Running head: Week 1: Total Quality Management Defined
Total Quality Management Defined
University of Phoenix
MGT 449
January 30, 2008
Total Quality Management (TQM) Defined
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a term used to describe an adapting leadership style.
The International Organization for Standardization defines TQM as “A management
approach for an organization, centered on quality, based on the participation of all its
members and aiming at long term success through customer satisfaction and benefits to all
member of the organization and to society.” (ISO.Org) TQM relies on breaking down
traditional barriers between workers, management, suppliers, and the end consumer. The
techniques prescribed by using this tool drive companies to be innovative and their
workers to think “outside the box”. TQM gives every individual part of the same goal, and
it puts all of them to work to transform the company. Ultimately, the goal is a finished
product or service that is both high quality and efficiently prepared.
Many different people claim to have introduced TQM to the world. However, the process
was originally used in Japan. In 1974 Koji Kobayashi delivered a Deming Prize winning
speech in which he described how his company (NEC) had used TQM with great success.
(CQM.ORG) The original concept was based on four principals. First, the company must
focus on continual process improvement and make them repeatable, measurable, and
clearly seen. This insures consistency. Second, products and services should be work
properly and as they were designed to. Third, product use leads to improvement in the
product itself. Lastly, products should be inherently pleasing to the user. (Wikipedia.org)
