The Hurdles and challenges in implementation of quality concepts programme and a way forward for its success in organizations

( This article is in continuation to last article dated 25.12.2018 “QCFI – NCQC-2018 Souvenir and My Article”)

There are various hurdles and challenges for success of the quality concepts (like Lean Management, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, Quality Circle and others) programme. Some of them are mentioned as below, which are commonly referred as failures:

1. Lack of training and awareness on Quality Concepts programme.
2. Lack of training and awareness on different quality tools which help to improve product / services.
3. Lack of interest from top management.

Besides above, the three reasons for failures which are generally discussed, there are various other hurdles and challenges. These hurdles and challenges can be categorized, bifurcated to understand the nature of failure, which definitely help to improve on the success of Quality Concepts programme in the organizations.

The hurdles and challenges for success of Quality Concepts programme can broadly be classified as,

1. Different types of hurdles and challenges.
2. Hurdles and challenges at various stages during implementation of programme.
3. Hurdles and challenges based on various aspects and perception.

 It will be interesting to see all above points are in depth and will be easy for understanding and to improve upon,

1 ) Different types of hurdles and challenges:

1. Improper implementation
2. Fail to serve vision and mission for quality improvement.
3. Failure for lack of training and awareness about quality tools use.
4. Want of instantaneous results from Quality concepts programme.
5. May be because of incapable of appointed consultant.
6. Imbalance in volunteers of Quality concepts programme.
7. Improper structure making in Quality concepts programme.

2) Hurdles and challenges at various stages during implementation of programme:

This includes the basic five stages are:

1. Before start of the programme
2. Premature failure
3. Early failure
4. Failure in middle of programme
5. Failure at last stage of program.2

Let us have discuss five stages in details,

• Before start of the programme

This has been seen that concept has been well noted, understood and worked by management but, because of many grievances among the employees, such programme has to keep of second thought.

• Premature failure

Many a time it happened that the programme has been launched and kicked off with all motivation among the employees and employees involve voluntarily but due to poor leadership, lack of training and awareness among teams this could not get a flight.

• Early failure

Early failure happened in the beginning or within one or two month, is mainly because of (a) lack of coordination (b) Lack of motivational activity among the team members.

• Failure in middle of programme

Sometimes program fails in middle, because of diminishing interest from management, leadership and directionless volunteers of Quality Team.

• Failure at the last stage of program.

This may be the consequence of the lack of powers given to the Quality Team which further results in poor implementation and making of standard operating procedures, which is essence of result.

3. Hurdles and challenges based on various aspects and perception

The hurdles and challenges in successful establishment of Quality Concepts lies in various aspects and perceptions that are laid down here:

• Belief of, not invented in my country:

The belief of , that concept of Quality is not invented in my country but invented in Japan or other country, could not get success and this leads to non-establishment of Quality Concepts.

• The concept will not work :

The people are of mindset that what they are doing since years is correct, veracious at the same time. They resist change and are of opinion that “concept will not work”. This also shows that people do not want change.

• Waste of time and money :

There is a belief that Quality Concepts are waste of time and money. With this misconception, participants do not give the result and do other job in other area.

• Feelings that Quality Concepts are a thing of past and other techniques are better:

There is feeling that Quality Concepts are thing happened in past and could not give the result as compare to other technique.

• Lack of awareness about the concepts and potential benefits of Quality Concepts

There is lack of awareness about the concepts of Quality,its formation and principle behind it.

• Poor Support of union:

There is poor support from union in the industry because of lack of knowledge and lack in learning the new things. There is also feeling of “being used” by the company without adding to the wages.

• Culture of the company:

Though the concept is useful but culture of the company is such that it does not want to change form the basic fundamental. This is also affected by the legacy of working in the company.

• Non-Implementation of Suggestion:

Everyone wants that whatever suggested by them should be implemented though there is alternate best solution available.

• Lack of patronage by top management:

 This is nothing but the lack of support from the management for the formation of Quality Team and if team forms this may be terminated from the middle of road towards the success.

• Loss of interest by workers:

During the passage of time in activity of the Quality Concept programme interest of workers are lost may be because of the low level of motivation and encouragement.

• Not giving enough time for the success:

Sometime what happens is, there is less time allotted for completion of the project and essence is lost due to which the activity ceases.

• Wrongly judging the success as failure

Sometimes it happen that project is on its track and will yield the result what is desired and targeted but what the result comes is, they are  treated as failure and hence the  interest of participant is lost.

In my training programme, I gave below example to explain above point no 12 as

1 + 1= 2

2 x 1 =2

4 / 2 = 2

What are 2 in above example, simply 2 is an answer.

Then,

1 – 1 = 0

What is zero?

Here we cannot say that zero is not an answer, but we have to accept that zero is an answer.

In same way, some time we get negative result after implementation of Quality Concepts. In such situation interest of team member should not get lost and to continue with, team shall once again come up with new zeal.

Now the question is,

How to overcome hurdles and challenges in implementation Quality Concepts Programme?

The authors want to present here the model for successful implementation of Quality Concepts named as “WiZeReS” (In national language of India, Hindi it reads as “ विझेरेस ”  ) details as below:

The model is based on four principles that are:

1. Willingness to Participate
2. Zeal to learn
3. Resourcefulness
4. Skill

First Principle: Willingness to Participate:

It is expected that always there should be willingness for participation in quality concept programme implementation by an individual or a team of management or management itself with an aim to convert problem into a solution and write a success story. So that the improvement on part of quality can be seen and fruits of cost reduction can be enjoyed.

Second Principle: Zeal to learn:

The participant who is the part of quality team should have inner zeal to learn the new methodology in the areas of quality management, use of different type of tools and methodology.

Third Principle: Resourcefulness:

Participant as an individual or a team of management or management itself should be resourceful not only from the point of view of implementation of quality concept programme, but having a concept of providing good atmosphere, means of learning, ideas of motivation and empowerment.

Fourth Principle: Skill:

One should show the skill in quality management, use of different type of tools, methodology and most important of all is, how to use, where to use and when to use these tools.

                I hope this article will help to remove the hurdles and overcome the challenges during implementation of quality concepts in organization.