Design and Implementation of Total Quality Management in a Civil Engineering Squadron
Abstract
This thesis examines and documents Total Quality Management (TQM) in a Civil Engineering squadron to improve quality and productivity of services and goods produced. It was meant to provide a model of TQM implementation, as well as lessons learned, which would be useful to any other governmental organization who desires organizational quality and productivity improvements. In addition to the case study, a 'quality questionnaire' survey was administered to employees at all levels to determine quality perception changes which occurred due to the TQM implementation. It was found that, out of 6 main categories measuring quality, 5 of the 6 showed statistically significant improvements in the employees' perceptions of organizational quality. The only category which failed to demonstrate an increase was 'internal and external quality results'; however, this could have been expected, since the TQM process improvements have improved quality and efficiency of processes, but not enough time has passed to actually observe significant changes in product quality. TQM stresses employee participation -- something that Japan has been successful with for decades, while actual participative management is still in its infancy in American industrial and governmental functions. This study reported several gains from employee participation in improving all work processes. Indeed, tapping the creative intelligence and expertise of hundreds throughout a field demonstrated the potential to vastly streamline processes, increasing the quality of goods and services produced by the company. Quality assurance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA216129
Entities
People
- Robert M. Wertz
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology