Total Quality Management and Small Business (II)

Mr. Deming and many other experts believe that the assessment and reward system of enterprises should be revised in accordance with the need to encourage solidarity and cooperation, and foster the spirit of cooperation within the enterprise rather than advocating competition. When the incentive system is individual-centered and enables competition among various departments, it will not only undermine the spirit of solidarity and cooperation, but it will also inevitably affect the efficiency of the entire enterprise. The best practices for individuals and departments will be extremely scarce for the entire enterprise. Can produce the same effect.
Small businesses often encounter unique problems in fostering solidarity and cooperation because small businesses are established by private owners and managers are often still. The important factor that enables private owners to obtain further development in the early stages of their business is that the development of the company requires others to take on more responsibilities and exercise more power. This is a necessary prerequisite for promoting employee participation in management and fostering a spirit of solidarity and cooperation.
Train employees to be successful
Training (also includes learning courses that are not directly related to the job) can enable employees to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to perform their daily duties better and meet the required quality standards. A motivated company should recognize that continuous training will energize employees and businesses. As Mr. Deming clearly pointed out, all staff should be provided with various types of training, such as using new machines or computer programs such as training that is directly related to their work and training in arts courses at a local university. If companies can take training as a long-term measure, they can create a group of smart, adaptable employees who will be more loyal to the company because they support their own personal development. It is necessary to cultivate a flexible and well-trained workforce in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive international environment. The significance of doing so is self-evident.
Many large companies, whether or not to implement total quality management, only verbally acknowledge the importance of training. Training funds cannot be fully guaranteed. The reason is that employees spend long periods of training time, rarely see immediate results, and the ultimate return. It is also not easy to measure by quantity, and sometimes it is difficult to determine what results the training investment has produced. Because small-sized enterprises have more limited funds, their training conditions are less satisfactory than many large enterprises. We often encounter this situation: The employees who have just returned from training are quickly affected by the old methods of work, losing the enthusiasm of applying newer and better technologies. However, a well-planned and focused training program will receive great support in small-scale enterprises, so that the old methods of work will no longer have an impact. Small businesses still have the ability to take small amounts of money for staff training, although they do not often do so.
Customer-oriented Total Quality Management is special in that it divides customers into external and internal customers. The employees of a company should establish the concept of internal customers and internal suppliers—these employees who directly supply the processing materials and auxiliary services to some employees within the company, and those employees who receive processing materials and auxiliary services. Most of the employees do not directly contact external customers. Asking them to take seriously the customers who do not have the opportunity to meet will not produce much practical results. This theory holds that it is possible to provide high-quality products to external customers only if quality is ensured in all processes within the company. A set of methods for confirming, measuring, encouraging and rewarding such customer-supplier processing and production relations within an enterprise is an indispensable and effective means for total quality management or any high-level management. Small businesses have clear advantages in this regard.
Persevere and go all out
If companies do not set up appropriate departments to support the work of the quality management team and do not have the firm determination to implement quality management research, then companies should not implement quality management plans immediately.
Thorough implementation of total quality management requires a vigorous transformation of corporate culture, and it will take several years to obtain substantial benefits from total quality management. Many companies do not have such patience, although total quality management will quickly bring some benefits and gain some enthusiastic support, but that is just a short-lived and not lasting. Although not many companies also know that total quality management is a way of life, a process, a way of thinking behavior (rather than a project, or emergency measures), they still often lack the determination and commitment to hold on. When they find that they cannot produce the desired results immediately, they will quickly choose another kind of management model.
Concluding remarks Total quality management is neither omnipotent nor comprehensive. Regardless of whether the company is implementing comprehensive quality management, many of these elements and principles can be applied at any time to scientific corporate management. Regardless of the banner of total quality management, some principles must be observed under all circumstances, such as the principle of reasonable use of data, employee participation in management, and customer first.
Some people may ask: "Why should we call the banner of total quality management? Why wouldn't we direct our energies to implement these management principles?" Implementing comprehensive quality management after a reasonable arrangement can make a profound change in the company. Make the company pay more attention to the needs of employees and customers. It is more efficient and more effective. The effect that can be received when comprehensively applying the basic principles and methods of total quality management.
If companies are rushing to implement full-scale quality management in the absence of necessary commitments and manpower, it is very risky. Employees, suppliers and customers have reason to doubt the major management plan that has just started. "Paper Street Daily" once stated in the article that "employees and customers think that the popular management model is only 10-20% efficient." Since there is such a skepticism in the notice, companies should not say that they should perform total quality management without adequate preparation.
There are many benefits to successfully implementing Total Quality Management, but the risks cannot be underestimated. If employees are not seen, they will not achieve the desired results; failure to pursue the principle of customer first will not achieve the desired results; if they want to see immediate results, they will only disappoint people; they will not provide training and support, and will not control The required data will also not be successful. The reason why the implementation of total quality management is difficult is that some of these management principles have historically been difficult to consistently implement.
Total quality management has great prospects for small businesses. Compared to many large companies that lack dynamism and inertia, small businesses are as flexible and responsive as a speedboat. Small businesses can implement comprehensive quality management quickly and effectively, making it easier to overcome difficulties. The relationship between small businesses and customers can be a close personal relationship rather than an alienated, cold relationship. However, the implementation of total quality management by small-scale enterprises is not without risk. Small-scale enterprises have limited manpower and financial resources and cannot afford to fail; time and funds must be used centrally. The characteristics of a small business are largely influenced by the personality of the owner or manager. Only when important decision makers of small businesses fully support the new management model can the new management principles be implemented. (Finish)