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Business Process Reengineering, BPR refers to an attempt to improvise the operation of a business on a large scale. The primary aim of Business Process Re-engineering is to cut down process redundancies and enterprise costs.

We have shared a detailed article on BPR today. Here you will find BRP Meaning, Principles, Function, Example, Methodology, or Steps involved in Business Process Reengineering.

► What is BPR? (Business Process Reengineering)

Business Process Reengineering also known as BPR, simply means Fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of the manufacturing processes and other business operations to achieve improvements.

The key to Business Process Reengineering (BPR) is for organizations to look at their business processes from a detailed perspective and determine how they can best construct or re-design these processes to improve how they conduct business.

◉ BPR Meaning

• The full form of BPR is Business Process Reengineering in operations management.
• BPR means not only a change in process but a dramatic improvement that results in as better performance.

◉ Definition of Business Process Reengineering

Business Process Reengineering (B.P.R) can be defined as the analysis and redesign of workflows of the organization in order to optimize the critical processes and automate non-value-added tasks.

Business process reengineering (BPR) is a management approach that focuses on improvements by means of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes that exist within and across organizations.

► Concept of Business Process Reengineering

Business process reengineering (BPR) is a concept that involves rethinking and breaking down existing business processes. This enables a business to cut expenses and boost productivity by implementing newer, more efficient processes.

It’s essential to remember,  that while there are times when business process reengineering is vital, it’s not without its drawbacks.

As a result, it is critical that you thoroughly consider your options. Low morale is one of the most visible negative consequences of a company and they re-engineer it.

The majority of individuals are averse to change and have a difficult time adapting to it. This is something to consider when deciding whether or not to participate in the activity.

► History of Business Process Reengineering

BPR stands for business process reengineering, which is the process of redesigning and analyzing workflow in order to make it more efficient.

Michael Hammer and James Champy released “Reengineering the Corporation” in the early 1990s, claiming that in some circumstances, radical redesign and reorganization within a firm was the only option to cut costs and increase service quality. They claimed that information technology was significant in allowing this to happen.

Most large firms, according to Hammer and Champy, made (now-invalid) expectations about their goals, people, and technology, which affected the workflow.

They presented seven principles for reengineering and streamlining workflows, with the goal of improving quality, time management, and cost.

In their book, Hammer and Champy proposed the following seven principles.

• Organize around results rather than duties.
• Identify procedures and rank them in terms of how urgent they should be redesigned.
• Integrate data processing operations with the actual work that produces the data.
• Use of resources that are spread geographically as if they were centralized.
• Rather than integrating the outputs of concurrent tasks in the workflow, link them together.
• Build control into the process and place the decision point where the task is done.
  Capture data only once, at the source.

Must Read :What is TQM (Total Quality Management)?

In layman’s terms, In order to have an effective BPR endeavor, you must look at all of the tasks that are working toward the same goal. This technique can then be used to merge numerous jobs into one.

Furthermore, rather than integrating outcomes at the end, parallel processes leading to the same output should be connected inside the process. It’s also crucial to consider all available resources and assign actual tasks to the most appropriate location.

To make the process more efficient, the individuals who are doing it should have the authority to make decisions about it, and any unneeded control systems should be removed.

Rather than having additional processes to record data relevant to the process, a resource within the process should provide all necessary data to increase accuracy and reduce redundancy.

► Steps in Process of BPR (Stages & Methods)

It’s important to differentiate between business process re-engineering and business process improvement BPR Vs BPI. BPI focuses on simply updating an organization’s current processes. On the other hand, BPR’s objective is to make fundamental changes to the entire scope of a business’ systems.

BPR professionals are present in all kinds of industries. So the specific day-to-day duties will vary from job to job. However, all BPR experts will follow these general steps:

• Step 1: Identify and communicate the problem
• Step 2: Build a team
• Step 3: Identify the inefficient process and define KPI
• Step 4: Re-engineer the process

◉ 1. Identify and Communicate the problem

Problem identification is the primary task of growing any business. You need to find out what issues are holding the company back and what’s the root cause.

identifying the problem and then communicating it with other team members is the very first step in implementing BPR.

◉ 2. Build a Team

Now when you know what the problem is, you will need a team of experts to help you to find its solution.

When it comes to process reengineering, the operational manager will provide in-depth expertise and communicate with other employees.

The operational manager will provide the in-depth expertise when it commands and then communicates to the process you’re reengineering. Outsourcing of BPR experts might be necessary as well, depending on the scope of the project.

◉ 3. Identify the inefficient process and define KPI (key performance indicators)

You’ll begin designing multiple solutions at this step, putting them into process flowcharts, analyzing them with your team, and recognizing the benefits and drawbacks of each one (paying extra attention to any new expenses that will be incurred).

◉ 4. Re-engineer the Process

At last reengineering, the whole process is the last option. it’s time to implement the solutions that you’ve practiced.

► Principles of BPR

Michael Hammer and James Champy proposed the following seven principles in their book Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution:

1. Work should be designed for result-oriented and not process-oriented.
2. Involve those people in the process who are also involved in facing output.
3. Merging data collection and processing units.
4. Shared databases to interconnect dispersed departments.
5. Bridging the similar processes that are running parallel lines.
6. Decision-making should also be a part of the operational work.
7. Capture data at its point of origin.

The first principle says that multiple people’s tasks can be integrated into a single specialized task. Consider the redesign of a manufacturing corporation with multiple divisions doing various duties in sequential order.

The first determines the customer’s needs, the second enters the data, and the third distributes it to numerous plants and warehouses.

According to this idea, the work will be done by the person who receives the output, i.e., the consumer. This is known as “self-service” in today’s world.

If a consumer has an issue, for example, he must fill out the data himself rather than having an office do it for him. The work is pushed to the customer.

✔ 3. Merging data collection and processing units.

This approach has evolved into the concept of division of labor. This implies that the data must be handled by the same person who collects the data. By removing external contact from a process, the amount of errors is reduced.

A firm, for example, may have a structure in which one department collects data and the other records it. While translating information from one department to another, the shared database will have numerous errors.

The corporation can use a shared database to connect geographically scattered units attributable to developments in information technology.

Because there are improved agreements amongst the vendors, centralized databases give economies of scale as well as flexibility and quick replies to clients.

According to Hammer, rather than the final outcomes, the activities’ processes must be integrated. Communication networks and common databases must be used to coordinate the parallel functions.

During the process execution, these concurrent operations must be continuously linked and coordinated. This will eliminate significant costs and delays in the process’s completion.

To reduce needless restrictions and keep a check on the process, decision-aiding technology is required. According to Hammer, the decision should be made by the individual performing the work.

By entrusting the authority of the resource with the obligation of making decisions and improving the workflow, the processes can be improved.

Decision-aiding technology is required to minimize unnecessary constraints and maintain track of the process. The decision, according to Hammer, should be made by the person doing the work.

The procedures can be improved by entrusting the authority of the resource with the responsibility of making decisions and improving the workflow.

► Examples of BPR

The past decade has made a drastic and big change. Because new technology was developing at such a fast pace, many businesses have begun to implement business process reengineering initiatives.

There have been many successful and failed business process reengineering examples throughout history, ford motors are a well-known example of BPR.

◉ Ford Motors

One of the most well-known examples of business process reengineering is Ford motors, an automobile manufacturer.

The American automobile industry was in a recession in the 1980s, so Ford decided to examine certain of its departments in order to identify inefficient processes and decrease expenses.

Ford executives set a measurable objective for themselves: to reduce the number of accounts payable clerks by a couple of hundred personnel.

Then they started on a business process reengineering project to determine why the department was so overstaffed.

They analyzed the current scenario, and after analyzing the findings they used the below method:

1. A copy of every purchase order was sent to accounts payable by the purchasing department.
2. The goods would next be received by material control, who would submit a copy of the corresponding document to accounts payable.
3. The vendor would also send a receipt of the products to accounts payable at the same time.

The accounts payable clerk would then have to match the three orders, and if they were identical, he or she would issue the payment. This, of course, required a significant amount of people in the department.

So, in the case of BPR, Ford recreated the whole digital process:

1. Purchase, place an order, and enters it into a database online.
2. Material control gets the items and checks to see if they match an order in the database.
3. If it matches, the order is accepted by material control on the computer.

Ergonomics is the study and practice of creating employment or workplaces that are matched to the human body’s capabilities and limits. Today in this article we have discussed what is Ergonomics, its meaning, definitions, feature, objective, importance, and types.

► What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the process of designing the job equipment and workplace to fit the worker proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries, which can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability.

◉ Ergonomics Meaning

Ergonomics simply means the study of people’s efficiency in their working environment.

• Ergonomics is derived from the Greek words; Ergon and Nomoi
• Ergon means work and nomoi meaning natural laws,
• to create a word that means the science of work and a person’s relationship to that work environment.
• Ergonomic is a way to work smarter and not harder.

◉ Definition of Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of the relationship between the employee and the workplace.

It is a developing body of knowledge whose goal is to provide and maintain a healthy “user-friendly” environment. Properly applied, ergonomic principles support applied, ergonomic principles support each person’s desire to find a zone of individual comfort.

• Ergonomics can be defined as the study of workers’ interaction with their working environment.
• In other words, Ergonomics is an applied science that deals with designing and arranging things workers use so that the worker and things interact most efficiently and safely.

► Objectives of Ergonomics

The purpose and objectives of ergonomics are listed below:

• Increase Work Efficiency and overall Productivity
• Make integration between Manpower and Machinery
• Decrease Physical Workload and Mental Stress
• Reduce the risk of injury and accidents
• To improve the Design of Machinery at the starting phase
• Better Quality of Life
• Avoid Industrial Error and Mistakes

let’s discuss a few objectives of Ergonomics in more detail.

1. To advance the integration of manpower and machinery for increasing productivity with accuracy.

It involves the designing of:

• (a) A suitable work environment for workers.
• (b) Machines and controls that reduce mental and physical strain on workers, and allow them to increase efficiency.
• (c) A favorable environment for enacting the task most effectively and efficiently.
• (d) Task and work of the organization.

2. To evaluate the aspects that influence physical and mental strain (e.g., weariness) in order to maximize worker happiness while increasing productivity.

3. Attempts to reduce the risk of injury, illness, accidents, and mistakes while maintaining productivity.

► Feature / Characteristics of Ergonomics

• It is implemented as part of an extensive approach.
• It is managed as a constant improvement process.
• Provide support and resources that the organization needs to succeed.
• It directs with technology to drive maximum Output.
• Engages the organization both ways from top-bottom and bottom-up.

► Importance of Ergonomics

• It is essential to prevent injuries
• To increase the productivity of the employees
• Better Morale and Job satisfaction
• It reduces worker compensation claims
• It saves a lot of time
• Cost Saving in long term
• For the health and safty of the workers

Ergonomics is critical for keeping personnel safe and healthy so that they can carry out their duties.

The purpose of applying ergonomics is to increase productivity and comfort so that organizations can continue to expand and flourish. we create long-term, cost-effective initiatives that enable this to happen.

Employees in a variety of sectors and vocations are exposed to a variety of health risks in the workplace. These criteria include things like:

• Reaching overhead.
• Lifting heavy objects.
• Pushing and pulling heavy stuff.
• Wrong body postures.

These activities, when performed poorly, have an adverse effect on the neurological and muscular systems, resulting in Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs).

Work-related MSDs are one of the most often documented causes of job loss and absence. Workplace ergonomics, on the other hand, can help reduce rotator cuff injuries, tendinitis, muscular strains, and back ailments.

► 10 Principles of Ergonomics

1. Work in Neutral Postures
2. Reduce Excessive Force
3. Keep Everything in Easy Reach
4. Work at Proper Heights
5. Reduce Excessive Motions
6. Minimize Fatigue and Static Load
7. Minimize PRessure Points
8. Provide Clearance Move
9. Exercise and Stretch
10. Maintain a Comfortable Environment

Now let’s discuss all these principles in detail one by one.

1. Work in Neutral Postures

Working in a Neutral posture provides a good starting point for evaluating the tasks that workers do. The best working positions are those that keep the human body neutrally aligned.

• It is scientifically proven that maintaining the “S-curve” of the back (spinal cord) is ideal for the human body whether sitting or standing position.
• The reason behind it is the spinal column is naturally shaped more or less like the shape of the letter “S”. Shape “S” in the lower back simply means that it is good to keep a slight “sway back.
• In a standing position, put one foot up on a footrest to keep the spinal cord in proper alignment. It is essential that all workers follow this principle because it prevents workers from back injuries.
• Working for long hours sitting on a chair with your back in C-curve can put a strain on your back. A backrest in the chair can fix this posture and comfort your back.
• An inverted V-curve is even more dangerous for your back. It occurs when workers lift something and bend over like this can put high pressure on the spine. lifting and tilting machines can fix this.
• Always keep your Neck aligned while working and Elbows at the sides with support like armchair support.

2. Reduce Excessive Force

• Pulling a heavy consignment or carton box may put an excessive amount of force on your back.
• To fix this make sure the floor is smooth and for heavy shifting, you may use the trolley or cart. It makes motion easy and reduces the strain on your body.

3. Keep Everything in Easy Reach

“Reach Envelop” is a technique used to make this principle easy to follow. In this technique, a semi-circle design is used on the working area.

• This helps workers to reach the maximum area by using full stretched arms. It saves a lot of time.
• The motive behind this method is to increase the reach of the workers to the frequently used items.
• Here everything will be within the reach envelope of the forearms of the workers.

4. Work at Proper Heights

• Sitting height must be adjusted to the working table according to the elbow height of the workers.
• If workers are working in a standing position then the working surface must raise to the waist level.

5. Reduce Excessive Motions

• The organization must provide powerful tools for motion activities so that manual repetition can be reduced to a minimum.
• Excessive motion can be reduced by fixing the layout of equipment and machines.

6. Minimize Fatigue and Static Load

Static load refers to the situation where workers hold something for the same position for a period of time.

• In the Manufacturing workplace, workers often hold tools and equipment continually for a longer period of time.
• If someone holds their arms overhead for a few minutes is another suitable example of static load, this affects the shoulder muscles.
• To prevent static load and fatigue, making changes in the orientation of the work area may help.

7. Minimize Pressure Points

Putting stress on Pressure Points can lead to a situation called contact stress.

• For example, if you squeeze hard onto a tool like a pair of pliers. It will hurt your pressure points.
• To minimize the pressure points, workers can use cushioned grip and contour the handles which fit their hands.

8. Provide Clearance Move

Working areas need to be set up in such a way so there is sufficient room for workers’ heads, knees, and feet.

• When there is not enough space for knees or feet then workers have to work in contorted postures.
• When there is good space in their working area then it also prevents them from bumping into things all the time.

9. Exercise and Stretch

Exercise and stretching are the basic need of the human body to stay healthy and fit.

• These exercises and stretching depend upon the type of work you do.
• If someone does a physically demanding job the warmup before the activity may help.
• If the work is a completely sitting job then the small energy breaks are useful to do stretching.

10. Maintain a Comfortable Environment

Working conditions such as lighting, glare, ventilation, and room temperature are the major factors in the working environment.

• Make sure the lighting is optimized according to the working condition, especially in a computerized office.
• The bad placing of lighting or computer system can hamper the working experience. The computer screen may reflect every stray bit of light around.

To eliminate lighting problems, the Use of task lighting may help. It is a small light right in your workspace that can be oriented and adjusted to fit as per need.

Must Read :What is Total Quality Management? (TQM)

► Advantages of Ergonomics (Benefits)

Ergonomics is a beneficial component for the company or an organization. Some benefits of Ergonomics are as follows:

• Reduces cost.
• Improves productivity.
• Improves quality.
• Increase employee engagement.
• Creates better safety culture.

► Component of Ergonomics

There are three components of ergonomics that are listed below;

1. Physical
2. Cognitive
3. Organizational

Each of these contributes not only to organizational success but also to employee satisfaction and the bottom line of the organization.

◉ 1. Physical

For good reason, physical ergonomics is the most well-known type of ergonomics. It is concerned with the physical strain placed on the human body when participating in activities.

Physical ergonomics and how to incorporate it have a significant impact on on-site safety.

◉ 2. Cognitive

The approach of creating and arranging information and data to provide a light cognitive burden is known as cognitive ergonomics.

Perception, memory, reasoning, and motor response all affect how someone deals with it and performs their work. A larger cognitive workload puts the worker under additional stress.

◉ 3. Organizational

Organizational ergonomics brings together knowledge from various areas of the industry, such as physical and cognitive ergonomics, to improve overall safety and efficiency.

► Example of Ergonomic

1. Material for assembly operations should be put in such a way that the worker’s strongest muscles accomplish most of the work.
2. The workbench should be lower for detailed work that requires careful observation of the materials than for heavy work. Discomfort or injury-causing hand tools should be changed or replaced.
3. Workers are frequently the finest source of suggestions for how to improve a tool to make it more user-friendly. Pliers, for example, can be straight or bent depending on the situation.
4. A task should not demand workers to remain in awkward positions for long periods of time, such as reaching, bending, or hunching over.
5. Proper lifting procedures must be taught to employees. A well-designed work should reduce the amount of time you spend on it.

There are various principles of TQM. Implementation and success will differ from one firm to the next, as with most management strategies and practices.

While no single strategy is universally accepted, the most popular Principles of TQM incorporate the eight concepts. Here are the principles of TQM (Total Quality Management);

► Principles of TQM

1. Customer focus.
2. Employee involvement.
3. Process approach.
4. Integrated system.
5. A strategic and systematic approach
6. Continuous improvement
7. Facts-based decision-making.
8. Communication.

Now let’s discuss all the above principles of TQM in detail.

✔ 1. Customer Focus Principles of TQM

The first of the TQM principles refocuses attention on the customers who are purchasing your product or service. The quality of your goods is determined by your customers.

Customers will recognize they have spent their money on quality goods if your product meets demand and lasts as long as or longer than planned.

You have a better chance of figuring out how to have the necessary materials, people, and processes in place to meet and surpass your customer’s expectations if you understand what they want or need.

◉ How to Implement Customer-Centric in TQM?

• Investigate and comprehend your consumers’ requirements and expectations.
• Align your company’s goals with those of your customers.
• Communicate with customers, track satisfaction, and use the data to make improvements.

◉ Advantages of Customer Focus

• Customer focus leads to an increase in sales of the company.
• The market share of the firm also gets increased.
• Strong bonding with customers leads to repeat in business.
• More possibilities that customers will tell others about your services.

✔ 2. Employee Involvement Principles of TQM

Without the full dedication of all personnel, it is impossible to grow production, processes, or sales. They must be aware of the vision and objectives that have been stated.

They must be adequately trained and provided with the necessary resources to execute assignments in order to be dedicated to meeting deadlines.

◉ Process of Employee Involvement in TQM

To increase employee involvement in TQM, steps are as follows;

• Clearly communicate and recognize the value of each individual’s contribution to the final result.
• Make it clear that each team or individual accepts responsibility for their actions, and give them the authority and chance to handle problems as they emerge.
• Encourage employees to review their own performance in light of their personal goals and objectives, and make changes as needed to optimize workflow.
• Recognize accomplishments and improved performance to instill trust in your employees and stakeholders.
• Make sure that everyone knows what their obligations are, and that you have everything you need.

◉ Advantages of Employee Involvement

The following are some of the primary advantages of Employee engagement;

• Employee retention is higher because staff are more motivated, committed, and engaged in achieving customer satisfaction.
• Individual and group problem-solving and process improvement creativity and innovation
• Employees that are proud of and responsible for their own work.
• Enthusiasm for active engagement and a willingness to contribute to continuous improvement.

✔ 3. Process-Oriented Approach

In quality management, the below-mentioned processes are crucial. Processes guarantee that the appropriate procedures are completed at the appropriate times in order to maintain consistency and speed up output.

◉ Process Approach in TQM

To implement process approach in TQM, steps are as given below:

• Use Total Quality Management tools like process flowcharts to create and demarcate clear roles and responsibilities so that everyone understands who is responsible for what and at what times.
• Create a visual action plan so that everyone can see the particular tasks that must be accomplished in order to attain the intended outcome.
• Analyze and quantify present actions to see where improvements might be made or where bottlenecks in the process exist.
• Examine the potential influence of your processes and activities on your customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

◉ Advantages of Process Focused Approach

The following are some of the advantages of using a process approach:

• Increased revenue, shorter development and manufacturing cycles, and cheaper costs.
• More predictability and consistency.
• Maintain a focus on progress and accomplishment.

Also Read :14 Principles of Management

✔ 4. Integrated System

A typical firm contains a number of separate departments, each with its own set of functions and goals. The horizontal processes that should be the emphasis of Total Quality Management are associated with these departments and functions. However, these departments and services might occasionally operate in silos.

Everyone in every department should have a complete awareness of policies, standards, objectives, and processes in an integrated system. Integrated systems aid the company in its pursuit of continuous improvement in order to gain a competitive advantage.

◉ Process of Integrated System in TQM

To apply an integrated system in Total Quality Management, the procedure is as given below;

• Encourage a quality-oriented work environment.
• Use flowcharts and other visual aids to assist employees to understand how their roles fit into the overall organization.
• Analyze the current process to discover where improvements might be made.

◉ Advantages of Integrated System

The advantage of the integrated system approach is as follows:

• Concentrate on quality to help your company succeed and meet or surpass client expectations.

✔ 5. Strategic Systematic Approach

This principle is defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as follows:

“Identifying, analyzing, and managing interrelated processes as a system helps the organization achieve its goals more effectively and efficiently.”

In order to maximize efficiency, many processes within a development or manufacturing cycle are controlled as a system of processes.

◉ Process of Systematic Approach in TQM

To put this principle in Total Quality Management into practice, do the following:

• Provide your employees with the necessary training and resources to assist them in completing their specific steps in the process.
• Improve processes and products as needed, and upgrade equipment as needed to meet objectives.
• Make continuous development a measurable goal for everyone.
• Recognize, recognize, and reward process improvements and innovations.

◉ Advantages of Systematic Approach

The advantage of this approach is:

• The ability to detect, react to, and resolve process bottlenecks or failures promptly.
  Overall, the organization’s capabilities and performance have increased.

✔ 6. Continuous Improvement

Optimal efficiency and perfect client happiness don’t happen overnight, therefore your company should be constantly looking for methods to enhance operations and adapt your products and services to changing customer needs.

The other Total Quality Management principles, as previously indicated, should assist your company in striving for continuous development.

◉ Process of Continuous Improvement in TQM

To make continuous improvement in TQM, follow the steps as follows;

• Implement policies that provide measurable targets for individuals, teams, and departments in terms of product, process, and system improvements.
• To improve procedures and development, recognize, acknowledge, and encourage innovation.
• Encourage employees to attend available training programs in order to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities.

◉ Advantages of Continuous Improvement in TQM

The following are some of the advantages:

• Increased performance through improved knowledge and capabilities.
• Improvement objectives that are strategically aligned with the competencies and objectives of the company.
• Rapid response times to identify and repair bottlenecks and broken processes.

✔ 7. Facts Based Decisions

Analysis and data collection lead to improved decisions depending on the facts provided. Making well-informed selections allows you to gain a deeper understanding of your clients and market.

◉ Process of Facts based Decisions in TQM

To make factual decisions in Total quality management, follow the steps listed below;

• Analyze and verify data to ensure it is accurate and reliable.
• Stakeholders should have access to important data.
• To collect and analyze data, use reliable procedures.
• Make decisions based on data-driven facts, as well as your own experience and instincts.

◉ Advantages of Facts based Decisions in TQM

The following are some of the advantages:

• Making well-informed decisions.
• Ability to evaluate and justify past actions based on facts.
• Ability to revise earlier decisions based on new information.

✔ 8. Communication Principles of TQM

From the top to bottom level of management, all members of your company should be aware of the plans, strategies, and procedures that will be employed to meet objectives.

If you don’t have an effective communication plan, you’re more likely to fail.

◉ Process of Communication in TQM

To implement communication in TQM into practice, do the following;

• Establish a formal communication channel so that all employees are aware of updates, policy changes, and new processes.
• Employees should be involved in decision-making whenever possible.
• Ascertain that everyone in each department is aware of their responsibilities and how they relate to the rest of the organization.

◉ Advantages of Communication in TQM:

• Employees’ morale and motivation are boosted when they realize how their contributions contribute to the company’s success.
• Coordination and collaboration between departments
• Silos are linked together.
• Ability to more precisely assess the efficacy of existing rules and processes
• Employees are more motivated to attain goals because they are involved in the decision-making process.

Total Quality Management, TQM is an approach of management to achieve long-term success by focusing on customer satisfaction.

Here in this article, we have discussed What is TQM? its Meaning, Definition, Objective, Importance, Benefits, and Principles of TQM for the organization.

► What is TQM? (Total Quality Management)

Total Quality Management is a unique approach for managing and simultaneously improving all aspects of production, such as raw material, fabrication, distribution, and sales of goods and services.

TQM is a notion that seeks to improve quality by removing causes of product defects and by making quality the responsibility of everyone in the organization. Organizations keep working on steady improvement in their quality at all stages of production.

◉ TQM Meaning

The full form of TQM is Total Quality Management and it is a widely popular quality control approach in organizations.

• Total: It involves the entire organization’s product life cycle and supply chain.
• Quality: The standard of something as measured against other things of an alike kind; it is basically the degree of excellence of something.
• Management: It is the system of managing with steps like Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing, and Controlling.

Total quality management (TQM) is a standard practice where each employee in an organization continuously analyzes the production processes for the improvement of the manufacturing quality of products and services for enhanced customer satisfaction.

It involves hosting management training and applying analytical methods to identify and remove problem areas in business operations.

◉ Definitions of TQM

• Total Quality Management has been defined as an integrated organized effort designed to improve quality at every level.
• TQM refers to a process to produce a quality product by a series of measures requires an organized effort by an entire company to prevent or eliminate errors at every stage in production is called total quality management.

According to the international organization for standardization (ISO),

• TQM can be defined as “A management approach for an organization, centered on quality based on the participation of all its member and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction and benefit to all members of the organization and to the society”.

◉ History of TQM

TQM was developed in the 2nd half of the 20th century. Particularly, the need for product quality improvement started in the 1980s and at that time it became apparent that the United States was logging behind some industrial countries, most notably Japan, in the area of product quality.

• Japan introduced many tools and techniques of quality control that were used to identify quality problems and take corrective action.
• The exact origin of the term Total Quality Management is uncertain. The purpose of TQM is to improve the overall quality of the product.

The ideas of Total Quality Management continue to be relevant by today also because of its compelling importance on detailed supply chain tracking and continuous evaluation of its processes, all these efforts are made for:

• Defects reduction.
• Minimizing production wastage, and
• Discover potential areas for innovation and improvement.

At the core, TQM’s impulsion is sustainable customer satisfaction, achieved by continuous improvement.

► Concepts of TQM

While there are some dissimilarities in total quality management principles and their approaches to executing the basic concept of total quality management are common.

► Objective of TQM

Total Quality Management(TQM) is an organizational process that involves every function and every employee in satisfying customers’ needs, both internally and externally.

TQM works for continuous improvement of all aspects of work through strategic control, improvement, and planning activities that are carried out in concern with a guiding ideology that focuses on Quality and Customer Satisfaction as the top priorities.

• Full customer satisfaction
• Totality of functions
• The total range of products and services
• Addressing all aspects of dimensions of quality
• Addressing the quality feature in everything – products, services, processes, people, resources, and interactions.
• Satisfying all the customers – internally as well as externally.
• Addressing the total organizational issue of keeping up with customers.
• Increasing profits, as well as making new business for the future.
• Involving everyone in the organization in achieving the said objective.
• Demanding total commitment from all in the organization towards achieving the goal.

► Feature & Characteristics of TQM

• Committed management.
• Adopting and communicating about total quality management.
• Closer customer relations.
• Closer provider relations.
• Benchmarking.
• Increased training
• Open organization
• Employee empowerment.
• Flexible production.
• Process improvement.
• Process measuring.

► Importance of TQM

• Make the organization adaptable to change itself
• Motivates people for producing better quality
• Encourage Innovation
• Integrates the business operations
• Better Relation between Customer and Supplier
• Ensure product quality (in terms of performance, reliability, and durability)
• Increase Production Efficiency
• It helps in cost reduction
• Increase Customer Satisfaction

► Advantages of TQM (Benefits)

Some advantages/benefits of TQM are as follows:

• Improved quality.
• Employee participation.
• Teamwork.
• Working relationships.
• Customer satisfaction.
• Employee satisfaction.
• Productivity.
• Communication.
• Profitability.
• Market share.

► Limitations of TQM (Disadvantages)

An organization implements the Total Quality Management system in an attempt to improve quality across the board, and in all levels of employment. The theory is designed for increasing efficiency, reducing wastage, and improving overall competence. Alike any other system, there are drawbacks that must be recognized and overcome for the system to work.

• Pulls away from the Manpower.
• Cost in Time and Money.
• People Fear Change.
• Depletion in Innovation.
• Top-notch quality is expensive.
• Takes a long period of time to show the results.
• Sometimes it discourages creativity.
• Demands Time, planning, and resources.

► Elements of TQM

The key elements of TQM consist of the following things:

1. Recognition.
2. Training.
3. Teamwork.
4. Leadership.
5. Ethics, Integrity, and Trust.

These key elements can be divided into four groups according to their functions. the groups are as follows:

1. Foundation — It includes Ethics, Integrity, and Trust.
2. Building bricks —It includes: Training, Teamwork, and Leadership.
3. Binding Mortar — It includes Recognition.

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► Principles of TQM

1. Customer-Centric
2. Full Employee Involvement
3. Unsegregated System
4. Process-focused Approach
5. Well structured Flow
6. Continuous Efforts
7. Facts related Decision-Making
8. Relationship Management

Now let’s discuss all these principles in detail.

✔ 1. Customer-Centric

Every organization seeks to serve only one purpose, i.e., customer satisfaction through quality products and services. Hence, the first among all the principles of the total quality management principles is customer focus. It means the finished product must meet the demands and needs of the customers.

✔ 2. Full Employee Involvement

While executing TQM, organizations need to create a scenario where their employees will feel empowered and strengthened. Along with management they, become responsible for retrieving the best quality of the products and services at their levels.

✔ 3. Unsegregated System

Having an unsegregated system is very important for an organization to execute a TQM strategy that helps to produce quality products and services. It will lead to a meeting or increasing consumer expectations as well.

✔ 4. Process-focused Approach

After passing different levels the product and services arrive at the market. It means it is observed and assessed at each level of production and not only at the final stage. Process-focused thinking is a sign of effective TQM.

✔ 5. Well structured Flow

TQM is all about systematic planning to achieve top-notch quality and business goals. Thus, considering a structured flow would make sure that the products and services are arriving through every stage in the quality production process.

✔ 6. Continuous Efforts

Quality improvement should always be a continuous process in any organization. Once done and then left out would only mean gradual contamination in the manufacturing standards of the organization. For the TQM approach to prove effective, people at every level and stage need to be alert in being regular with checking quality.

✔ 7. Facts related to Decision-Making

The organization should make fact-related decisions because every employee is taking part in quality up-gradation. Auditing the organizational performance using performance data, such as sales, profit, and customer retention can result in more precise decision-making.

✔ 8. Relationship Management

A nicely developed relationship with stakeholders like customers and employees will make sure proper quality control procedures and genuine feedback. With the help of TQM, organizations can generate effective communication with all of them and implement result-oriented changes accordingly.

► Tools and Techniques of TQM

1. Value-Added Analysis.
2. Benchmarking.
3. Responsiveness.
4. Outsourcing.
5. Reducing Cycle Time.
6. Quality Circles.
7. Six Sigma.
8. Kaizen.
9. Pareto Analysis.
10. Fish-bone Diagrams.
11. Control Chart.
12. Flow Chart.
13. ISO 9000.
14. Statistical Quality Control.
15. Training.