INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Total quality management is an approach to manufacturing in which organizations strive to try and continuously improve the quality of products and services that are offered to their customers. TQM was developed in response to the continuous production of high quality goods at cheap rates. The concept of TQM became popular in early 1980s. The proper implementation of TQM within an organization ensured that process and waste from the processes used by an organization were completely removed (Ross & Perry, 1999). The problem associated with implementing TQM at a university is recognizing the main customers. Unlike most large organizations a university does not produce any product or does not provide regular service. Experts however believe that for a university its customers would be students towards whom the staff focuses on adding value. Needs of the customer TQM is a customer based approach where the organization completely focuses its efforts resources on trying to fulfill the needs of the customer and ensure that the customer remains satisfied. Value is continuously added towards the customer and it is ensured that the basic aim of the organization is the fulfillment of their expectations from the organization (Padhi, 2010). At Cardiff Metropolitan University the teaching and the support staff place a great deal of effort in ensuring that students of the university are provided with the best education and additional services. In addition the student’s expectation of the university preparing them for the real world is also worked on and students are ensured that their hard works is paid off when their career flourishes after they graduate. Investigating cost related to quality As mentioned above the concept of TQM greatly revolves around providing value to the customer. It is important that the quality provided to the customer is of top notch and therefore continuous improvements within quality is necessary. To do so organizations have to analyze the co st of improving the quality and reduce it as much as possible (Shim & Siegel, 1999). At Cardiff Metropolitan University quality cannot be compromised on. The management of the university has to ensure that the quality of education and support is such that students can easily grasp the concepts taught to them and are able to implement these concepts to enhance their careers. Furthermore the university also focuses on improving the environment that they get at the campus and ensure that it is comfortable enough for them to adjust. Developing systems that support quality improvements Systems that are developed within an organization must have their focus towards quality and must be flexible enough to include any improvements that are made to the process. Such procedures are vital with respect to TQM (Shim & Siegel, 1999). Designing processes whose main focus is quality at a university would significantly improve not only the graduation rate but would also help students with securing a bright future for themselves. Covering all parts of the organization To increase productivity within the organization’s employees it is necessary that they are provided with the proper training and ensuring all the basic parts are covered. Employees must be fully aware of their role within the organization and their role in helping establish an ideal TQM environment (Snell & Bohlander, 2011). Staff at the university must be aware of how they are to approach a student. Each student has a different nature and may react differently in different situations. Proper