Total Quality Management Implementation and Results

Abstract

A survey of six engineering and construction firms produced summary-level information regarding the implementation and utilization of formal Total Quality Management (TQM) programs. Specifically examined items in the survey were reasons for implementing TQM, the methodology used to implement TQM, and the effectiveness of the TQM implementation. An analysis of correlations between the categories of survey questions found strong links between the reasons for implementing TQM and the methodology used to implement TQM, as well as between the reasons for implementing TQM and the effectiveness of the TQM implementation. Surprisingly, links between the methodology used to implement TQM and the actual effectiveness of the TQM implementation did not appear to be strong. Future implementations of TQM will undoubtedly experience similar difficulties to what the survey firms experienced. If successful, however, a TQM implementation will not only improve the quality of the engineering work of a firm, but it will also improve employee morale and communications.