PATHS TO QUALITY MANAGEMENT
New times, new ideas
Increasingly, organisations are
realising that there is a critical linkage between the quality of
their management processes and their long-term success. Some of
the benefits that flow from quality management processes are
reduced costs, greater satisfaction and better morale, all of
which lead to better organisational results. Such success means
meeting the needs of all stakeholders including residents,
employees, interest groups and the community as a whole.
The private sector and the federal
and state public services have been adopting management reforms over the last decade, moving from old to
new models of effective management. (See: Management glossary: old
and new) Recent research suggests that,
while reform is now beginning, local government has a long way to
go to reach the dramatic transformation which has occurred in the
rest of the public sector.
Some councils have already taken up
the challenge to change (eg. ) and many others will follow over
the next five years. Amalgamations in Victoria, Tasmania and
Queensland, the granting of enterprise powers to councils in South
Australia, Queensland and Tasmania, and greater emphasis on
competitive tendering throughout Australia and New Zealand, will
all lead to a greater focus on quality management issues.
History of the quality approach
quality:
a superior characteristic; worth more; a higher grade; a
commitment to excellence1
innovation:
something new; ëWhy didnít I think of that?í ëWhat will
they think of next?'1
Australians and New Zealanders have
been hearing about the quality approach for about 15 years now. In
the early days of Total Quality Management (TQM), the emphasis was
on customer focus, standardisation of manufactured items, and
complicated accreditation processes.
Limitations
of TQM are now recognised. Many people in
local government will know how quality control became a motherhood
concept in public administration. Other critics (eg.1)
questioned the basic rationale of TQM.
Over the years, the TQM approach
has been softened although current quality approaches still carry
many of the key concepts of earlier versions. Nowadays, valuing
people, spreading of responsibility for decision-making,
innovation, continuous improvement and best practice are much more
prominent concepts.
How management of services differs
from other quality approaches
Quality management approaches began
in the manufacturing sector and emphasised the quality production
of goods. MPM is concerned with the production of services, not
goods. For this reason, much of the quality management material
that is published is not relevant to MPM.
In many ways the provision of MPM
services is similar to the provision of most other services.2
MPM services are characteristically:
As a result of these four
characteristics, defining, producing and monitoring a quality MPM
service is more complex than for manufactured goods. Many issues
that are relatively cut and dried for manufacturing become less
absolute. So, by all means read other books on quality, but keep
in mind the special characteristics of MPM services that may
require you to modify some of the recommendations that the authors
make.
Quality management for MPM
Key concepts for quality management
for MPM (See: Key quality concepts as they relate to MPM units &
Criteria of quality MPM
management)
Whatever their level of autonomy,
all MPM units will benefit from a critical appraisal of their
management practices. Only by being aware of their management
strengths and weaknesses can MPM units find ways to improve.
How do MPM units discover their
strengths and weaknesses? By asking critical questions about the
way they go about their business.
We go on to look, now, at the sorts
of questions that MPM units could be asking themselves as they
strive for improvement. We have based these questions on those
developed by the Australian Quality Council (AQC) for their awards
scheme, the Australian Quality Awards.3
The
assessment questions reflect recognised best management practice
and are reviewed annually.
Although the awards criteria are
more commonly used to assess whole organisations, here we apply
the criteria at the MPM unit level. As well, we have chosen, for
simplicity, to focus our discussion on management of a discrete
MPM unit operating as a business unit within the council
administration, only one of the many different arrangements
operating in local government. And
finally, the same management ideas apply whatever your level of
management; you will need to adjust the examples to fit your case.
According to the AQC there are
seven main areas of operation that need to be examined to assess
the quality of the management of an organisation:
Each area of operation is further
subdivided into its main components. Then, for each component, a
series of questions is posed to judge the quality of the
management processes associated with that component.
Applying key questions about
quality management to MPM
Quality management is a way of
thinking, rather than a set of fixed prescriptions. So the
questions we raise and examples of quality approaches we present
are not meant to be complete in any way, nor do they necessarily
apply to all municipalities. They are meant to act as prompts to
get you into the way of asking critical questions.
Some of the questions relate to
management concepts that may not be familiar to all readers. The
"Further insights" section may provide more information
insights on these concepts.
What follows is a checklist of
management best practice. Use this to achieve your aims by
selecting sections which are relevant for you. eg.
If you wish to conduct a formal
audit of your MPM unit , you may decide
to adhere closely to the sequential framework which follows.
If, on the other hand, you want some background
on a particular aspect of MPM eg. leadership of the MPM unit, you
may consult just the Leadership section for some ideas.
1.
Bates S. 1995. Does quality crush innovation? Australian Training Review No. 16: 24-26.
2.
Palmer A. 1994. Principles of Services Marketing. London: McGraw-Hill.
3.
Australian Quality Awards Foundation. 1995. Australian Quality Awards: assessment criteria + application guidelines. AQAF.
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