Total quality management - part 1

In this lesson

1. 0:00 Quality definitions and modern business context
2. 1:23 Total quality management philosophy origins
3. 2:03 Traditional manufacturing approach to quality
4. 4:37 Why traditional methods fail in modern markets
5. 6:42 Total quality management principles and definition
6. 8:16 Quality circles and continuous improvement methods
7. 10:03 Two fundamental TQM principles explained
8. 12:20 Kaizen and incremental improvement strategy
9. 13:23 TQM definition and key elements summary

About this lesson

We'll explore the philosophy that transformed Japanese manufacturing in the 1950s and remains essential for modern businesses competing in fast-changing markets. You'll understand the two core principles—getting things right first time and continuous improvement—and see why prevention of errors is far more cost-effective than detecting and correcting them after the fact. Total quality management is a business philosophy, not just a technique or tool. It requires buy-in from every level of the organisation and applies to every activity, from product design to supplier relationships to staff training. Unlike traditional manufacturing approaches that accepted defects as inevitable and focused mainly on cost minimisation, TQM emphasises zero defects, customer satisfaction, and continuous incremental improvement through methods like quality circles and kaizen. This shift in mindset—treating suppliers as partners, empowering staff, and designing products and processes to prevent mistakes—creates both better quality outputs and genuine cost efficiency. This lesson is directly relevant to your Performance Management studies and builds the foundation for understanding costs of quality, which you'll encounter in more depth as you progress. By the end of this video, you'll be able to explain why TQM has become the standard approach for organisations across manufacturing, services, and non-profit sectors, and you'll recognise the key language and principles you'll need for your exam.

Duration: 15m