3/28/2015

ApplyingTotalQualityManagementInAcademics

ApplyingTotalQualityManagementInAcademics
DheerajMehrotra 1
TheconceptofTotalQualityManagement(TQM)wasdevelopedbyanAmerican,W.EdwardsDeming,afterWorldWarIIforimprovingtheproductionqualityof
goodsandservices.TheconceptwasnottakenseriouslybyAmericansuntiltheJapanese,whoadopteditin1950toresurrecttheirpostwarbusinessand
industry,usedittodominateworldmarketsby1980.BythenmostU.S.manufacturershadfinallyacceptedthatthenineteenthcenturyassemblylinefactory
modelwasoutdatedforthemodernglobaleconomicmarkets.
TheconceptofTQMisapplicabletoacademics.ManyeducatorsbelievethattheDemingsconceptofTQMprovidesguidingprinciplesforneedededucational
reform.Inhisarticle,TheQualityRevolutioninEducation,JohnJayBonstingloutlinestheTQMprincipleshebelievesaremostsalienttoeducationreform.He
callsthemtheFourPillarsofTotalQualityManagement.

Principle#1:SynergisticRelationships
Accordingtothisprinciple,anorganizationmustfocus,firstandforemost,onitssuppliersandcustomers.InaTQMorganization,everyoneisbothacustomer
andsupplierthisconfusingconceptemphasizesthesystematicnatureoftheworkinwhichallareinvolved.Inotherwords,teamworkandcollaborationare
essential.Traditionally,educationhasbeenpronetoindividualanddepartmentalisolation.However,accordingtoBonstingl,thisoutdatedpracticenolonger
servesus:WhenIclosetheclassroomdoor,thosekidsaremine!isanotiontoonarrowtosurviveinaworldinwhichteamworkandcollaborationresultin
highqualitybenefitsforthegreatestnumberofpeople.TheveryapplicationofthefirstpillarofTQMtoeducationemphasizesthesynergisticrelationship
betweenthesuppliersandcustomers.Theconceptofsynergysuggeststhatperformanceandproductionisenhancedbypoolingthetalentandexperience
ofindividuals.
Inaclassroom,teacherstudentteamsaretheequivalentofindustrysfrontlineworkers.Theproductoftheirsuccessfulworktogetheristhedevelopmentofthe
studentscapabilities,interests,andcharacter.Inonesense,thestudentistheteacherscustomer,astherecipientofeducationalservicesprovidedforthe
studentsgrowthandimprovement.Viewedinthisway,theteacherandtheschoolaresuppliersofeffectivelearningtools,environments,andsystemstothe
student,whoistheschoolsprimarycustomer.Theschoolisresponsibleforprovidingforthelongtermeducationalwelfareofstudentsbyteachingthemhowto
learnandcommunicateinhighqualityways,howtoaccessqualityintheirownworkandinthatofothers,andhowtoinvestintheirownlifelongandlifewide
learningprocessesbymaximizingopportunitiesforgrowthineveryaspectofdailylife.Inanothersense,thestudentisalsoaworker,whoseproductis
essentiallyhisorherowncontinuousimprovementandpersonalgrowth.

Principle#2:ContinuousImprovementandSelfEvaluation
ThesecondpillarofTQMappliedtoeducationisthetotaldedicationtocontinuousimprovement,personallyandcollectively.WithinaTotalQualityschool
setting,administratorsworkcollaborativelywiththeircustomers:teachers.GonearethevestigesofScientificmanagementwhosewatchwordswere
compliance,controlandcommand.Thefoundationsforthissystemwerefear,intimidation,andanadversarialapproachtoproblemsolving.Todayitisinour
bestinteresttoencourageeveryonespotentialbydedicatingourselvestothecontinualimprovementofourownabilitiesandthoseofthepeoplewithwhomwe
workandlive.TotalQualityis,essentially,awinwinapproachwhichworkstoeveryonesultimateadvantage.
AccordingtoDeming,nohumanbeingshouldeverevaluateanotherhumanbeing.Therefore,TQMemphasizesselfevaluationaspartofacontinuous
improvementprocess.Inaddition,thisprinciplealsolaminatestothefocusingonstudentsstrengths,individuallearningstyles,anddifferenttypesof
intelligences.

Principle#3:ASystemofOngoingProcess
ThethirdpillarofTQMasappliedinacademicsistherecognitionoftheorganizationasasystemandtheworkdonewithintheorganizationmustbeseenasan
ongoingprocess.Theprimaryimplicationofthisprincipleisthatindividualstudentsandteachersarelesstoblameforfailurethanthesysteminwhichthey
work.Qualityspeakstoworkingonthesystem,whichmustbeexaminedtoidentifyandeliminatetheflawedprocessesthatallowitsparticipantstofail.Since
systemsaremadeupofprocesses,theimprovementsmadeinthequalityofthoseprocesseslargelydeterminethequalityoftheresultingproduct.Inthenew
paradigmoflearning,continualimprovementoflearningprocessesbasedonlearningoutcomesreplacestheoutdatedteachandtestmode.

Principle#4:Leadership
ThefourthTQMprincipleappliedtoeducationisthatthesuccessofTQMistheresponsibilityoftopmanagement.Theschoolteachersmustestablishthe
contextinwhichstudentscanbestachievetheirpotentialthroughthecontinuousimprovementthatresultsfromteachersandstudentsworkingtogether.
Teacherswhoemphasizecontentarealiteracyandprinciplecenteredteachingprovidetheleadership,framework,andtoolsnecessaryforcontinuous
improvementinthelearningprocess.
Accordingtothepracticalevidences,theTQMprincipleshelptheschoolsinfollowingclauses:
(a)Redefinetherole,purposeandresponsibilitiesofschools.

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ApplyingTotalQualityManagementInAcademics

(b)Improveschoolsasawayoflife.
(c)Plancomprehensiveleadershiptrainingforeducatorsatalllevels.
(d)Createstaffdevelopmentthataddressestheattitudesandbeliefsofschoolstaff.
(e)Useresearchandpracticebasedinformationtoguidebothpolicyandpractice.
(f)Designcomprehensivechilddevelopmentinitiativesthatcutacrossavarietyofagenciesandinstitutions.
Inordertoachievetheaboveasopportunitiestotheacademicscenario,inadditiontopatience,participatorymanagementamongwelltrainedandeducated
partnersiscrucialtothesuccessofTQMineducationeveryoneinvolvedmustunderstandandbelieveinprinciples.Somepersonnelwhoarecommittedtothe
principlescanfacilitatesuccesswithTQM.Theirvisionandskillsinleadership,management,interpersonalcommunication,problemsolvingandcreative
cooperationareimportantqualitiesforsuccessfulimplementationofTQM.

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Tags:academics,TQM

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Itisgoodforacademicimprovements
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