Total Quality Management ("TQM")

The correct answer is **(d) Profit Maximization**. While TQM can lead to increased profitability, it's not a core principle itself. The focus is on quality and customer satisfaction, which ultimately lead to positive financial outcomes.

The correct answer is **(c) To formally express the organization's commitment to quality**. A Quality Policy acts as a public statement outlining the organization's values and dedication to quality, guiding its actions and decisions.

The correct answer is **(a) Pareto Analysis**. This tool helps identify the most significant quality issues by analyzing the frequency of their occurrence, allowing for focused improvement efforts.

The correct answer is **(d) It encourages employees to actively contribute to quality improvement initiatives.** Empowered employees feel valued and more invested in the success of the organization, leading to more effective quality initiatives.

The correct answer is **(c) Increased customer satisfaction**. TQM prioritizes meeting and exceeding customer expectations, leading to increased loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

Here's a possible plan to address the issue using TQM principles:

1. Identifying the root cause:

• Data Collection: Gather data on customer complaints, including details about the faulty components, the time of failure, and the manufacturing processes involved.
• Pareto Analysis: Use Pareto Analysis to identify the most frequent types of defects and the processes contributing the most to these defects.
• Ishikawa Diagram (Fishbone Diagram): Create a cause-and-effect diagram to explore potential causes of the defects, including:
  • People (operator skills, training)
  • Materials (quality of raw materials, supplier issues)
  • Machines (equipment malfunction, maintenance)
  • Methods (process design, work instructions)
  • Environment (temperature, humidity, cleanliness)

2. Developing a strategy:

3. Implementing changes:

• Improve employee training: Enhance training programs to ensure operators have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their tasks correctly.
• Upgrade equipment: Investigate and replace outdated or malfunctioning equipment.
• Implement quality control measures at critical points in the process: Use SPC to monitor key process variables and identify deviations early.
• Strengthen supplier relationships: Establish clear quality standards with suppliers and implement a supplier auditing system.
• Review and update work instructions: Ensure processes are clearly defined and documented.

4. Monitoring and evaluation:

• Track customer complaints: Monitor the number and type of complaints to see if the plan is effective.
• Measure defect rates: Track the number of defective components produced and identify trends over time.
• Review process data: Use SPC data to analyze process stability and identify areas for improvement.
• Conduct regular audits: Conduct periodic audits to ensure compliance with quality standards and procedures.
• Gather feedback from employees: Seek input from employees involved in the process to understand their perspectives and identify any barriers to improvement.

Remember: This is a general framework. The specific steps and tools you use will depend on the nature of the problem, the industry, and the organization's resources. By applying TQM principles, you can create a structured approach to improve quality, reduce defects, and increase customer satisfaction.