Total quality management (TQM) at the University Centers

by Wilson, Marya L.

~ilson, Marya L. (Writer) (Last Name) (First Name) (Middle Initial) Total Quality Management (TQM) at the University Centers (Title) Management Technology Dr. Sheryl Johnson May 2006 47 (Graduate Program) (Research Advisor) (Month~Year) (# of Pages) American Psychological Association, 5thedition (Name of Style Manual Used in this Study) The University Centers is looking for a quality management system that will ensure the highest level of customer service while providing a process that allows for employee participation with high levels of enthusiasm by the staff. Through TQM, the University Centers will show an increase of participation in their quality management system while improving morale for quality systems and improvement through training of basic quality management systems. The University Centers started with an IS0 9000:2000 quality system implementation and moved into a TQM based quality management system with the hopes of a more positive experience. The literature review provided an informational background on quality systems, TQM history, benefits, and negatives, and IS0 9000 history, benefits, and negatives. The goal of the literature review is to provide a well rounded discussion and review of quality systems in general and two programs used worldwide with success and failure. The data collected did not reveal a higher level of participation in continuous improvement projects but did find some benefits of both the IS0 9000 and TQM quality systems. It also did not ensure higher levels of customer service. The results, however, did show that the staff at the University Centers would like to participate and improve professional training and development, implement stronger measures, goals, and objectives, and implement a usable continuous improvement program. These areas of improvement all fall in line with major themes and ideas of a TQM based system.