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Difference between TQM and Kaizen Theory |
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If you have any questions about our Quality Matrix, or wish to make any comments, please feel free to send a message to us at quality@artige.com. |
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| Overview |
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This analysis is just one of many comparisons that are offered as part of the Artige Quality Matrix, which can be seen here in its original form. The definitions that are used in these comparisons are the ones that we at the Artige Company use internally and with our clients, derived from the research that we perform as a matter of due course. These definitions are derived from natural laws of physics and statistics, in order to screen our work from the effects of the business press. The original article where these terms are discussed appears here. In other words, we like to think that this work will withstand the scourges of time and not be categorized as "management du jour". |
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| TQM |
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Definition |
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This is the foundation of the quality methodologies, as conceived by Deming. However, Deming never wanted to codify quality-oriented practices under a theory. He was more interested in the practice end of things. So that left a vacuum that others have rushed in to fill. This means that there is no true body of TQM theory that will increase the quality of products delivered. Instead, Deming left us with his "14 Points of Management", a toolkit that lists all of the concepts that have to do with quality one must be aware of when designing processes. A description of what a quality organization is, not how to accomplish quality. |
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Strange though that at face value those fourteen points left by the quality practitioner seem to be more philosophy than a framework or methodology in which one can design a quality business process. Each one of those points can give rise to a framework and practice in themselves, and there is no fixed manner in which those frameworks can be expressed. So it seems that TQM is readily left open to the reader's interpretation. |
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TQM includes both an empirical component associated with statistics, and an explanatory component that is associated with management, of both people and processes. The terms "hard" and "soft" are commonly used to represent these two components. TQM brought recognition to the fact that tasks can be categorized as value adding or not. The obvious corollary is that non-value adding tasks would be eliminated and the value adding ones improved. Many process design and operation tools have been highlighted in TQM, such as statistical process control, Kanban, and flexible organization, just to name the tip of the iceberg. |
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Note that at the Artige Company, we have mapped TQM back into the natural laws, of physics, general systems theory, thermodynamics and statistics, in order to provide a reference point to work from. This gives us the theoretical backing that Deming declined to document. So while Deming may have provided businesses with a 14-point philosophy in which processes can be designed, we are now able to approach business process design exercises with a firm determination as to what is feasible. |
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| Kaizen Theory |
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Definition |
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One translation of the term Kaizen from Japanese is "to take apart and put back together in a better way". One will immediate recognize that we have a term that relates to quality, as Kaizen relates directly to improvement. This definition even comes with a recommendation on how to accomplish the improvement. Note that the definition does not have a subject, which means that it can be applied to any matter, such as processes, resources or people. |
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| (Continuous Improvement) |
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For all intents and purposes, Kaizen is most often associated with continuous improvement. This is the improvement methodology where small steps are taken in an attempt to improve an existing process. Feedback is collected, and then these results are analyzed. If the review of the outcome proves successful (based on predetermined metrics), the small step change is accepted. Otherwise the process is rolled back to its previous state. This is not a radical methodology. Rather, many small steps are taken to produce desired process improvements instead of one big overhaul. Kaizen is seen by many business people to be a safe way to implement quality. |
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Thanks to the folks at Toyota, the term Kaizen has been applied in a quality context to refer to a human based approach that requires feedback from the people that are familiar with the process and interact with it. The idea here is that the workers experience and knowledge includes both positive and negative aspects of the operation and would be best to know what changes could potentially work or not. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this line of thought, which is why Kaizen is applicable in certain instances. Obviously, the presence of workers with experience is a requirement, which means high turnover facilities will not be a good candidate. It is also well positioned for manual tasks, especially in the service sector. |
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Another offshoot of Kaizen is the thorough use of the employee suggestion box. The Kaizen effort relies upon employee suggestions and cross-functional teams, where empowered employees are encouraged to speak up. Without human intervention, there can be no process improvement using Kaizen. As such, employees are expected to make suggestions in order to raise the quality of the processes they are responsible for. |
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| The Difference |
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The Differences and / or Similarities |
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At first glance, one would think that TQM and Kaizen do not have much in common, other than the fact that they both deal with the topic of quality. One is a philosophy of what makes up a quality organization, and the other is a methodology that one could apply to encourage improvements to existing processes. As is typical for comparisons to TQM, this instance ends up being a parent-child situation. |
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TQM, through its 14 Points, provides guidance that an organization can reference when designing their processes and operations. Kaizen could be deployed as one of those reference points. Specifically, Deming's fifth point "Improve constantly and forever ..." would infer the need for some sort of continuous improvement methodology such as Kaizen. So this would make Kaizen a subset of TQM, and not a peer concept for comparative purposes. |
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As we always like to add, Kaizen is not the only method of deploying continuous improvement. On top of that, continuous improvement is not always the correct answer. In some instances a radical approach may be called for. It all depends on the circumstances at hand. |
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