CONCEPT OF QUALITY CIRCLES
BY
SMART LEARNING WAY
CONTENTS
1.) Introduction of Quality Circles
2.) Concept Of Quality Circles
3.) Definition of Quality Circles
4.) Nature of Quality Circle
5.) Origin Of Quality Circle
6.) Objectives of Quality Circle
7.) The Elements involved in QCs
8.) Importance of Quality Circle
9.) Structure of Quality Circle
10.) Process of Quality Circle
11.) Techniques of Quality Circle
12.) Reasons for failure of Quality Circle
13.) Conditions for success of Quality Circle
14.) Conclusion
15.) Bibliography
INTRODUCTION OF QUALITY CIRCLES
Quality Circle is
a small group of 6 to 12 employees doing similar work who voluntarily meet
together on a regular basis to identify improvements in their respective work
areas using proven techniques for analyzing and solving work related problems
coming in the way of achieving and sustaining excellence leading to mutual
upliftment of employees as well as the organization.
It is "a way
of capturing the creative and innovative power that lies within the work
force".
An ideal size of
quality circle is seven to eight members. But the number of members in a
quality circle can vary.
CONCEPT OF QUALITY CIRCLES
The concept of Quality Circle is primarily based upon
recognition of the value of the worker as a human being, as someone who
willingly activates on his job, his wisdom, intelligence, experience, attitude
and feelings. It is based upon the human resource management considered as one
of the key factors in the improvement of product quality & productivity.
Quality Circle concept has three major attributes:
– Quality
Circle is a form of participate management.
– Quality
Circle is a human resource development technique.
– Quality
Circle is a problem solving technique.
DEFINITION OF QUALITY CIRCLES
Quality Circles
are (informal) groups of employees who voluntarily meet together on a regular
basis to identify, define, analyze and solve work related problems.
DEFINITION OF QUALITY CIRCLES (2.)
Quality circle
is “a voluntary
group of people
who meet together
on a regular
basis to identify,
analyze and solve
quality, productivity, cost
reduction, safety and
other problems in
their works area,
leading to improvement
in their performance
and enrichment of
their work life”
OTHER NAMES OF QUALITY CIRCLES
• Small
Groups
• Action
Circles
• Excellence
Circles
• Human
Resources Circles
• Productivity
Circles
NATURE OF QUALITY CIRCLES
The generally regarded ideal size of a Q.C. is around ten
members. As every member of the Circle is expected to actively participate in
the Q.C. meetings, a large number is not good. Too small a number of members
would tend to make the circle dormant.
Ideally members of a
particular Circle should be from the same work-area or who do similar work, so
that the problems they discuss will be familiar to all of them.
An organization may have a number of Q.Cs. If the number of
workers of any particular department/section who volunteer to join the Q.C. is
more than the ideal number that one Q.C. can accommodate, two or more circles
may be formed in the same area. Thus, an organization could have one or more
Q.C. in every department or section. There are organizations where all the
workers have become members of Q.Cs.
ORIGIN OF QULITY CIRCLES
Quality circles were first established in JAPAN in 1962; Kaoru Ishikawa has
been credited with their creation. The movement in Japan was coordinated by the
Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE).
The first circles were
established at the Nippon Wireless and Telegraph Company but then spread to
more than 35 other companies in the first year. By 1978 it was claimed that
there were more than one million quality circles involving some 10 million
Japanese workers. They are now in most East Asian countries; it was recently
claimed that there were more than 20 million quality circles in China.
Quality circles have been implemented even in educational
sectors in India, and QCFI (Quality Circle Forum of India) is promoting such
activities. However this was not successful in the United States, as it (was
not properly understood and) turned out to be a fault-finding exercise although
some circles do still exist. ref Don Dewar who together with Wayne Ryker and
Jeff Beardsley first established them in 1972 at the Lockheed Space Missile
Factory in California.
OBJECTIVES OF QUALITY CIRCLES
- Promote job involvement
- Create problem solving capability
- Improve communication
- Promote leadership qualities
- Promote personal development
- Develop a greater awareness for cleanliness
- Develop greater awareness for safety
- Improve morale through closer identity of employee objectives with organization's objectives
- Reduce errors.
- Enhance quality
- Inspire more effective team work
- Build an attitude of problem prevention
- Promote cost reduction
- Develop harmonious manager, supervisor and worker relationship
- Improve productivity
- Reduce downtime of machines and equipment
- Increase employee motivation
- Change in Attitude from "I don’t care" to "I do care” Continuous improvement in quality of work life through humanization of work.
- Self Development Bring out ‘Hidden Potential’ of People get to learn additional skills.
- Development of Team Spirit Individual vs. Team – "I could not do but we did it" Eliminate inter departmental conflicts.
- Improved Organizational Culture Positive working environment.
- Total involvement of people at all levels.
- Higher motivational level.
- Participate Management process.
THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED IN QCS
- It is a group effort and not an individual effort.
- The participating members are volunteers.
- Their efforts are directed to improve quality within their shops or places of work.
- They meet frequently, often at company cost.
- They represent a cross-section of age, Gender and positions in the organization.
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY CIRCLE
- Rise in organization morale.
- Inspire more effective work.
- Promote job involvement.
- Create problem solving capability by member of quality circle themselves.
- Promote personal and leadership activity.
- Improve communication within organization.
- Promote cost reduction.
- Increase employees motivation.
STRUCTURE OF QUALITY CIRCLE
1.) A steering committee:
This is at the top of the structure. It
is headed by a senior executive and includes representatives from the top
management personnel and human resources development people. It establishes
policy, plans and directs the program and meets usually once in a month.
2.)Coordinator:
He may be a Personnel or Administrative
officer who co-ordinates and supervises the work of the facilitators and
administers the program .
3.)Facilitator:
He may be a senior supervisory officer. He
co-operation the works of several quality circles through the Circle leaders.
4.) Circle leader:
Leaders may be from lowest level workers
or Supervisors. A Circle leader organizes and conducts Circle activities.
5.)
Circle members :
They
may be staff workers. Without circle members the program cannot exist. They are
the lifeblood of quality circles.
PROCESS OF QUALITY CIRCLES
- Problem identification:
Identify a number of problems that need
to be solved pertaining to their work area.
- Problem selection :
Decide the priority and select the
problem to be taken up first.
3. Problem Analysis :
Problem is clarified and analyzed by
basic problem solving methods.
4. Generate alternative solutions:
Identify and evaluate causes and generate
number of possible alternative solutions.
5. Select the most
appropriate solution:
Discuss and evaluate the alternative solutions by comparison in terms of
investment and return from the investment. This enables to select the most
appropriate solution.
6. Prepare plan of action :-
Prepare plan of action for converting the solution into reality which includes
the considerations "who, what, when, where, why and how" of solving
problems.
7. Present solution to
management circle :-
members present solution to management fore
approval
8. Implementation of
solution :-
The management
evaluates the recommended solution. Then it is tested and if successful,
implemented on a full scale
TECHNIQUES OF QUALITY CIRCLE
Techniques used in the quality
circle are:
- Brain storming
- Cause and effect diagram
- Sampling and charting methods
1.BRAIN STORMING:
The objective is to
stimulate creativity and free interaction among its members and a restraint of
criticism.
- CAUSE AND EFFECT DIAGRAMS:
After a problem has been
identified, members are called to present cause for the same. Through
discussions cause and effect relationships can be arrived at after a number of
meetings. A fish-bone diagram can be drawn for the same.
- SAMPLING & CHARTING METHODS:
QC members are trained to
observe key events at the work place and chart them in the specific sequence
and interrelationships. A pare to diagram is an example of events with a higher
frequency being highlighted.
REASONS FOR FAILURE OF Q.C
- Lack of faith in and support to Quality Circle activities among management personnel
- Lack of interest or incompetence of leaders/facilitator
- Apathy, fear and misunderstanding among middle level executives
- Delay or non-implementation of Circle recommendations
- Lack of or non-participation by some members in the Circle activities
- Circles running out of problems
- Inadequate visibility of management support
- Non-maintenance of Quality Circle records
- Too much facilitation or too little
- Language difficulty in communication
- Communication gap between Circles and departmental head
- Irregularity of Quality Circle activities
- Non-application of simple techniques for problem solving
- Change of management
- Confusing Quality Circle for another technique
- Resistance from trade unions
CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS OF QUALITY
CIRCLES
- Active support and commitment from the part of top management
- Proper coordination.
- Commitment and ability of facilitators and leaders.
- Proper education about the quality circle philosophy and sufficient training for facilitators, leaders, and members.
- Systematic development of the quality circle movement. Only limited number of circles shall be started initially and the number should be increased gradually. Starting many circles initially or increasing the number very rapidly may cause problem of lack of concentration, coordination etc.
- The first circles to start should be in those areas with scope for quick, tangible and easily visible results.
QC has quality of product life as its primary objectives. QC deals with
only product quality. It also aim at individual and group development. Quality
Circles are not limited to manufacturing firms only. They are applicable for
variety of organizations where there is scope for group based solution of work
related problems. Quality Circles are relevant for factories, firms, schools,
hospitals, universities, research institutes, banks, government offices etc.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.)Productivity and Quality
management
-Yogesh Zaveri
-Seth Publication house
2.)Statistical Quality Control
-
M. MAHAJAN
-
DHANPAT RAI & CO.PVT.LTD
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