Total Quality Management

This document provides a general perspective on the quality management principles underlying the ISO 9000 series standards for continuous quality improvement.

It gives an overview of these principles and shows how, collectively, they can form a basis for performance improvement and organizational excellence.

There are many different ways of applying these quality management principles. The nature of the organization and the specific challenges it faces will determine how to implement them.

Most organizations find it beneficial to set up a formal quality management systems based on these principles.

Ekho Quality is an ideal platform for the implementation and measurement of continuous performance improvement initiatives.

The ISO 9000 standards for continuous quality improvement are based on eight established quality management principles. These principles can be used by senior management as a framework to guide their organizations towards improved performance. The potential benefits to be derived from following these principles in your organization are described below.

Principle 1 - Customer focus

Understand current and future customer needs, should meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations.

Benefits

• Increased revenue and market share
• Increased effectiveness in resource utilization
• Increased customer satisfaction
• Improved customer loyalty leading to repeat business

Principle 2 - Leadership

Leaders should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization’s objectives.

Benefits

• Personnel motivated towards the organization’s goals and objectives

• Activities evaluated, aligned and implemented in a unified way

• Miscommunication minimized

Principle 3 - Involvement of people

People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization’s benefit.

Benefits

• Motivated, committed and involved people

• Resources demonstrate Innovation and creativity

• People being accountable

• People eager to participate in continual improvement

Principle 4 - Process approach

A desired result is achieved more efficiently when activities and related resources are managed as a process.

Benefits

• Lower costs and shorter cycle times

• Improved, consistent and predictable results

• Focused and prioritized improvement opportunities

Principle 5 - System approach to management

Identifying, understanding and managing interrelated processes as a system, to contribute to the organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its objectives.

Benefits

• Integration and alignment of processes for best results

• Ability to focus effort on the key processes

• Providing confidence as to the consistency, effectiveness and efficiency of the organization

Principle 6 - Continual improvement

Continual improvement of the organization’s overall performance should be a permanent objective of the organization.

Benefits

• Performance advantage through improved organizational capabilities

• Alignment of improvement activities at all levels to an organization’s strategic intent

• Flexibility to react quickly to opportunities

Principle 7 - Factual approach to decision making

Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information

Benefits

• Informed decisions

• An increased ability to demonstrate the effectiveness of past decisions through reference to factual records

• Increased ability to review, challenge and change opinions and decisions

Principle 8 - Mutually beneficial supplier relationships

An organization and its suppliers are interdependent and mutually beneficial relationships enhance the ability of both to create value.

Benefits

• Increased ability to create value for both parties

• Flexibility and speed of joint responses to changing market or customer needs and expectations
• Optimization of costs and resources