Theoretical Quality Management Frameworks in Today’s Business: An Automobile Industry Application

Abstract

The quality paradigm today is an essential part of business in the U.S. as well as on a global scale. It took a long time to recognize the pivotal role of quality management for organizational excel-lence. Today, no one doubts the necessity of a systematic quality approach. The evolution of Total Quality Management (TQM) and most of its derivatives can be traced back to the period when American quality pioneers developed quality management frameworks, taught them, and supported their application in the Japanese industry. The automotive sector is a prime example for quality management principles, illustrating both positive and negative implica-tions of quality paradigms. This paper focuses on the automobile industry and evaluates the different quality approaches common in this industry. As a result, the conclusion to be drawn is that, rather than implement-ing a rigid quality framework, it is more important to have a consistent and continuous quality approach, which is applied on all levels and involves all employees, incorporating the organiza-tional functions with a holistic approach.