The Quality Management Maze

Abstract

Reviews the strengths and weaknesses of quality control, quality assurance, total quality control and total quality management and shows how you can choose the quality management style which best fits your organisation′s needs. Compares approaches to quality management and articulates the differences between total quality management and the rest of the field. Argues that the choice of QM should fit an organization′s business strategy. Contends quality is a strategic issue, central to which is the management of change, which requires a diagnosis of where the organization is now. Suggests managers should look at what competitive advantage a particular approach will deliver for their organization and not at what has been delivered to other organizations.