Barriers to TQM Implementation

road_block.jpg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 6 barriers to TQM implemantation are as follow:

1. Lack of constancy of purpose. In succession of TQM, a predetermined purpose or objective is very important not only to established but to make sure all members of the organization (the stakeholders, top managers and ground staff) were acknowledged about the objective so that everyone would have the same goal to work for. If the purpose or objective of the TQM Implemantation in an organization is not constant, the mission to achieve by the members is vague, no standard or process to indicate at what level the goods should be produced and the service to be provided and wastages, errors or delays would likely to occur at the production period. Thus, it is far from possible to achieve total quality.

2.Lack of a holistic (yang menyeluruh) view of quality. Meaning to say that the organization focus only on certain sector and neglect on others in quality management process or implementaion of total quality. For example,quality is commonly known as goods or certain features that met customers' needs. Wiith producing the goods of that certain features, the customer is happy and thus the quality, which will generate more profit to the organization. In this case, the quality is only focus on the product, the sales department may be proud of the numbers of sales they made. But the human resource department may face the music due to workers at the production line complains of long working hours, low wages and benefits and so on. In this case, in the same organization, the sales department achieved its quality indicator but the human resource is not. if this situation prolonged, the company would loses its workers and thus lowering production and profit, lastly facing the doomday.  

3.Lack of alignment between components of organization; not working as a system. Refers to Deming's System of Profound Knowledge, a system involved the suppliers, producers (management and the staff) and customers or recepients of goods and services. In order to achieve total quality, the organization should understand the process involving the system and how to system works together to achieve the aim of the system. Lack of alignment between components of organization, would lead to the fall of an organization, as if a three-legged stool, cut one leg short, the stool would tip and fall. A good system is in which the management would select the supplier and working on long-term relationship with the supplier to ensure the supplier provide the best supply at the most reasonable price, getting the best supply, the staff should also be train on how to use the machinery to produce the best products, the customers are also educated on the products usage and encouraged to giving feedbacks on the products, and the management should at all time monitoring the process of the system.

(.... Kekeringan idea......)

4.Lack of management commitment, which may happened of various causes. For example, the term of TQM Implementation is short in the organization, the management are not taught of the implementation, how is TQm implemented, lack of resources or fund to implement TQM. Of all the reasons, the management might thought of 'to hold' their efforts in TQM implementation till the day the organization is ready to implement TQM, but they do not know that TQM should be implemented since the birth of an organization to ensure the brand of the organization is well trusted and known by its customers.

5.Rewards not linked to performance. To ensure TQM is achieved in an organization, the members would work hard and all wanted to be recognised and appreciate of their efforts. Lacks of effective measurement of quality improvement, not recognised by the output but seniority and level would surely demotivate the workers. Hence, lowered their spirit and faith in implementing TQM in the organization.

6.Regarded as an overtime program. Resulted from the lack of exposure to the members of the organization and education on the implementation of TQM in an organization. TQM is just one of the programme of the organization, but not the main aim of the organization, it is not regarded as one of the main objectives of the organization. Hence, the members of the organization would pay less attention to it and the implementation of TQm face its constraint to succeed.