We must not only ask ourselves what is happening, but also what has happened and what will stop with Quality Management. How many companies really apply Quality Management? How many managers are aware of its importance? How many entrepreneurs and managers know what TQM is? What is the level of training of the personnel in the companies regarding quality? How many companies systematically calculate and analyze their quality costs?
How many companies concentrate their efforts on prevention and quality assurance? How many have the Statistical Process Control implemented?
Undoubtedly, the percentage of responses in one sense or another will depend on the cultural, social and economic framework in which the company has engaged. There will always be companies that, despite the characteristics of their environment, show a commitment to excellence.
The framework is the result to a greater or lesser extent of state policies, the design of study plans, the usual work ethic in a given society, the leadership, commitment and awareness of its entrepreneurs and managers, the positions for the future on the part of the chambers, associations and employers' federations, as well as professional associations and unions.
From studies and research carried out, it can be concluded that a high percentage of university students, professionals and company managers do not fully understand the meaning or philosophy of Total Quality Management. They are unaware of the intimate relationships of quality with costs, finances and marketing, in addition to considering that quality depends largely on purely statistical or motivational issues. Another very common aspect is what we could call the "tracing effect"; whereby managers tend to copy verbatim and in detail the different methodologies offered by the consulting market.
A good example of the "tracing effect" is the case of those companies that wanting to implement the Six Sigma system, put aside their philosophical, cultural and methodological aspects, to enter more into those related to the number of black or green belts, among other issues. It should be borne in mind since Six Sigma is part of the previously developed systems, making use of its tools and methods. The question is to understand the real meaning of the Six Sigma system, adapting and using the tools, mechanisms and methods most appropriate to the type of companies, their characteristics, size and financial capacity.
It will be useless to apply new methods if there is no real change in the company's culture, in the perceptions and paradigms of its leaders, and in the values that shape the way of thinking and feeling of its managers and employees.
Awareness, committed leadership, cultural change, staff motivation, quality of life at work, and applied creativity, are the fundamental aspects around which a quality program will or will not be successful.
If the staff cannot obtain economic improvements from their best work, while injustice in terms of rewards and punishments spreads in the company, the best intentions will end up crumbling. Putting the best of oneself every day just to survive, without seeing the feasibility of a better present and future generates a decline in the will to put the best of oneself and put creativity at the service of the company.
Both the financial aspect and the recognition are important in motivation. At a minimum there should be a monetary recognition. It is useless to receive recognition, if for the work only congratulations are received but the economic benefits are taken by others. Much worse is even when the staff does not receive recognition, improvement or monetary award, often the supervisor is left with such awards.
When the willpower of the workers breaks down, they will stop putting their best efforts at the service of the company. It should always be remembered that a worker can be forced to work certain hours, but never to be creative. If we want creativity we must recognize the creative and innovative capacities of the staff.
Preventing problems, improving quality levels and solving or solving problems require the individual and collective creativity of all staff. This requires the maximum commitment, and for there to be commitment there must be participation. This includes profit sharing.
Many consultants, who have become such good, left the faculty and never had to experience working in the sectors of a company, believe that it is enough to give the worker the possibility of putting their creativity at the service of the company, because in such a way Thanks to the possibility of development, it will put everything of itself to put all its capacities at the service of the company.
When a worker putting the best of himself, works, works, works and works, without obtaining any monetary result, or when the one that obtains does not compare with the results obtained, or more with the benefits obtained by his superiors, it inevitably tends to decrease their commitment and euphoria.
Motivation always maintains a strong degree of correlation with what happens in the employee's environment both inside and outside the company for which he works. Thus, if he perceives a better pay and work environment outside the company, he will try to leave or else his demotivation will be such that his productivity will gradually drop to the minimum necessary to survive in the company without taking risks.
Failure to understand it on the part of managers and consultants is what leads to the failure of most of the implementation plans of the most diverse systems.
Without a cultural change with which the fears and fears of punishment are ended, there will never be real and exact measurements of the functioning of the system. The workers will tend to hide as far as possible the result of the measurements carried out for fear of punishment, when what has to happen is a totally reliable communication of personnel data to their superiors and from the latter to the former. The objective must be clear and precise, improve performance to achieve competitive excellence, which will benefit consumers, and as a consequence, in greater profits for the owners, managers and employees of the company.
Achieving maximum creativity requires not only monetary motivation and recognition, but also an optimal workplace and conditions for training, research and innovation. Destroying the paradigms and removing the barriers that impede creativity constitute one of the main tasks of the new leader. Leader who will have to ensure the management of change and continuous learning.
We have moved from an industrial age to an age of knowledge, so companies cannot afford to waste the knowledge, experiences and creative capacity of their staff.
With managerial commitment, leadership, a better attitude for motivation, an authentic and radical cultural change that improves trust between the parties, and a policy that encourages creativity, total quality may be feasible and consistent over time. Failure to do so leads to anomie, lack of interest, and lack of drive.
Believing that a quality system can be implemented, without taking into account the aforementioned aspects is a mere chimera. It's throwing money away and lying to yourself. As in the case of diabetes, it is not enough to try a new drug, or change foods, a radical change of attitude is essential first.
Entrepreneurs must know that their market share depends on quality, and the profitability of their company in the medium and long term depends on it. Companies that have understood this are reaping their results day by day. The basis of value is in quality, which makes it possible to ask for higher prices and lower costs, creating the basis for a truly competitive company.
Today when competition has become globalized, continuing with the paradigms and attitudes of bygone eras is no longer valid or feasible. Managing learning and creativity that enable systematic continuous improvement in quality and productivity levels are essential.
How it was possible to observe what was developed, it is not only about making measurements and making graphs, but primarily about changing the way of seeing and perceiving the business and the operation of the company, taking real awareness that those who end up making quality are the workers, but that the leaders are responsible for the design and operation of the system.
