TQM implementation is an initiative that many organizations wanted to embark on. Assuming you are a leader in this organization, a common question you probably asked would be, “How do I know if my organization is successful in implementing TQM?”
TQM implementation has been on my mind for a long time and I was wondering how to measure the success of TQM implementation in an organization. If we take an organization that is a winner of the Baldrige Award, then my question is whether taking an assessment based on the Baldrige Criteria is an appropriate measure to measure the success of TQM in an organization.
There is no question that measuring TQM implementation is the success rate is in the interest of everyone, if not most of the leaders. Otherwise, how would you, as a leader, know that the effort invested in the implementation of TQM is really worth it, even more so when a lot of resources such as money, manpower, etc. are deployed. to support the implementation of a TQM initiative?
So would you ask a similar question before the TQM initiative starts? Or would you ask midway through its implementation? How would you like to measure the success of your TQM implementation? Do you accept the opinion of your comment from management alone or is it based on some kind of evaluation result?
One of the ways to evaluate the success of TQM is to take a holistic approach to evaluating your organization. One example of this holistic approach is the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award evaluation approach. This is a nationwide award system in the United States to recognize organizations for achieving excellence in their respective businesses.
To prepare for an assessment, you must understand the Baldrige criteria, which are used as a reference for the assessment. Once you have understood the Baldrige Criteria, you will begin to conduct an assessment based on these criteria. You can take a self-assessment guided by the Baldrige self-assessment criteria to determine your level of performance against the Baldrige criteria. For a self-assessment, it takes less time. Alternatively, you can opt for a large-scale evaluation. This mode of evaluation can be performed by your management team or a third-party Baldrige Assessor.
To help you adopt the Baldrige Criteria, there are eleven basic values and concepts that the Baldrige Criteria use. To jump-start your assessment effort, perhaps you start with an understanding of these fundamental values and concepts.
