Impact Of Total Quality Management On Quality Processes In The Automotive Industry Of Pakistan

Answers

Customer awareness increases rapidly following the progressive nature of the world. The customer judgment in the present day is not only based on appearance and aesthetics. The ability of products to operate in the long run ensuring proper quality maintenance amazes most customers.  The enhanced quality offered at a low cost was one of the primary reasons for the surge in Japan in the mid-1970s. On realization of such a fact, most organizations took up to their feet and made use of total; quality management in carrying out their operation to ensure that they remain to be competitive. There was a sudden growth in customer awareness, hence, served as a call for the organizations to introduce products inclined more towards the quality.

There was the bringing forth of rapid reforms that called for production of quality vehicles, the main reason is due to the spread of the total quality management ideology. In the case of safety incidences from then, quality was high in the light, a factor that served as a threat to many automobile manufacturers. Despite the high levels of focus directed on quality, the total quality management led to the introduction of significant overhauls (Roberts, 2010, p. 138). There was an instinct creation that in any case, quality has to remain to be the focal point.

Pakistan automotive industry also decided to adopt such reforms as a way of ensuring customer satisfaction in the growing market. The industry also decided to shift its way of management towards the total quality management, a step that led to their gaining of a formidable reputation, especially in the South-Asian automotive market. Factors that motivated such shifting include the need to ensure offering quality work at a low cost to the enormous demand that was experiencing growth at a rapid level. The total management theory had some procedures that have to be followed, failure to adhere to them, resulted in most organizations not realizing its advantages at the starter stages of working (Daft, 2015, p. 543). Such errors led to the firms experiencing difficult times in ensuring that there is proper maintenance of the quality, besides accurately retaining the existing customers. There were cases where defective vehicles were delivered to the customers, citing the working team failing to adhere to all the instructions stated in the TQM. However, the mistakes were corrected, and thriving once again was seen among most of the firms.

Many studies have been done with Total Quality Management being the primary area of focus. However, according to research, it has been realized that most studies did focus on how total quality management affect the performance of the organization (David L. Goetsch, 2015, p. 335). The previous studies embraced a holistic approach in doing the reviews, there is a need for a proper investigation to be done as a way of determining the interconnections that are believed to have existed. However, the efforts associated with the studies cannot be disqualified. Such studies will always serve as a starting point for any future aspirant majoring their studies on total quality management in different areas (Kai Peters, 2018, p. 145). The working shown in the previous studies was mainly to determine the analytical methods to be used in telling the different correlations. The researchers went further categorizing the various techniques regarding the industry, market and the type of study.

Literature Review

The scope in this research will primarily revolve around static quality check line, dynamic quality check line and the final confirmation check line. Several principles will be used as mentioned below. Apart from that, there will be too the tools facilitating the application of such principles. Some of the principles that will experience significant focus include

1. Customer focus
2. Process management
3. Top management involvement
4. Continuous Improvement

As part of the project proposal, there will be the indication of the need to handle the project in addition to the results targeted to be achieved by the end of the research. The next section is the Literature Review. Under the section, information will be given out regarding the pros and cons associated with Total Quality Management. Apart from that, there will be the presentation of the different principles and tools. The general methodology section will primarily highlight the research objective, and the various hypotheses will support it. There will too be a discussion regarding the setup of the experiment, and the results hoped to be attained from a successful study. After that, there will be the presentation of the project timeline and finally the conclusion.

Total Quality Management has had lots of effects compared to other approaches (Sallis, 2014, p. 153). Through TQM, the quality of products has experienced significant improvement citing the increased efficiency through the process. The increase is not only experienced with quality but also with the value associated with the organization’s performance citing the significant reduction in cost associated with production. Most organizations have now started seeing the benefits associated with TQM for example, the easy retaining of the customers that existed before, attracting several other potential customers and growth in the market (Joel E. Ross, 2016, p. 505). Following such benefits, there has been an increased level of investment directed towards the training and development of employees. Full achievement of the quality will only come with every other person directing their focus on customer satisfaction and embrace diligence in working (Professor Konrad Raczkowski, 2013, p. 345).

The performance of a firm is highly dependent on top-quality management. The guidance for the various teams will come from the senior management in addition to making the necessary changes. The administration will also be needed to facilitate the training of employees and ensuring that they are well developed for the diverse tasks making the required investment in the tools and equipment.

The importance associated with customers warrants them to be given regular feedbacks making use of relevant and intelligent methods (Schmitt, 2010, p. 235). By doing so, the organization will quickly assess the area of improvement in addition to determining the more customer appealing method to be used in delivering the product. When it comes to deciding the quality, customers have to made to participate in making such decisions, and the internal organizational decision has to be highly avoided.

There is always a co-existing state established between continuous improvement and TQM (Das, 2017, p. 138). The constant suggestion of enhancements is a brilliant practice that plays a significant role in ensuring a continuous reduction of costs by guaranteeing effective processes have been achieved every other day. Through the training, employees are encouraged to voice concerns regarding redundancy tools. There is a need for handling continuous improvement as one of the long-term solutions in organizations for proper growth.

Methodology

Defect reduction can be easily achieved through effective management. Apart from that, the study and working on deviation and process variation can be achieved by making use of the different TQM tools. The check sheets, cause and effects diagram, and the Pareto diagrams are some of the means known for offering support to the process management.

1. How has the working of quality experienced benefit from the TQM principles?
2. How were defect detection and increase in process efficiency experienced with quality lines undergo the aid from principles?

Following the performance displayed by the automotive industry in Pakistan, there is displayed evidence that there is a perfect synchronization experienced between the three quality lines and the TQM principles (Management Association, 2018, p. 673). Through the research, a primary focus will be directed on how the working of quality lines have been affected by the TQM principles and the associated tools. Identifying the individual effects will be done by spelling out the different facts that one might have obtained from the automotive industry. There will need to measure such impacts. As a result, there will be a comfortable establishment of correlations between the principles and the and a summary of the most beneficial law will be made after the whole process.

Many have credited TQM for having lots of benefits for its users in addition to offering help in achieving the desired achievement within a shorter period (Towse, 2011, p. 167). The line side employees are in a position to quickly identify problems and tell the feasible solution by making use of quality tools. The working methods have also experienced a significant improvement in citing TQM tools. The device plays a vital role in influencing the products quality in the long run in addition to being of help to the employees. Hence having the basis on such facts, they can be the basis of formation of few hypotheses as shown below

It will primarily involve telling the defective number of vehicles in addition to the particular defects. There will be the management of the process, and a graph trend will be established. On further analysis of the quality lines, there will too be the examination of the areas of improvement, for example, a skill, a program directed to most new operators. Through the quality lines, there is always an observed increase in quality and reduction in cost (Dabholkar, 2015, p. 486). Carrying out the application of process management does have the primary target of ensuring that there is the detection and proper repairing of the defective vehicles before the final shipment process is done (Marlon Dumas, 2018, p. 234). Drawing the basis from such, there will be the formation of the following hypothesis;

The performance of quality has a significant inclination on the involvement of the top management (Michael D. Mumford, 2017, p. 443). The control ensures that the advancements are made where necessary in addition to providing proper driving of the quality lines (James R. Evans, 2013, p. 534). The core management facilitates the training and development administered to employees. There is a need for a customer-oriented approach and vision for quality lines (Zink, 2012, p. 208), the top management is responsible for making such a role be done excellently. Achievement of such a part plays a significant role in ensuring that there is the betterment of the products. With increased involvement of the management, there will too be increased facilities serving the quality lines; hence the training for inspectors will be much improved (Reason, 2016, p. 157).

Conclusion

The differentiating factor of any organization is the aspect of continuous progress made on products (Kim S. Cameron, 2011, p. 212). The proposal made regarding the better ways of doing something plays a significant role in the reduction of wastages experienced. The result will be the overall performance will be increased incurring minimal costs. The working principle of continuous improvement too sees to it that better results are achieved rather than satisfactory results (Bloch, 2017, p. 234). Regardless of the management impacting the continuous improvement, it is known to influence the quality lines positively. As progress is realized in the upgrades, there is too always a limiting defect outflow on the quality lines.

Experimental Set-up

The reference of the study is The directory of “Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA).” The general sample size of the study will be seven automotive organizations operating in Pakistan. The ranging vehicles in the sample size will be those ranging from 800 cubic centimeters to those of 3000 cubic centimeters. Apart from that, there will be those falling in the categories mentioned below.

1. Light Commercial Vehicle
2. Pickup trucks
3. Car
4. Sports Utility Vehicle

There will be the designing of the questionnaire that will harbor top management questions, continuous improvement, customer focus and quality lines that will help in achieving the data collection purpose. There will be the coverage of a broad aspect citing the asking of distinctive questions. In attaining the data collection purpose. Table 1 will be used. On the other hand, table 2 gives the highlights on the scales that will be used by survey fillers in filling the survey.                                       

S.No.

Attribute

Score

Table 1. Data collection

Disagree	Somewhat disagree	Somewhat agree	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5

Table 2. Rating scale for questionnaire

In judging the credibility of the questionnaire, there will be a need for a mock survey that will be done before the circulation survey (Kirkpatrick, 2010, p. 212). The academia and the retired automotive quality field experts will be the primary fillers of the mock poll.

There will be the circulation of the survey to the different organizations on completion of the questionnaire. The purpose of the study will be explained by the attached cover letter. The Human resource department will help in circulating the ten survey to the following individuals.

1. Head of a department
2. Managers
3. Deputy managers
4. Assistant managers
5. Group leaders/ Executives
6. Team leaders

After the filling of the surveys, there will be the collection and categorization of the responses. The Statistical Process for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software will do the tabulation of the results and presentation of a conclusion done after that.

Several limitations facing the study include:

1. The targeted sample population will not constitute the quality line inspectors.
2. There will be no consideration of other vehicle categories such as buses.
3. The element of reasoning degree will be eliminated from the survey.

The TQM principles and quality lines will be used in the categorization of the data. Each category will too receive an analysis regarding the mean and standard deviation. In performing the reliability analysis, the Cronbach’s alpha will be used as a reliability coefficient (Guillermo Cortés-Robles, 2018, p. 234). An example of a table to be used for reliability analysis is shown below.

Attribute	Reliability Coefficient
TQM tools
Top management involvement
Continuous improvement
Quality lines management
Quality lines

Table 3. Reliability analysis

In checking the strength of the correlation established between the various attributes, there will need to make use of correlation analysis (Jacob Cohen, 2013, p. 187). A positive value will represent a stronger relationship between the two attributes. An example of a result table to be used for correlation analysis is shown below.

	TQM tools	Top management involvement	Continuous improvement	Quality lines’ management	Quality lines
TQM tools
Top management involvement
Continuous improvement
Quality lines’ management
Quality lines

Table 4. Correlation analysis

The preparation stage of the project will not have its part presentation in the project Gant Chart. The main reason being emphasis was inclined towards literature review hence actively involved the formulation of the proposal. The academic supervisor and the guidance staff played a significant role in executing the entire project in the spring semester of 2017. The review points and the set of activities to be done are stipulated in the Gantt Chart below. For completion of the project, there will be a dedication of 16 hours weekly. There will be too organization of meetings with the supervisor, and the number of sessions will depend on their accessibility and the needed supplies.

Figure 1. Project Gantt Chart

Conclusion

The positive changes experienced in industries is primarily as a result of the total quality management. The automotive industry has been the primary beneficiary of such. However, in carrying out research, there will be significant focus on the overall performance compared to the different specific areas. The quality of a vehicle receives higher ranking compared to the production of the car citing the customer focus on quality. Hence, the attention of the project on TQM elements and quality lines relation in the automotive industry in Pakistan. There will too be the providence of basis for future aspirants having the will to progress with the study.

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