Common barriers to implementation and development of a TQM program.

Total quality management is discussed at length in the literature. Many articles describe TQM, identify its requirements for success and discuss the benefits of implementation. However, little has been written concerning the difficulties that many firms experience in adopting a total quality approach.

Several firms have experienced considerable problems with the introduction, development and measurement of quality improvement. Some programs are never initiated, and many encounter common barriers.

Newall and Dale suggested that companies have difficulties with their quality improvement activities, and that they have trouble identifying and analyzing these problems in any great detail. The general impression is that problems were expected to occur and there is little point in attempting to determine the underlying reasons.

Each TQM expert offers a prescription for success. Crosby presented 14 steps to quality improvement. Deming described 14 points for management. Juran identified 10 steps for continuous improvement. Conway suggested six methods to improve quality. Although the TQM points appear obvious and common sense, they are in reality difficult to execute and very time consuming. A TQM philosophy must be driven throughout the entire organization as it requires major changes in the way companies operate.

Anderson claims the task of implementing TQM can be daunting, and the chief executive faced with this responsibility may draw little comfort from the teachings of quality experts. The first decision, where to begin, can be so overwhelming that many firms never get started. This state has been referred to as TQP, total quality paralysis.

Implementation & development barriers

* Poor Planning -- The absence of a sound strategy has often contributed to ineffective quality improvement. Juran noted that deficiencies in the original planning cause a process to run at a high level of chronic waste. Using data collected at then recent seminars, Juran reported that although some managers were not pleased with their progress on their quality implementation agenda, they gave quality planning low priority. As Oakland said, the pre-planning stage of developing the right attitude and level of awareness is crucial to achieving success in a quality improvement program.

Brossert observed that the planning stage has often been delegated by a "seat of the pants" approach. This method is often viewed as too theoretical, detailed and mundane to be practical. The common belief is that doers are recognized and rewarded while planners just plan. The latter work is thought to be simple and timely because of the lack of available tools.

Newall and Dale reported that a large number of companies are either unable or unwilling to plan effectively for quality improvement. Although many performed careful and detailed planning prior to implementation, not one of the firms studied or identified beforehand the stages that their process must endure.

* Lack of management commitment -- A quality implementation program will succeed only if top management is fully committed beyond public announcements. Success requires devotion and highly visible and articulate champions. Newall and Dale found that even marginal wavering by corporate managers was sufficient to divert attention from continuous improvement. Additionally, Schein reported that the U.S. Quality Council is most troubled by the lack of top management commitment in many companies.

Lack of commitment in quality management may stem from various reasons. Major obstacles include the preoccupation with short-term profits and the limited experience and training of many executives. Juran, for example, observed that many managers have extensive experience in business and finance but not in quality improvement. Similarly, Bhote pointed out that although the CEO does not have to be a quality expert, programs fail when the CEO does not recognize the contribution these techniques make toward profitability and customer satisfaction.

Top management is sometimes hesitant to initiate a far reaching program unless forced to by competition. The vice president of quality and training at Reimer Express suggested that the company adopt a more proactive stance in promoting quality production and personnel training. The vice president of quality and customer satisfaction at Xerox Canada stated that decision-makers must risk a "step of faith." He agreed, however, that this is difficult when faced with a crisis situation, and more so when a company is in a comfortable position.

A common problem in implementing a quality program is the lack of acceptance by middle and lower managers. Often, line managers isolate themselves from floor workers and resist considering their suggestions. As the vice president of Avco Financial stated, the entire organization was disrupted when middle management resistance was allowed to persist. Newall and Dale confirmed that the majority of problems are usually within the middle strata, and cited one cause as the erroneous belief that nothing is wrong with the current system and management. As Cox pointed out, however, a middle management "mafia" often sabotages a large portion of genuine worker initiative and innovation because it is not convinced that TQM is a worthwhile pursuit.

* Resistance of the workforce -- A workforce is often unwilling to embrace TQM for a variety of reasons. Oakland explained that a lack of long-term objectives and targets will cause a quality implementation program to lose credibility. Production workers must want TQM to continue because they recognize the real benefits to society. Lehr pointed out that at one company the improvement effort was sometimes misinterpreted as a motivation, productivity or cost-reduction program.

Keys warned that an adversarial relationship between management and non-management should not exist, and he emphasized that a cooperative relationship is necessary for success. A TQM project must be supported by employee trust, acceptance and understanding of management's objectives.

Butterfield offered that employees will not work to their fullest potential when management defines its goals in terms of numbers. In this case, the focus shifts to level of production instead of to quality of production output. Finally, Newall and Dale found that aging workers as well as workers who suffer from illiteracy or language barriers, may resist the implementation of new ideas and alien concepts.

* Lack of proper training -- There is evidence that lack of understanding and proper training exists at all levels of an organization, and that it is a large contributor to worker resistance. Schein, for example, mentioned that business school failure to teach relevant process skills contributed to manager ineffectiveness.

TQM requires a well-educated workforce with a solid understanding of basic math, reading, writing and communication. Although companies invest heavily in quality awareness, statistical process control, and quality circles, often the training is too narrowly focused. Frequently, Juran's warning against training for specific organizational levels or product lines is unheeded. Finally, Newall and Dale reported that poor education and training present a major obstacle in the development and implementation of a quality program.

* Teamwork complacency -- Most TQM programs place substantial emphasis on teamwork and problem-solving groups. Firms such as Xerox and 3M have several thousand such groups. Problems arise when teams feel they have no authority, when they lack direction and purpose and when their large number causes status confusion.

Newall and Dale found that teams are seldom fully used, and their individual members are often complacent. They suggested these problems are caused by a lack of feedback, since few companies have effective communication channels between senior managers and production workers.

Oakland warned of basic misconceptions concerning the status of various teams during the initial years of a quality program. Often their roles are distorted because the workforce feels that some teams are for workers while others are for management. In addition, communications are sometimes so poor that many staff members are unaware of a team's existence. Finally, Oakland TABULAR DATA OMITTED pointed out that it is important for teams to focus on issues and use time as efficiently as possible.

* Use of an off-the-shelf program -- Many executives learn through their mistakes that a quality process must be adapted to, not adopted by, an organization. Companies that introduce off-the-shelf packages often find that they do not suit the their needs. Ultimately, prepackaged quality programs are either completely rejected or modified extensively.

Lehr reported that not one single process or approach can be installed intact in two different organizations. Each firm must custom-make its own quality program to fit the culture, and practices and policies that are unique to that organization.

* Failure to change organizational philosophy -- Many firms find that the transition of performance through management controls to performance through people is arduous to accomplish. This is facilitated by modifying the reward system to emphasize long-term goals and quality output instead of filling short-term production quotas.

Keys stated that most American firms are structured so that implementation of a total quality program is impossible. He felt that quality programs are successfully instituted only when the distinction between manager and employee is removed and the new goals are practical and achievable. Under this new system, all workers are encouraged to adopt a TQM approach and incorporate this philosophy into their daily routines.

Although short-term profits are important to maintain a firm's liquidity, they should not be the final judge of a company's performance. TQM should be a high priority with senior executives because it pertains to the long-term success of the organization. The implementation of a successful TQM project precipitates rapid quality improvement. However, the financial rewards are more long-term. This leads to initial disappointment, considering the extraordinary effort and innovation required to eliminate the last five percent of defectives.

Rewards and incentive programs are seldom shifted to favor quality improvement. When they are, Cox warned against the use of extrinsic controls that compel behavioral changes in people. He observed that performance measures placed on managers may lead them to take quality improvement seriously, but only enough to meet the minimum standards. In such cases, the company culture remains predominantly production-driven even though management may believe that it has achieved total quality. In addition, worker incentives often cause conflict and inhibit the cooperation needed for continuous improvement.

* Lack of resources provided -- Newall and Dale found that despite their importance, many quality departments were over-worked and understaffed. Juran reported that although the return on investment for a quality improvement project is very high, many companies fail to provide the resources necessary to achieve significant results.

* Lack of effective measurement of quality improvement -- TQM is centered around monitoring employees and processes, and establishing objectives that anticipate the customer's needs so that he is surprised and delighted. This has posed a considerable challenge to many companies.

Newall and Dale discovered that some companies had difficulty setting meaningful targets and standards. Measurement problems were caused by goals based on past substandard performance, poor planning, lack of resources and competitor-based standards. Alexander reported that quality is usually based on "soft technologies" where the objective is to improve customer satisfaction as well as the quality of work life. Unfortunately, the statistical measurement procedures applied to production are not applicable to human system processes.

Conclusions

The advantages of TQM have been widely discussed, but the challenges of implementation have received little attention. A quality philosophy is required for the successful implementation of a quality project. This philosophy must facilitate a long-term lifestyle change for the company.

Commitment of top management is essential. Substantial inflow of resources, adequate training, workforce participation and effective measurement techniques are some of the key success factors. A successful TQM program is unique, and it should motivate middle management to focus on long-term strategies rather than short-term goals.

Teamwork is the key to involvement and participation. Groups should be encouraged to work closely and effectively, and should focus on quality improvement and customer satisfaction.

Recommendations

* Ensure that the company is committed and each step of the process is identified and carefully planned before implementation;

* Develop a TQM strategy to address long-term objectives;

* Adopt a company training program;

* Provide continuous feedback and open channels of communication; and

* Empower team members and establish concrete goals for each group.

For further reading

Alexander, C. P., "The Sort Technologies of Quality," Quality Progress, November, 1989.

Bhote, K.R., "The Management of Change," World Class Quality, AMA Membership Publications Division, 1988.

Brossert, James L., Quality Function Deployment, ed. E.G. Schilling, ASQC Quality Press, Milwaukee, WI, 1991.

Butterfield, R.W., "A Quality Strategy for Service Organizations," Quality Progress, December, 1987.

Cox, John, "TQM and the Buyer," Purchasing and Supply Management, February, 1990.

Juran, J.M., "The Quality Trilogy," Quality Progress, August, 1986.

Keys, David E. "Five Critical Barriers To Successful Implementation of JIT And Total Quality Control," Industrial Engineering, January, 1991.

Lehr, Lewis, "One Step at a Time: Implementing a Quality Process," A Quality Revolution in Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering and Management Press, Norcross, GA, 1988.

Newall D. and Dale, B., "The Introduction and Development of a Quality Improvement Process: A Study," International Journal of Production Research, Vol. 29, No. 9, 1990.

Oakland, J.S., Total Quality Management, London. Heinemann, 1989.

Schein, L., "The Road to Total Quality Views of Industry Experts", U.S. Conference Board Research Bulletin, 1989.

M.J. Whalen is an M.B.A. candidate at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick. M.A. Rahim, Ph.D., is a professor of quantitative methods at the University of New Brunswick.