Commitment and policy

- TQM must start at the top with the chief Executive or equivalent.

• The Leader (Top Management) is responsible for coordination the work between the different
departments in the company (Marketing, Design Production, Purchasing, Distribution, and Service
Functions).

- The middle management must explain the principles of TQM to the people for whom they are
responsible, and ensure that their own commitment is communicated.

- The chief Executive must accept the responsibility for and commitment to a quality policy in which he
must really believe.

- Within each and every department of the organization at all levels, starting at the top, basic changes of
attitude will be required to operate TQM.

- Controls, systems and techniques are very important in TQM, but they are not the primary
requirement.

- TQM requires from the management total commitment, which must then be extended to all
employees at all levels and in all departments.

The Quality Policy

- A sound quality policy, together with the organization and facilities to put it into effect, is a
fundamental requirement, for TQM Implementation.

- The content of the policy should be made known to all employees.

- Management should be dedicated to the regular improvement of quality, not simply a one-step
improvement to an acceptable plateau.

These ideas can be set out in a quality policy that requires top management to:

1. Identify the customer's needs (including perception).

2. Assess the ability of the organization to meet these needs economically.

3 . Ensure that any bought-in materials meet the required standards of performance and efficiency.

4. Ensure that subcontractors or suppliers share your values and process goals.

5. Concentrate on the prevention rather than detection philosophy.

6. Educate and train for quality improvement and ensure that your subcontractors do so as well.

7. Measure customer satisfaction at all levels, the end customer as well as customer satisfaction
between the links of the supply chain.

8. Review the quality management systems to maintain progress.

- The quality policy should be the concern of all employees, and the principles and objectives
communicated as widely as possible so that it is understood at all levels of the organization and within
the subcontract supply chain on construction projects.

Examples of two company quality policies are given below.

Quality policy example 1 (a process industry company supplying the automotive sector) The company
will concentrate on its customers and suppliers, both external and internal.

- The performance of our competitors will be communicated to all relevant units. Important suppliers
and partners will be closely involved in our quality policy this relates to both external and internal
suppliers of goods, resources and services.

- Quality management systems will be designed, implemented, audited and reviewed to drive
continuous improvement - they will be integrated into other management systems.

- Quality improvement is primarily the responsibility of management and will be tackled and followed up
in a systematic and planned manner this applies to every part of our organization.

- In order to involve everyone in the organization of quality improvement, management will enable all
employees to participate in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of improvement activities.

- Quality improvement will be a continuous process and widespread attention will be given to education,
training and skills development activities, which will be assessed with regard to their contribution to the
quality policy. Publicity will be given to the quality policy in every part of the organization
- so that everyone may understand it all available methods and media will be used for its internal and
external promotion and communication. Reporting on the progress of the implementation of the policy
will be a permanent agenda item in management meetings.