Pic courtesy: Arun Jagannathan, qsleap.com/, Retrieved November 27, 2015, from http://www.qsleap.com/articles/reading-comprehension-big-picture-questions-the-management-philosophy-known-as-tqm/
In some articles related to quality management, you probably read about TQM, but you may wonder what exactly it is. A quote from ASQ gives TQM a perfect explanation,” A core definition of total quality management (TQM) describes a management approach to long–term success through customer satisfaction. In a TQM effort, all members of the organization participate in improving processes, products, services, and culture in whichthey work.” In other words, TQM is a management approach which keeps companiescontinuouslyimproving their quality of product & service and customers’ satisfaction through allmembers in the organization.
And why companies need TQM? The reason is once a company gives better quality product to customers, it will be more competitive than the rest of competitors. W. Edwards Deming said:” Customer is the most important part of the production line. Quality should be aimed at the needs of the customer present and future.” This clearly gives some definitions about products’ quality and customers’ satisfaction. Therefore, if a company can identify customers’ needs early in product development cycle and meet customers’ need, it will placea company aheadof its competitors in the market, which may become a long–term successand have more chanceto be a sustainable company.
A survey of American Society for Quality Control made in 1988 showed that 80% of company managers believed that” In the competition of the US companies and other foreignrivals, product quality is the key to survive.” They also believed that the quality of the US productsmust be more sophisticated. This was the conclusion, observed from the American of the pressure of competition with the Japanese 20 years ago. It is still valid by today's standards.
References
http://www.onquality.info/2010/04/what-is-quality.html
http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/total-quality-management/overview/overview.html
http://blog.xuite.net/lingf01/twblog/141970429-TQM%E9%81%8E%E6%99%82%E4%BA%86%E5%97%8E%EF%BC%9F