Companies need to manage their activities by providing standards and rules to enable the employees to achieve the mission. Employees provide quality services to the clients through exercising work values and ethics. The managers must align the processes with the mission, visions, and strategic goals. It is the responsibility of the managers to promote the quality of services in the company. Firms use strategic management processes to achieve long-term goals. Also, strategic management approaches are essential in developing the employees’ interests in achieving the company’s goals. Therefore, companies need to implement the total quality management, to enhance the efficiency, design, and performance of activities for the management of activities.
Company Overview
Toyota is among the leading automobile corporations in the world. The company was formed on 27 th August 1937. Toyota manufactures and sells automobiles around the globe. Also, the company offers financing facilities to other organizations Toyota sells its automobiles to 190 countries in the world. The primary markets for the company include Asia, Japan, Europe, and North America (Toyota Motor Sales USA, 2016). Toyota Corporation is strategically positioned in the market, and the TQM can be useful in improving its productivity.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The automotive section of Toyota Company consists of assembling, designing, sales, and manufacturing activities. The employees in the automotive section promote the integration of technology and industry activities (Toyota Motor Sales USA, 2016). Daihatsu Corporation, an associate of the Toyota, manufactures and sells compact vehicles and mini-cars. Also, Hino Motors Corporation manufactures and sells promotion cars such as trucks and buses (Toyota Motor Sales USA, 2016). Toyota Corporation has a broad production base, and it must meet the customers’ needs.
Toyota produces automotive components and accessories for their cars. The company retails three types of vehicles in the market including full-cell, hybrid, and conventional engine. The product line of Toyota Corporation includes buses, compact vehicles, and sub-compact cars. Further, the firm deals with the production of sports, recreational, mid-size, and pick up cars (Toyota Motor Sales USA, 2016). Toyota Corporation produces various models and must meet the expectations of the customers.
Assessment of the Current Situation
The automobile department in Toyota Corporation faces challenges in the production process. The consumers complain the models contain defects. Toyota uses outdated equipment to produce models in spite of the development of technology around the world. Most of the times, the employees experience machine breakdowns when manufacturing the products. The company responds by calling an engineer to fix the equipment. However, the engineers do not solve the problem because the employees still produce defective parts. Consequently, the productivity in the operation department decreases. Also, Toyota Company encounters systemic challenges which lower the efficiency in the production department. Employees in the department are confused during their shifts in the manufacturing process.
Implementation and Enhancement of the TQM
Enhancement
Toyota Corporation needs to incorporate the TQM processes in the production and operations division. The first approach that Toyota should focus on is the customer-focused process. Toyota needs to develop approaches, gather data, and integrate communication activities in the operations department. The operations section should enhance customer satisfaction by improving the quality of the product (American Society for Quality, 2017). Thus, the customers’ expectations can be met by developing the products.
Secondly, Toyota Company needs to apply the total employee involvement approach to developer productivity. The managers should involve the employees in the corporation activities to achieve the company’s mission. The company expects that employees should be committed to their work. Thus, the firm provides a favorable environment for the employees to develop their abilities. Consequently, the staff in the company will be keen on producing models to reduce the defects (American Society for Quality, 2017). The employment involvement method is useful in the development of the production process to reduce product defects.
Thirdly, Toyota Company can use the training approach to enhance the processes in the operation department. Training focuses on equipping employees with the needed skills to develop productivity. The employees of Toyota Company need training on assessing the product defects (Silva et al., 2014). Further, the staff needs skills on shifting during the manufacturing process. Toyota will provide training on product improvement to ensure that the employees assess the product before dispatching to the consumers. The corporation will train the employees to use a plan or timetable when taking a shift in the production process (Silva et al., 2014). As a result, the firm will reduce delays in manufacturing the products.
Toyota Corporation needs to embrace a culture of open communication. Communication is essential in conducting organizational processes efficiently. The employees need to have an efficient communication network while shifting (Murray, 2016). Communication will reduce confusion and delays in the manufacturing process. Toyota can incorporate the eight-step communication process in the production and operation department to ensure that employees take the shifts on time (Murray, 2016). Communication defines the core principles and values of the organization.
Finally, the company needs to advance the Toyota Production System to reduce the product defects. Toyota Corporation aims at manufacturing unique products. The corporation has not been meeting the needs of the customers in spite of improving the system. The aim of improving the TPS is to eliminate waste and improve the production of vehicles. Toyota Corporation needs to strengthen the Jidoka and Just-in-time systems. The Jidoka system will be useful in identifying defects in the vehicles where the employees will make corrections. The system will determine the weaknesses in any stage at the manufacturing process. The advanced Jidoka structure will detect the problem and stop automatically (Madu, 2012). The structure will assist the company to produce high-quality vehicles to fulfill customer expectations. Toyota will develop the Just-in-time system to reduce waste. The JIT structure ensures that the employees manufacture that correct type of product at the right time (Monden, 2012). Consequently, the employees will take the shifts at the designated time to eliminate confusion.
Implementation
Toyota Company needs to consider the implementation steps before incorporating the changes in the production and operations department. Firstly, Toyota needs to clarify the mission, values, and vision to the employees. The staff should be aware of the company’s plan and operational principles. Toyota should define the values, mission, and vision to the employees in every meeting (Fonseca, 2015). Secondly, the firm should establish the CSF (Critical Success Factors) to assess the performance of the system. The critical success factors of Toyota Corporation can include product quality, customer satisfaction, and improved productivity (Fonseca, 2015). Thirdly, the company will develop metrics to monitor the performance and results of the CSF. For instance, the organization can measure the achievement of goals to identify the performance of the improved production.
Toyota Company should determine the primary customers. It is essential to identify the customers to manufacture goods that meet their expectations. The customer groups can include employees, suppliers, clients, or volunteers. The fifth step is to assess customer feedback. The clients’ responses are essential because an organization identifies the areas that need improvement (Kaynak & Rodgers, 2013). Toyota Company should develop a structured process to identify the needs of each customer segment. The corporation can develop a survey instrument to determine the customer satisfaction rates. Toyota can establish important product elements that satisfy the customer (Kaynak & Rodgers, 2013). For example, customers might focus on product quality rather than costs. The company will improve the model quality to meet the customers’ needs.
The seventh step is to examine every customer segment. Toyota should customize the surveys for the customer segments to identify their particular needs. The company will establish the perception of the clients’ about the present practices. Toyota Corporation will identify the starting point and track the performance progress during the incorporation of the improvement strategy (Allotey, 2013). The next action is to develop an improvement strategy based on the clients’ responses. The strategy should contain SMART goals to ensure that the implementation process is completed on time. Toyota Company can include employee training and performance management in the goals (Allotey, 2013). Toyota can examine the performance progress after 12 to 18 months to establish any improvement. The customers’ preferences change after some time. Therefore, it is critical to assess the needs to achieve the company’s mission.
The other action that Toyota Corporation needs to consider is monitoring the critical success factors. The company needs to track performance progress every month. Monitoring the success factors assists a firm to make adjustments to meet the short-term goals (Kaynak & Rodgers, 2013). Toyota Company needs to include the customer responses in the marketing plan after achieving positive outcomes in the satisfaction information. Customers should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the internal activities that are related to the delivery of products (Kaynak & Rodgers, 2013). The clients can give recommendations on the strategies that can develop the distribution and production processes. Finally, Toyota Company needs to assess the technology levels in the production and operation departments (Kaynak & Rodgers, 2013). The firm should make sure that technology supports the expected improvements.
In conclusion, companies experience challenges in managing processes and employees. The total quality management process can improve the management of process and human resources in an organization. The TQM process focuses on eliminating waste and developing efficiency in the firm. Also, the TQM system improves the quality of products and services in a company. Companies need to improve the production processes by identifying the weak areas and incorporating the approaches in the total quality management process. TQM is a value approach that enhances the development and improvement of the process to meet the organization's goals.
References
Allotey, A. (2013). Implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) - The Issue of National Culture . München: GRIN Verlag GmbH.
American Society for Quality. (2017). What is Total Quality Management (TQM)?. Retrieved from http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/total-qualitymanagement/overview/overview.html
Colomo-Palacios, R. (2013). Enhancing the modern organization through information technology professionals: Research, studies, and techniques . Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference. Bottom of Form
Fonseca, L. M. (2015). From Quality Gurus and TQM to ISO 9001: 2015: a review of several quality paths. International Journal for Quality Research (IJQR) , 9 (1), 167-180.
Kaynak, E. & Rogers, R. E. (2013). Implementation of total quality management: A comprehensive training program . Binghamton, NY: International Business Press.
Madu, C. N. (2012). Handbook of Total Quality Management . Boston, MA: Springer US. Bottom of FormBottom of Form
Monden, Y. (2012). Toyota Production System: An Integrated Approach to Just-In-Time . Boston, MA Springer US.
Murray, M. (2016, August 6). Total quality management (TQM). Retrieved from https://www.thebalance.com/total-quality-management-tqm-2221200.
Silva, G.M., Gomes, P.J., Lages, L.F., & Pereira, Z.L. (2014). The role of TQM in strategic product innovation: An empirical assessment. International Journal of Operations & Production Management 34(10), 1307-1337.
Toyota Motor Sales USA. (2016). Out story. Retrieved from http://www.toyota.com/usa/.
