Old‐fashioned quality?

Abstract

PurposeReviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.Design/methodology/approachThis briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.FindingsThe total quality management (TQM) movement emerged from something of a crisis of confidence of western business during the 1980s. A dismissed foe in Japanese industry had by then firmly entrenched itself in the heartland markets of consumer durables, automobiles, heavy machinery and much more besides. A Japanese miracle was seriously discussed. As the simple facts emerged – western producers obsessed with production had been outflanked by their counterpart's rather different obsession with step‐by‐step improvements in process and product improvement – a response was inevitable and much needed.Practical implicationsProvides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.Originality/valueThe briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.