Search results

The main goal of the work presented here is the study and comparative analysis of the changes that take place in the structure of organizations when managers decide to establish work teams in the context of quality management. It can be observed that team characteristics change and adapt to evolving management programs.

The authors selected a qualitative research method, in particular the case study methodology. The comparative analysis of organizational changes was analyzed in three different business units that had implanted advanced quality management programs using work teams.

There is a relationship between the quality management approach and the degree of integration of the teams into the organizational structure; when the quality approach is an advanced TQM approach, teams are more integrated into the organizational structure. Results show that a reduction of hierarchical levels in the organizational structures favors the integration of work teams and vice versa. It also facilitates effective development of the teams.

As a result of the findings, supervision should be reduced and a great deal of autonomy and resources should be assigned to teams. In any case, the existence of linkage positions (a leader or facilitator that forms a part of the team) makes the required supervision easier and more flexible.

The paper shows that significant organizational changes requiring different uses of design variables can be obtained with the simultaneous establishment of TQM programs and work teams. The paper is relevant to managers attempting to use teams as an effective asset for obtaining the competitive advantage of their firms.

Examines the literature relating to the implementation of quality assurance systems and then uses a questionnaire to a number of organisations and consultants to compare “practice” with “theory”. Analyses the implementation process for quality assurance systems designed to meet the requirements of the ISO 9000 standard to identify the role of the different “actors” to find out which factors facilitate the implementation or make it more difficult. Suggests that the primary motivation for introducing ISO 9000 systems is to improve image and reputation rather than processes.

The primary objective of the paper is to present the role and meaning of fear in organizations implementing TQM. The author's intention is to identify the causes of fear in the TQM components as well as the main types of fear, their causes, consequences and methods of reduction.

The main research method applied is a systematic review of the literature on the subject. The applied systematic review procedure takes into consideration the indicated research objective, the selection of the basic literature and publications, the presentation of the publication database and content analysis. The author also makes use of his own observations ensuing from his acting in the capacity of a TQM consultant and a juror of the Polish Quality Award.

The paper presents the causes of fear in the TQM components, the main types of fear and its consequences. The limited possibilities of eliminating fear are also indicated. Fear appears when, for various reasons, TQM is improperly implemented and maintained, but also when resources are allocated incorrectly (e.g. a wrong selection of quality team members), and it is included in social processes (e.g. in the quality team forming process). It appears when only structural empowerment rather than mental empowerment is applied, when there exist contradictory expectations with regard to empowerment, in case of excessive and/or “have to” commitment in particular employees, and when too much emphasis is placed on commitment.

The reflections included in the paper may become useful for quality management practitioners, as such knowledge allows them to avoid mistakes which are the cause of fear, that is an emotion making quality improvement difficult. The paper does not present the manifestations and sources of fear in all TQM components, and they are certainly included in a broadly understood quality culture. Nevertheless, the gathered and arranged knowledge can be the source of further research.

Being the result of the studies of the literature on the subject, this paper is one of few publications discussing in a detailed manner one of the principles of effective quality management formulated by E. Deming, namely “driving fear out”.