Modern customers are keenly aware of how powerful today’s technology is. They expect organizations to leverage that power to provide them with the utmost in quality service and products. Leveraging modern business best practices and methodologies allows IT organizations to maintain a rapid speed of development that keeps up with customer demand. However, speed can only get an organization so far without the added component of quality. This is where TQM can help to fill in the gaps and aid organizations in maintaining a grip on quality while pushing their speed. TQM is a management approach that seeks to provide long-term success by providing unparalleled customer satisfaction through the constant delivery of quality services. To properly execute on TQM methods, the entire organization needs to operate as a single unit in the pursuit of excellence. Achieving this is accomplished with a laser-focus on the principles of TQM: Customer first. TQM’s first and foremost pillar of success is an unwavering focus on the customer’s experience in all interactions with the organization. From first contact through purchase and continued support, the customer should always be the main priority. Employee ownership. TQM requires the involvement of every team member to ensure that complete quality control is offered at every level. TQM doesn’t focus on a single department because the goal is to provide customers with a great experience from every level of the organization. Process-based. TQM focuses on the creation and implementation of processes that provide organizations with the ability to find success and repeat it. Quantifying success and defining the steps taken to get there are essential for successful implementation of TQM. System integration. TQM strategies revolve around leveraging every asset available to the company. This is best achieved through system integrations that combine disparate parts of the organization into a single, well-oiled machine working in complete synergy. Communication. TQM requires every team member to be at their best and to function as a value-adding member of that team. This means communication and transparency is a core tenet of successful TQM practices. Data-driven. TQM doesn’t employ guesswork. Instead, data is leveraged for the improvement of the organization and decisions are made based on quantifiable facts. Constant improvement. TQM is not a one process. Perfection is impossible, so it must always be pursued to get the organization as close as possible to it. These pillars of TQM act as a framework for every decision made within the methodology. Whenever your organization feels lost, the TQM ideals are your guiding stars for righting course. The first step for implementing any new system is an honest assessment of the organization as it is today. Implementation of TQM is something that must be applied to the current structure of the organization. Each business is unique and requires its own approach, but the core tenets of TQM can guide each decision. Emphasize customer satisfaction -Creating an emphasis on customer satisfaction will change the way departments think about their duties. If something they are doing isn’t aiding in the improvement of the quality of the product or increasing the customer’s experience, they aren’t headed in the right direction. Each employee should take ownership of their role and be ready to consider ways in which they can improve their own department and outputs. Communicate with everyone -Communication throughout the organization is essential for educating everyone about the changes that are coming while also providing an avenue for receiving feedback. As they say, communication is a two-way street. Employees will have a much easier time establishing a feeling of ownership over the process when they know their voice is heard and they had a hand in guiding the changes. Manage errors -One of the most important aspects of delivering quality is managing errors. No matter how focused everyone is on driving quality, IT organizations will always run into one issue or another. Creating processes that mitigate issues are essential for TQM success. Errors should be addressed and dealt with as quickly as possible of course, but they should also be recorded and tracked. TQM requires that all parties take ownership of the part they play, and this applies equally to admitting fault and giving out praise. Q3 The success of TQM is to a large degree dependent on an organisational culture which supports its effective implementation. Drawing from your knowledge of organisational culture and as the General Manager of Superquality Supermarket, elaborate on 5 observable elements of organisational culture that can be found at the supermarket and provide relevant examples, specific to the supermarket.