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Essay / Total Quality Management: Improving Quality in a Business
Gurus of the total quality management discipline like Deming, Juran, Crosby, Ishikawa and Feigenbaum have defined the concept in different ways, but the essence and the spirit remained the same. According to Deming, quality is a process of continuous quality improvement toward a predictable degree of uniformity and reliability. Deming also identified 14 quality management principles to improve organizational productivity and performance. Juran defined quality as “fitness for purpose.” According to him, every person in the organization must be involved in efforts to make products or services fit for purpose. Crosby defines quality as conformance to requirements. He focused on zero defects and doing things right the first time. Ishikawa also emphasized the importance of total quality control to improve organizational performance. According to him, quality not only means the quality of the product, but also the quality of after-sales service, the quality of management, the quality of the company itself and human life. Feigenbaum defined total quality as a continuous work process, starting with the customer's requirements and ending with those of the customer.