History of TQM

Let’s know about the history of TQM. According to Beer and Conti, TQM has good value in western countries in the 1980s. Moreover, Japanese companiesas get advantage particularly in the automobile and electronics industries.

However, the roots of modern quality management can be traced back to the early 1920s, when statistical theory was first applied to product quality control.

Above all, this concept was further developed in Japan in the 1940s and 1950s. And they were led by “quality gurus” such as Deming, Juran and Feigenbaum.

Inspection

Inspection involves measuring, examining and testing products, processes and services against specified requirements to determine conformity.

During the early years of manufacturing, inspection was used to decide whether a worker’s job or a product met the requirements and therefore, acceptable.

Above all, the theories of F. W. Taylor, published in “The Principles of Scientific Management” in 1911, led to the emergence of separate inspection departments in industry.

Thus, from these inspection departments came an important  idea, defect prevention, which in turn led to quality control. Most importantly, Inspection still has a big role in modern quality practices.

Quality Control and Statistical Theory

Firstly, you should know that Quality Control was introduced to detect and fix problems along the production line.  Moreovver, it was aimed to prevent the manufacture of faulty products.

On the other hand, Statistical theory played an important role in this area. In the 1920s, Dr W. Shewhart developed the application of statistical methods to the management of quality.

Moreover, he produced the first modern control chart and demonstrated that variation in the production process leads to variation in products. Therefore, eliminating variation in the process would lead to a consistently high standard of end product.

Quality in Japan

Quality plays an importamt role in the history of TQM. Firstly, in the 1940s, Japanese products were perceived as cheap, shoddy imitations.

Moreover,Japanese industrial leaders recognised this problem and aimed to produce innovative, high quality products. Above all, they invited quality gurus, such as Deming, Juran, and Feigenbaum, to advise on how to achieve this aim.

In the 1950s, quality control and management developed quickly and became a main theme of Japanese management.

Moreover, the idea of quality did not stop at the management level. As the Quality circles at employee level started in the early 1960s. In addition, a quality circle is a volunteer group of workers that meet to discuss issues aimed at improving aspects of their work.

Total Quality

Feigenbaum used the term “Total Quality” for the first time, in a paper published in 1956.

Moreover, Feigenbaum described a total quality system as “one which embraces the whole cycle of customer satisfaction from the interpretation of his requirements prior to the ordering stage. Moreover, to the supply of a product or service at an economical price and on to his perception of the product. After that, he has used it over an appropriate period of time”. Above all, at this time, Japan’s exports to the USA and Europe were beginning to increase significantly. As a result of its comparatively cheaper prices and higher quality.

Total Quality Management

TalIn the 1980s and 1990s, there began a new phase of quality control and management, which became known as Total Quality Management (TQM).

Moreover, having observed Japan’s success at quality development, western companies started to introduce their own quality initiatives.

TQM was developed as a catchall phrase for the broad spectrum of quality-focused strategies, programmes and techniques during this period. After that, it became the centre of focus for the western quality movement.

Above all, initial TQM definitions were customer-focused. However, as time progressed—and in particular following the development of business excellence models—the definitions became broader and focused on all stakeholders.

Quality Awards and Excellence Models

In 1987, the development of the Malcolm Baldrige Award in the United States provide a major step forward in quality management.

Moreover, that time the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence represents the first  globally recognised TQM model.

Above all, United States government introduced the Baldrige Criteria to encourage companies to improve their competitiveness. And in 1992, the European Foundation of Quality Management developed the EFQM Excellence Model was developed to promote quality throughout Europe.

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