Week 10 - TQM

Question 1

Define tqm

Answer 1

• Def: a management philosophy that seeks continuous improvement in the quality of performance of all the processes, products and services of a customer focused organisation.

Question 2

What does TQM aim to do?

Answer 2

• Aims to improve the competitiveness, effectiveness and responsiveness of the entire business - ensuring that processes are managed so that customers, both internal and external, are completely satisfied.

Question 3

What is the traditional view of quality

Answer 3

• Imagines improving quality drives up time and cost.
• Accepts a 90% quality standard
• Leaves till end of production
• Gives equal weight to quality & quantity

Question 4

List the 6 c’s that characterise tqm

Answer 4

• Commitment: mment committment
• Culture: change way people act & interact
• Continuous improvement: ongoing process
• Cooperation: total employee involvement (TEI)
• Customer focus: customer needs, perfect service, zero defects
• Control: documentation, procedures, best practice

Question 5

What are the 2 aspects of quality

Answer 5

• Quality of design measures how closely the characteristics of products or services meet the needs and wants of customers.
• Conformance quality refers to the performance of a product or service according to design and product specifications.

Question 6

What are the 2 non fin indicators of TQM

Answer 6

• Customer satisfaction: a range of measures indicating customers judgement of value eg: number of returned units.
• Internal Performance: measuring internal business processes, eg: number of defects in process.

Question 7

List the features of financial and non financial measures of TQM

Answer 7

Financial measures
• evaluate trade-offs among prevention costs, appraisal, and failure.
• They focus attention on the costs of poor quality.

Non fin measures:
• Easy to understand
• Immediate feedback
• Lead indicators

Question 8

What are the costs of poor quality

Answer 8

Costs incurred because of or to prevent poor quality.  Eg:
•	Prevention 
•	Appraisal 
•	Internal failure
•	External failure

Question 9

What are the 4 tennants of they tqm pyramid

Answer 9

Leadership
Customer focus
Focus on facts
Continuous improvement
Everybody's particpatoin

Question 10

What steps should management take to implement the tqm pyramid

Answer 10

Agree on goals/conditions/obstacles
Break with tradition
Appoint a quality manager with access to senior managers
Educate staff
Manage change
Define internal/external customer relationships
Encourage staff to engage