TQL in the Fleet: From Theory to Practice
Abstract
Elements of the Department of the Navy's total Quality Leadership (TQL) approach have been successfully applied in most types of Department of the Navy settings: at the headquarters level, including the Office of the Secretary of the Navy and systems commands; in industrial activities, such as the naval aviation depots and shipyards; and at shore support commands, such as supply centers. Some tough questions remained: How would TQL be applied in a Fleet setting, such as onboard an aircraft carrier? Would the demands of operations override those associated with TQL training and implementation? In other words, were Fleet requirements unique, different from those of shore commands? ADM frank B. Kelso II, Chief of Naval Operations, became an outspoken advocate of TQL in his first days as CNO and was determined to find the answers to those questions. His approach was to develop from the three warfare communities-- surface, submarine, and aviation--TQL Fleet Teams to serve as consultants to Fleet demonstration units selected to initiate process improvement projects. This report documents that early experience. It answers the basic questions posed by ADM Kelso about how TQL can be applied in an operational setting, and it presents some stories of early process improvement efforts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA275444
Entities
People
- Bobbie Ryan
- Judy Wasik