The politics of IT-enabled restructuring and the restructuring of politics through total quality management

A variety of innovations such as total quality management (TQM) have been introduced by management in recent years as a means to unite organizations and secure employee commitment. Yet TQM is as much a product of existing social relations as it is a method for transforming them. Consequently, while addressing some problems TQM reconstitutes organizational inequalities and existing power relations and in doing so (re)creates many of the problems it is intended to resolve. Inasmuch as TQM is a continuation of the past as well as a means to reshape the future, it contains the seeds of its own decay. We illustrate this argument through a case study of a medium-sized UK Bank. We consider how TQM has waxed and waned differentially within a single organization. Telecommunication and on-line customer data-based technology facilitated organizational restructuring within the Bank, resulting in both redundancies and areas of job creation which both undermined and created conditions wherein TQM could flourish. We examine how TQM may be used as a vehicle for addressing some of the tensions presented by the introduction of new technology, and the organizational politics that stem from organizational restructuring. However, it is argued that TQM can only ameliorate these tensions, which are bound up with organizational power relations and employment insecurities. It does not remove organizational politics, for as older tensions are resolved, new ones emerge.     

Facilitating implementation of total quality management through information technology

There is growing interest in the service industries in the adoption of quality management programs to improve their operational efficiency and market competitiveness. Deming’s total quality management (TQM) philosophy is one of the well-known ones. The TQM emphasizes continuous improvement through statistical control and the continuous training of people in the principles of quality management. One of the main implementation issues is the large volume of data that must be statistically analysed. Although recent researches have reported on how TQM is applied in various industries, few have discussed the importance of information technology in ensuring a successful TQM program. This paper reports on the application of information technology in the TQM process and how it can support management decisions. A case example is included to support these views.     

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT: A GDSS APPROACH

Teams are a major factor in total quality management (TQM), so any technology that improves team performance facilitates the TQM process. This article describes how group decision support systems (GDSSs) can be used to increase team productivity and effectiveness within the TQM framework.     

CASE AND TQM FOR FLEXIBLE SYSTEMS

Integrating total quality management (TQM) concepts into the systems development process results in efficient, flexible, quality software that is developed and delivered on time. This article explains how to introduce TQM concepts into the development process using CASE tools.     

TQM implementation in hospitals

This paper discusses the essential elements for successful Total Quality Management (TQM) implementation in hospital, and the challenges that occur with such implementation. Guidelines for this implementation are provided to show how TQM tools can be used effectively in hospitals.     

Control Strategies of Experienced and Novice Controllers with a Zero-Energy Nuclear Reactor

The objective of this paper is to describe how and why ergonomics should be promoted in total quality management (TQM). Ergonomics and TQM activities are compared. An approach is proposed to apply ergonomics in TQM using ergonomics circles. An eight-step approach is introduced for applying ergonomics using ergonomics circles and a study that employed this approach in Korea is discussed. In applying this approach, all processes were first evaluated by workers. Processes that were identified as problematic were analysed by a company-wide committee to set priorities for improvement. An ergonomics improvement team consisting of safety and health personnel, process engineers and management innovation personnel then worked on the processes using a low-cost approach. It was found that applying ergonomics using ergonomics circles as quality circles in TQM was effective in improving workplaces and resulted in increasing productivity, cost saving and improved safety.     

Ergonomics in total quality management: how can we sell ergonomics to management?

The objective of this paper is to describe how and why ergonomics should be promoted in total quality management (TQM). Ergonomics and TQM activities are compared. An approach is proposed to apply ergonomics in TQM using ergonomics circles. An eight-step approach is introduced for applying ergonomics using ergonomics circles and a study that employed this approach in Korea is discussed. In applying this approach, all processes were first evaluated by workers. Processes that were identified as problematic were analysed by a company-wide committee to set priorities for improvement. An ergonomics improvement team consisting of safety and health personnel, process engineers and management innovation personnel then worked on the processes using a low-cost approach. It was found that applying ergonomics using ergonomics circles as quality circles in TQM was effective in improving workplaces and resulted in increasing productivity, cost saving and improved safety.     

Quality management and the work environment: an empirical investigation in a public sector organization

The integration of quality management initiatives, particularly total quality management (TQM), and ergonomics has received increasing attention from scholars and practitioners. Above all, the question of how TQM programs relate to ergonomic aspects of organizational design and culture is at the center of this discussion. This study examines how elements of a "typical", Deming-inspired, TQM program in the public sector interact with the work environment. Elements of the TQM program were defined and measured using the Malcom Baldridge Award criteria. The specific elements examined were "Management Support of Quality", "Information and Analysis", "Human Resources", "Processes and Quality Results", and "Customer Focus and Satisfaction". The relationship between these TQM elements and the work environment were defined through five separate hypotheses. The work environment was described by the constructs "Supervisor Support", "Task Clarity", "Task Orientation", and "Innovation". Data were obtained through survey questionnaires administered to employees of four departments in a municipal government organization. Results supported three of the hypotheses, but produced some unanticipated outcomes with regard to the other two. Namely, "Management Support of Quality" was significantly related to "Supervisor Support", "Task Orientation", "Task Clarity" and "Innovation"; "Human Resources" was significantly related to "Supervisor Support"; "Processes and Quality Results" was significantly related to "Task Orientation" and "Innovation". Contrary to predicted "Information and Analysis" was negatively related to "Innovation", and "Customer Focus" was unrelated to any of the outcome variables. The relationships between these TQM elements and work environment dimensions are discussed. Implications for TQM and ergonomic practice are analyzed, and directions for future research proposed.     

Total quality management: An approach & a case study

For the last decade, American companies have been playing catch-up in the area of quality and productivity. Japanese companies and other foreign competitors have moved into markets that were once dominated by American companies, by producing higher quality products. The problem to date in the U.S. has obviously not been the lack of resources or documentation on quality and improvement programs, but the misdirection of these programs and the lack of total management commitment. Total Quality Management (TQM) is seen as an effective method that will accomplish the task of higher quality levels, and increased productivity.

The purpose of Total Quality Management is to implement a process that is long term and continuous, in which all of management participates in establishing continuous improvement initiatives throughout the organization, beginning with their own function in the organization. TQM integrates the fundamental techniques and principles of Quality Function Deployment, Taguchi Methods, Statistical Process Control, Just-In-Time, and existing management tools into a structured approach. The primary objective of this approach is to incorporate quality and integrity into all functions at all levels of the organization.

This paper examines the TQM process, philosophy, concepts, attributes and how it can be used to develop a “quality-based” culture. The paper also examines the introduction and implementation of the TQM process at an electronic's manufacturer.     

A TQM PROCESS FOR SYSTEMS INTEGRATION Getting the Most from COTS Software

Many companies are shopping for commercial off-the-shelf software to avoid the high costs and lengthy development time associated with building their own systems. This article discusses how methods of total quality management (TQM) can be used to better integrate large-scale commercial software purchases.     

A facile on-demand droplet microfluidic system for lab-on-a-chip applications

We present a facile microfluidic droplet-on-demand (DOD) system in which a pulsed pressure generated by a high-speed solenoid valve is used to control the formation and movement of water-in-oil emulsion droplets in a T-junction microchannel. We investigated the working principle of the DOD system and established a scaling model for the droplet volume in terms of the amplitude and duration of the pulse and the hydraulic resistance of the injection channel. The droplet formation was characterized in three designs at various pressure pulses. The experimental results support our scaling model very well. In the DOD system we developed, nanoliter-volume droplets with a throughput of a few droplets per second were on-demand generated. Moreover, we examined the applicable scope of the DOD system. As examples of practical applications of the DOD system, we demonstrated a digital display module to show droplets formed at a prescribed time and a droplet array with a concentration gradient to show droplets formed with a precise volume. We expect our work can provide design guidelines for a robust DOD system and improve the capabilities of droplet-based microfluidics in ‘lab-on-a-chip’ systems.     

A network hierarchical feedback system for Taiwanese universities based on the integration of total quality management and innovation

An increasing number of Taiwanese universities are improving operational performance through innovation and total quality management (TQM). In addition, the National Quality Award (NQA), which is based on TQM, is now used to evaluate quality performance in various industries in Taiwan. Thus, several models for performance measurement have been proposed in recent years. However, these models do not take into account several features germane to performance within the Taiwanese university system, such as characteristics unique to the integration of TQM and innovation, comprehensive focuses in operational performance improvement across different types of universities, and interrelations among the different variables used to measure performance. Thus, precisely measuring and improving operation performance has proven to be a difficult task. The aim of this paper is to construct a network hierarchical feedback system (NHFS) based on the integration of TQM and innovation to overcome these problems. To that end, we adopted a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to address the complex, interdependent relationships among the variables and thereby construct a relation structure among the measurement criteria for evaluation purposes. A fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) is employed to overcome the problem of dependence and feedback among each of the TQM measurement criteria. A fuzzy analytic hierarchical process (FAHP) is used to evaluate the measurement criteria for innovation performance. Lastly, a gray relational analysis (GRA) is utilized to find optimal alternatives. The value of this study comes from providing all types of universities in Taiwan the most complete evaluation system of operational performance, as well as opportunities to realize improved competitive advantages and enhanced prospects for survival.     

Data management challenges and development for military information systems

This paper explores challenges facing information system professionals in the management of data and knowledge in the Department of Defense (DOD), particularly in the information systems utilized to support command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C/sup 4/ I). These information systems include operational tactical systems, decision-support systems, modeling and simulation systems, and nontactical business systems, all of which affect the design, operation, interoperation, and application of C/sup 4/ I systems. Specific topics include issues in integration and interoperability, joint standards, data access, data aggregation, information system component reuse, and legacy systems. Broad technological trends, as well as the use of specific developing technologies are discussed in light of how they may enable the DOD to meet the present and future information-management challenges.     

Exploring the relationship between total quality management and information systems development

This study examines a series of relationships between total quality management (TQM) and information systems (IS) development. Specifically, we consider whether organizations which have more fully adopted TQM will be different in their approaches to IS development. Our findings suggest that where TQM is adopted more fully, there will be a significant impact on four areas of IS development: system goals; system design philosophy/concepts; assumptions made by IS professionals about system users and user involvement in system development. We also report evidence that both TQM and IT may require similar organizational cultures.     

A decision support systems approach to adjust maintenance float system availability levels

In this paper, a decision support system (DSS) is designed to predict the system availability levels for equipment maintenance float problems. The DSS is developed by using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to prioritize the improvements made in the maintenance management practice through the adoption of total quality management (TQM). The resulting regression metamodel can be used to predict and explain system availability. Sensitivity analysis can be easily generated through the DSS. The application of this DSS helps to effectively control the cost of maintenance floats as a result of TQM implementation, generates quick solutions, and provides the decision maker with the flexibility of carrying out sensitivity analysis and planning for the future by looking at the long-term impacts of TQM on the maintenance float system.     

Verification of dust forecast over the Indian region with satellite and ground based observations

This article presents the verification results of the dust forecast by a numerical model over India and neighbouring regions. National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting Unified Model (NCUM) is a global numerical weather prediction (NWP) model with a prognostic dust scheme. Evaluation of the performance of dust forecast by NCUM is carried out in this study. Model forecast of dust optical depth (DOD) at 550 nm is validated against ground-based and satellite observations since optical depth measurements in mid-visible wavelength are easily available. Daily 5-day forecast based on 00 UTC initial condition during dust dominated pre-monsoon season (April–May) of 2014 is used in this study. Location specific and geographical distribution of dust forecast is validated against Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite retrieved DOD observation at 532 nm, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical depth (AOD), Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), aerosol index, and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) station data of total and coarse mode AOD. The verification results indicate that NCUM dust forecast generally gives good representation of large scale geographical distribution of dust over the western region of India. DOD forecasts show good correlation with co-located CALIPSO DOD over the western part (0.71) compared to central (0.58) and eastern (0.61) part of India in April while it show similar trend in May with slightly improved correlation (0.68) over the eastern part of India. Results also show that DOD forecasts are better correlated to AERONET coarse mode AOD observations over Jaipur in April and over Kanpur in May. Vertical distribution of dust concentrations in the forecast show reasonably good agreement with attenuated backscatter and depolarization ratio from CALIPSO observations. The model is also able to simulate spatiotemporal distribution of dust during a major dust event as observed by CALIPSO, MODIS, and OMI.     

A TQM-Based Approach to QoS Management

Total Quality Management (TQM) is one of the most interesting and effective concepts of management. Although, as of today, it has been extensively applied to manufacturing and industrial sectors, TQM principles have not received wide acceptance in the area of Telecommunications Network and Service Management. Application of those principles in Telecommunications can be facilitated by employing pertinent techniques and tools. This paper focuses on aspects of the performance management of Telecommunications Networks and Services. As basic quality control mechanisms, two versions of a Dynamic Scaling Service (DSS) are used to regulate the end-user perceived quality: a Crisp DSS and a Fuzzy Logic DSS. A quality-oriented user behavior model is built and a comparative study between the different quality control schemes is presented. Concluding, the paper delineates the scope of TQM with respect to QoS management in telecommunications.     

Visualizations of molecular dynamics simulations of high-performance polycrystalline structural ceramics

Initiated by the Department of Defense (DOD) High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP), the Data Analysis and Assessment Center (DAAC), serves the needs of DOD HPCMP scientists by facilitating the analysis of an ever-increasing volume and complexity of data [1]. A research scientist and HPCMP user ran nanoscale molecular dynamics simulations using Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator code (LAMMPS) from Sandia National Labs. The largest simulation contained over 70 million atoms (Fig. 7). Data sets this large are required to study crack propagation and failure mechanisms that span multiple length scales with atomic resolution. The DAAC developed new methods to visualize the time evolution of data sets this large. The size and complexity of the molecular dynamics simulations and the analytics required the use of DOD HPCMP High Performance Computing (HPC) resources.     

TQM: A facilitator to enhance knowledge management? A structural analysis

This study aims to examine the multi-dimensional relationship of total quality management (TQM) and knowledge management (KM) in both service and manufacturing firms in Malaysia. Six key practices of TQM originated from the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) were chosen; whereas the KM elements were made up of knowledge acquisition, distribution and application. Data were gathered from small, medium and large firms from both manufacturing and service sectors. Structural analysis was carried out for the hypotheses and the theoretical model testing. Findings show that strategic planning and human resource management have a positive and significant relationship with the dimensions of KM; whereas process management has significant effects on knowledge acquisition and knowledge distribution. Practically, the findings provide a useful direction for the management team in the manufacturing and service sectors by adopting the relevant TQM practices to further improve the firms’ knowledge management processes. Through a deeper comprehension on the association between TQM practices and the KM dimensions, the management team of these firms can focus their attention, efforts and resources on the specific TQM practices that can ensure successful KM process.     

A systematic planning approach to implementing total quality management through quality function deployment technique

On the basis of reinvestigating into the philosophy of TQM and its management practice, this paper puts forward a systematic planning approach to implementing TQM during the product design/development process through quality function deployment (QFD) technique.