2. TQM focuses on minimum standards ? products are being made with no defects, but they also have no ?Wow? factor. I.e. Fords look like Nissans, Look like Toyotas etc.
3. TQM develops its own cumbersome bureaucracy ? A Quality department that grows and grows in size producing paperwork that chokes the business.
4. TQM delegates Quality to Quality Czars and experts rather than to real people ? responsibility is taken from those who should have it, i.e. everyone, quality can?t be delegated.
5. TQM does not demand radical organisational reform ? to often this is an excuse
downsizing rather than freeing up people from fire fighting to becoming experts and acting across boundaries.
6. TQM does not demand changes in management compensation ? payment of bonuses depending on short-term profit is still the main bonus measure (80% of organisations).
7. TQM does not demand entirely new relationship with outside partners ? sole supplier status is often misused to hold that supplier to ransom, rather than using support, trust and caring about the well being of your partners to improve the whole supply chain.
8. TQM appeals to faddism, egotism and quick fixism ? TQM is often sold as a quick fix. Many managers are not capable of staying the course in this never-ending process; many lose the plot and become obsessed with the Baldrige Award.
9. TQM drains entrepreneurship and innovation from corporate culture – Companies need to be more chaotic to make the big breakthroughs and this does not fit with ?Do-it-right-first-time?. People will accept the imperfect if there are other compensations. Ferrari makes impractical cars that leak oil and breakdown a lot but they sell.
10. TQM has no place for love ? TQM is clinical, analytically detached, sterile and mechanical. There is no emotion or soul. ?You have no right to manage unless you talk passionately about what you are doing. ?Debbie Coleman Apple.
11. TQM is sold and implemented as a formula to solve all your problems ? TQM should be kept in perspective, it is tqm not TQM! It won?t, and can?t, solve every problem
Recommendation?s
Agrotran should adopt TQM as part of their business strategy. They should be clear on why they want to do this ? long-term profitability, increase market share etc., and tailor their approach.
There are a number of tasks Agrotran should under take in this process:
1. Establish a TQM team to oversee the projects and training. This should be made up of the senior management, it is important that management understand and is committed to TQM. It should include someone from Nat-truk who has experience in this area, and Tom Smith as the most vocal critic to act as ?devils advocate? and to win his commitment back which seems to have taken a knock.
2. Establish the reasons for change and communicate this to all involved
3. Create a Vision statement that encapsulates what the company is trying to achieve and how it intends to achieve it. In all the different activities this will provide everyone with a common focus
4. Establish the standard they intend to supply with reference to customer requirements the capabilities of the company and its suppliers.
5. Carry out a health check to establish their current position, what areas are in most need of improvement, what situations are constant problems, e.g. The communication problems over process etc.
6. Set up a system that will collect data and establish the costs of failure and the reasons behind this.
7. It would probably be worthwhile reviewing their Quality System (ISO9000) as this seems to be Nat-Truk?s imposed on Agrotran. This should be mainly under the control of Agrotran as it will be based on their knowledge of how Agrotran works best and their knowledge of their current customers requirements, Nat-truk would have more input, but not take over, when it comes to their areas of expertise.
8. Use the previous step to draw a quality strategy, to include; Goals, required systems and tools, behaviour changes to create a suitable culture in the company, resources required. Create a timetable and priorities for the definable projects. Some projects should be aimed to be completed soon, so that changes can be seen.
9. Establish the requirement and time table for training and education
10. The senior management should also keep themselves up to date with the current developments, debates and criticisms of TQM. After all TQM does practice what preaches ?continuous improvement? and this can help the company in their own continuous improvement.
References
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Grint, K. (1997) TQM, BPR, BSCs and TLAs: managerial waves or drownings? (total quality management; business process reengineering; just in time; balanced score cards; three-letter acronyms) Managerial Decision, Sept-Oct 1997 v35 n9-10 p731
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