TQM PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

TQM PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION (THE ZOPP APPROACH)

With the emerging trend of liberalization and globalization, the Indian Industry has felt the need for improving the quality of its products and services in order to remain competitive and in many cases, to survive.

The philosophy of TQM, integrating all activities in an organization coupled with a customer centred focus, is seen by management world wide as a well knit and simple system to enhance competitiveness.

Keeping this in mind several organization in India have shown great enthusiasm to implement TQM. But what is lacking is a systematic approach for its implementation.

In this regard the ZOPP approach provides a new concept which has been successfully applied by many international organizations during the last several years. ZOPP is a pragmatic approach which is based on the belief that:

“The Right Approach to TQM is not the Deming approach or

the Crosby approach or the Juran Approach.

The three wise men are indeed wise but ultimately

the best approach is YOUR APPROACH”. (By Scott Sink)

ZOPP is the acronym of the German term ZIEL ORENTIERTE PROJECT PLANNING which translates to Goal Oriented Project Planning.

ZOPP is a simple method which helps a TQM Planner to plan the various activities along with a group of senior executives from within his own organization with the consultant only as a facilitator.

This method is very similar to the Hoshin planning method used by Japanese organizations. Though there are several modern concepts such as JIT, KAIZEN, Re-Engineering, Bench Marking etc. only a systematic planning approach can help an organization to fit these concepts / tools into the TQM Programme.

The ZOPP method adopts a systematic and participative approach in which all employees responsible for TQM implementation are involved right from the planning stage. This method emphasizes permanent visualization and documentation of the plan. It also ensures a consistent train of though and procedure, and an uniform understanding of the terms used. It thus facilitates communication and cooperation between all parties involved. It helps to clarify the scope of responsibility of TQM participants and also provides a basis for monitoring and evaluation.

AN OVER VIEW OF ZOPP :

a. Feature of ZOPP:

Zopp as the following given features are makes it an excellent planning tool.

It is a gradual procedure through a sequence of successive planning steps.
It ensures permanent visualization and documentation of all planning steps.
It adopts a team approach. The planning team consists of representatives of all significant parties involved in the TQM planning and implementation process
It adopts the method of brainstorming to elicit ideas effectively from all members of the planning team.

b. Steps of ZOPP :

The ZOPP method consists of the following steps:

Participation Analysis
Problem and opportunities analysis
Objectives analysis
Analysis of alternatives
TQM Planning matrix

1. Participation Analysis:

Planners in a TQM planning exercise need to have an overview of the Environment in which the organization is operating in order to develop an effective TQM plan. The participation analysis helps to identify all persons, groups, organizations institutions etc. who would be involved in TQM Planning and implementation. The participation analysis helps to identify and document the interest, expectation and roles of all significant players in TQM Implementation.

2. Problems and Opportunities Analysis:

In developing a systematic TQM plan an organization has to clearly identify its problems and opportunities and arrange them in a logical manner, so that they can be tackled systematically. The problems and opportunities analysis helps the TQM planning group to identify all major problems and opportunities so as to ensure that none of them are overlooked during the planning process. This step also helps the planners to visualize the cause and effects relationship in the form of a problem tree.

3. Objectives Analysis:

In this step all problems and opportunities identified are transformed into objectives i.e. a description of the new situation that will be achieve by solving the problems or utilizing the opportunities. The step helps to identify potential alternate strategies to be adopted for TQM Implementation.

4. Alternatives Analysis:

In any organization planning to implement TQM, there are always constraints on resources such as money, manpower, time etc. Any TQM effort should begin to show results within a reasonable time to as otherwise there is always the possibility of the organization as a whole losing interest in TQM implementation . This step helps the organization to identify alternate strategies and plan an effective over all strategy with the available resources.

5. TQM Planning Matrix:

The TQM Planning Matrix provided a one page summary of why the TQM effort is being carried out, what is the expected out come of these efforts, how the organization is to achieve this, and which external factors are crucial for the successful implementation of TQM. The TQM planning matrix also provides a basis for monitoring and evaluation of the progress of TQM implementation through a set of quantitative indicators.

The TQM planning matrix are provides a one age summary of the TQM plan for your organization which can be further broken down at each divisional, departmental, section, and individual level. This is called the plan of operation. This plan of operation gives in detail all the activities required for achieving an objective (eg).. If an organization is going in far ISO- 9000 certification, the plan of operation would identify and describe activities such as formation of management review Committee, the documentation of the various processes, conducting Internal quality audits, Identification of Certifying Agency, etc.

The plan of operation also gives other details such as the responsibility for individual activities, the time scale for completion (GANTT Chart), resources, manpower etc.

Developing the TQM Plan for an organization:

Developing a strategy for TQM implementation in any organization involves the following steps.

1. Identification of the Planning team :

The TQM Planning team in an organization should consist of executives with a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives. It would be worthwhile of provides these people adequate inputs on TQM to make the planning process meaningful. The Planning groups should consist of senior executives who are in a position to ensure implementation. They should also to committed and should have the authority to allocate to required resources for the TQM effort. People with an ISO-9000 background would be an asset to this group.

2. The Initial Design Session :

The purpose of the Initial Design Session (IDS) is to develop the agenda for the planning. This session must be done with the primary customer of the TQM effort which is the top management of the organization itself. An internal coordinator must be involved. The IDS would be of 4-8 hours duration with no more than 4-6 participants from your organization. Since this is a design session, the objective is not to develop the plan but to design the agenda for the planning session itself. The elements of the IDS are:

a)Desired outcomes of the planning session;

b)Desired outputs of the planning session;

c)Agenda, modules, sequences, duration etc;

d)Logistics;

The desired outcome of this IDS is to develop ownership for the agenda and the session on the part of the top management in the organization. Their desires and perhaps hidden agenda must come out so as to ensure that their support and involvement is sensed by the other participants at the planning session.

3. The Actual Planning Session:

The actual planning session should be held at an off site location to ensure an open atmosphere for participation and discussion. In preparation to the actual planning session, an organizational system analysis is recommended.The organizational system analysis would involve educating or clear indication to the participants of the vision, guiding principles, and mission of the organization. The vision of the organization should answer questions such as, what the organization will be after 20 years? What markets will it be in? Who will be its customers? What technologies will it employ? The vision of the organization should be clearly communicated by the top management to the planning team to make planning meaningful. Guiding principles or statements expressing core values and beliefs of the organization. The mission of the orgnaization, its quality policy, etc., should also be reviewed by the planning team before the start of the planning session.

The planning team should also undertake an internal strategic analysis of the organization to evaluate its strength, weakness, targets, problems, opportunities etc. in preparation for the planning session. The planning team members should also be adequately informed about the current performance levels of the organization. The planning team members should also critically review the external environment to identify threats and opportunities.

4. Developing the plan :

The ZOPP planning method should be used to develop the long range plan. This plan can be further broken down into short range plans. At the divisional level, department level, group level etc., the plan of operation can be used to develop implementation plans.

IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING & EVALUATION

The long range plan developed by ZOPP method becomes the basis for monitoring and evaluation of TQM implementation at the organization level. At lower levels the plan of operation shall form the basis for monitoring and evaluation. These plans should be updated regularly based on reviews. The causes of deviation in plan implementation should be analyzed and corrected. It should also be ensured that the same cause of delay does not recur.

Regular TQM audits can be conducted based on the long range plan, the plan of operation etc., to aid tin implementation. The findings of these audits should be reviewed by the top management at regular intervals though a steering committee to ensure that the system is effective. This will also ensure that the top management is informed about any resource requirements, problems etc. in TQM implementation.

CONCLUSION :

It can be seen from the above discussion that ZOPP can help an organization to develop a plan for TQM implementation. The TQM Planning matrix and the plan of operation form the basis of monitoring and evaluation. One question which still remains unanswered is that, where do well known tools and techniques such as the TQC tools, SPC, JIT, Kaizen, Quality Circles, 5’S’, etc. Once the objectives are clearly identified in the Objectives Analysis, these tools and techniques can be appropriately selected and used to meet our objectives.

One of the most common causes for failure of TQM efforts, be they Quality Circles, training or 5’S’, etc. is that the organization fails to provided a clear objective and direction to these efforts. This results in each individual, department or group pulling in different directions resulting in dissipation of the total effort. ZOPP is thus a powerful tool to give direction to TQM efforts in an organization.