C/OM/28. What are the characteristics of total quality management?

Total Quality Management or TQM is a part of operations management guided primarily by eight principles focusing on customer satisfaction, leadership, employee participation, process and systems approaches, continual improvement, fact-based decision making and beneficial supplier and consumer relationships. We discuss TQM as a methodological approach and a management philosophy showing that TQM can incorporate culture, business strategies and business operations. The role of TQM in shaping corporate ethics, management needs and shareholder expectations has been highlighted. Detailed analyses have been done to show the importance of TQM as a theory, method of practice and an organisational and management tool.