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Case Study On Total Quality Management

Introduction

As an independent consultant in Quality Improvement, I will conduct an analysis of the operations of the company `Handles and Hinges`. I will answer how the company competes in its market place, what role does ‘quality' play in its competitive strategy, whether or not I believe the company's use of statistical quality control is sensible, how a TQM approach could benefit the company's operations, and I will also apply the Gap model of quality diagnostics to the company and comment upon its relevance.

Competing in two markets

Handles and Hinges compete in two different markets, the retail market, and the construction market. In the retail market, it is much more aware of costs, and this has placed stress on the manufacturing facility at Handles and Hinges to make orthodox products of quality similar to that of the competition and at a depleted price comparative to the construction market. Consequently, the company changed all production from long lead-time made-to-order craft-based methods to batch production of made-to-stock items. In the construction market, the company's long running product line has ran against less costly competition by giving a more compactly specified and controlled quality products, with original designs in the right amount at the right time. This has pleased the two main groups in the market, the contract builders who need reliable deliveries in order to keep to construction limits and the designing architect who wants originality and quality and will be ready to buy in order to improve various projects. This market had recently gone through a recession, which is why the company looked elsewhere to recover the loss in demand.

Handles and Hinges compete in its market place by offering high quality goods to the right people at the right price. It is therefore fundamental and vital that the company does not distribute low-quality products, due to the fact that repeat purchases are needed for the company to continue...