BR. Dowonee [MANAGEMENT Quality Programs Show Sh Results sey seorare eas smen ous [EQUEMTEYE Sia 1 ‘The “total quality” movement, one of the biggest fads incorporate management, ‘is foundering, a broad study suggests, Despite plenty of talk and much action, many American companies are stumbling in their implementation of quality-im- provement efforts, says the study, being Teleased today. A’ key reason, the study concludes: “Many * quality-management plans are simply too amorphous to ‘ne hele rau gaa t r, than . diffusing effort“ by -ad- dressing quality” problems across. the board, the report proposes that companies should focus on small numberof decisive changes: | ‘falls across a range.o qualltyimprove- suchas defect rates and customer sa ‘workers —#4%eamong Canaan banks ory ment acts teeta, computer, Gonievels~ payee Tue instance, and 3% among Jepanese ctr panne ie US fadings: five-companies acnes al four eT bri -Coiaputér=tompanies involve only jn, itty atl mat fo be sure, there are some bright spots “root thee tiplyees In idea suggestion insti surveyed Proiablty inthe U.S: More than haf of ll workersin Drograms. Auto makers; which rate high: ~The results seem even worse when ' {he surveyed companies participate in at est in this area,"involve just 28% of thelr compared with quality programs abroad, Ie25t occasional meetings about quality workers. Some feo subveyed computer makers in ANd Clestudy reports marked increases in —Castomer complains are of “major Japan and 6% in Germany use customer quiltvTelated activities, during the past | orprimary" importance inideniyingnew complaints tel deny new prfuess, UTE Years, Bul aang most US comps | products and servees amang ony 18% of compared with zea in ihe US. Foreign HS Mrtually no quaity-boosting ‘banks and 26% of hospitals, employee-suggestion programs, mean- oes ‘Qualityperfrmance measures while, ince. lager proporons of Please Turn to Page B8, Colwns §