Organizing for continuous improvement: an examination

Abstract

Reports the main findings of a study carried out into the quality improvement structure of six different companies. Among the findings is that an infrastructure in terms of TQM Steering Committee and improvements facilitators is necessary at the introduction and during the development stages of an improvement process, but this infrastructure will change as a company’s quality improvement activities mature. In setting up this structure, care must be taken that it does not duplicate the existing management structure. The improvement structure becomes less important when people in all functions take responsibility for their own personal improvement but it takes some time for this to happen. Also points out that the improvement infrastructure needs to be reviewed on a regular basis and assessed to evaluate its effectiveness.