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Experience shows many change initiatives fail to deliver. They do not always lead to total failure, but they get stalled, misdirected, or only partially achieve the required results. As the speed of change in the external environment increases by the minute the authors set out to identify the common success factors for managing change. The main purpose of the research was to examine the apparent gap between often seen approaches and ‘best practice’, the output being a helpful framework to support future initiatives. Senior management in 28 organisations from a variety of industries, including the public sector, were interviewed to gain their insights on how to manage change successfully. The research, which was conducted over a six-month period, examined a number of themes covering the triggers for change, planning for change, and implementing change. The forces for change, as experienced by the respondents, were also captured. A number of insights were identified through the research which showe...

In private and public sector organizations the world over, the pace of change continues to accelerate as they face the challenge of increasing competition and the demands for improved performance. Quality professionals must be in the vanguard of helping organizations increase competitiveness but they will be listened to only if they communicate what they offer in clear terms that managers and employees can identify with. Improving Performance through good Planning, better Processes and full involvement of the People should be the focus for quality professionals in the 21st Century. They will need to help develop the Commitment needed, provide essential Communication and change the Culture in many organizations for this to become a reality. A new model is presented here, based on many man-years of research, executive management development and case study experience.

The need for better development and investigation of linkages between TQM and management theory has frequently been cited in recent literature. In this paper, the authors investigate the implementation of business excellence using ideas from the broader field of management theory. The aim of the research described here was to examine whether the successful implementation of business excellence is influenced by the organizational context within which the implementation takes place. The organizational context was defined by issues of leadership, strategy, structure and technology. Business excellence implementation success was defined by organizationally referenced indicators of outcome improvement and process difficulty. The study concluded that organizations that have simple and informal organizational structures will encounter fewer problems when implementing business excellence than organisations with complex and formal organizational structures.

This paper presents the results of several man-years' work to identify and understand best practice under the criteria and sub-criteria of the EFQM Excellence Model. A new implementa-tion framework for the Excellence Model, based on a value chain, is used to show how organizations, from both the public and private sectors, have addressed the requirements of the Model to bring about excellent performance. There are short illustrations of best practice under each of the criteria, together with an analysis of how successful organizations achieve total quality through feedback, learning and innovation.

This article reviews the literature on business process reengineering (BPR) and explores its linkages with total quality management (TQM). This history of the development, ideals, beliefs, values, knowledge, means of implementation, and techniques invol..

This paper focuses on customer satisfaction as a central element of the total quality management (TQM ) philosophy. It examines the problems of measuring this important facet of corporate activity, and reviews various techniques in the literature for building a customer orientation into organizational operations, particularly customer satisfaction surveys. The research described takes the form of an interview-based survey of ten well-established TQM organizations, all of which are members of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM ), which was designed to identify best practice in customer service. Analysis of the interviews showed that the use of customer satisfaction surveys was widespread and a key technique for listening to the customer. All the organizations were committed to proactive measures, rather than relying on reactive and delayed methods, such as complaint analysis.

Looks at the construction industry’s approach to quality management by focusing on the sector of civil and structural engineering consulting, with an in‐depth study of one company in particular. Examines the premiss that the industry does not really understand total quality management, but merely considers the management of quality to be the gaining of BS 5750 registration. The study was carried out on a literature review and interview basis in six offices of a multi‐disciplinary firm of consulting engineers. Comparison of the case study findings with Oakland’s model for TQM and the literature review provide a résumé of the current status of understanding and management of quality in construction.

Part One The Foundations of TQM Understanding quality Models and frameworks for total quality management Leadership and commitment Part Two Planning Policy, strategy and goal deployment Partnerships and resources Design for quality Part Three Performance Performance measurement frameworks Self-assessment, audits and reviews Benchmarking Part Four Processes Process management Process redesign/ engineering Quality management system Continuous improvement Part Five People 14 Human resource management Culture change through teamwork Communications, innovation and learning Part Six Implementation Implementing TQM

Reviews the literature dealing with the nature and characteristics of service and applies it to 30 selected services with the objective of synthesizing a classification scheme to recognize operational similarities between services. This has the purpose of enabling learning by comparison of services which would normally be thought of as being different, and also to enable examination of service quality in the other two articles completing the series. Some of the reasons given for the growth of services are found to be the provision of new services, the possibilities created by new technology, the development of producer services and introduction and emphasis of services to differentiate and augment goods products. Given the resultant diversity of service the Standard Industrial Classification is a poor indicator of service content. In what ways should service be studied? One view is that study should be unified and theories developed which are capable of embracing both goods and services. A second view is that distinctions need to be studied to avoid any assumption that theories and approaches developed in a manufactured goods context automatically can be applied to services. In contrast to both of these, what actually happens in many services is that they are often developed and staffed by people who have little direct experience of, and have no accessible means of building on, the successful approaches taken by other services. Uses several of the theoretical and empirical ways in which services have been categorized to classify the range of services. Resolves subjective assessment of labour intensity, contact, interaction, tailoring, intangibility, and recipient into five groups –personal, shop, professional, mass and factory services – which partially confirms but also extends earlier classification schemes.

Although quality improvement is being sought, and total quality management is being applied in the service sector, the majority of applications which have been described are in environments similar to manufacturing in some important respects. Some of the cases are, nevertheless, concerned with issues such as: seeking to achieve better service by programmes to shape employee behaviour, encouraging attention to the customer’s requirements, and coping with the inherent variability engendered by interaction between employees and customers; and as such are particularly relevant to the distinctly “service” aspects of businesses. As a precursor to improving service quality it is necessary to be able to define and measure quality in that context. Research which seeks to show that consumers’ perceptions of service quality are based on the difference between their actual experience of the service and what they expected form a platform for both definition and measurement. Reviews the models of service quality which have been built on this concept, along with work which has shown that consumers take into account several factors, not just one, when deciding about quality. Describes some of the dimensions of service quality along with scales which have been developed for their measurement. This is all in preparation for application in a survey to evaluate perceptions of services with differing characteristics, which is described in the final article in this series.

A range of process capability indices is widely used to measure process performance. The simplicity of the formulae for these capability indices is both a strength and a weakness. The underlying assumptions behind capability indices are frequently overlooked. Capability studies usually result in single point estimates which may result in misleading assessments of process performance. Point estimates ignore sampling error, and safer estimates can be obtained by constructing confidence intervals. The construction of confidence intervals is considered in some detail. Testing or measurement variability give rise to additional uncertainty in process capability assessments. Inaccurate assessments of process performance can result if the basic assumptions and sources of uncertainty are overlooked.

Further discussion is provided on the findings of a postal questionnaire survey on current production management practices, reviewed in Part I. Recommendations are also made for a proactive approach by companies to improve their production management through the development and introduction of performance indicators and to improve the efficiency of the company by the use of appropriate production management techniques. Once a written outline of objectives, programme of work, timing and reporting mechanisms is in place, a management representative responsible for production is to be appointed. Overall, the findings suggest that a more professional approach is required to production management in the UK.

In this first of a two‐part series, the methodology for the research is described. This took the form of a postal questionnaire carried out in conjunction with the Institute of Industrial Managers to establish the current situation. The results were compared with a similar study carried out in 1980. Work on the questionnaire was supplemented by a series of interviews and in‐company work. This included measurement of the movement of materials through the system and machine utilisation, the results and conclusions from which are presented. Part II of the series proposes a methodology for sustained improvement of production management systems.

Process capability indices are key measures in the context of never-ending improvement in quality. The capability of a process and the effectiveness of control charts are directly related. For samples of size 2 or greater, a Cpk value of 2 ensures that the control chart gives an immediate warning of the potential danger of producing material outside the specification following a shift in the process mean. Capability studies usually result in single point estimates for Cp and Cpk. This ignores sampling variation. More useful estimates can be obtained by constructing confidence intervals for Cp and Cpk. Evaluation of process capbility is relatively easy when a single variable describes the process. However, most processes are multivariate in nature and this makes it difficult to assess the overall capability of the process.

Experience shows many change initiatives fail to deliver. They are not always a total failure, but they get stalled, misdirected, or only partially achieve the required results. As the speed of change in the external environment increases by the minute, the authors set out to identify the common success factors for managing change. The main purpose of the research reported in this paper was to examine the apparent gap between often seen approaches and 'best practice', the output being a helpful framework to support future initiatives. This led to an Organisational Change Framework being developed, based on the experience of many organisations.

This paper presents some of the results of a large survey on the usage of work study techniques in British manufacturing industry. Detailed comparisons are made between various sizes of companies, companies of different nationality of ownership—particularly American vs British—and the types of company surveyed. The results reveal that, in spite of available knowledge, industry in the UK makes surprisingly low use of work study and that usage is significantly higher in American owned companies than British ones. Comments are made with respect to the improvements required in the teaching of work study.

The work described in this paper is part of a large study of the barriers to acceptance of production management techniques in UK manufacturing industry. The first part of this study is described, it:(i) establishes the use being made of proven traditional techniques of production management and operational research/statistical techiques by British production managers; and (ii) begins to investigate the barriers to acceptance of the techniques. The results reveal that in industry in the UK there is low usage of many of the techniques, particularly the highly quantitative techniques. The major barrier preventing usage of the techniques is lack of knowledge; training in production management has been found to be an extremely important factor in the usage of all the techniques examined.

The work described in this paper is part of a large, Government-funded investigation into the usage of statistical methods of quality control (SQC) in British manufacturing industry. This paper reports the results of an investigation of fifteen firms which claimed in earlier work to be successful users of SQC. It is shown that six of the companies were in fact not regularly using recognized SQC techniques. Some general conclusions are drawn from the activities of these, and the remaining nine companies which were examined in detail.

This paper presents the results of the second part of a study into the “barriers to acceptance of production management techniques in UK manufacturing industry”. The results of a telephone survey and detailed in‐company work carried out with seven manufacturing companies are presented. The important factors contributing to the successful usage of the techniques and concepts are discussed in detail and a proposed methodology for widening the application of techniques is outlined.

This paper presents the results of a detailed study of the practice and management of quality control in the chemical manufacturing industry. A questionnaire survey formed the first part of the investigation, which reveals that this sector of industry makes surprisingly low use of statistical quality control techniques. Information on the organization and operation of QC suggests that the industry has well documented analysis procedures and collects large volumes of data. It is pointed out, however, that statistically valid interpretation and use of this material, particularly in process control, is not prevalent.

The first stage of a research project concerned with an examination of the practice of quality management in the textile industry is described. It deals with the results of a postal questionnaire survey, which indicate that in some areas quality management in this industry is less well developed than in others. The findings confirm that the implementation of documented quality systems influences performance in other areas of quality management. As might be expected, the larger textile factories and/or companies have the best quality assurance and suggestions are made regarding the improvements necessary in smaller companies.

In this article are presented the basic strategies which should be adopted by manufacturing for trouble shooting and process improvement studies. Much work is needed to encourage the usage of these techniques and it is here that the quality assurance professional may be able to exert strong influence and to assist in the training and educational programme which will be required.

The work described in this paper is part of a large investigation of the usage of statistical methods of quality control (SQC) in British manufacturing industry. The introduction provides a review of previous work, which revealed that industry in the UK makes surprisingly little use of SQC techniques. These results were so striking that a further investigation was initiated to discover: (i) the ‘barriers to acceptance’ of SQC (ii) a methodology for its successful implementation This paper describes the first phase of this work, which was aimed at discovering the reasons for the low usage of SQC. In summary, the major barrier preventing companies from introducing SQC is lack of knowledge. Whilst this was often not the first reason given, much circumstantial evidence from questionnaires and direct evidence from interviews suggests that decisions are often taken on the basis of very little or no knowledge. Clearly, there is an urgent need to increase awareness and knowledge of SQC.

This paper deals with the part that education and training plays in the achievement of quality. The initial section examines the role of the Government sponsored Directory of Quality Training and Education in the U.K. and the aims of the National Quality Campaign. It assesses how successful the courses outlined in the Directory might be in providing sufficient stimulus for a change in attitude towards quality within industry particulraly with regard to satisfying the identified aims of the campaign. The conclusions that are drawn as a result indicate that there are several problems that need to be resolved before progress can be assured. The final section details what progress has already been made in the pursuit of improved quality and looks at various alternative methods of education and training that have been proposed to aid the process of change.

This paper presents the results of a large survey on the usage of computers, as a basis for programmable or routine decisions, by the production management function within the UK. Detailed comparisons are made between small and large companies of different nationality of ownership, companies in different Standard Industrial Classification categories, and the types of company surveyed. Particular attention is drawn to the size of computer used and comments are made with respect to the finding of low usage of micro-computers by production managers in small firms.

This article describes the systematic approach which has been used in the management of the quality of service produced in several large international banks. A useful concept of the social, technical and managerial aspects of operations management is introduced to provide a framework for the management of quality in banking. A description of systematic quality management in practice shows how the ideas of Management by Responsibility and Self-Audit Programmes have been used successfully to reduce considerably both audit criticisms and losses written off.

In any country which relies heavily on manufacturing for a healthy economy, its production managers constitute a major asset. Yet a recent study has revealed that the qualifications and ambitions of production managers are lower than those of other managers in other functions. More disturbing still, is the low level of usage of operations management techniques and concepts in Britain. Indeed, if British manufacturing industry is to survive, let alone succeed, much needs to be done to improve the education, training and status of the production manager in the UK.

In his original work on the use of control charts, Shewhart distinguished between a long running known process and a new, untried process. In the latter case, the control limits are obtained from the sample data. If the process variability increases during the sampling period, the control limits will widen, reducing the sensitivity of the standard deviation and range charts and producing charts which are in control for out-of-control situations. Simulations were produced to investigate this problem through the eyes of the operator. Cusum procedures were used to provide the operator with a means of controlling process variability which is more sensitive to change than the control chart alone. The method was applied to data taken from an industrial situation.

This paper examines the relationships between high technology in manufacturing and production management in Britain against a background of existing knowledge. A review of the research carried out on organization, utilisation of resources, and the state of production management in the U.K. shows that there is an urgent need for improvements in the management of the conversion process before anything approaching full advantage can be taken of new or high technology. Some comparisons are made between British- and American-owned companies. The concluding sections of the paper are directed at the type of future research which should be carried out if the improvements are to be achieved. The emphasis must be on “action research” with measurements being made on a dynamic system which will change in response to its being studied.