Showing papers on "Quality circle published in 1994"

How Common is Workplace Transformation and Who Adopts it

Abstract: The author, using data on 694 U.S. manufacturing establishments from a 1992 survey, examines the incidence of innovative work practices (teams, job rotation, quality circles, and Total Quality Management) and investigates what variables, including human resource practices, are associated with the adoption of these practices. He finds that about 35% of private sector establishments with 50 or more employees made substantial use of flexible work organization in 1992. Some factors associated with an establishment's adoption of these practices are being in an internationally competitive product market, having a technology that requires high levels of skill, following a “high road” strategy that emphasizes variety, service, and quality rather than low cost, and using such human resource practices as high levels of training and innovative pay systems.

Using Service Incidents to Identify Quality Improvement Points

Abstract: To be able to deliver consistent quality to hospitality customers, it is necessary to be able to identify those aspects of the service encounter that bring about satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Explores a simple technique for recording success and failure in service situations. This will allow organizations to identify areas for quality improvement and enable decisions to be made about the key priorities for action.

At Last, an Alternative to Performance Appraisal: Total Quality Management

Abstract: During the past decade, public agencies and business firms experimented with various forms of employee involvement and participative management (Ledford et al, 1989) Many of these initiatives could not be sustained because they often were stand-alone programs that focused on immediate questions and short-term results rather than long-range, strategic issues confronting the organization Crisis management of this character actually seems to exacerbate problems and delays adoption of genuine approaches to productivity As productivity concerns deepened in the eighties, a recognition emerged that organizational leaders must accept responsibility for the management of people the way they do for the management of money Needed was not merely employee involvement but, more important, management involvement-integrating quality of worklife groups, productivity teams, quality circles, and the like into the entire organization as part of a larger improvement effort This understanding of what has been called Japanese-style management has led to the adoption of total quality management (TQM)(1) in over 3,000 corporations and 40 governments in the United States (Milakovich, 1991, pp 197-198) Recent studies, in fact, reveal that 76 percent of companies now see quality as a major goal and 80 percent of the Fortune 1,000 firms have quality improvement programs (American Society for Training and Development, 1991; Lawler et al, 1992) In the late 1980s, the national government created the Federal Quality Institute to promote quality initiatives, and by 1992, over two-thirds of federal agencies were using some form of TQM (US General Accounting Office, 1992) There is a growing realization that quality is as important in service industries as in manufacturing firms, and that quality awareness should permeate organizations from top to bottom The success of this trend relies on improving performance and eliminating obstacles to that improvement In TQM, the entire organization is considered a system of interlocking processes--the institution, rather than the employee, is the object of management Yet most of those using TQM persist in managing performance through individual employee ratings--a practice antithetical to TQM (see Booz, Allen, and Hamilton, 1990; Conference Board, 1991 and 1989; Gabor, A, 1990, chap 9; and Usilaner and Leitch, 1989) This is especially ironic because personnel ratings have created tension, defensiveness, and avoidance on the part of both managers and employees and usually do not improve performance(2) Yet psychologically and interpersonally destructive organizational practices are seldom discarded merely because they are dysfunctional They must, instead, be driven out by something better According to TQM, problems do not originate with employees, but from a lack of understanding of the work processes The TQM objective is to analyze processes to identify barriers to quality, satisfy internal and external beneficiaries of the work performed ("customers"), and create an atmosphere of continuous improvement If shoddy goods and services are delivered, the problem rests with management practices, which performance appraisal only serves to reinforce In this article, I examine performance appraisal, a managerial function that has been recognized as the most serious obstacle to the successful implementation of TQM, in the context of total quality management (Moen, 1989, p 62) I also explore the experience of public and private organizations with personnel evaluations in a total quality environment and comment on past and future trends in quality, productivity, and performance In order to obtain systematic data, I compiled and analyzed previous pertinent studies, many of which were widely scattered (cf, McLean et al, 1990) among technical publications and specialty journals (eg, Klein, 1989; Daley, 1992; Moen, 1989)(3) and unpublished papers by government officials and private consultants (e …

Service Quality in the Northern Ireland Hospitality Industry

Abstract: The international demand for products and services no longer happens automatically; it has to be created. Consumers are increasingly becoming more sophisticated in the standards which they expect and more vocal about products and services which do not meet their requirements in terms of choice and quality. This applies to a whole range of products and services including those provided by the hospitality industry. Managements are constantly striving to meet customer requirements and in an effort to fulfil this objective have turned to a wide continuum of theories and practices such as quality circles, etc. Total quality is one of the latest concepts to have found favour in the world of management as a means to maintain, increase and consolidate market share. Examines the importance of the quality issue in the service sector of the economy. Commences with an exposition of the main principles of quality management and goes on to discuss two examples of particular importance to the hospitality industry in Nor...

Total Quality Management in Libraries: A Sourcebook

Abstract: This text covers the tools for establishing and supporting the total quality management (TQM) process in libraries. An annotated bibliography of citations pertaining to the quality circle, quality assurance, and TQM initiatives and articles and editorials on these topics are included.

Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Employee Participation and Economic Performance: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract: Traditionally there has been little awareness of the need to link technology issues with human resource management issues. Technologies have been deployed to improve firm performance independent of programs and practices that involve workers in decision making (MacDuffie and Kochan, 1989; Graham and Rosenthal, 1986; Walton, 1985). Similarly, human resource management innovations have been implemented by firms without explicitly linking them with production technology. Firms implement new technologies to improve their competitiveness. Reductions in labor costs are made possible by new automated machines and equipment which take over decisions about production and perform at accelerated rates operations formerly performed by humans. Faster performing technologies permit increased production using the same, fewer, or less skilled employees. Such technology-driven competitive strategies have in the past distracted firms from the performance enhancing potential of employee participation (Graham and Rosenthal, 1986). Some firms even considered technology-driven strategy and employee involvement programs as mutually exclusive (MacDuffie and Kochan, 1989). The former was seen to improve economic performance through lower labor costs and increased managerial control while investments in the latter were seen to increase costs and diffuse control. Since the 1970s, the secondary importance accorded employee participation and the view of technology and employee participation as antithetical strategies have begun to erode (MacDuffie and Kochan, 1989; Walton, 1985; Piore and Sabel, 1984). Employee participation programs, semi-autonomous workgroups, and quality circles have greatly increased (Delaney et al., 1988; Voss, 1987) as firms have begun to include workplace innovations as additional competitive strategies (Osterman, 1994) to supplement technology-driven strategies. There is considerable evidence that both the application of new technology (Cooke, 1989) and the institution of workplace innovations (Eaton and Voss, 1992; Voos, 1987; Katz et al., 1983) improve the competitive positions of firms. However, their simultaneous effects on economic performance are still unclear. Most studies of the influence of workplace human resource innovations on economic performance have not linked these innovations with new technologies. The investigations have been restricted to the direct and singular impact of formal labor-management programs such as quality circles and semiautonomous workgroups on productivity (Wagner III, 1994; Cutcher-Gershenfeld, 1988; Voos, 1987; Katz et al., 1987). Furthermore, these studies have mostly concentrated on quantitatively defined measures of economic performance, typically productivity. As a result, the link between employee participation and less quantifiable but important performance measures such as production flexibility, process quality, and product quality have been deemphasized. A few studies have investigated the joint impact of advanced manufacturing technology and workplace innovations on economic performance (MacDuffie and Kochan, 1989; Krafcik and MacDuffie, 1989) but have also focused on limited indicators of performance or have restricted the studies to the auto industry (see MacDuffie and Kochan, 1989). The current study investigates relationships between workplace innovations and advanced manufacturing technology, and explores in several industries the relative effects of advanced manufacturing technology and workplace innovations on an inclusive set of economic performance indicators. RESEARCH QUESTIONS Performance Standards, Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Employee Participation Increasing international competition, shortening product life cycles, and growing differentiation in product markets have necessitated a redefinition of economic performance standards (Carnevale, 1991; Dertouzos et al., 1989; Nasar, 1987). Quality products and the ability of firms to respond quickly to small, and new orders with varied specifications and attributes have become additional major performance dimensions. …

You’re Stopping Me from Giving Quality Service

Abstract: Quality initiatives need to be translated into actions by employees. Highlights the importance of eliciting the knowledge and beliefs which employees use to guide their decisions at work and argues that everyday discourse (e.g. conversation, group discussion) is an inadequate basis from which to unearth this information. Outlines a variety of psychological techniques which can be used to help people “get at” their own views. A study is reported which used situational interviewing and the repertory grid technique to elicit the models which food servers in the hospitality industry have of internal systems and procedures. The “maps” which food servers have of service situations and colleagues reveal areas for quality improvement.

From Kyoto to Kowloon: Cultural Barriers to the Transference of Quality Circles from Japan to Hong Kong*

Abstract: This paper argues that attempts to transfer managerial practices directly from one culture to another are likely to end in failure. The case of the transference of quality circles (QCs) from Japan to the supposedly similar ‘Oriental’ and ‘Confucian’ culture of Hong Kong is taken as an illustration of this process. Data on the relative failure of QCs in Hong Kong are presented and direct and indirect cultural explanations offered. The paper concludes with a call for the creation of culturally specific solutions to organizational problems and issues rather than the more usual recourse to transference.

Team Building : A Structured Learning Approach

Abstract: TEAMWORK AND SYNERGY Synergy Major elements of team synergy Do you need a team? Team size Characteristics of an effective team Should team membership be voluntary? Achieving positive team synergy What have I gotten into? Exercise 1, Knowing your team members CONTRIBUTORS TO CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT Deming's guide to quality improvement Exercise 2, Deming audit Crosby's guide to quality improvement Exercise 3, Crosby audit Juran's guide to quality improvement Exercise 4, Juran audit EMPOWERMENT Knowing your team members Exercise 5, What is empowerment? Exercise 6, Team process control SUPPORTIVE TEAM CULTURE A variety of team-player styles Sample team rules Reaching a consensus Exercise 7, Salesman problem Exercise 8, Secretary problem TEAM BUILDING PHASES Exercise 9, Written team rules Exercise 10, Team assessment Peer feedback Do's and Don'ts when giving feedback Exercise 11, General peer feedback Exercise 12, Detailed peer evaluation Exercise 13, Self-assessment UNDERSTANDING HOW WE THINK Developing trust Colored hat thinking Exercise 14, Norm violation Exercise 15, Future workplace Exercise 16, University President MEMBER SERVICE ROLES Exercise 17, Declining enrollments Exercise 18, QI project Exercise 19, Community leader Exercise 20, Teenage nightowl EXPANDED TEAM MEMBER ROLES Group task functions Exercise 21, Improving schools Exercise 22, Improving services Exercise 23, Good teacher EXPANDING TEAM SKILLS Phases of a meeting Improving performance Exercise 24, General Wainwright Exercise 25, Team assessment Exercise 26, Now what? TYPES, TEAMS AND MORE TEAMS Reason for specialized teams Quality circles Task reams Cross-functional project teams Functional teams Self-directed (self-managed) teams Design teams Quality circles Sustaining continuous quality improvement Index

Lean Production at Suzuki and Toyota: A Historical Perspective

Abstract: In 1985, Knuth Dohse, Ulrich Jurgens and Thomas Malsch criticized emerging management theories that attributed Japan's success in automobile production to alternative forms of industrial organization, including worker participation in quality circles. Dohse et al maintained that in Japan worker "participation occurs in a controlled context in which the topics, goals, and forms of articulation are, for practical purposes, limited to company interests. Despite worker participation in intellectual activities, the authors asserted, autowork in Japan retained a Fordist bias with repetitious work routines dictated by mass, assembly-line production.

Strategies for Service Quality

Abstract: For many, quality circles have been a struggle, total quality management has been something to “get around to one day” and continuous improvement has just been another expression meaning total quality management, which, of course is something that we will “get around to one day”. Worse, the acronyms used ‐ QC, TQM, CI ‐ have joined such exotic practices as JIT (Just‐in‐Time inventory), CAD‐CAM (computer‐aided development and manufacturing) and more recently BPR (business process re‐engineering) in an alphabet soup of consultant‐led packages, available to the discerning manager ‐ at a price.

Industrial Modernization by Workers' Participation:

Abstract: The European car industry is in a crisis. The saturation of traditional markets, the need for product innovation and the Japanese challenge have put this industry, more than almost any other, under pressure to modernize. This modernization has a systemic character. It creates new forms of division of labour between producers and suppliers and removes the Tayloristic-Fordist production concept in the firms without any certainty as to what will take its place.This increased uncertainty creates a boom for personnel management, resulting from a new evaluation of labour capacity, from a production factor to a human and investment factor. New forms of workers' participation are being invested in what are the consequences?Quality circles are used as an example of the possible consequences of successful participation in the field of intra-company labour relations. In this context it is worth taking a look across the border. French management discourse is more pronounced and French sociological research more produ...

A Comparison of Workplace Groups with Groups in Education.

Abstract: The use of groups in both the workplace and schools has been increasing. In the workplace, groups reflective of a growing trend toward worker participation in management have been variously referred to as self-managing work teams, self-directed work groups, quality circles, autonomous work groups, and cross-functional teams. Schools have used many group approaches, including cooperative learning, collaborative learning, peer tutoring, and small group work, since the early 20th century. All these forms of cooperative learning have been associated with increased proficiency, higher-quality thinking, higher self-esteem, enhanced interethnic relations, and greater acceptance of disabled students. As the role of these and other groups in the workplace continues to increase, it is increasingly important that schools equip students with the higher form of literacy needed to participate in groups at work. Among the skills involved in this new literacy are exercising initiative, peer training, group problem-solving, and interpersonal communication. Educators can use the business sector as a source of ideas for improving education regarding these and similar skills. Teachers can, for example, serve as managers who help empower their students to adjust to new roles and learn to collaborate with others and think in long rather than short terms. (Contains 44 references.) (MN) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** A COMPARISON OF WORKPLACE GROUPS WITH GROUPS IN EDUCATION rl Paper presented at the 1994 annual conference of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Baltimore 47\

Evolution and implementation of a quality improvement programme: a case study of two health care organizations

Abstract: Since the early 1980s, there has been an interest in quality improvement in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. A number of District Health Authorities (DHAs) in response to a national policy on quality of care set up quality assurance (QA) and quality circles (QCs) programmes as part of a move towards total quality management (TQM). These programmes were set up during a period of financial constraint in the NHS. By means of a case study, this paper explores the evolution, development and implementation of the programmes, and the effects of the financial constraints and organizational changes on the programmes. It is argued that the case study DHAs had some difficulties in developing and implementing QA because they had no clear understanding of the concept and did not clearly differentiate between QA and TQM and the role of QCs in the process. Under pressure from the Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) to show commitment to quality, the DHAs used the QCs as the showcase of the quality improvement...

ICL Kidsgrove: Engineering a Quality Culture

Abstract: Describes the development of a continuous quality improvement process at component manufacturer ICL Kidsgrove. Traces early innovative work with quality circles through to the effects of a company‐wide quality process. Structures, systems and staff practices have all changed considerably during the past ten years. Discusses the benefits and problems of such an approach and also examines ways in which this know‐how can be transferred to service industries such as the hospitality sector.

Dr Deming and Primary Care Internal Medicine.

Abstract: THERE HAS been increasing attention given to the principles of continuous quality improvement (CQI), often referred to as total quality management (TQM), as a means to address the perceived problems of variation in and concerns about quality in health care.1-3Continuous quality improvement is derived from industrial qualitycontrol techniques first developed by Shewhart,4working at the Western Electric Co in the 1920s. W. Edwards Deming, PhD,5a statistician, introduced these concepts to Japan in the 1950s and is considered one of the heroes of the revitalization of Japanese industry.6 The aim of this report is to describe, through the use of clinical vignettes, a vision of primary care internal medicine that would provide a clinician with "joy in work. "5The major theses are (1) that the principles of continuous quality improvement championed by W. Edwards Deming, PhD, and others may provide the tools and conceptual

Strategies for Service Quality

Abstract: For many, quality circles have been a struggle, total quality management has been something to “get around to one day” and continuous improvement has just been another expression meaning total quality management, which, of course is something that we will “get around to one day”. Worse, the acronyms used ‐ QC, TQM, CI ‐ have joined such exotic practices as JIT (just‐in‐time inventory), CAD‐CAM (computer‐aided development and manufacturing) and more recently BPR (business process re‐engineering) in an alphabet soup of consultant‐led packages, available to the discerning manager ‐ at a price.

Principals as Facilitators for School Site-Based Management Team

Abstract: Background and Introduction Many of the current proposals for educational reform include recommendations for site-based management (Leithwood, 1992; Lindquist & Mauriel, 1989). The philosophy underlying the recommendation for site-based management addresses the concern that teachers' autonomy in the classroom has been compromised by their exclusion from the decisions that affect them. Examples of such concerns are school structure and organization, staffing needs and hiring, spending priorities, classroom management and procedures, curriculum content, and academic standards and achievement (O'Rourke, 1987). According to Lausberg (1990), the purpose of site-based management is to give the principal and instructional staff more control over the budget, personnel, and organization at the school level. The objectives, according to the same author, include greater involvement in decision-making, less imposition of state and district level rules restricting choices, and the development of innovative and creative instructional methods. It has been noted, however, that for site-based school management to succeed, it must be developed with the goal of creating a professional work environment for teachers (Conley & Bacharach, 1990). Moreover, Lindquist and Mauriel (1989) have identified three obstacles which make the translation of site-based management theory to practice a difficult one. These obstacles include problems with definitions of site-based management, the lack of motivation to delegate authority to the schools, and the "formidable requirements for time and skill that the implementation of SBM demands." With respect to the demands required for effective site-based management, Marburger (1985) has stressed the importance of the site council. The site council is the team comprised of teachers, principals, and parents who are involved in the data gathering and decision-making. It is believed that participation in decision-making by the site council, who represent school constituents, will lead to a feeling of ownership by those constituents, and hence will enhance the overall school environment and instructional effectiveness. Site-based management provides for decisions to flow up through the system rather than from the top down (Hansen, 1990). Implied in site-based management is effective decision-making. for example, Hansen (1990) points out that site-based management allows the site council to function together "in a partnership of decision-making, problem solving, and communication." Yet, research on group process and effectiveness demonstrate the need for a sense of cohesion or the attainment of the "working stage" for effective decisions to be made. Because the site council is essentially a group, it stands to reason that the process of effective decision-making would parallel the effectiveness of other groups. The need for site council to be an effective group is found in the works of Creagh & Smeltzer, 1984; Firestien, 1990; Nykdym, Ruud, & Liverpool, 1986; Wanous, Reichers & Malik, 1984. These studies point out that without skilled communicators, "quality circles" become non-productive and ineffective. While members' expectations and behaviors are focused on completing tasks involving school issues, resistance to the group process typically results from anomie, the lack of a clear purpose, and having individual schema which may not develop into a shared schema (Brower, 1989). The respectful resolution of conflicts between task completion and individualism is crucial for enabling the group to accomplish its goals. Hansen (1990) states that site-based management can be enhanced through the use of the concepts of quality circles. The primary purpose of quality circles is to involve individuals in a meaningful way to improve communication, solve problems, and make effective decisions. Therefore, the call for focusing upon improving performance through learning communication skills, fostering a practical understanding of the group process, and using influencing strategies appears justified (Smaby, Peterson, & Hovland, in press). …

Maintaining a balance in service and education in a climate of fiscal crisis.

Abstract: Doubling enrollment in the undergraduate occupational therapy programme at McMaster University was introduced in a climate of fiscal crisis. This paper will discuss the creative implementation of a Quality Circle Model in the Occupational Therapy Department at Chedoke-McMaster Hospitals, Hamilton, Ontario, which promoted concerted staff participation and self management development in light of increased student learning needs. An alternate model of Clinical Supervision was examined. The impact of this proactive, problem solving approach will be addressed and may encourage application in other occupational therapy settings.

The Concepts of Quality for Rural and Small School Decision Makers.

Abstract: This report briefly introduces the ideas of six influential individuals in the field of quality control, and relates these concepts to current educational innovations. Quality is defined by Philip B. Crosby as the result of a culture of relationships within an organization. W. Edwards Deming espouses intrinsic motivation for all employees, consistency of purpose, and consistent quality improvement. Armand V. Feigenbaum proposes integrating quality development, maintenance, and improvement efforts of groups within an organization. Kaoru Ishikawa emphasizes full participatory management. Joseph M. Juran stresses the "project approach" wherein solution schedules are developed as problems are identified. Taiichi Ohno's contribution is to eliminate waste in the deployment of people by developing teams and team leaders. The point is made that systems do not operate in isolation from their host communities. Dr. Deming's PDSA (Plan Do Study Act) cycle is used as an example of a quality process. Seven basic quality control tools and seven management and planning tools are described that help people organize and analyze facts, opinions, and political realities as part of the decision-making process. Total Quality Management is used to examine recent educational initiatives: site-based decision making, effective schools, strategic planning, outcome-based education, and contract schools. The 1993 work "Toward Quality in Education the Leaders' Odyssey," developed by the National LEADership Network study group on restructuring schools, places Deming's 14 points under 8 headings and compares varied educational innovations and initiatives in that context. The total systems approach is urged as the tie used to interface innovations and initiatives that schools and school districts adopt. This paper contains 89 references. (RAH) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** THE CONCEPTS OF QUALITY FOR RURAL AND SMALL SCHOOL DECISION MAKERSI

Developing Collaborative Insights and Skills

Abstract: In their quest for increased productivity and greater employee satisfaction and commitment, many organizations are increasingly implementing participatory management concepts such as quality circles, self-directed work teams, matrix teams, and total quality management. In whatever positions our students are eventually employed, they will undoubtedly be required to pa-rticipate in work groups. The ability of our students to work collaboratively and to interact effectively in group settings will significantly affect their career success. Modern organizations frequently involve employees at all levels in group decision-making because these organizations realize that groups generally analyze problems from a wider variety of perspectives, possess more knowledge and expertise, and offer a greater number of creative solutions than any one individual can. These organizations also realize that when employees are involved in solving problems, they are likely to be more committed to the effective implementation of the group's solutions and that the recognition and status that employees gain from participating in decision making often results in increased employee satisfaction, motivation, loyalty, and morale. In business, collaborative arrangements are used for many purposes, including analyzing problems, resolving conflicts, brainstorming, decision making, preparing presentations, and writing documents. The productivity of any group is greatly increased if individual group members * Prepare thoroughly * Share ideas willingly * Keep remarks brief and relevant * Maintain an open mind * Listen carefully * Give and receive constructive criticism willingly * Help reconcile differences of opinion * Focus on the group?s objective instead of on their own. Although the goal of most groups is to reach a consensus, the collaborative roles played by individual group members vary depending on each member's needs, personality, and status. Roles commonly played by group members were first identified by Benne and Sheats (1948). Functional and dysfunctional roles frequently played by group members include the following: FUNCTIONAL ROLES * Coordinator: ties ideas together and shows relationships among ideas. * Encourager: encourages other group members to participate. * Evaluator: offers judgments about the ideas presented to the group. * Gatekeeper: guides the flow of information among group members. * Harmonizer: tries to maintain a cooperative, productive climate; tries to resolve conflicts. * Information Giver: provides facts and opinions in areas of expertise. * Information Seeker: asks for facts and opinions from other group members. * Initiator: gets the collaborative process started. * Liaison: volunteers to obtain information hum others * outside the group. * Standard Setter: works to maintain the group!s * focus on reaching a sound decision. * Summarizer, ties loose ends together; brings closure to the discussion at various points. …

Lean Production at Suzuki and Toyota: A Historical Perspective

Abstract: Malsch criticized emerging management theories that attributed Japan's success in automobile production to alternative forms of industrial organization, including worker participation in quality circles. I Dohse et al maintained that in Japan worker "participation occurs in a controlled context in which the topics, goals, and forms of articulation are, for practical purposes, limited to company interests.t'J Despite worker participation in intellectual activities, the authors asserted, autowork in Japan retained a Fordist bias with repetitious work routines dictated by mass, assembly-line production. This critical perspective was later challenged by scholars such as Martin Kenney and Richard Florida: We contend that the social organization of production in Japan has reached a level of development that is postfordist, and we refer to this new and unique social organization of production as 'postfordist' Japan. Postfordist production replaces the task fragmentation, functional specialization, mechanization, and assembly-line principles of fordism with a social organization of production based on work teams, job rotation, learning by doing, flexible production and integrated production complexes.s Japanese production methods (or "lean production" as they have been termed and are referred to in this essay), particularly in the automobile industry, have been the subject of debate ever since and have become a focal point in comparative and international labour studies.f Do they represent a post-Fordist alternative that taps worker creativity or, alternatively, a form of "management-by-stress?" The debate

Total Quality Groups in Business: Opportunities and Challenges for Specialists in Group Work.

Abstract: Total Quality is an approach for applying group methods to identify and collectively prevent or solve specific problems related to consumer satisfaction and quality issues in businesses.

Quality circles: one organization's experience.

Abstract: Decentralization of quality assurance activity or total quality management (TQM) is a goal set by many health services. Effective and efficient use of available resources is usually the goal. This article describes the efforts of one organization to decentralize its nursing quality assurance program. Quality circles provided forums for an increasing acceptance by ward-based nurses of their role in establishing quality as central to nursing practice. This emphasis on local group processes has helped staff to work with each other to solve problems related to the work of nursing.

Achieving Focused Management Activities through Formal Performance Evaluation: Results from a Field Study

Abstract: Periodic performance evaluations are multipurpose tools for management control. Some of the benefits attributed to properly conceived and executed evaluations are: (1) accurate measurement and judging of performance; (2) bringing individual performance in harmony with organizational goals; (3) fostering the growth of the subordinate; (4) motivating desired behavior; (5) improving communication between superiors and subordinates; (6) serving as an objective basis for salary and incentive compensation, and (7) aiding in the strategic thrust of the firm (e.g., Levinson, 1970; Locke and Latham, 1990; Mount and Thompson, 1987; Stonich, 1984). This study addressed whether the existence of formal schemes for performance evaluation in eleven companies in North America was associated with the content and specificity of managers' descriptions of their regular activities. The positive answer indicates that another potential benefit of performance evaluation schemes is their influence in focusing managers' attention on specific tasks. Numerous researchers have addressed the effectiveness of performance evaluations in eliciting desired behavior or achieving the benefits for the enterprise that are thought to accrue from such activities. It is generally agreed that accuracy and objectivity of performance ratings or evaluations yield superior outcomes for individuals and organizations (Landy and Farr, 1980; Mount and Thompson, 1987; Nathan and Alexander, 1985; Smith, 1986). Other researchers have tied the benefits of accuracy and objectivity to employee perceptions of these attributes (Dipboye and de Pontbriand, 1981; Fulk et al., 1985; Greenberg, 1986; Goodson and McGee, 1990). A major body of research concerns the influence of employee participation in setting personal objectives for performance evaluation. It seems logical that the participation of employees would improve their motivation and understanding of corporate objectives and increase their acceptance of evaluations and the objectives. This would seem true particularly when goals are easily understood and communication between superior and subordinates is clear (Gehrman, 1984; Gibb, 1985; Locke et al., 1981). In the 1980s, the quality circle emerged as a popular participative technique, incorporating the idea that those closest to a job can best evaluate its problems. Studying one company, Buch and Spangler (1990) found that quality circle members received significantly better performance ratings and promotions than non-quality circle members did. Despite the intuitive appeal of these arguments, empirical evidence on this issue is not conclusive, and further research is necessary to understand the extraneous factors affecting the value of participation. When companies evaluate employee performance, corporate objectives provide logical benchmarks by which to measure the performance. Yet there may be forces that interfere with the employees' striving to achieve the corporate objectives. Expectancy theory posits that the motivation to engage in certain behavior is a multiplicative function of a person's expectations about the probable results of that behavior and the degree to which the individual desires the results (Vroom, 1964). Thus, if an employee has expectations about the outcome of personal behavior that are incongruent with corporate objectives, these expectations may confound the company's use of these objectives as a measure of performance evaluation. Further difficulties arise when there are problems with measuring achievement of objectives accurately or communicating how employee efforts are expected to lead to achievement of corporate objectives (Jagacinski, 1991). In the academic accounting literature, a body of research in budgetary control examines how over-emphasis on imperfect performance targets may generate dysfunctional consequences. Hopwood (1972), Otley (1978), and Hirst (1981) all studied accounting-based performance measures seeking to identify likely dysfunctional consequential behavior. …

Managing change to improve outpatient care

Abstract: By establishing a quality circle and involving clients it is possible to improve many aspects of outpatient care in the multidisciplinary clinic. This article describes the ramifications of change within the multidisciplinary team and offers some suggestions for setting up similar groups in the inpatient, outpatient or community setting.