3.6.1 Establishing the quality culture
A study of quality related literature brings out certain common factors among organisations that have been successful in their quality drives. The common thread that runs through all the factors is culture. Quality culture relates to the principles of work and the approach that the organisation takes in making that possible. Some of the proven organisational success factors are explained here.
- Strategic plans that are collegiate in their development and are well communicated to everyone in the organisation. These plans drive the focus on continuous improvement, the attitude of life-long learning and aim at long term effectiveness.
- Senior management commitment is key and TQM can only be driven from the top. This ensures that the resources needed for making TQM work are committed. Role models play an important part in the adoption of TQM by subordinates.
- Internal and external customer satisfaction becomes the focus of all processes. This ensures that all the work is done to meet the specifications that are clearly defined since the customer is seen as the final judge of quality. This breaks down barriers between departments and allows a total quality of output oriented perception to develop.
- Meaningful participation of everyone in the organisation can only happen after effective education of the participants on the principles of quality. Some of the points from Deming, Juran and Crosby are useful to go over in this context, such as removal of the fear of failure, suitable recognition of achievements, effective suggestion systems and providing effective support to develop ideas.
- The adoption of quality philosophy into the organisation's culture so that the two are one. Taking a package and implementing it in the organisation becomes a bolt-on appendage that is most likely to fail in its functions.
- Quality is not a product of the organisation but adds value to the product. In itself, there should be no expectations of financial returns of having a quality system in the organisation. The benefits should, however, be seen in the overall financial results of the company's output.
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