---
title: "TQM principles, elements and benefits"
subject: "Industrial Engineering and Management"
chapter: 8
key: "semester_6/industrial_engineering_and_management:total-quality-management-principles"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/industrial_engineering_and_management/total-quality-management-principles
site: BCT Engineering
---

# TQM principles, elements and benefits

Industrial Engineering and Management · Chapter 8: Quality Management

- Asked in: year not given, 8 marks
- Video: [What is Total Quality management (TQM)? |  7 Principles of Total Quality Management](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=renlXcpK9sk) — Educationleaves
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/industrial_engineering_and_management/total-quality-management-principles
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_6/industrial_engineering_and_management/chapter-8

## Question

What is Total Quality Management (TQM)? Explain its principles and elements. Briefly describe Deming's PDCA cycle and state the benefits and difficulties of implementing TQM.

## Short answer

Total Quality Management engages all employees in continuous improvement with customer focus, leadership, and fact-based decisions. The PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) drives iterative gains. Benefits include fewer defects; difficulties include resistance to change and need for top commitment.

## Answer

**TQM** is a management philosophy in which every member of the organisation takes part in continuously improving the quality of products, services and processes to meet or exceed customer expectations. *Total* means all people and all functions; *quality* means meeting customer requirements; *management* means leadership and systems.

#### Principles
1. **Customer focus:** the customer (internal and external) defines quality.
2. **Leadership and commitment** of top management to set direction and provide resources.
3. **Employee involvement and empowerment:** teamwork, training, quality circles.
4. **Process approach:** manage activities as processes; prevent defects.
5. **Continuous improvement (Kaizen).**
6. **Decisions based on facts and data:** statistical tools.
7. **Supplier partnership:** quality starts with purchased material.

#### Elements (tools)
Seven QC tools (check sheet, Pareto chart, histogram, cause-and-effect diagram, scatter diagram, control chart, flow chart), benchmarking, quality function deployment, Just-in-Time, 5S, FMEA, ISO 9000 and Six Sigma.

#### PDCA cycle (Deming wheel)
```text
        PLAN ----> DO
         ^          |
         |          v
        ACT <---- CHECK
```
- **Plan:** identify the problem and set targets and methods.
- **Do:** implement on a small scale.
- **Check:** measure results against the plan.
- **Act:** standardise if successful, otherwise revise; repeat the cycle.

#### Benefits
Higher customer satisfaction, fewer defects and rework, lower cost, better morale, improved productivity and market share.

#### Difficulties
Lack of top-management commitment, resistance to change, need for time and training, short-term thinking, and weak data collection.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What does TQM mean?
   A. Inspection by a quality department only
   B. Quality control by sampling
   C. Everyone in the organisation continuously improves quality to meet or exceed customer expectations
   D. A one-time project by management
   Answer: C. Total = all people and functions; quality = meet customer requirements; management = leadership and systems. (Key point: Meaning of TQM)

2. What is the order of the PDCA cycle?
   A. Do, Plan, Check, Act
   B. Plan, Do, Check, Act
   C. Plan, Check, Do, Act
   D. Act, Plan, Check, Do
   Answer: B. Plan, Do (small scale), Check against plan, Act (standardise or revise). (Key point: PDCA order)

3. What is done in the Act step?
   A. Standardise if successful, otherwise revise, and repeat
   B. Set the targets
   C. Implement on a small scale
   D. Measure results
   Answer: A. Act closes the cycle and starts the next improvement. (Key point: Act step)

4. Which list shows the seven QC tools?
   A. Pareto, Delphi, kanban, FMEA, BOM, MPS, 5S
   B. Check sheet, Pareto chart, histogram, cause-and-effect diagram, scatter diagram, control chart, flow chart
   C. ISO 9000, Six Sigma, JIT, QFD, TPM, MRP, SMED
   D. SWOT, PERT, CPM, EOQ, ABC, VED, FSN
   Answer: B. These seven are the classic QC tools listed under TQM elements. (Key point: Seven QC tools)

## Related in Industrial Engineering and Management

- [Evolution of quality management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_engineering_and_management%3Aevolution-of-quality-management) — Industrial Engineering and Management, chapter 8
- [TPQM and quality-related maintenance](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_engineering_and_management%3Atpqm-total-planned-quality-maintenance) — Industrial Engineering and Management, chapter 7
- [Material handling objectives and principles](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_engineering_and_management%3Amaterial-handling-principles-and-equipment) — Industrial Engineering and Management, chapter 2
- [Definitions and dimensions of quality](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_engineering_and_management%3Adefinitions-and-dimensions-of-quality) — Industrial Engineering and Management, chapter 8
- [Assembly line balancing with cycle time](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_engineering_and_management%3Aassembly-line-balancing-problem) — Industrial Engineering and Management, chapter 2
- [EOQ, total cost and reorder point numerical](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_engineering_and_management%3Aeoq-numerical-reorder-point) — Industrial Engineering and Management, chapter 4

## Related in other subjects

- [Total quality management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Atqm) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [QC, QA, TQC and TQM compared](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fmetrology%3Aquality-control-vs-assurance-tqm) — Metrology, chapter 15
- [Test life cycle in quality control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Atest-life-cycle) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Scientific management and Taylor's principles](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Forganization_and_management%3Ascientific-management-taylor) — Organization and Management, chapter 3