Total quality management and ethics

Trust is a critical element of ethics

which in turn, makes ethics critical in
total quality
What is total quality management?
• The big Q in the Total Quality refers to quality of
products, people processes, and environment
• Q also concerns with the narrower aspect of
individual element
• TQM is concerned with managing the entire
system & not just subsystem
• Involves all employees, supply chain customers
chain
• The purpose is to provide value to the customers
• Total quality management (TQM)
programmes are the organisation wide
programmes that aim to integrate all
functions of the business such that all
aspects of business including design,
planning, production, distribution and field
services are aimed at maximising
customer satisfaction through continuous
improvements
• This approach in US known as Continuous improvement,
zero defects or Six Sigma
• Kaizen in Japan (W.Edward Demming credited for quality improvement
• inJapan 1950)
• Difference in between TQM and Traditional way of
business:
1. customer focus- internal as well as external customers
2. obsession with quality
3. use of scientific approach
4. long term commitment
5. team work
6. employee involvement in empowerment
7. continuous process improvement
 TQM at Xerox
• By late 10’s Xerox was loosing the market share to Japanese
competitors.
• Japanese products were excellent and cheaper also than Xerox
could manufacture it.
• After going bankrupt of producing quality product, Xerox launched
TQM.
• The process & practices were marked best in the industry.
• Xerox improved quality continuously , worked horizontally across
the departments, worked with the suppliers and understood the
customers expectations
• Xerox delivered the superior value to the customers
• Today , Xerox is world class organisation holding its own terms in
the technology, price, service and customer satisfaction.
 Trust and total quality

• In organisation, if no ethical behaviour TQM fails

• Ethical behaviour builds trust
– The elements on which the TQM depennds –
– customer focus, problem solving, team work, employee
involvement & empowerment, interpersonal relations,
communication
• All elements important in trust.
• Trust building in HLL
managers create the envo, set the examples,
communicate properly…so on.
 Values & Total Quality

• Values are deeply held beliefs that form core who we

are?
• It is internal barometers.
• Values guide the behaviour
• In organisations, knowledge and skills do not produce
quality, they need to be applied wholeheartedly.
 Fairness
Dependability
Integrity
Ethical Honesty
behaviour truthfulness

Values
Lead
to TQM Results in

Peak
performance Achievement
& excellence Contribution
Self development
Creativity
Synergy
Quality
opportunity