality by Goetsch
and Davis (1995), among others, is the Steering
Committee either at the stage of preparation,
planning and implementation. in The
steering committee leadership more
directing. The Steps
preparation phase include the following: 1)
commitment to total quality, 2) form a total
quality steering committee, 3) team building,
4) total quality training, 5) create a vision
guiding principles, 6) sets broad objectives, 7)
Communicate and Publicize, 8) identify
strengths and weaknesses, 9) identify
advocates and resisters, 10) identify the baseline
employee attitudes, 11) identify the baseline
customer satisfaction. Steps stage
planning include: 1) plan
implementation approach, 2) identify the project,
3) team composition, 4) team training, 5)
team activation and direction. phase
implementation, the steps are: 1) feed
back to the steering committee, 2) customer feed
back, 3) employee feed back.
Another important aspect in the implementation
Total quality is the prime standard-setting,
which must be updated to
meet the changing demands of the environment
external. In the above activities need
powered by maintaining (maintenance)
open communication relationship as
media channel aspirations and fostering
cooperation. To enrich the understanding
about Total Quality, there are some principles
Increasing Cultural Dimensions in Human Resources ... - Rosidah
56 Journal of Economics and Education, Volume 2, Number 1, August 2004
important in the process of implementation,
which is a discourse between Juran and
Deming (Ambar Teguh & Rosidah, 2003)
include the following: 1) top management
and responsible role in
quality improvement, 2) acknowledges the
crisis quality, 3) considers important
Customer (served) both external
and internal, 4) obsession with quality

have an important role, 5) the importance of

continuous improvement (innovation), 6)
use of engineering and scientific knowledge,
7) should cause the emergence classification
problems.
One strategy in Total Quality
among others, through the Quality Of Working Live
(QWL), which can not be separated by issue
cultural change. It saw
that the issue of quality of work of employees something
Significantly, in addition to the factors
production, technology and environment. QWL
interpreted by Sondra Siagian (2002)
is one form of intervention
organizational development, which includes
quality control, perkaryaan work,
management efforts to maintain
mental fitness, industrial relations
mismatched.
QWL in organizational processes need
pursued, not just an event
psychological among employees but how
it is a rational consideration,
who became belief and commitment
so that employees consistently
uphold the principle of QWL in its work.
Constraints in the organization that changes
to the quality of work is of
difficult to realize the organization's members.
Rationality them with their
changes include: 1) it is difficult to change the
existing habits, 2) threat
the sense of security: in work, career,
income, loss of position, 3)
adding jobs, changing patterns of
work, and so on. so as to
instill a culture need to know more
first how a culture, which
by Taliziduhu Ndraha (1997) mentioned
there are three processes: 1) accommodation, the process
acceptance of new culture, although culture
old is still intact, 2) which is a process of acculturation
adoption of one culture by culture
other, 3) cultural assimilation that one
fused or change or be the same.
C. Strategies Make Changes

Work Culture
Community development
will affect the change process
organization in achieving goals. norms
culture and external demands
have a significant influence in
the ability to change the organizational culture.
In response the company must
relearn the demands of human resources
desired by the organization in response to
external demands. In such conditions
organizations need to make changes to
work culture. Leadership / HR managers
proactive required to complete
problems in anticipation of patterns
changes in human resources, markets, services,
products and technologies. In order to obtain results
optimal, the organization should be directed
changes in human behavior in the process
organizational in fostering
more adaptive organization.
Cultural change is defined as
providing the opportunity for members
as wide as possible in order to achieve actualization
in him. To transmit culture
can be done with teaching methods
Increasing Cultural Dimensions in Human Resources ... - Rosidah
Journal of Economics and Education, Volume 2, Number 1, August 2004 57
(learning organization) that is by way of example,
socialization, internalization. internalization
process intended to develop
a value or culture becomes part of
(self) employees and more qualitative.
What is important in this case is a shared
vision, which is a common and
must be the commitment of all members
organization. Because in essence vision
organization is a reflection of the vision of the
owned by each member. in
Besides, Sondra Siagian (1995: 31)
explaining that the main factor
which must be considered in performing
changes are: a) the vision of the future, b)
design and build a model of change, c)
appreciation of behavior
facilitate the change.

Leaders have accrued to the

important in the process of change. without
do not necessarily change
companies can compete and exist. Lewin
(Soner and Freeman, 1992) developed
model of the process of change: 1) melting pattern
current behavior, namely the efforts made
the need for such changes
plain that individuals, groups
can easily understand it, 2)
alteration, in this case requires
development associated with the value,
attitudes, and behaviors during the identification process
and internalization, 3) freezing, namely
reinforce new behaviors through
support mechanisms or amplifier
thus becoming the new norm
D. Conclusion
A company that wants to organizations
succeed must take into account the total
quality. In the process of development
will be influenced by external factors and
impacting on internal conditions. in Order To
respond to the external demands with
make changes. organizational culture /
the company. Corporate culture can
used as a mainstay of competitiveness
so an understanding of the emergence
culture as well as an important cultural element in order
succeeded in changing work culture.
The issue of cultural change needs to be a commitment
all members of the organization's members
from the top level to the lowest level
Under the company. approach
the implementation of culture begins
with the embodiment of the vision of the company
in the form of a motto or slogan.
Furthermore slogan / motto and the claims
associated with changes
will be done must be expressed
explicit substance so that the entire
employees know. by knowing
rationality they would feel that
it was good and felt the need
to changes that do
not by coercion (autonomously). which

important in the process of cultural change

need socialization. implementation of the
work culture among others with Quality Of
Working Live. That is how the elements
qualities inherent in the behavior of employees in
each work operation in which they live
in organizational life.