Quality Management

Quality Management

A number of solutions can help one you implement a quality management system in your workplace. Along with that, there are many other principles that must be integrated throughout every department of the organization and at every level of management. These principles can then, serve as a foundation for all the activities like systematic and strategic approach, process thinking, employee involvement, quantifying the results and continual improvement. The approaches within TQM to achieve business excellence and customer delight have been many but the most important approaches include customer relationship i.e. the measurement of customer satisfaction, understanding customer needs etc.

The next is process management which features the ability to map the processes within the organization with a view to cut across departmental boundaries. Another approach is of employee involvement. This technique involves making the use of self-directed teams, kaizen teams, 5 s teams which as directed earlier play important role in involving employees.

Lastly, there is a dire need to inculcate continuous improvement techniques in each step to TQM. These include, Lean, six sigma, mistake proofing and 7 QC tools, which could all be part of creating the movement of continuous improvement. This step was particularly employed in the beverage industry I visited. I saw that in well-developed industrial process, every detail is scanned in a code. When a raw material arrives, all the details are stored in a barcode and the information goes together wherever the product or raw material goes. It helps in quick identification and prevents duplication of entering the product information by the Quality control/ R & D/ Quality Assurance or Production Department. Hence, one does not have to worry to maintain the stock as at each department who handles the raw material enters the information through the typing system (registered electronically) and the information is entered in the barcode. Hence, in the end the department or management can easily assess the true stock update every time he/she checks his device without investment in any software. Hence, this step proved to be very beneficial during the quality improvement program at the brewery.

References

Evans, J. R. (2002). Total quality management. INFOR, 40(4), 364.

Grout, J. R. (2006). Mistake proofing: changing designs to reduce error. BMJ Quality & Safety, 15(suppl 1), i44-i49.

Dudek-Burlikowska, M., & Szewieczek, D. (2009). The Poka-Yoke method as an improving quality tool of operations in the process. Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, 36(1), 95-102.