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Japan`s Quality improvement Process, Total Quality Control and employee engagementLoading Japan is world renowned for its incredible record for total quality control, quality improvement process and lean management. However, it wasn`t always so. Take a look at Japan`s journey to how it got to where it is today. An inspiring story that illustrates that any country or company can develop the skills and techniques to attain a quality improvement process.
Q. What is the historical background to Japan`s quality improvement process? A. When Japan started its rapid industrialization phase post World War Two, there was a lack of effective management skills. Japan learned from overseas how to control management. They imported Statistical Quality Control (SQC) from the United States. Statistical Quality Control began in the 1930`s with the industrial use of control charts. In order to meet wartime conditions, the production systems of the times needed to be revolutionized. By implementing SQC, the United States (and Britain) were able to produce supplies at lower cost and in large quantity. This was the origins of Statistical Quality Management and Japan`s quality improvement process journey. Dr. Deming is recognized for introducing quality control to Japan. The SQC system was implemented in Japan and proved effective. However, after awhile, it was evident that this was not enough. It was realized that Statistical quality control had to be shared and practiced company wide in order for companies to meet their full production potential - from the top to the factory workers with total participation (full employee engagement). This is an excerpt from What is Total Quality Control? by Kaoru Ishikawa: These commands passed through the channel from the president to directors, from directors to factory managers, from factory managers to section chiefs, from section chiefs to foremen, and from foremen to line workers. More often than not, many of these commands simply got stuck in the middle and were distorted, and some never reached the line workers. The president might command, "Do not ship defective products," and the foremen at the shipping department might translate that to read as follows: "Let us meet the delivery date by sending these defective products; they aren`t that bad." Top executives in those days would command their subordinates to do their best or work harder. ... No effective and lasting control could emerge through this approach.When a manufacturing plant produces defective products or otherwise fails, only one-fourth or one-fifth of the fault can be assigned to line workers. Most of the fault is attributable to executives, managers or staff. The (above approach) simply tries to shift the blame to those who are at the bottom." QC Circles and The Quality Improvement ProcessQC circles provide the space for effective employee engagement. The QC Priorities are: Key: All aspects of management should be improved. This is now called Total Quality Management.
Promote Total Quality Control with Total ParticipationEmployee engagement is crucial to this process. 1. Look into each area In making a product, there are many divisions involved. Ie:Design, Production and Inspection. When problems occur, analyze & clarify if there is a problem in drawing, production method or inspection or between departments. Key aspects to check: A Process Approach to Attaining a ResultSpecial note from the Toyota Group experts: Western style is to evaluate the end result. They tend to not look into the process.The weakness in this is that it`s just control/ management by achieving targets which misses the bigger picture and long term stability of the company - It is a system that does not find the most efficient process. For example: A plant sets a target to reduce maintenance cost. For a deeper look into Total Quality Control, click here. A Former Managing Director of The Toyota Motor Corporation discusses Motivation in the Workplace, click here. |