TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT

The benefits of TQM can be classified into the following two categories:

1. Customer satisfaction oriented benefits.

2. Economic improvements oriented benefits.

1. Customer satisfaction oriented benefits: The benefits under this category are listed below:

(a) Improvement in product quality.

(b) Improvement in product design.

(c) Improvement in production flow.

(d) Improvement in employee morale and quality consciousness.

(e) Improvement of product service.

(f) Improvement in market place acceptance.

2. Economic improvements oriented benefits: The benefits under this category are as

follows:

(a) Reductions in operating costs.

(b) Reductions in operating losses.

(c) Reductions in field service costs.

(d) Reductions in liability exposure.

ISO 9000 series provides several tangible and intangible benefits which are listed below:

1. This gives competitive advantage in the global market.

2. Consistency in quality, since ISO helps in detecting non-conformity early which makes

it possible to take corrective action.

3. Documentation of quality procedures adds clarity to quality system.

4. ISO 9000 ensures adequate and regular quality training for all members of the organization.

5. ISO helps the customers to have cost effective purchase procedure.

6. The customers while making purchases from companies with ISO certificate need not

spend much on inspection and testing. This will reduce the quality cost and lead-time.

7. This will help in increasing productivity.

8. This will aid to improved morale and involvement of workers.

OVERVIEW

The ISO 14000 series of environmental management standards are intended to assist organizations

manage the environmental effect of their business practices. The ISO 14000 series is similar to

the ISO 9000 series published in 1987. The purpose of the ISO 9000 series is to encourage

organizations to institute quality assurance management programs. Although ISO 9000 deals with

the overall management of an organization and ISO 14000 deals with the management of the

environmental effects of an organization, both standards are concerned with processes, and there

is talk of combining the two series into one.

Both series of standards were published by ISO, the International Organization for

Standardization. The purpose of ISO is to facilitate international trade and cooperation in commercial,

intellectual, scientific and economic endeavors by developing international standards. ISO originally

focused on industrial and mechanical engineering standards. Now, it has ventured into setting

standards for an organization’s processes, policies, and practices.

The environmental standards of ISO 14000 deal with how a company manages the

environment inside its facilities and the immediate outside environment. However, the standards

also call for analysis of the entire life cycle of a product, from raw material to eventual

disposal. These standards do not mandate a particular level of pollution or performance, but

focus on awareness of the processes and procedures that can effect the environment. It should

be noted that adherence to the ISO 14000 standards does not in anyway release a company

from any national or local regulations regarding specific performance issues regarding the

environment.

Some of the standards in the ISO 14000 series are:

ISO 14001—Specification of Environmental Management Systems

ISO 14004—Guideline Standard

ISO 14010 through ISO 14015—Environmental Auditing and Related Activities

ISO 14020 through ISO 14024—Environmental Labelling

ISO 14031 through ISO 14032—Environmental Performance Evaluation

ISO 14040 through ISO 14043—Life Cycle Assessment

9. The level of job satisfaction would be more

The benefits of acquiring ISO certification go beyond the satisfaction of doing a good deed.

Adhering to the standard may result in better conformance to environmental regulations, greater

marketability, better use of resources, higher quality goods and services, increased levels of

safety, improved image and increased profits.

The environmental awareness and the documentation that are required by the ISO 14000

standards assist a company in conforming to environmental regulations. This means that

a company, by diligently adhering to the standard, is less likely to violate environmental

regulations and is always ready for inspection by a regulatory agency. In addition, the

certification and documentation may aid a company in acquiring capital, in defending itself

during environmental litigation and in receiving insurance or permits.

A wider market for a company’s goods and services may result from certification. Many

corporations and governments will be looking for suppliers that are ISO 14000 certified

in order to maintain their own certification and environment-friendly image.

Producers of consumer goods may find that many consumers not only try to purchase

goods from environment-friendly companies, but will spend a little more if they feel they

are helping the environment. In order to reap this benefit, a company must make their

environmental efforts known through advertising and labelling.

The process analyses that go along with ISO 14000 certification may result in streamlining

processes and more efficient use of resources and raw materials and subsequently

reduce a company’s costs.

Reducing the amount of potentially dangerous substances in an end product may result

in less use of dangerous chemicals in a plant. This leads to a safer internal environment

for employees and the possibility of reduced insurance premiums. Improved employee

morale may result when employees feel that the workplace is safer and they are

contributing to the environmental effort