Towards TQM for foreign manufacturing firms operating in mainland China

Foreign manufacturing firms operating in mainland China face an adverse operational environment caused by poor quality management staff and the undereducated workforce. The implementation of TQM is particularly difficult in this environment. Based on case studies of 20 TQM firms and practical consultancy experience in mainland China, this paper analyses the difficulties in implementing quality management and offers a number of suggestions for step by step implementation of TQM. As found in our studies, manufacturers may institute the necessary changes in both organizational quality culture and management systems progressively by assessing their unique operational environment and the practical improvements achieved on a continuous basis. Matrix organizations with project teams may provide them with a smoother transition from traditional organizational structure to team based structures in TQM. Those changes in management systems and organizational cultures may be supported by the necessary organizational policies, further instituted and sustained by the adoption of the ISO 9000 quality management system.