BY SETH ACCRA JAJA, PH.D, FCIA, CPA INTRODUCTION: The term entrepreneurship refers to human activities undertaken by an individual, groups or organizations directed at identifsfied human wants. It extends to the accumulation of relevant resources, which are transformed into products, and distributed to the supreme consumer. This human exercise is usually done at a high or low risk depending on the degree of profit the entrepreneur intends to make (Jaja, 2000; okwandu and Jaja, 2000; Jaja and zep�obipi, 1999). The changing global whistle of vision, ethical, socio-cultural and social action demands a new entrepreneur in African countries are not performing so well. The new entrepreneurial spirit drawing from the works of Ahaiuzu (1999), Crosby (1979), deming (1982), and juran (1951, 1992) which we have developed and named �Total Quality Entrepreneurial Management� (TQEM), is fundamentally an application of �Total Quality Entrepreneurial Management Practice� (TQEM). We shall, in this lecture, firstly explain the nature and conceptual components of TQEM, and then proceed to examine the fundamental elements and operational requirements of the system. NATURE AND CONCEPTUAL COMPONENTS OF TQEM: Considering the underlying philosophies and tenets of the known models of management (including Entrepreneurial Management and Administration), which include the mechanistic model, the Orgarnimic model and the cultural model, at a glance, one can describe Total Quality Entrepreneurial Management (TQEM), as a new of thinking about, and ordering ideas that have to do with the management of entrepreneurship systems. TQEM appears therefore to be an alternative to �management- by- control� and a comprehensive way of improving total business efficiency and effectiveness of commercial and industrial business organizations (peter and weathermen, 1982; Spencer, 1994). Reasoning along the same line of thought, it is plausible to say that TQEM is a paradigm shift, for it has clearly enunciated the quality revolutionary thinking in entrepreneurial Management thought and practice. TQEM is therefore a systematic approach to the entrepreneurial practice, which requires changes in the handling of customers, business methods and general processes; general business organizational structure and strategic priorities; individual and group business practice beliefs, attitudes and behaviour patterns, and staff interpersonal relations. MEANING OF QUALITY In our search for the meaning of �quality�, we have drawn inspiration from the thought and works of early Greek philosophers, in their search for the meaning and appropriate conception of the absolute �good�. We also consulted the works of the most highly respected three North American scholars who have extensive work on �Quality Management� system, namely: Philip Crisby, Edward Deming and Joseph Juran; as well as the contributions of quite a few other researchers and practitioners. The summary of the result s of our search is as follows: Quality is Excellence Quality is Value and Reliability Quality is Conformance to Specifications Quality is Meeting and/or Exceeding Customer�s Expectation Quality is Satisfying and/or Delighting the Customer. To the early Greek philosophers, including Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, �quality� was synonymous with the �ideal�, and to them, the �ideal� that they referred to as �arete�in Greek language, meant �excellence�. Although it does appear that in the business context, conceiving quality as excellence may not be practicably comprehensible, Peters and Waterman in their book entitled: �In Search of Excellence� have convincingly adopted this conception of �quality! Nevertheless, quality being seen as �value� makes a greater sense to the Ultimate customer, who invariably is the ultimate arbiter of business practices, Quality in this context therefore does not have the popular meaning of �best� in any absolute sense rather it means �best for certain customer conditions�. When �reliability� is attached to �value�, the quality in a security service becomes easily recognizable. The customer has certain specification for the business practice. When the business practice conforms to the specifications, then there is quality in the service. A distinction can be made between the quality of the strategic design of a business practice and quality of conformance to the strategy design. These two aspects of business practice determine the overall quality. Customers have expectations for specific business practices. Quality is determined by the extent to which the expectations are met and even exceeded. The fun damental primary focus of TQEM is customer satisfaction, both �within�and what traditionally may be considered as �outside� the organization. Quality therefore, means satisfying the customer. By consistently meeting customers� requirements and thereby making them feel satisfied always with its products or services, an entrepreneur will ensure the delight of its customers, and this will procure for the business a reputation for excellence (Webber, 1977; Hostede, 1980). It is important to emphasize however, that what counts, is quality as perceived by customers, both within and outside the organizations. In a TQEM orientated commercial and industrial organizations, the interest of the customer should be regarded as supreme, in the determination of quality business practice. FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF THE TQEM PROCESS: To achieve quality in all aspects of the operations and general functioning of a industrial work organization, and result in what the Japanese have called �company �wide quality Entrepreneurial Improvement� (CWQEI), each entrepreneur in the quality chain must interrogate himself or herself at every situation, or at every customer/ suppler interface business in the commercial and industrial organizations, as follows: In Suppliers Position: � Who is (are) my immediate customer(s)? � What is (are) his/her (their) requirement(s)? � What is his/her (Their) perception of the requirement? � Do I have the necessary capability and resources to meet the requirement? In Customer Position: � Who is (are) my immediate suppliers(s)? � What is (are) my exact re quirement(s)? � Is (are) my suppliers(s) unambiguously well informed of all the details about my requirement(s)? With the answers generated though this process of self- interrogation, every entrepreneur within the business system, at times, and in performing specific tasks in his or her business, will have little or no difficulty in doing the right thing right, and doing it right first time, and every time. OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF TQUEM What we consider to the most important that must exist to ensure effective installation and poeratrion of TQEM in a commercial and industrial business organisation is �Quality driven Leadership; effective communication system which should embody verbal, written and visual communication methods; and the existence of an enabling business culture. This will boarder on receptivity to; teamwork; general interdependence of individuals, units and departments; receptivity to teamwork; improved interpersonal relations; free exchange of ideas, knowledge and information; trust and integrity. CONCLUSION The �Total Quality Entrepreneurial Management� (TQEM) system is a new development in commercial and industrial business administration and management. The focus of the system is the achievement of quality business practice, where �quality� is conceived among others, as satisfying or delighting the customer, the supreme customer in this context being the purchasers, suppliers and business colleagues. The cardinal requirement for effective operation of the quality business practice is supportive leadership and entrepreneurs total commitment to quality. Every entrepreneur should therefore endeavor to do the right thing right the first and every time. It may not be an overstatement to say that TQEM is the direction toward which the modern world of excellent business administration and management will turn. Any entrepreneur who do not follow suite, may very soon find that the business world has left him behind, to continue mudding- though alone in the cold expired systems of business practice. REFERENCES Ahiauzu A.I. (1999): The African Industrial Man (CIMRAT.Publication, Port Harcourt) Crosby P.B. (1979): Quality is Free: The Art of Making Quality Certain (New America Library, New York). Dewing, W.E. (1982): Quality, Productivity, and Competitive Position (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for Advanced Engineering Study, Cambridge). Hostede, G. (1982): �Motivation, Leadership and Organisational Dynamics (Summer Issue) pp.42-63. Jaja, S.A (2000) The Entrepreneurship Paradigm (Port Harcourt, Nigeria: Pearl Publishers) Jaja, S.A and Okwandu, G.A, (2000) International Business Management (Port Harcourt, Nigeria: Pearl Publishers) Jaja, S.A and Zep-Obipi, I (1999) Management: Element and Theories (Port Harcourt, Nigeria: Pearl Publishers) Juran, J.M. (1951): Quality Control Handbook (McGraw- Hill, New York). Juran, J.M. (1992): Juran on Quality by Design: The New Steps for Planning Quality Into Goods and Services (Free Press, New Yock). Peters, T. J. and Waterman, R.H. (1982): In Search of Excellence (Harper and Row, New York). Spencer, B.A.(1994): �Models of Organisation and Total Quality Management: A Comparison and Critical Evaluation� �Academy of Management Review Vol. 19, No.3pp. 446-471. Webber, R. A. (1977) �Convergence or Divergence?� in Weinshall T. D. (ed.): Culture and Management (Penguin Books, London). PREVIOUS NEXT PAGE |
