Total quality in health care

Quality is at the top of American consumers' demand list, and consequently American manufacturing companies have been forced to assign priority to the development of high-quality products. To improve the quality of what they offer, many manufacturers use the management philosophy known as total quality management (TQM), and now the service sector is following in their footsteps. The health care industry is a good example of a service industry that can benefit greatly from TQM, and it is the purpose of this article to show how a health care provider can implement TQM and evaluate its effects.     

推行TQM与提高建筑施工质量

质量是建筑施工企业在激烈的市场竞争中立于不败之地的基础。推行全面质量管理 (TQM )是提高建筑产品质量的有效保证。TQM要求全体员工都要参加质量管理 ,并且贯穿建筑产品工程施工和保修服务的全过程 ,要求企业从上层到中层和基层管理者全力以赴抓质量 ,努力提高管理水平     

An empirical assessment of the EFQM Excellence Model: Evaluation as a TQM framework relative to the MBNQA Model

Total quality management (TQM) is an approach to management embracing both social and technical dimensions aimed at achieving excellent results, which needs to be put into practice through a specific framework. Nowadays, quality award models, such as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) and the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model, are used as a guide to TQM implementation by a large number of organizations. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of empirical research confirming whether these models clearly reflect the main premises of TQM. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the extent to which the EFQM Excellence Model captures the main assumptions involved in the TQM concept, that is, the distinction between technical and social TQM issues, the holistic interpretation of TQM in the firm, and the causal linkage between TQM procedures and organizational performance.     

Operational,organizational, and human resource factors predictive of customer perceptions of service quality

The overall objective of this study was to examine the relationship between total quality management (TQM) factors and business unit performance as measured by customer perceptions of service quality. Data were collected from 26 business units of larger service organizations. Analyses confirmed our hypotheses that customer perceptions would be a function of a combination of operational, organizational, and human resource factors that have been associated with TQM.     

TQM practice in real-estate industry using AHP

Total quality management (TQM) has been recognized as a successful management philosophy that can be successfully practiced in the Real-estate industry. The purpose of this research is to determine the important factors that influence the TQM practice in real estate industry. The research methods employed included a literature review, in-depth interviews and focus group techniques which were used as a first to identify ten constructs of TQM in organizations. That is Top Management Commitment, Customer Focus, Benchmarking, Continuous Improvement, Supplier Quality Management, Product Innovation, Product Quality, Employee’s Involvement, Rewards and Recognition, Educational and Training. The AHP questionnaires were sent as 142 organizations of members of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India, in the metro city of Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai. The sampling procedure resulted in an overall response rate of 51% and the result was categorized based on organization size—small, medium and large. Then, the empirical study adopted the techniques of the Analytic Hierarchy Process to solicit opinions from 72 expert opinion collected through mail questionnaire. The results show that Employee involvement, top management commitment, employee customer focus, plays very important role for TQM practice in organizations. The results show that the Employee’s Involvement is most important to TQM practice in India. This is not difficult to understand, since the less than desirable record of real-estate industry. Therefore, the key to a successful strategy is to rebuild the confidence of TQM practice in real-estate industry.     

Exploring TQM awareness in the Greek national business context: between conservatism and reformism cultural determinants of TQM

This paper develops the theoretical understanding of the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) in business environments that differ from those from where it emerged. Business systems that are less developed tend to adopt more ‘sophisticated’ and formal strategic initiatives. The adoption of TQM by Greek organizations is a prime example. However, less has been said about the understanding of TQM or its cultural determinants in such environments. This paper, based on the results of 73 semi-structured interviews conducted with managers working in Greek public and private organizations, argues that there are two antithetical business-cultural ‘forces’ – conservatism and reformism – that seem to substantially affect the awareness and application of total quality concepts. Both features create pressures in the system, either restraining or promoting TQM implementation. In this context, the tension between traditional business culture and a modernization logic is the key to understanding the development of TQM.     

全面质量管理在电子商务中的实施

电子商务中的质量管理是一个被长期忽视的研究领域。本文通过分析电子商务企业的质量目标，探讨了全面质量管理(釉TQM)在电子商务中的应用，分析了TQM在不同类型电子商务企业中应用的适合程度和有效性，并提出了在电子商务中实施TQM面临的一些困难。     

A physical examination of health care's readiness for a total quality management program: a case study

Initiating a total quality management (TQM) effort can be a time-consuming and costly effort for a hospital. Perceptions of management and employees are important in initiating TQM because people function as if perceptions are fact. Assessing these perceptions and determining the levels of readiness or resistance to change are important steps in reducing costs, thus increasing organizational ability to address proactively challenges to the implementation and ultimate success of a TQM effort. Key assessment criteria are discussed including a comparison of management and employee perceptions in one hospital.     

探析全面质量管理与传统管理的区别

质量已成为全世界的共同语言。全面质量管理与传统管理是两种截然不同的管理范式。过去10年是全面质量管理的黄金时代,但从整体上看,全面质量管理在中国并没有惊人的表现。因此,我们不得不回头深入反思和重新认识全面质量管理,尤其是全面质量管理与传统管理的差异。为此,本文从基本概念着手,在顾客满意、组织领导与战略、业务流程、组织结构、组织学习与持续改进、考核与激励等方面探讨了全面质量管理与传统管理的区别。     

Critical Success Factors of Total Quality Management

The past decade has seen many firms focusing on Total Quality Management (TQM) as a means of improving profits, market share and competitiveness. Although TQM is a proven approach for success in manufacturing, services and the public sector, several organizations failed in their campaigns because of many reasons like lack of top management commitment, ignoring customers etc. This paper presents a study on certain specific factors that impact the success of the TQM implementation purely based on the secondary research. The research points out that, though most organizations start TQM efforts for their success, they are frequently exposed to the factors which may cause their TQM efforts to delay or even fail. TQM is a sure bet to reverse poor performance, but when it did not yield the expected results, it was deemed a failure. The review has been done to identify the common problems that lead to the failure of TQM implementation in the organization and has pointed out the critical success factors of TQM. Nevertheless, the overall results of this research imply that the understanding of the elements that cause failure to the TQM implementation can provide needed help for companies involved in long-term continuous improvement efforts. If the advanced TQM approach is properly followed, it will help the companies to achieve organizational excellence.     

浅议全面质量管理在企业安全管理的应用

在企业实施全面质量管理不仅对企业的产品与服务质量管控有重要意义,同时对企业安全生产管理也可产生显著推动作用。本文在介绍全面质量管理基本原则的基础上,总结对比两者的相似性,并结合在某生产型企业建立安全生产管理体系的经验,论述将全面质量管理理念应用于企业安全生产管理的可行过程,以期达到迅速有效建立安全生产管理体系并有效平稳运行、形成企业安全管理文化与标准的效果,促进企业质量管理与安全管理水平提升。     

系统思想指导下的“头QC”

全面质量管理（TQM）又被称为“头QC”，意指高层经理在其中发挥最主要的作用。鉴于TQM实际上是以质量管理为中心的全企业管理，高层经理应以系统思想作为指导，无论对全员、全过程，还是处理企业与顾客、供应商及竞争对手的关系，都应多考虑整体与合作，以谋求TQM的更高效率。     

Performance Distributions: Measuring Employee Performance Using Total Quality Management Principles

There have been numerous criticisms of traditional performance appraisal systems made by Total Quality Management (TQM) advocates. This article describes a performance appraisal and management system that addresses many TQM concerns about appraisal systems. The Performance Distribution Assessment method (PDA) explicitly considers system versus person sources of performance variation and provides a means for developing “targeted” performance and quality improvement programs. The literature regarding the development and validity of the PDA method is reviewed, and the compatibility of this appraisal system with quality management principles is discussed.     

Contingency relationships of firm size,TQM duration,unionization, and industry context on TQM implementation—A focus on total effects

Past TQM literature has been inconclusive in resolving the validity of the universalistic approach versus the contingency approach of TQM implementation. In this paper we contribute to the resolution of this debate by using a total effects approach within the contingency perspective. We propose a culture-quality system design-outcomes framework for TQM implementation. We then use this framework to study the differences in total effects relationships among TQM constructs across four contingencies, firm size, TQM duration, unionization, and industry type. Data from a sample of 394 plants (SIC codes 20 through 39) are used to test the validity of our contingency model. Our results revealed that firm size, TQM duration, and industry type moderate the influence of total effects of culture (top management commitment, customer focus, and trust) on final outcomes (process quality, product quality, and customer satisfaction). These contingencies also moderate the influence of total effects of quality system design (design management, training, empowerment, quality information usage, supplier quality management, and process quality management) on final outcomes. The strongest contributor to variation in total effects across groups was industry type, followed by size and then TQM duration. To a lesser extent, unionization was a moderator in total effects relationships. These findings uniquely contribute to the emerging contingency theory of TQM implementation.     

The effect of quality management and participation in decision-making on individual performance

The major objective of the study was to analyze the effects of total quality management (TQM) on improvement efforts and individual performance. Employee response to quality management (QM) and the perceived degree of participation in decision-making (PDM) were considered the major factors affecting employee improvement efforts. The improvement effort factor was expected to influence employee performance. Subjects were 208 employees in three industrial organizations applying TQM in Israel. Three causal models were suggested and tested by means of structural equation modeling using lisrel. The results supported the proposed model. The findings revealed that the influence of PDM on improvement efforts is considerably higher than that of QM. This finding suggests that PDM is the most important component of the TQM process that affects improvement efforts and individual performance. Therefore, ISO 9000 that does not include PDM may not impact individual performance.     

Does total quality management affect applicant perceptions of recruitment and selection processes?

145 job seeking engineers were surveyed to determine whether applicants who interviewed at Total Quality Management (TQM) organizations perceived any differences in the way they were recruited or selected as compared with those who interviewed at non-TQM firms. TQM firms were identified in two ways: “explicit TQM” (where applicants were specifically told that the firm was a TQM employer) and “inferred TQM” (where TQM was inferred on the basis of specific reported practices). Results showed that there were significant differences between TQM firms (regardless of classification) and non-TQM firms, and between explicit TQM firms and inferred TQM firms. For example, explicit TQM firms screened more stringently, whereas inferred TQM status was predictive of positive applicant reactions to the people met during the site visit. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

Commitment to total quality management: Is there a relationship with firm performance?

Much has been written about Total Quality Management (TQM) but, to date, there has been relatively little empirical investigation. Therefore, this work addresses the overarching question of whether or not TQM measurably improves firm performance. For a sample of sixty firms, that have demonstrated a commitment to TQM for a period of at least five years, we find that the strategy is associated with superior stock-market performance (on a market- and risk-adjusted basis) and improved profit margins.     

基于QFD的汽车技术服务企业服务质量体系研究

本文首先介绍了基于质量功能展开(QFD)的汽车服务质量模型,并根据企业调研的客户需求和客户满意度,得出服务质量特性指标和重要度,将QFD运用到汽车技术服务企业服务质量的提升中。从该模型中找到汽车技术服务企业服务质量的薄弱环节并给出相应的提升服务质量的对策,帮助汽车技术服务企业提高服务质量。     

The establishment of a quality management system for the higher education industry

This study is based on the SERVQUAL model and the Plan-Do-Check-Action (P-D-C-A) cycle of TQM to establish a higher education quality management system. In this system, it includes ‘Plan’ and ‘Do’ dimensions to execute ten factors, each dimension complements with each other. The ‘Check’ dimension has four factors and the ‘Action’ dimension has three factors. Each execution factors of the quality management system could reduce the occurrence of five gaps in the SERVQUAL model and facilitate education providers to provide a better service quality. Education providers strengthen an education system by carefully planning and implementation of quality auditing and continuous improvement. The desired result of this study is to possess a more explicit framework for high education industry and provide a proper service for students.     

基于服务科学构建旅游服务质量评价模型的研究

本研究旨在为旅游业提供可靠的服务水平测量工具,帮助旅游管理者找寻服务质量的改进方向,提高服务水平。根据服务科学管理与工程(SSME)的研究方法,界定出旅游服务质量的5个维度,22项指标,在进行了信度、效度检验的基础上建立服务质量评价模型,分析评价了松潘旅游服务质量。