Quality Through Innovation

Most management systems give more responsibility and due credit to personnel officers, work study engineers, quality inspectors, production engineers, etc., and less to the on-line personnel such as foremen and ordinary workers. This is often the main reason for the disappointing overall performance of some firms in the quality and costs of products and services they provide. In actual fact, more responsibility for quality rests on a foreman or supervisor, and even a shop-floor mechanic, than one imagines. Further, individual members of the on-line staff are not directly encouraged to display the human attributes of enthusiasm, motivation, and involvement. They become frustrated and cynical as they are told so often that these attributes are indeed desirable. The intellectual and other potentialities of the staff are only partially realised and utilised. In fact, the (inappropriate) organisation of a firm can so easily have a negative effect on many of the staff, as opposed to a positive impact of development. On-line management, including foremen, having less authority, do not get the opportunities to provide real leadership, and a gulf is created between members of staff and management. In turn, the staff become isolated, disillusioned, and at times, resentful while carrying out their often mundane work or tasks. Implied dictation to staff makes them indifferent to instructions. It is now clear that before desirable staff involvement is realised, a prerequisite is that the staff must feel to be in control of their immediate work region.

In view of the gulf between management and staff, it is not surprising that so often the least developed potential asset is its staff. Yet we all know that so often, that nothing can be achieved without people. Considerable leadership skills are required to manage people - a firm's most valuable asset. Quality Circles are an initiative in this direction, and if effectively implemented, give employees a chance to develop leadership skills and greatly assist in their development.

A Quality Circle can be regarded as a small group of employees who volunteer, are persuaded, or invited; who, with their leader (if convenient, their natural work leader), meet regularly to try to improve the ways and the environment in which they carry out their work. They also try to identify and to analyse in a practical and ambitious (but realistic) manner, all relevant 'Quality' problems. Wherever possible, the leader should also encourage them to suggest realistic solutions to problems. The presentation is made informally by the leader, and management tries to arrange for a solution which meets the wishes of the Circle and, of course, is beneficial to all the firm, its employees and customers. The interaction between management and employees are in an open manner with no suggestion of punitive measures, which makes for more positive thinkers who express themselves more constructively. The knowledge and skills of staff can only be made use of if it can be developed, and not stifled within the firm. Quality Circles expedite this development, as opposed to the firm's hierarchy or any committee structure so often stifling it. Quality Circles do not (and are not intended to) dilute management action and the management should have its confidence maintained that this is still the intention after the introduction of Circles. On the contrary, they are intended to strengthen management and markedly develop leadership skills such as delegation and communication. Also it must be stressed that Circles are not a substitute for regular and efficient briefing of staff, namely meetings, when employees should be told what is going on and why.

Circles meet about once a month. The agenda is for members to discuss quality problems within their work area (and in interactions with other work areas) and where possible, propose and help implement their solutions. Normally a circle consists of people who work together or are familiar with the work methods and the processes of the other members of the Circle. That is, no time is wasted by a Circle member in explaining technical matters to others. The Circle leader is usually a foreman, supervisor, manager, or leader. There could be circumstances where it is beneficial to rotate the leadership among members of the Circle. Individual leaders of circles may meet informally to deal with any coordination necessary between Circles. Presentations to management for decisions on implementation are made directly by Circles at a definitely arranged meeting, or more indirectly and informally by the leader or coordinator of the Circle. Informal, but sincere working of the circle is often the best and the latter form of presentation is likely to work well.

Quality Circles are a great boon in training a leader and others in the management team to delegate effectively at all times. Proper delegation ensures that the leader remains in control of the job (rather than the job taking control of the leader!). Through proper delegation, employees' abilities are organised, cultivated, enhanced, and channelled to their own benefit as well that of the firm.

1. Tangible and substantial results arising from the increased participation of all staff.

2. Circles deal directly with work-related problems, are part of the job, meet in the work area, encourage team-work, improve leadership skills, and foster strong industrial and management relations.

3. Circles are introduced alongside existing organisational structure and do not disturb, interfere, or upset that structure.

5. Circles improve communication within the firm and strengthen all communication links, particularly the vital one of listening.

6. Circles create a focus for involvement of employees and the fulfilment of their desire for recognition by peers.

7. Circles encouraging teamwork and voluntary employee involvement within the company, particularly towards quality.

8. Quality Circles can reduce costs, in other areas, e.g. maintenance, besides quality.

9. Quality Circles improve productivity and reduce labour turnover by improving quality of the workplace.

10. Quality Circles provide a better way of making management listen and, in turn, enable them to take more reliable actions based on accurate facts.

11. Provide a practical and powerful means of going over problems in a detailed manner using the specialised knowledge and experience of employees doing the job, without adding to the burdens and duties of management.

12. Help overcome alienation of individual staff within the company and divorcement of an individual's work from the end product.

Successful Quality Circles impinge on all sorts of activities within a firm. Circles help harmonise the objectives of a firm and those of its stakeholders, which are often at variance. Quality Circles encourage trust in employees to work as a team, to make them feel as equal partners in the firm as a venture (as indeed they are), to achieve the firm's desired objectives through achieving employee loyalty, to recognise accomplishment and decentralise decision-making through responsible delegation.