Total quality management (TQM)
TQM stands for Total Quality Management, or in Dutch: Integrated Quality Management. TQM is a business philosophy, in which it means that everything an organization does should be aimed at satisfying all stakeholders in the most efficient way possible. TQM can best be made concrete on the basis of a scheme. The scheme below is used at both European and national level. In the Netherlands it is called the ‘INK management model’ (INK model). Principle of TQM: The central idea is that it is more efficient to do all activities right in one go. This saves the organization time on corrections, failed products and service provision (such as warranty repairs). This would ultimately save the organization costs. It can be used both within production companies and within service organizations The aim of TQM is to do the right things right the first time and every time. Hammet describes 6 basic principle cipes from TQM:
1. The customer determines the quality
2. Improving quality requires setting up effective quality measurement systems.
3. Data is a requirement, not opinions. People who work within systems create quality.
4. Quality is a moving goal. It requires commitment to continuous improvement.
5. Prevention rather than detection is the key to quality production.
6. Top management must provide leadership and support all quality initiatives.