Total quality

Abstract

Adoption of a total quality philosophy was seen as the key to Rockware Glass' survival and as the vehicle to carry through the necessary change. TQ was launched in 1988, and was handled differently from the introduction of any past initiative. The managing director, with a recently appointed director of total quality, saw every employee in a series of briefing sessions held at each location at times throughout the day and night, at the convenience of shift workers and not of management. The circumstances of the company and its future were explained along with the broad principles of TQ. It was announced that training for everyone would take place. There was in fact to be more training in the coming year than in the previous ten. The objective of the training programs was to enable delegates to reach an understanding of the principles of total quality. Management's role increasingly became one of finding ways to ensure that the climate is such that employees feel free to express their ideas and participate in doing something about those ideas.