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CCoonntteennttss ((VVoolluummee II))Foreword ⅶ

Acknowledgements ⅸ

Introduction ⅹ

List of Abbreviations ⅹⅲ

Part I Total Quality Management

1 Quality Assurance in the 21st Century 21-1 Why TQM and QCC now? 2

1-1-1 The Road to TQM 21-1-2 Quality Management in a Changing World 41-1-3 QCC 51-1-4 TQM, and QCC as a Part of It: Toyota’s Case 61-1-5 TQM and QCC in Hospitals 11

1-2 What is quality? 161-3 What is management? 20

1-3-1 Management Cycle 201-3-2 Appreciation of Human Resources 23

1-4 Quality Assurance 281-4-1 What is quality assurance? 281-4-2 Customer Satisfaction 301-4-3 Employee Satisfaction in Quality Assurance 311-4-4 The Ultimate Objectives of Quality Assurance 32

2 Total Quality Management 332-1 Definition of TQM 332-2 Objectives of TQM 342-3 The Role of Management in Quality Management 382-4 How is TQM organized? 392-5 Historical Background of TQM 43

2-5-1 Japan 442-5-2 U.S. 46

2-6 Quality Management Awards 472-6-1 Deming Prize (Japan) 472-6-2 Malcolm Baldrige Award (U.S.) 49

2-7 Relationship between TQM and the ISO 9000 Series 522-7-1 What is the ISO 9000 series? 522-7-2 TQM and the ISO 9000 Series 532-7-3 The ISO 9000 Series and QCC 54

Part II Quality Control Circle

3 What is a QCC? 583-1 The Birth and Spread of QC Circles 583-2 Definition of a QC Circle 653-3 Objectives of QC Circle Activities 683-4 Versatility of QC Circle Activities 69

4 How to Get Started: QC Circle Activities 724-1 Preparation for Installation of a QC Circle Program 734-2 Establishment and Appointment of a QC Circle Organization 74

4-2-1 Management Commitment to QC Circles 744-2-2 Establishment of a QC Circle Organization 754-2-3 QC Circle Steering Committee 754-2-4 QC Circle Office 774-2-5 Appointment of Facilitators 784-2-6 Appointment of QC Circle Leaders 79

4-3 Launch of a Pilot Circle 804-3-1 Implementation Procedure 814-3-2 In-house Pocket Guide 90

4-4 Implementation of a Company-wide QC Circle Program 914-5 Necessary Arrangements for Sustainable QCC Implementation 97

5 Key Factors for Successful QCC Activities 995-1 Management Recognition Schemes 995-2 Maintenance of Active QC Circle Meetings 1005-3 Provision of Supplemental Training 1015-4 Provision of an Active Role for Middle Management 1015-5 Maintenance of Circle Leadership 1045-6 Operation of QC Circle Competitions 1055-7 Operation of Conferences and Conventions 108

6 QC Story 1106-1 What is a QC Story? 1106-2 Benefits of the QC Story 1136-3 Example of a QC Story 114

7 Benefits, Elements of Success, and Impediments 1227-1 Benefits from QC Circle Activities 122

7-1-1 Benefits for QC Circle Members 1227-1-2 Benefits for Circle Leaders 1247-1-3 Benefits for Facilitators 1257-1-4 Benefits for Management 1277-1-5 Benefits for the Company 128

7-2 Elements of Success 1297-3 Impediments to Success 131

Appendix: List of Organizations Promoting TQM/QCC in Asia 133References 153Authors 156

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FFoorreewwoorrddIn this globalized world and business environment quality is the key to competitiveadvantage.

No man is a prophet in his own land, and this is particularly true of the work of Edward W.Deming. Deming’s work and his original recommendations on quality were ignored in hishomeland before Japanese business imported his ideas and made them work in Japan.Deming encouraged the Japanese to adopt a systematic approach to problem solving. Healso encouraged senior managers to become actively involved in their company's qualityimprovement programs. His greatest contribution was the concept that the consumers arethe most important part of a production line. Meeting and exceeding the customers' needsand requirements is the task that everyone within an organization has to accomplish.Quality means satisfying customers’ requirements continually. In addition, themanagement system has to enable everyone to be responsible for the quality of his outputto his internal customers.During the period 1955—60, following the visits of Deming and Joseph M. Juran to Japan,the Company-wide Quality Control (CWQC) movement started to develop. Kaoru Ishikawawas its leader, and this movement asserts that quality refers to more than product qualityalone. It also takes in after-sales service, quality of management, the company itself, andhuman life. Ishikawa also made a significant contribution to the development of TotalQuality Management (TQM). The other quality management gurus such as Crosby, Demingand Juran have shaped the dimensions, practices and basis of the concept, but none havegurus actually coined the term TQM. By the end of 1980s, TQMconcept had become a recognized part of quality-related language.Total Quality Management includes a number of management practices, philosophies andmethods to improve the way an organization does business, makes its products, andinteracts with its employees and customers. Kaizen (the Japanese word for continuousimprovement) is one of those philosophies. Other recognized TQM practices are:Japanese 5-S Practice (Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu and Shitsuke; which stands forStructurize, Systemize, Sanitize, Standardize, and Self-discipline); Business Process Re-engineering (BPR); and Quality Control Circles (QCCs).

The success of Japanese business in Canada, Latin America, and the United States as wellas in Europe is attributable to TQM, a concept now widely practiced throughout Asia

In this context, and as a knowledge exchange between Asia and Latin America and theCaribbean, the Japan Program organized a workshop on the topic of Quality Control at theIDB’s headquarters in December 1999.

As a follow-up activity, to develop and disseminate the Total Quality Management andQuality Control Circle (TQM/QCC) system in Latin America and the Caribbean, the JapanProgram of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has entrusted the DevelopmentBank of Japan (DBJ) and the Japan Economic Research Institute (JERI) with the task ofproducing a TQM/QCC handbook.

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It is hoped that this publication will be useful and we welcome readers' comments andsuggestions for improving this manual.

Kaname OkadaChief of the Japan ProgramInter-American Development Bank

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AAcckknnoowwlleeddggeemmeennttssThis book was prepared by a team of the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) and JapanEconomic Research Institute (JERI), under contract with the Japan Program of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The team was led by Ryu Fukui and comprisesNicholas Gibler, Rebecca González-Ávila, Yoko Honda, Harue Inoue, Noriharu Kaneko,Ichiro Miyauchi, Susana Soriano, and Yuka Yagi. Fukui, Honda, Inoue, Kaneko, Miyauchi,Soriano, and Yagi are jointly responsible as authors of the original English version. Honda,Inoue and Yagi took charge of designing, producing, and editing of charts and figures, andof making effective layouts for the manuals. Gibler and González-Ávila are responsible forthe Spanish translation. (The above-mentioned names are in alphabetical order; their titlesand institutions are listed at the end of the Handbook.) Besides the authors and translators,Hiromi Kyogoku and Sakiko Sakama of DBJ supported production of charts and figures;and Maiko Sudo of JERI provided logistical support.

The team is indebted to other collaborators as follows: Masahiko Nakahata of Shin-EtsuHandoutai Co., Ltd. provided comments and advice; Masanori Kitajima, RyoichiroTanaka, and their colleagues at PL General Hospital, and Ikuko Okada of Higashi-Sumiyoshi Morimoto Hospital extended views and opinions through interviews and papers;and the Union of Japanese Scientists & Engineers generously granted the use of literaturesand photographs and, through Toshie Sonoda, introduced QCC practitioners for interviews.

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IInnttrroodduuccttiioonnUntil around 1950, Japanese products were perceived worldwide as being very inexpensive,but with poor quality. By the 1980s, products made in Japan were known all over theworld for their high quality and reliability. What happened during those three decades?

Also in the 1980s, U.S. companies were gradually losing their industrial competitiveness,so they and the U.S. government undertook a series of revolutionary movements thatincluded thorough exploitation of Japanese quality management. The subsequentrecovery of U.S. industries in competitiveness is well-known. An anecdote for theirsuccessful recovery was the big three (automobile companies)’s revival in the 1990s. Whathad they found in Japanese management practices and which parts contributed to therecovery?

Are such events only incidents of the past? We do not think so. They are relevant tocontemporary questions on quality management that are shared around the world.

Historically, quality control, in its modern terms, was born in the U.S., and Japan, in itshigh economic growth period, imported and developed that concept as Total Quality Control(TQC), which later evolved as Total Quality Management (TQM). Contrary to manymisunderstandings, TQM is not a tool merely for big companies or the manufacturingsector; it is a way of managerial thinking for any type of corporation.

The Quality Control Circle (QCC) method, a Japanese-made institutional development toolby which employees continuously strive for improvement in their work, usually functions asan integral part of TQM. More generally speaking, the QCC method can serve to enhancepeople’s problem-solving skills in organizations that have not yet introduced TQM as aleading management policy: not only in profit-making organizations but also in non-profitorganizations, public administration, associations, and any voluntary group. However,QCC functions best as part of TQM, and company-wide quality management through TQMis the most effective way to sustain QCC activities in an organization.

Are TQM and QCC Japanese things? Are they effective only in some cultures in the world?Our answer is a firm, “No!” They are not and should not be perceived to have such a narrowscope. Our firm belief is that they are applicable anywhere because they invoke universalvalues, and this is why this handbook has been produced. In our view, TQM and QCCvalues are much more than so-called Japanese management.

Pursuit of quality management never stops. We face more and more tasks in controllingand improving quality in the increasingly integrated world. Requirements of the ISO9000 series are representative of that truth. We are certain that TQM and QCC cancontribute tremendously to any institution that has become conscious about qualitymanagement, including those doing so through compliance with the ISO 9000 series.

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HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK

Nature of the Handbook. This two-volume handbook is a guide for people at all levels whohave wide-ranging desire to improve the quality of work in their organizations. It is abasic manual cum explanatory guide—that is, it aims at providing not only hands-onknow-how to install and implement Total Quality Management and Quality Control Circleprograms but also explanations as to why and in which ways they are useful fororganizations. In order to establish appropriate objectives, one must first completelyunderstand what is to be tackled. TQM and QCC do not come in a one-size-fits-all manual,yet they are not complicated. They merely require that the decision-makers in anorganization be really convinced of the usefulness of the well-elaborated and standardizedmethodology.

Target Readers. Volume I is intended for managers: explaining what TQM andQCC are all about and how to install and implement them in their organizations. Ittargets many levels of decision-makers, from top managers of corporations to middle-levelmanagers functioning as division heads. Its topics range from the theoretical concept ofTQM to practical knowledge on QCC—showing managers how these quality concepts havedeveloped worldwide, how QCC activities have contributed to the development ofcompany-wide quality management, and what kinds of benefits QCC may bring.

Volume II is a practical guide for starting QCC. Under the full support of managementthat is sold on TQM and QCC, focal persons or units of quality management (regardless ofwhether they were already in place or were newly appointed to install TQM and QCC) willtake the lead in promoting QCC movements and educating employees on QCC techniques.Those focal persons are called facilitators. In the implementation process, leaders willusually be selected by the individual Circles, which are formed in frontline operation oradministrative units. This volume is for these practitioners (facilitators and Circleleaders). It will direct them on how to carry out daily QCC activities and how to tacklecommon problems that facilitators as well as Circle leaders and members often finddifficult to solve.

Both Volume I and Volume II attempt to explain TQM and QCC to the degree required fortheir respective targeted readers. Note that the technical aspects of implementing theQCC method are kept to a minimum in Volume I, whereas the description of QCC tools,techniques, and tips are compiled in detail in Volume II. However, any managerinterested in QCC practices may find Volume II also useful, and any frontline operatorinterested in TQM or the QCC concept may want to refer to Volume I. The authorsassume that Volumes I and II will be always distributed as a set, not in a separate manner,to ensure this type of multiple use. Another type of reader may be persons who are interested particularly in QCC—forexample, people who are working in organizations where quality management has alreadybeen firmly established but are searching for ways to strengthen employee participation.Such persons may be eager to learn about the QCC concept, but not necessarily all theaspects of TQM. Or, readers may belong to a voluntary group or association and be

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looking for problem-solving methods for the group. These persons may also find QCC to bethe right answer. Such readers are recommended to focus on Volume II, and, dependingon their interests, occasionally refer to Part 2 of Volume I, (e.g., on parts such as chapter 7,which describes QCC benefits).

This handbook also is meant for readers with different types of concerns than those ofimplementers—that is, readers who are willing to support, technically or financially, theimplementers of quality management. Examples are government policy makers; businessassociations; academic persons; international or domestic donors; or any other private orpublic institutions that support quality management of the corporate sector. Indeed,introduction of TQM and QCC in a country is only possible with the help of such supporters,particularly in the case of small- and medium-sized companies; so the authors stronglydesire that the handbook contribute to raise awareness on TQM and the QCC conceptamong those supporters. These types of readers may find interesting both thedescriptions about the historical background of TQM and QCC and the supportinginstitutions in Asia, both in Volume I and Volume II.

For Readers in Small Organizations. Finally, a note for readers who manage orbelong to relatively small organizations that may want to introduce TQM or QCC.Technical explanation of institutional arrangements of TQM and QCC in this handbookmay appear, to their eyes, to be relevant only to medium- or large-sized enterprises—forexample, QCC, as a company-wide movement, is implemented by various units and groupswith several layers: steering committees, QCC offices, facilitators, Circle leaders, members,and so forth. However, adapting those explanations for less stratified organizations is nota difficult task, and small organizations can implement QCC in a manner appropriate totheir size, once readers gain core knowledge on QCC methodologies and minimuminstitutional requirements. Because the Handbook is targeted at a broad range of readers,some of its parts have to be comprehensive.

AS MATERIAL FOR AN INTRODUCTION SEMINAR

This handbook’s design enables a reader to start self-learning, but its best expectedapplication is as a material for a seminar that either introduces TQM and QCC or explainsQCC as an institutional development tool. In such a case, the reading of this handbook inits entirety after the seminar will be even more beneficial.

TQM and QCC　seminars are typically organized so as to present the material to managersand facilitators in separate groups. A half-day seminar for managers may be organized byQCC resource persons, utilizing figures and charts in Volume I as presentation materials.And perhaps a three-day seminar for facilitators could include figures and charts in VolumeII and introduction of discussions and exercises. Any subsequent guidance to facilitatorsfrom QCC resource persons may not particularly require organized materials.

A seminar for Circle leaders may be organized as another undertaking, once pilot Circlesare identified in an interested organization. Circle leaders are typically instructed onQCC implementation in a one-day seminar, after which the facilitators provide theguidance.

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AAbbbbrreevviiaattiioonnssANSI American National Standards InstituteAPO Asian Productivity OrganizationAQP Association for Quality and ParticipationCCS Civil Communications SectionCEO Chief Executive OfficerCL Center LineCWPM Company Wide Productive MaintenanceCWQC Company Wide Quality Control5M1E 4M1E + Measurement (or Money)5S Sorting, Systematizing, Sweeping, Sanitizing, Self-discipline5W1H What, When, Where, Who, Why, How4M1E Man, Machine, Materials, Method, EnvironmentGDP Gross Domestic ProductGHQ General HeadquartersHAM Honda of America ManufacturingIAQC International Association of Quality CirclesIBM International Business Machines CorporationICQCC International Convention on QC CirclesIEQCC International Exposition of Quality Control CirclesISO International Organization for StandardizationISO/CD International Organization for Standardization / Committee DraftJIS Japanese Industrial StandardsJUSE Union of Japanese Scientists and EngineersNBC National Broadcasting CompanyNIST National Institute of Standards and TechnologyNPO National Productivity OrganizationNTT Nippon Telegraph and Telephone CorporationPDCA Plan-Do-Check-ActPM Productive MaintenanceQC Quality CircleQCC Quality Control CircleQCRG Quality Control Research GroupSL Specification Lower LimitSME Small- and Medium-sized EnterpriseSOP Standardized Operational ProcedureSQC Statistical Quality ControlSU Specification Upper Limit3Mu Muda (wastefulness), Muri (excessiveness), Mura (dispersion)TPM Total Productive MaintenanceTQC Total Quality ControlTQM Total Quality ManagementWWI World War IWWII World War II

Volume I Part I

Total QualityManagement

1 Quality Assurance in the 21st Century

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1 Quality Assurance in the 21st CenturyUnderstanding the importance of quality is the first step in starting to learn qualitymanagement. This first part of the handbook attempts to look at quality in a holisticmanner: Why do we talk about TQM and QCC now? What do we mean by quality? What dowe seek? How do we measure quality? Atsushi Otaki has identified seven factors ofquality: physical components, functional elements, human elements, time elements,economic factors, productive elements, and market factors (Otaki 1993). This chapterexamines how quality management can be pursued by introducing TQM and QCC.

1-1 Why TQM and QCC now?1-1-1 The Road to TQM

Until around 1950, Japanese products were perceived in markets all over theworld as being very inexpensive, but with poor quality. By the 1980s, thesame markets were recognizing made in Japan as a sign of high quality andreliability. What happened during those three decades?

Mass production systems were developed mainly by U.S. industries in theearly 20th century. Other countries that were then emerging as new powersadopted variations of this scientific management of companies according totheir individual contexts. For example, in Japan, rationalization ofmanagement in factories was substantially advanced in the 1930s, butimports of goods and ideas from advanced countries were squeezed as thenation approached World War II. After the war, the devastated Japaneseeconomy moved vigorously to restore its previous production level throughfull-on importation of technologies and ideas from the U.S. and Europe.

In the postwar period, Japanese industries absorbed many modern conceptson management either through the General Headquarters (Americanoccupation headquarters representing the Allied Forces) or directly fromvarious foreign countries. The quality management systems were typicalexamples. However, Japanese-made still had a connotation of beinginexpensive but with poor quality until the early 1950s. The nation’s wealthwas yet meager: Japan’s GDP per capita in 1950 was similar to those ofColombia, Greece, Mexico, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and way belowthose of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. A number of factors contributed toreversing the notorious reputation of Japanese products in the subsequenttwo decades: development of applied technologies, creative reception ofimported systems, successful introduction of industrial policies inharmonization with the private sector, expansion of world trade, gradualliberalization of domestic markets for foreign capital, and so on. Amongthem, what calls our particular attention in relation to management systemsis Japan’s 1950s and early 1960s adaptation of U.S.-type qualitymanagement. This reception was not passive; Japanese companies modifiedthe concepts:

Statistical Quality Control (SQC) was transformed in Japan as Company-


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Wide Quality Control (CWQC) or Total Quality Control (TQC), andProductive Maintenance (PM) as Company-Wide Productive Maintenance(CWPM) or Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). Whereas the originalconcepts of SQC and PM assumed that only expert staff members would be incharge of quality control of products or maintenance of equipment, theJapanese adaptation was to apply those methods to whole sections ofcompanies.

There were two important underlying perceptions of top managers who putforward these movements: strong commitment to quality and particularemphasis on human resources. Management in Japanese companies madesure that its visions and its ideas about company missions were disseminatedto all employees, from frontline operators to middle managers, in the beliefthat employees were the most valuable assets in companies. Then, whatwere the management tools that enabled company-wide movements focusingon quality improvement? The most important vehicle was the QualityControl Circle (QCC) concept, in which small groups of frontline operatorsfollow problem-solving processes to cooperatively solve various problems inthe workplace.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, TQC and QCC were practiced with stronginitiatives and commitment of management in many sectors—particularlymanagement in export-led manufacturing companies, which substantiallyincreased their presence in world markets. After the late 1970s, in line withrapid foreign direct investment by Japanese companies, so-called Japanesemanagement was exported to foreign countries. To be fair, we cannot saythat the quality management was the sole factor for vigorous expansion ofproduction and export; however, it was one of the major factors as manyobservers concur (Miyamoto et al. 1995). In the 1980s, the strongcompetitiveness of the Japanese export sector produced a huge trade surplusand some conflicts in the U.S. and European markets. There was much talkabout an over-presence of Japanese companies. The TQC practiced by thesecompanies evolved, with much refinement, to Total Quality Management(TQM) in the late 1980s, as laid out in the following sections.

The record of Japanese companies in the domestic and foreign markets in the1990s is much more complicated. The long economic recession that began inthe Japanese economy in the early 1990s, together with the lower growth ofthe world economy and trade, seriously affected Japanese companies, and adiscrepancy in productivity between some competitive manufacturing sub-sectors and the protected service industries emerged. Japanese companieshave lost some competitiveness as a whole, which has evoked an extremeview in the world that Japanese management is no longer effective. Andsince Japanese Management is deeply associated with TQM, a perception hasemerged that the successes accredited to TQM up to the 1980s are somewhatdubious. However, this is an obvious mistake. The need for qualitymanagement has been only increasing, and the fact that Japan’s economy istroubled does not undermine the potential of TQM and QCC.


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1-1-2 Quality Management in a Changing WorldAcross nations and regions, companies are facing new challenges in achanging environment. First, the integration of world markets has beenrapidly proceeding. With open market economies in many parts of the world,overseas production has been accelerated─goods can now be producedanywhere in the world where the cost of production is the cheapest. Suchglobalization of markets has affected not only exporters and importers butalso domestic players, even small companies, in many ways: pricecompetition has become tougher, product diversification is in higher demand,safety and reliability of goods have become indispensable, higher standardsof quality in developed countries are also being applied to markets indeveloping countries, and so on.

A second challenge to providers of goods and services is that theirstakeholder base has been substantially broadened, and consequently, theirsocial responsibilities have enlarged. The requirement for environmentalconsideration is a typical example. Another one, product liability legislation,has become prevalent in many economies, making goods and serviceproviders much more accountable for their work than they were a decade ago.

Third is an increasing need for companies to focus on accountability andtransparency of management in order to demonstrate good risk management.The chance that a company could have its reputation damaged overnight hasincreased, because society today has a highly developed information networkthat can easily proliferate public mistrust. In fact, examples of foul play byrenowned companies, both domestic and international, can be found easily(e.g., Firestone Bridgestone [U.S., 2000], Mitsubishi Motors [Japan, 2000],Snow Brand [Japan, 2002], Nippon Ham [Japan, 2002]). Companies havebeen forced to retreat from the market or at least temporarily set backbecause of fraud.

Fourth is a proliferation of complications related to customer satisfaction.Customer needs continue to evolve in line with the diversification of lifestyles,and high quality and functionality are expected of every product. Withinformation technology far developed compared to a decade ago, availingmuch more product information, customers are demanding more real valuein products. In addition to price and usability, factors such as fashion anduniqueness are involved. World markets being more integrated, consumersnow have a wider selection of goods and services with which to satisfy theirappetites.

Overall, the current business environment has become much more complex,and elements concerning quality of products and services that were notconsidered as crucial for business success a decade ago, now are. As notedearlier, TQM provides a powerful platform on which companies apply qualitymanagement not only at the production or service delivery levels, but also ona company-wide scale. Therefore, TQM’s potential needs to be exhaustedmore completely than it ever has. At the same time, the TQM concept will


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obviously have to be responsive to the evolving business environment.

1-1-3 QCCTaking as a given that TQM is an effective management tool, figure 1indicates its framework and how QC Circle activities can be placed in it. AQC Circle activity is a small group activity for the voluntary performance ofquality control within a workshop or any other unit.

From the standpoint of promoting quality management at the institutionallevel, QC Circle activity constitutes part of TQM. But it is not just aningredient; it is a central vehicle, so to speak, by which to implementcompany-wide quality management. QCC activity can be implemented alsoby any organization that does not yet have special focus on TQM, bringingabout many benefits. However, in order to sustain it or apply qualitymanagement to all business activities in an organization, TQM, or anequivalent company-wide system involving strong commitment in qualitymanagement, is a must.

Relationships in Improving the Company’sConstitution and QC Circle Activity

Figure 1

Human Resource Development / Evaluation / Working HoursWelfare Program / Labor-Management Relations

TQM Activity

QC Circle Activity

Personnel Training

Enhancing the Organizational Strength

Human Relations Labor-Management Relations

Improving the Company’s Constitution

TQM Committee 1998Adapted by authors.

Figure 2 shows the relationship between TQM and QCC from the viewpointof hierarchical structure of a company. This interpretation should be validfor all types of institutions, regardless of scale. For a relatively smallcompany, the hierarchy merely becomes simpler, involving a smaller numberof Circles and a simplified system for supervising employees. In any case,the top management should be committed to enhancing quality in the overallbusiness, and frontline operators should continually improve the quality oftheir work through Circle activities.


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Obviously, the ultimate mission for companies, again regardless of their scaleand sector, is to survive in the competitive environment. To do so they needto achieve customer satisfaction. A company-wide effort for customersatisfaction integrating the QCC concept as an indispensable part of TQM isthe answer forwarded by this handbook. QCC details will be discussed inpart 2 of this volume.

MANAGEMENT

SUPERVISORS

FRONTLINEOPERATORS

TQM

QCC

Figure 2

(from University lecture by Noriharu Kaneko, 1995)

1-1-4 TQM, and QCC as a Part of It: Toyota’s CaseSome companies have developed their own concept of quality managementand have been evolving it with the changing business environment. Thosecompanies exhaust significant resources over time in implementing,reviewing, and reorganizing quality management, but are eventuallyrewarded by their self-generated efforts. Among companies that aresuccessful in quality management, what seems common is management’scommitment and establishment of a clear vision, regardless of the type ofbusiness. Toyota’s pursuit of quality is a good example. Toyota has utilizedTQM, and QCC as a part of it, efficiently. We describe this case only as anexample of success in the history of TQM and QCC, and not as a standard orspecific model to be followed in all cases.


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TQM and the “NEW QC Circle Activity” of Toyota Today

Year 1936 Model AA Year 2001 Estima HybridFirst passenger car for the massesrealized in Japan

Ecological car with focus on savingenergy and reducing air pollution

Total Quality Management at ToyotaToyota, today’s number one company in the Japanese automobile industry,continues to strive daily to maintain and improve its current position.Competitiveness in the Japanese automobile market is at a very high level,for it includes Nissan, with high-level technologies; Honda, a worldwideknown brand; Mitsubishi; Isuzu; Mazda; and other major companies,including American and European. Among these competitors, Toyota hasmaintained and improved the leading position over the years. And thispositioning has been the result of a harmonized effort, from the topexecutives to the floor operators who work in the factories every day.

Toyota constantly strives to improve production and sales by viewingbusiness in the long term. The most important characteristic of Toyota’smanagement is by all means management’s continued commitment to quality.Quality assurance at Toyota is understood to mean the quality that makescustomers willing to buy products, confident in using them, and satisfiedwith their performance. To achieve this, in 1961 Toyota introduced the TotalQuality Control method, which is considered one of the most importantfactors of the company’s success. TQC goes beyond product quality to alsoinclude improvement in management as a whole. The impetus forintroducing the method was Toyota’s poor results in its rivalry with Nissan,another major automobile company in Japan. Compared to Nissan’sBluebird (a particular car's name), Toyota’s Corona had many technicalproblems, and instead of gaining shares Toyota only gained a poor reputation.Toyota hoped to make use of TQC as a tool to increase both the value of thecompany itself and the knowledge of each employee.

Toyota’s TQC method—requiring full-scale participation, from the topmanagers to the floor operators—soon proved to be successful and won theDeming Prize in 1965, followed by the Japan Quality Control Awards in 1970.The work toward the Deming Prize had many effects on Toyota. The qualityof products improved remarkably and resulted in fewer defects in theproduction process. Maintenance and improvement of quality went from anorientation on post-production inspections to one emphasizing quality in the


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production process. Toyota’s sales improved in the domestic market as wellas overseas. The reduction in production cost was reflected in reduced carprices, which the customers welcomed, and sales improved. Improvementwas also seen at the management level from the viewpoint of humanrelations and cooperation.

In the mid 1990s, TQC in Japan was reviewed, and the term control waschanged to management and the positive details of TQC were succeeded toTQM. Also the notion that TQM was not wholly equal to management wasrenounced, giving way to the view that management must keep in mind theTQM way of thinking when managing a company. So in 1995, TQC atToyota became TQM, which was redefined as an activity to energize peopleand organizational units and to change the nature of the company so that itcould respond flexibly to changes in the business environment.

As shown in figure 3, Toyota’s TQM consists of the integration of three mainpoints that must be present in order for the company to succeed: focus oncustomers, continual improvement, and participation by all employees.Focus on customers means that customer needs are more important thanemployee needs. As customers’ needs continue to increase, product qualityand operator skills must continue to improve. Also customer complaintscannot be answered from a company point of view. The view of customers islikely to be different and must be known if their trust is to be secured.

Since customers are not likely to ever be completely satisfied, the workplacemust nurture a desire for continuous improvement. The employees mustkeep thinking about how to obtain better quality, better evaluations, and abetter working atmosphere. If everyone is satisfied with the current statusand does not seek improvement, no kind of approach is likely to succeed.

Finally, TQM cannot be done by only a few employees; it must beaccomplished by the teamwork of the whole company. When all of theemployees understand their positions in the field and know what is expectedof them, they are likely to have confidence in themselves and will participatein further activities aggressively. As for their daily work, employees need toknow why they are doing a particular job and what the intended result is.Without this vision they will not be motivated to think unconventionally or towork extra hard for improvement. They need to feel trusted andappreciated as employees.


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•All employees should think likecustomers and make every effort to createcustomer satisfaction.

•All employees, from the top managers to thefrontline workers, should share common values,business objectives, and information.•All employees should fulfill their respectiveroles properly, enhancing their capabilitiesthrough exercising autonomy and creativity.

•All employees should havea firm belief that theworkplace must nurture adesire for continualimprovement, because suchbelief creates innovation.

TotalParticipation

ContinuousImprovement

Focus onCustomers

Self-discipline and total optimization

Innovation throughimprovement

Customer-oriented attitude

TQM

Figure 3 Toyota’s 3 Basic TQM Perspectives

Yamauchi 2001

Quality Control Circles in ToyotaToyota implemented QC Circle activity to educate its employees in the TQCmethod. A QC Circle is a way to improve the work of each operator and theworking place as a whole by training everyone to think through and discusssolutions. With the spread of this method throughout the company Toyota'squality improved remarkably.

From its beginning in 1962, the framework for Toyota’s QC Circles involvedall personnel in every factory, from the top managers to the floor operators.The mere introduction of QC Circles emphasized the importance being placedon quality improvement, and the concept soon spread throughout thecompany. In 1967 Toyota’s QC Circles adopted a theme of Zero DefectiveMerchandise Activity, competing amongst themselves to reduce the numbersof defective products. By 1974 the essential goals were met and new Circleswere formed and new themes were set. However, it was at this time thatthe activity came to be systematic and more concerned with winning prizesthan with making good use of the QC Circle activity method. Despite theCircles’ well-deserved reputations and highly refined presentation skills, thecore of their activity had been forgotten.

In 1993 Toyota introduced “NEW QC Circle Activity”—rededicating itself tocore objectives, such as improving both individuals’ skills and the workingatmosphere. The operators were to feel pride in being part of the companyand empowered to set goals in their daily work—mainly through a reshapingof attitudes toward work, quality, the company and customers. In essence,


10

Toyota was saying, “Let’s return to the basics and accept the challenge oncemore,” and the result was improvement both in the workplace and incorporate growth.

The employees were vital to the success of the New QC Circle Activity: theyall had to participate in creating an atmosphere of positive action and wereprovided many opportunities to show their successes and exchangeinformation with other circle members.

As of 2001, Toyota had approximately 4,800 Circles, all of them continuouslyaiming to improve the quality of their work and playing an important part inthe company’s success. Figure 4 shows both the terminologies used inToyota’s QC Circle hierarchy and the fact that all employees are involved.The figure is based on Toyota's actual QC Circle Structure; the QC roles(right) are carried out by the personnel indicated on the left.

Official Organization

Manager

Chief

Senior Foreman

Foreman

Unit Leader

Workers

QC Circle Promotion Committee

Circle Leader

Sub-Advisor

Plant Promotion Committee

Advisor

Caretaker

Assistant Caretaker

Circle Theme Leader

Circle Members

QC Circle

Organization of Toyota’s QC Circle ActivitiesFigure 4

Ohta 1984

Commitment of Management to TQM and QCCManagement in any company must be aware of how much its success isdependent on finding the best way to implement TQM and QCC to enhanceits employees’ knowledge and energy toward work. Managementcommitment is the main element for the success of a company and its QCCircles. As you can see in the case of Toyota, the management with the mostinfluence in the company must know of the importance of quality. Becauseof Toyota’s long history of success in QC Circle activities, its decision to


11

revamp them could not have been easy, yet it did so and was able to revive itsoriginal spirit of pursuit of quality.

The New QC Circle Activity in Toyota had to first be welcomed bymanagement, and management had to be committed to the development ofhuman resources so that it could guide the employees in setting high goalsand provide them with opportunities to learn, think, and decide.

The tangible success of Toyota today is not the result of luck; it comes fromthe full-scaled effort of its employees. This was made possible throughpatient leadership that showed appreciation for hard effort and emphasizedquality, self-training, and reflection on the customer’s point of view.

Toyota’s continued commitment is further evidenced by “The Toyota Way2001” campaign (spearheaded by Mr. Fujio Cho, the president), which alongwith the constants—Continuous Improvement and Respect for People. Dueto limited space the Toyota Way itself and its famous TPS (Toyota ProductionSystem) schemes will not be discussed furthermore in this text.

1-1-5 TQM and QCC in HospitalsSome people tend to think of TQM and QCC as management tools only forgoods-producing enterprises, i.e., the manufacturing sector; some perceivethem as being relevant only to profit-making organizations; and others feelthat they are appropriate only for big companies. Quite contrary to suchmisinterpretations, TQM and QCC have been successfully adopted widely inthe service sector, small- and medium-size enterprises, public corporations,and non-profit making organizations (see chapter 3 section 4 Various QCCircle Activities in this volume).

This section shows how a health sector institution, a hospital, took up thechallenge of adopting TQM and QCC, a good example of their relevanceoutside of manufacturing. This case and the others that follow wereselected not because they were completely successful but because theyrepresent how TQM and QCC are being applied in challenging frontiers.

Background: QCC and TQM in hospitals

The lessons learned from TQM and QCC in the manufacturing sector in the1960s have been much appreciated in various other sectors, including healthcare and education. The health care sector became attracted for manyreasons. First, there was no reason to doubt that it could parallel theproven TQM and QCC success stories. Second, the nature of hospitals’ dailyfunctions seemed an appropriate fit for the assimilation of improvementactivities through small Circles: Hospitals comprise quite a few small units,each of which establishes standard working modalities, and close teamworkis required everywhere at all times. Also, most of these units have directcontact with the patients, their customers—some on a 24-hour basis. TheQC Circle concept can find a home in this environment. Third, an


12

increasing number of accidents involving doctors, nurses, and paramedicalpersonnel has caused patients to develop serious health problems, or evendie—immediately in some cases, years later in others. Thus, concerns forquality in the health care sector have been increasing over the past ten yearsin Japan.

Even as these human errors increase in number, awareness has risen thatthey are preventable if quality management is always assured as a crucialfactor in hospital operations. What then constitutes “quality medicalservices” and how do we achieve them? According to Mr. Masanori Kitajima,the director and administrator secretary of PL General Hospital, Osaka,Japan, quality medical services means “quality in each operation and in thesystem in which they are organized.” Therefore, “improvement in medicalservice quality means to improve the quality of each operation and it has tobe achieved through the participation of all employees involved in thehospital operations” (Kitajima 2003).

Specificities of operations in a hospital, where every employee contributes byindividual specialty, have for a long time made it difficult to define quality inthe work routine. In the case of Japan, the organizational structure ofhospitals is vertical—that is, it’s rather hierarchical, and employees do notcommunicate much horizontally. Therefore, according to Aso Izuka Hospitalin Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, a number of Japanese hospitals now face bothmanagement and operational problems. The introduction of TQM and QCCcan play a vital role for improvement in this regard.

TQM has been gradually introduced in Japan’s hospitals; now around fifteento twenty have adopted the framework. Note here that two pathways aretypically available for the introduction of quality management systems(explained in chapter 4)—one in which QCC is exercised without the TQMframework. Currently there are roughly 200 hospitals practicing QC Circleactivities nationwide.

Case of PL General Hospital

PL General Hospital’s history with QCC goes back to the early 1980s, whenin addition to experiencing financial losses, the hospital was also sufferingfrom low employee morale, which negatively affected teamwork in itsoperation. It had decided to enlarge its building, which it expected wouldresult in increased numbers in both its patients and its employees. Withthose changes in the business and operational environment, the hospital in1987 decided to introduce QCC, which was a none-too-easy step. Thebottom-up nature of the QCC system tended to stifle voluntary actions orpositive initiatives by employees. There was always a voice against a newsystem, particularly by middle management, who were then not soknowledgeable about QCC activities and thus were reluctant to entrust someof their authority or decision making to those under their management.


13

Within six years of implementation, however, some positive changes wererecognized by management. One senior manager described “attitudechanges that were apparent in the faces of the employees.” The employeesgradually responded to the need of this activity and began to recognize QCCas a part of their daily work routine. Consequently the quality of servicedramatically improved, followed by profits in the financial statements. Astangible results, the problem-solving procedure (QC Story: further explainedin chapter 6) contributed in various ways to cost reduction. For example,the standardization of bandages led to cost reduction of US$15,000 annually,and reduction in the usage of paper towel saved another US$42,000.Another important impact was intangible; interaction between patients andhospital personnel became frequent and pleasant and thus overall servicequality improved.

The TQM framework in the PL hospital is shown in figure 5. Its structurefacilitates direct dissemination of the president’s policy to the heads of eachdepartment, who further disseminates it within their departments. Thedepartment sections then decide concrete action to implement the policysuggested by the president. This system is not intended to imposemanagement policy, rather it attempts to provide a sound environment inwhich management policy can be well-incorporated at the operational level.

QC Circles

Figure 5 TQM and Its Management System

President’s Policy

Department Head’s PoliciesMedical

Examinationand Treatment

Dept. Policy

Co-medicalDept. Policy

Nursing Dept.Policy

SecretariatPolicy

RoutineWork

Standardi-zation

Hospital Philosophy

Sectional Policy Sectional Policy Sectional Policy Sectional Policy

Management Factor ControlCommittee

Activity QC TeamProject Team

1. Quality of Medical Treatment2. Safety3. Cost Reduction4. Efficiency5. Quality of Service6. Morale

Routine Management

ManagementEnvironment

Long-term Plan

Kitajima 2003


14

What are some tips for successful QCC activities? The key factors seem to liein the methodological aspects of QCC activities, and first and foremost thefirm commitment of management.

　　　　　　　QCC Activities in PL General Hospital

Participation in QCC activities at PL General hospital is compulsory for allemployees, except doctors, who participate on a voluntary basis as observers.Members participate in the activities both during and outside of theirworking hours. Allowance is made for overtime. A Circle consists of eightto ten people—sometimes within the same department, sometimes not. Asupervisory person who is well-experienced in QCC activities serves as anadvisor. Each advisor looks after eight to ten Circles and assists inindividual QCC activities whenever one faces some difficult problems. EachQCC is obligated to complete one theme, which is compiled in a collection ofcase works and presented in the company-wide QCC convention every otheryear.

The core function of the hospital’s QCC Office is to organize internal andexternal training for the members; publish monthly news, “Q-net”; andprovide various information on QCC techniques and tools on a day to daybasis. Members consist of an administrator secretary at the top and elevenadvisors from different departments.

Figure 6 QCC Activity in PL General Hospital

QCC Office

AdministratorSecretary

12 Members

Advisor Working Group•Education/Training Working Group•Convention/PR Working Group•Standardization Working Group

QCC

Members

Leader

Advisor

Observer


15

　　　　　Road to Success: Commitment by Management

Various crucial factors have contributed to the overall success of PL GeneralHospital.

Key Factors for Successful QCC Operation inPL General Hospital

• QCC Office Well-Established

• Innovative “Advisory” System

• Management’s Clear Vision

• Effective Training

• Effective Participation in Internal and External Conventions

• Appropriate Incentives Provided

• High Motivation of Participants

First, the QCC Office and the QC Circles themselves must be well-established, and the roles of their individuals, clearly defined. In the case ofPL General Hospital, the QCC Office works efficiently to promote QCactivities in the organization. An “advisory” system, another innovationemployed in PL hospitals, helps to disseminate knowledge within individualdepartments. The advisors, apart from their advisory roles, also form QCCworking groups for three mainstreams: education and training, conventionand public relations work, and standardization. They hold a meeting everymonth to discuss themes and solve problems.

Effective training is also crucial for QCC activities. In the case of PLGeneral Hospital, internal training is conducted mainly for new employees.Participants learn what a QCC is and what tools and techniques they employ.The external training covers, among others, QCC tools and techniques andsome PC skills necessary for QCC activities.

Active participation in internal and external conventions is an effective wayto support QCC activities; Circles not only give presentations on their ownefforts, but also learn from those of others. Incentives can be created in theform of convention awards for well-prepared, well-delivered presentations.

The commitment of management seems to be particularly important for thesuccess of QCC operation. The clear vision of management needs to beimpressed on all of the employees. Based on that vision, the Circle memberswill decide which themes to tackle. Revealing management’s vision does notconstrain the flexibility of QC Circles to decide the themes they want totackle, rather it directs QCC operations in line with the management vision


16

and mission. The support of management is always strongly welcomed byQC Circle members. Management is also tasked with ensuring thatstandardization of activities is well-established and effectively organized.

1-2 What is quality?Company efforts in terms of quality are in order to meet customer satisfaction.In theory, improved quality will increase the customer demand, which will lead toincreased production and profit. What then is quality? What does the customerlook for in terms of quality? What does quality mean to frontline operators?

According to Kusaba (1995, 5) quality is a workmanship of various activities. Inmanufacturing activities, it is measured in terms of not only the product itself, butalso the process of the production. In the case of sales, quality is not only thequality of the product, but also that of the services provided to the customer.

Quality is a function to meet objectives: for a clock, the objective of keeping time,for a telephone, of talking over distances, for a refrigerator, of keeping things cool.We do not buy a product for the product itself; we buy it for the particular functionit performs. Its value is based on not merely appearance, but also usability.

What is Quality?

Quality = Workmanship of the product/serviceand its performance

Quality and functions required in a refrigerator

varieties of,large quantity of

food

easily,economically

refrigerate

Quality

FunctionTask

PerformanceFeature

The function is the work of the entity and is expressed by objects (nouns)and actions (verbs). The quality is a feature (or performance standard) ofthe function and is expressed by modifiers such as adjectives and adverbs.

Figure 7

Quality

Function

(duty)(labor) Keep cool

actions (verbs)thingsobjects (nouns)

For example, as seen in figure 7, when people buy a refrigerator, they will look forone to keep foods in cool storage. In other words, they buy a refrigerator for thefunction to keep foods cool. However, keeping things cool is not the only functionthat customers require: they want things kept fresh and frost-free, and they wanteasy-to-use features, economical performance, and so forth. Such qualityrequirements are considered when buying a refrigerator. Quality is measured by


17

frequency, answering the question, “To what extent does the function meet theexpected level of function?” Refrigerators offer features of convenience andfreshness, in addition to their central function, and at some point the whole isjudged by the consumer to be of good quality.

So far we have discussed function and quality from the consumer’s perspective.However, when we ask ourselves questions about who creates and achieves quality,we reach an answer that “quality is a workmanship of various activities,” as statedearlier in this chapter. Among the various steps and actors involved in achievingquality, we will now focus on frontline operators and their perspectives, as this iswhere QC Circle activities have the greatest impact.

Basically quality means the same to both consumers and frontline operators, yetone has to note that the function of quality is perceived differently by frontlineoperators. For frontline operators, most crucial to achieving good quality is tofirst understand the importance of the standardized operational procedure (SOP),then implement and maintain it. The SOP follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act(PDCA) management cycle, standardizing the most preferable outcome andresulting in a cycle of continuous maintenance. (The details of the cycle will befurther discussed in chapter 1 section 3-1.) The result of the standardization isthat frontline operators create a consistent outcome, which can be called quality.This quality is exactly the notion perceived by consumers.

So far we have discussed what quality really is, what people expect in it, and howit is perceived by frontline operators. So, why is quality so appreciated among themany factors?

Figure 8

Customer prioritiesCustomer priorities~when~when purchasing a purchasing a product~product~

1st purchase:

Function

Function

Price

Price

Quality

Quality

Why is quality appreciated?

2nd purchase and repetitive purchases:


18

Figure 8 compares customers’ priorities in one case, first-time purchases, withthose in other cases, second time or repetitive purchases. As previouslydiscussed, to buy a product is in fact to buy a function of the product (Kaneko2000b, 2); therefore, obviously, in all cases, functionality needs to be assured inthe first place when customers buy the product.

In the case of first purchases, the first priority is price rather than quality. Whena product comes to the market for the very first time, there are no other productsby which to compare it; therefore, the customers merely pay the price that theythink is reasonable to pay for the function of the product. For example, whenrefrigerators first came to the market, customers first looked at the price and thendecided whether to buy the product or not. If the price was as high as thousandsof dollars, they might find it unreasonable to pay such amount for just keepingthings in cool storage. But if the price were reasonable enough, they would beinterested in buying one. In these cases, the quality aspect of refrigerators couldnot be ascertained very well, as the customers did not really have many factors bywhich to judge whether the quality was reasonable for the price they would haveto pay and didn’t know what other qualities to look for in refrigerators.

On the other hand, when people purchase a second refrigerator, in many casesthey will prioritize quality rather than price. This is because, they now knowthat there are a number of refrigerators available from a variety of companies.Therefore, the reasonableness of the price can be determined through comparisonof not only function but also quality.

This mechanism demonstrates the importance of quality. Therefore, if thecompany is to have repeat customers, it is crucial that their product have highquality that keeps attracting customers and outpacing the competition.

It is important to note here that quality, which TQM targets as the ultimate goal,is, in fact, a broader concept than what we have so far explained. As you seebelow, there has been a transition of the quality concept: it has changed accordingto changes in the business environment, customer demand, and taste.

In the 1950s the concept of quality was only in terms of meeting a standard.Now, merely meeting a standard is not enough. The subsequent progression ofdecades brought new criteria to the fore—for example, requirements that theproduct be reasonably priced for the function it provides. Now in the 21st century,the concept of quality has much broader meanings, including concepts of humanrights, quality of life, and environmental consideration. In this regard, evenemployee quality of life can be targeted in the concept of quality. Creatingquality is a process that involves all stakeholders and lends social responsibilityto the society in which they live.


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Transition of the Quality Concept

1950s Fitness to the standard

1960s Fitness to the use

1970s Fitness to the cost

1980s Fitness to the requirement

(e.g., safety & reliability, customer satisfaction)

2000s Fitness to the needs of all stakeholders

(e.g., environmentally friendly)

1990s Fitness to the latent requirements (customer delight)

Figure 9

1950s 1960s 1970s Years

Figure 10

Transition of the Quality Concept:The Case of Washing Machines

Decade Determinantof quality

Characteristics

1950s Standard Powered by an electric motor; washes clothesaccording to the standard.

1960s Use More usable with automatic squeeze function.1970s Cost Low-priced, low-energy machines1980s Requirement

(customersatisfaction)

Noiseless operation∴ usable day and night

1990s LatentRequirement

-tangle-free-fast


20

(Customerdelight)

∴ shortening the washing time-anti-mildew/mold∴ preventing allergies

2000s AllStakeholders

-detergent-free washing∴ environmentally friendly-equipped for partial drying

Figure 10 shows the transition of the quality concept in terms of washingmachines. When they first came into the market, the quality of the product wasvalued according to the standard only, which required that the machine merelywash clothes. As more products emerged, more values were incorporated in theconcept of quality. Now, terms such as detergent-free and partial drying are usedwhen discussing competition in the washing machine market. Manufacturersaim to satisfy all stakeholders—from customers to employees, and even to thenext generation (in terms of environment).

1-3 What is management?1-3-1 Management Cycle

Management is “a series of activities that plans and controls the daily workin order to achieve objectives in the most efficient and most effective way bykeeping balance between quality, quantity and cost” (Kaneko 2000b, 5). Oneestablishes objectives for the activities and tries to minimize the gap betweenthe current status and the established goals. Another definition is thatmanagement entails the use of process to achieve objectives in an effectiveway. It includes the processes of problem identification, problem solving,and standardization of the steps taken in order to meet the objectives.

According to Hosotani (1984), management can be interpreted in twoimplications: maintenance and kaizen (continuous improvement) purposes.In maintenance, one will check whether the standardization is implementedin a way that reaches the goal, whereas in kaizen, the criterion is whetherthere is continuous effort to improve and reach the established goal.

Achieving objectives can be accomplished by implementing the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. The cycle is a combination of maintenance andimprovement activities that can be applied in order to solve a problemsystematically (figure 11).


21

PDCA Management Cycle Flow Chart

Plan

1. Select a theme/problem to tackle

2. Establish a goal and finishing date

3. Isolate critical/root cause of problem to be addressed

4. Establish action plan to be taken

Figure 11

Do5. Implement action plan

6. Verify the results obtained

Check

Act

7. Evaluate the results obtained8. Verify the outcome and see if it meets the goal and is better than the previous status

9. If yes, standardize the actions as regular actions to tackle the next theme10. If no, return to steps 3 to 5

P

D

A

C

At the PDCA management cycle’s first stage, the Plan stage, problems areidentified. Internal and external surveys on customer satisfaction areconducted to define critical problems and set timeframes for solving them.After setting its goals, the project team will be organized to reach them. Ina series of steps it will first identify probable and potential causes ofproblems and then find the root causes. After the root causes are identified,the members will establish actions to correct and eventually prevent theproblems from occurring.

At the next stage, the Do stage, the action plan from the previous stage willbe implemented, and its results, verified. Once verified, the results willthen be evaluated at the next stage, the Check stage, to see whether theoutcome is the same as the goal established in the Plan stage. The memberswill record the action implemented, together with its results, in a specificformat and then request a review by senior operators.

The final stage, the Act stage, is a standardization stage. If the resultsconfirm that the previous stage activities are effective, action will be taken tostandardize them in the daily operation. Here, members also reconfirm thatthere are no side effects from the new activities. If the results are negative,the issue will be brought back to the first stage and the same steps will befollowed in a reorganized way. If this happens, members need to askthemselves why the cause was not identified in the planning stage.


22

Reconsidering their initial decision will benefit the group, as it will identify apreventive action for the group in the future.

Management Cycle

PLAN DO

Follow-Up

ACT

Feedback

YesYes

Maintenance

ACT

RemedialAction

ACTRecurrencePreventive

Action

No

Next Plan

New IdeaExtraction

Improvement

CHECK

Figure 12

(2nd, 3rd and Additional Cycles)

1 2 3 4

4-1

4-2

4-3

5

PLAN - DO - CHECK - ACTPLAN - DO - CHECK - ACT

Figure 12 shows processes of the PDCA cycle in an operational manner. Asis apparent, the PDCA cycle continues without an end. Once one facesproblems in trying to meet a goal, the process goes back to the previousstages and starts from where the problems originated. When problems aresolved, one has to identify another theme to tackle while standardizing theprocess that produced the successful results. The PDCA cycle seeks toachieve continuous maintenance and improvement.


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What is Management?

A P 1C D

A P 2C D

A P 3C D

A P 4C D

Time (year)

Goal

Standardization

Gap,difference

Problem,theme

Improvement activityAchievement

level

Statusquo

Figure 13

Management = Standardization + Improvement Activity

The PDCA management cycle consists of four periods of time. By tacklingproblems in this systematic way, management minimizes the gap betweenthe status quo and the goal set forth. We expect that more will have beenachieved by the end of the second PDCA cycle than at the end of the first.Not every cycle of PDCA gets the Circle closer to its goal, but when onedoes—that is, when results are realized—then the achievement isstandardized. In cases when a particular cycle does not result in anymeasurable improvement, the management goes back to the planning stageand reorganizes its operational actions, as seen in figure 12.

1-3-2 Appreciation of Human Resources

(Frederick Winslow Taylor System)

1. Develop manager’s task

2. Divide work into smaller elements

3. Get the best worker for a particular task

4. Be sure foreman or manager makes plans

5. Direct and control so that workers do the

work as it is given to them

Figure 14 Scientific Management


24

The industrial revolution in the early 20th century brought mass productionwith the so-called scientific management approach. This managementmethod, created by Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915), focuses only onthe effectiveness and efficiency of cost and time issues on productionprocesses. One of the distinct features of his theory is the fractionalizationof frontline work, in which each process is categorized into small units, andoperators are trained to be specialized in skills only required in thatparticular operation.

This theory has greatly contributed to mass production—it not only increasedproduction but also reduced the cost of production. The theory was appliedin many large companies—for example, in the production systems of Ford.

DO

Production

Brain AreaBrain AreaBrain AreaPLANPLAN

Design

ACTACT

Service/Sales

CHECKCHECK

Inspection

Management Cycle and Taylor System

Non- Brain AreaNon- Non-

Brain AreaBrain Area

Figure 15

Taylor System

ManagementEngineer

Frontline Operator

Adapted by authors. Sasaki and Hutchins 1984

In this approach, however, as Ross (1982, 96) has identified, “All the study,analysis, and work improvement effort was directed at the task and not atthe social or personal needs of the individual performing it.” Themanagement focused only on productivity by making uniform andsimplifying the production processes. A basic tenet under this scientificmanagement was that “employees were not highly educated and thus wereunable to perform any but the simplest tasks” (Sandrone 1964).

In the management cycle, there is a so-called non-brain area, according toadvocates of the Taylor System. It is replaced in the PDCA cycle by a Dostep, where plans are implemented in actual production processes.Frontline operators are not required to be intelligent or creative, rather their


25

placement requires only that they follow a manual, engaged in doing thesame operation over and over again. They do nothing other than this onerepetitive operation from morning to night, and as they are not involved withthe rest of the operation, they are not trained—that is, there is no humanresource development.

However, as time has gone by, defective stages have been found in theproduction systems. Despite production increases and cost decreases, thosedeficiencies became very significant. Regardless of the original intention ofFrederick Taylor, his method was being used to justify the soldiering ofoperators. The operators did not always produce an optimal amount of work,regardless of their potential to finish the work faster. They often thoughtthat increased output would lead to fewer operators, which served as adisincentive for them to work to their maximum capacity. Also there were“inefficiencies in management for planning effective incentive schemes” anda “poor design of the performance of the work by rule-of-thumb” (Sandrone1964).

According to Ross (1982, 96), management changed after World War II, awayfrom the traditional hierarchical pattern. Behavioral scientists such asDouglas McGregor, Abraham Maslow, and Frederick Hertzburg were cominginto the field—scientists who sought change in the basic climate of businessorganization through the introduction of open communication, freediscussion, and increased productivity through concerted group effort. Thebasic concept of their theories is shown in figures 16 and 17.

Physiological NeedsPhysiological Needs

Safety, SecuritySafety, Security

Social AffectionSocial Affectionsocial-animal recognition(belonging, association, acceptance,friendship, love, etc.)

protection and safety

survival needs (food, clothes, shelter)

self-confidence,independence,reputation, etc.

Self-ActualizationSelf-Actualization

Hierarchy of Human Needs (Maslow's Hierarchy)

Esteem, StatusEsteem, Status

Figure 16

Ultimate Motivation

PrimaryMotivations ofHumanBehaviors


26

An American psychologist, Abraham. H. Maslow (1908-1970), suggestedstratification of needs related to the development of a person—with basicneeds being the first to require satisfaction, followed by higher order needs.He explained five levels and that, despite some variation among individuals,as a person achieves his or her internal development, the motivation ofbehavior will rise, from low level to high level (Fukano 1991, 95).

At the first level of needs, people attempt to satisfy physiological needs, suchas food, clothing, and shelter. At the second level, people seek to be freefrom fear and pain. They seek protection and safety in their environment.This is the security need, which one can satisfy by freeing himself from thethreat of enemy. At the third level, people start looking to satisfy socialneeds, strong needs for attachment to a society or social association. Theassociation can be any social group—sometimes formed out of commoninterest. By being attached to a group or society, one will achieve hisinternal development.

The fourth level is characterized by the establishment of self-esteem andacceptance. According to Fukano (1991, 97), self-esteem can be achievedthrough the establishment of internal confidence, ability, and freedom,whereas acceptance can be attained through values acclaimed by others, suchas reputation, commendation and status. This is to say that those who havestrong internal confidence will often have high ability and be highlyproductive, whereas those who have not attained internal strength will tendto have feelings of inferiority. Self-respect can be achieved through positiveparticipation in activities.

The fifth one is one’s ultimate need, to achieve self-potential and personality.This is the highest category in Maslow’s theory. According to Maslow, peoplesatisfy high level needs, not from individual interests, but rather throughrelationships. In other words, through relationships with others, peoplecontinue to challenge the higher needs and to achieve self-recognition.There is no end in this pursuit.

This theory, when applied to quality management, suggests thatmanagement should not neglect the importance of individual human needs.This is because, being human, people seek to satisfy those needs in theirdaily lives, and the workplace is not an exception. This means that aspeople’s higher needs are satisfied, their performance in the workplaceimproves. Therefore, the workplace should provide an effective andproductive environment in which individuals can best realize their potential.Maslow’s ideas suggests that operator disaffection with work is due not tosomething intrinsic to operators, but due to poor job design, managerialbehavior, and too few opportunities for job satisfaction. This also impliesthat the success of company management lies largely in the hands ofmanagement.


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McGregor’s XY Theory

""X" AssumptionX" Assumption1. People dislike work.2. People prefer to be directed, and dislike responsibility.3. People must be coerced and directed toward the achievement of organization objectives.

""Y" AssumptionY" Assumption1. The expenditure of physical and mental effort in work is natural.2. Control and punishment are not the only ways to make people work. The average man will direct himself if he is committed to the organization.3. People will learn, seek responsibility, and want to contribute to the organization.

Figure 17

Work motivation is one of the key areas of organizational psychology.Douglas McGregor (1906-1964) summarized two possible views ofmanagement in the workplace—theory X and theory Y (figure 17).McGregor sees these two theories as quite different attitudes.

Theory X is based on the traditional view of direction and control. Thistheory holds that people dislike work and try to avoid it. They prefer toavoid responsibility yet seek security. Therefore, the main motivation forwork is simply money. In these cases, management forces the employees towork, through coercion and threats of punishment. (McGraw-Hill Companies2002)

Theory Y is based on humanism and self-actualization. It is sometimescalled a human resource model. In this theory, work can be a source ofsatisfaction. And when people are satisfied with work, they can be highlycommitted and motivated. McGregor sees that this theory Y is difficult toput into practice, but it can be used initially in managing managers andprofessionals. He also sees that theory Y is conducive to participatoryproblem solving processes. (Accel-Team.com 2001)

McGregor encourages managers to take into consideration the factors oftheory Y. He has suggested that, under appropriate conditions, people canutilize their ability and seek their maximum potential.


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Do

Production

The PDCA Cycle beyond the Taylor System

ACTACT

Service/Sales

PLANPLAN

Design

CHECKCHECK

Inspection

CHECK

ACT DO

PLAN

Figure 18

Brain AreaBrain AreaBrain Area

Adapted by authors. Sasaki and Hutchins 1984

As seen in figure 18, in the concept of the new management cycle, there is nonon-brain area. Instead, each step of the management cycle is nowconsidered as a core element of management. All operators at everymanagement level are required to maximize their creativity and efficiency.In other words, frontline workers, too, are required to take the initiative tothink, analyze and find solutions. When operated by frontline operators,this analytical framework is often carried out through Quality ControlCircles.

Details of Quality Control Circles will be found in Part 2 of this book.

1-4 Quality Assurance1-4-1 What is quality assurance?

Quality is, in fact, not just functional excellence of products or services, but itis about whole aspects of product characteristics. Take a high quality watchproduced by Company A for example. No matter if the craftsmanship isexceptionally high, if the production cost and sales price are so high thatnobody can afford to buy such watches, no one can claim that the watchquality is truly high. In other words, quality assurance is not just aboutfunctional excellence, but includes all aspects of production.

When a company produces a product, its major tasks are to assure that itsquality is beyond customers’ needs and that no defective units are deliveredto customers. This, however, does not mean that it is acceptable for acompany to produce defective units, as long as they are not delivered to


29

customers. Why? Because producing non-conforming articles will bringfinancial loss to the company. In other words, if a company’s productscannot be sold in the market, it will have to bear the entire cost of production.Therefore, the fewer the non-conforming articles produced, the lower theproduction cost, thus the lower their price.

In this respect it is important that not only does the company not circulatedefective products in the market, but also it does not manufacture suchproducts in the first place. Quality assurance is to bridge gaps in thedispersion of quality, aiming to attain the expected value.

Figure 19 What is Quality Assurance?

Rejection Approval Rejection Rejection Approval Rejection

SL : Specification Lower Limit / SU : Specification Upper Limit

SL SU SL SU

Karatsu 1995

Disparity is caused by defective units, and to reduce the number of defectivearticles means to manage the disparity (Karatsu 1995, 38). The causes ofdisparity can be found in various factors, such as raw materials, machineryconditions, and the weather. Quality assurance does not necessarily meanthe achievement of the highest quality, but neither does it mean achievingthe minimum quality that one can expect. It has to be value for money forboth consumers and producers, where disparity suggests the ranges withinthe possible frequencies.

Karatsu (1995, 40) suggests that one way of minimizing the disparity is tocollect data and analyze it. Quality Control Circles can contribute greatly insuch activity. Details will be found later in this book.


30

1-4-2 Customer Satisfaction

ValueValue =What is received

What is paid

=Actually received + Perception

Price paid + Inconvenience +Expectation

Value Formula

Cobb 1999

Figure 20 Value Formula

In all these mechanisms of quality assurance, one concern of most companiesis customer satisfaction. As seen in figure 20, customers determine theirown values for products or services, a balance between the price they wouldhave to pay and what they would receive. This is the utility of the product,the customer’s perception of how much he likes or needs the product. In thiscontext, the price assumes not only a monetary term, but also includesopportunity costs—costs that can be measured in terms of time and effortsbut cannot necessarily be translated into monetary terms. Take a personalcomputer for example. Customers decide whether to buy or not, focusingattention on the product utility. However, all products, at any point in time,have the potential to have troubles: a computer might break down beforebeing used; one of its parts might need persistent maintenance byprofessionals; or extraordinary diligence might be required in order to learnhow to operate it. Such inconveniences are key factors in customers’determination of how valuable a product is. Finally, they evaluate the valueof products by comparing how much they paid (the denominator of theFormula) with how much satisfaction they received (the numerator). Inother words, to keep a product’s value high requires that the numerator belarger than the denominator. Therefore, from the formula, we couldconclude that the higher the price paid, the more the customer needs in orderto consider the product to be truly of high value.


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Total Quality

Customers’Perception & Value

Customer Satisfaction

Total QualityCustomers’Perception & Value

Customer Dissatisfaction

Figure 21 How to evaluate customer satisfaction

CustomersCustomers’’ Perception+Value Perception+Value �� Total Quality Total Quality

Then, how should we measure customer satisfaction? Let us use the ValueFormula again. The denominator of the Formula, how much the customerspaid for the products, is their investment, whereas the numerator, theirsatisfaction with the products, is their benefits received. If the investmentsurpasses the benefits, the customers are, undoubtedly, dissatisfied with theproducts. But if the benefit is greater than the investment, they aresatisfied. Customers want the most benefit possible from the smallestamount of investment, which is the ultimate form of customer satisfaction.

1-4-3 Employee Satisfaction in Quality AssuranceAmong a company’s assets are its employees, without which it cannot achievecustomer satisfaction. Therefore, employee satisfaction is a must.

Atarashi (1998, 106), suggests three key factors for employee satisfaction.

1. Open and Speedy Communication

2. A Workplace Accommodating Self-Actualization

3. Justified Evaluation and Welfare

One, employees must be kept well-informed of the company’s clear vision anddirection. This is to ensure that all employees know where they are goingand what kind of challenges to tackle. Two, people can achieve self-satisfaction when they can achieve self-actualization through their work. Assuggested earlier in the section on Maslow, self-actualization is the ultimatelevel of human needs. Therefore, it is important that employees are


32

provided an environment in which they can seek those ultimate values.Three, fair judgement and evaluation in terms of salary, welfare, andpromotion systems often induce motivation. It is important that evaluationof individual achievement is based on individual ability and actualachievement.

1-4-4 The Ultimate Objectives of Quality AssuranceRegardless of what has been presented up to here, customer satisfaction isnot the ultimate objective of quality assurance. It is still a main concern formany companies at the beginning of the 21st century, but there has been someargument that meeting customer satisfaction alone does not alwayscontribute to an increase in profit. In fact, a survey conducted by JuranInstitute has revealed that even though 90 percent of the top managers fromover two hundred of the largest corporations have been convinced that“maximizing customer satisfaction maximizes profitability and marketshare,” fewer than 30 percent of them are confident that “economic value hadbeen added as a result of their customer satisfaction efforts” (Bhote, 1996,30).

Customer loyalty is not only customer affiliation with a particular product orservices, but also with the “whole portfolio of the corporation’s products andservices for the better part of their lifetime—in short, brand loyalty forever”(ibid.). It is obtained when customers are so delighted with the company’sproducts and services that they retain their interest in all aspects of thecompany. Therefore, meeting customer satisfaction is a basis for achievingcustomer loyalty. In this sense, customer satisfaction is not the ultimateobjective; the ultimate goal of achieving quality assurance is to build loyaltyamong customers through everyday achievement of customer satisfactionand other fundamental values.

2 Total Quality Management

33


As stated previously, high customer demand for quality has been widely recognized as amain motive for implementing corporate quality management. Yet, to satisfy suchdemand, innovative techniques and services alone are no longer sufficient. Rather, thewhole system of management, from the top to the frontline operators, needs to becommitted to achieving the corporate objectives and policies. Total Quality Management(TQM) has been introduced worldwide as an option providing a new insight into qualitymanagement. Through such management, companies will improve their quality in termsof not only products and services, but also human resources and relationships. TQM seeksquality in long-term perspectives, through the strong commitment of all levels of employeesto obtain corporate objectives. The significant results of TQM application in large globallyoperating companies such as Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Fuji Xerox, Philips, Panasonic(Matsushita), NEC, and Nissan have been widely recognized as success stories in companydevelopment. TQM has been introduced in many industries: not only in production, butalso in service industry, as seen in the cases of Singapore Airlines and some major banks.

Here, in chapter 2, the concept of TQM will be introduced, followed by its overall objectivesand procedures. The historical development of TQM will be discussed to provide readersan insight to TQM development worldwide. As a criterion to measure the development ofTQM, the Malcom Baldrige Award, the first national quality award in the United States,will be discussed. Additionally, a comparative description of the Deming Prize in Japanwill provide readers with examples of different forms of quality award at the national leveland how these awards contribute to the development of quality management systems in thecountry. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) issues and their fusionwith TQM and QCC are also crucial when one talks about quality. The basic relationshipbetween the ISO 9000 series and TQM/QCC will be explained as a complement to thesediscussions on TQM activities.

2-1 Definition of TQM“TQM is a set of systematic activities carried out by the entire organization toeffectively and efficiently achieve company objectives so as to provide productsand services with a level of quality that satisfies customers, at the appropriatetime and price.” (TQM committee 2002)

Total Quality Management is commonly expressed in conjunction with businessexcellence. It is a scientific management methodology that values the quality ofcompanies and organizations—quality not only in products, but also in theirprocesses and in their organization for quality management. According to theTQM Committee, in the 21st century a company is to seek quality by establishingrespectable existence and a co-delighting relationship with stakeholders (TQMCommittee 2002, 37). In order to accomplish this, the committee continues, “it iscrucial that the company achieve competitive and praised ability, technology,speed and flexibility, and vitality.” And TQM has a significant role to play tomeet those requirements.


34

TQM is a management method in which quality is required in all manners, tosatisfy customer requirements. It involves every employee’s daily commitmentin the office, which differentiates TQM from other management systems. Theterm everybody here implies all levels in the organization—from frontlineoperators to middle management to executive management. All of the problem-solving processes by all parties contribute to strengthen the organizationalcapacity and management of the company.

TQM is not a program. It is “a strategy, a way of doing businesses, a way ofmanaging, a way of looking at the organization and its activities” (Anschutz 1995,13). Therefore, the success of TQM is measured not only by its tangible outcomebut also by both the way in which the organizational structure is established andthe processes by which corporate objectives are achieved.

2-2 Objectives of TQM

Business Hierarchy

Creed

Mission

Vision

Business Strategy

Business Planning

Business Management

Daily Routine-Work Management

Figure 22

Figure 22 suggests the business hierarchy for what companies aim to achievethrough their business management. The management creed can be brokendown all the way into daily routines. It is crucial that management plays a keyrole in establishing the hierarchical objectives and directs the employees. Acompany can achieve its objectives and guide its employees toward the missionand vision of management in its daily operations in the following ways.

First, it is important that the manager has his or her own creed. In the businesscontext, creed—any organized system or statement of beliefs, principles, and soon—is a philosophy of business execution and strong ethical backbone. This is


35

the level where management commits itself to firm discipline.

Second, the creed is incorporated into the mission—that is, a specific business ortask that a person is assigned to carry out. For example, it could be a list ofcommitments for contributing to society or to customers through particularproducts or services. This mission will be widely disseminated throughout thecompany as the mission statement, which identifies loyal customers, thecompany’s competencies, and its major products, services, and market domains.

Third, based on the mission, the company vision will be established. The missionis the company’s commitment to determine the direction, specific needs, and rolesof the company and how those needs are to be met. The vision will also includethe kinds of rewards a company can expect from implementing that management.

Bhote (1996, 57) has identified organizational and cultural change in a companyas being crucial in order to achieve customer confidence and loyalty, and says itshould be achieved by shifting from an “internal focus” to an “external focus”.Managers who demonstrate high loyalty to the company do not necessarily meanthat the company will then provide the best quality to it customers. TQMrequires cultural transformation—where change in the way of thinking isrequired at all employee levels. The managers need to be more accessible totheir employees, less authoritarian, and more considerate of employee welfare;and operators have to be “full time operators” rather than “9–5 employees”(Anschutz 1995, 1).

What then is it expected to be achieved through TQM, and how will it be differentfrom the traditional Total Quality Control (TQC) framework? To address thesequestions, Kiyoshi Ito from Aishin Seiki introduced the following table concerningthe shift of company management from TQC to TQM. As seen from the table,TQM takes a more holistic approach than does TQC, with much more focus on theprocesses of achievement, in addition to focus on tangible and non-tangibleresults.


36

Figure 23 TQM for the Future: Objective, theory, and procedures(translated from Japanese)

Figure 23

Q = Quality

Objective Where is TQMplaced?

Theory Hoshin Kanri(management by policy)

Existing TQC

Q of products

Q of servicesPlaced asa management tool

-Prioritization of Quality-Respect for customers-Participation by all-Management by factors-Process management-QC Story

Deployment of strategy,focused on tangibleresults (numbers)

TQM

Placed asa 'management-planningdecision-making tool'

-The conventional theory plus-Total management-Creativity-Strategic plans-Emphasis on individuality

New BusinessRequirement

Management promotionof TQM activitiesfocusing not only onquality control but alsoon profitability forachieving the company'sgoals

Recurrent questions:''what to do' and'what are the results'

Existence of problems thatcannot be solved in theconventional managementsystem.

Deployment of stragecy,focused on strategicmanagement

Through TQM, companies will be ready to achieve values such as

•High product/service value/quality

•Satisfactory product/service in a long life-cycle

•Efficiency in lead-time and cycle time

•High competitive value

•Economical and quick response to emergencies

In the case of Aishin, the company has developed a corporate vision calledCHARGE (Creative, Harmonious, Active, Responsible, Global and Energetic) forthe 21st century, wishing to challenge the new environment with positive andinnovative minds. This case shows that TQM is deeply associated withestablishment of a corporate vision.


37

TQM System

Survival and Prosperity

SocialAcceptance

Recognition by society

Contribution to society

Company’s social rolesand obligations

What’s expected of us

BusinessEthics

Business conscience

Employee treatment

Identify what’sgood/bad

Build for human-orientedworkshop

BehaviorMorals

Employee obligationsin workshop

Employee obligationsin social life

Disseminate what’s orderlyand controlled in workshopDisseminate what’s orderly

and controlled

Vision

Objectives

Figure 24

Policy &

Objectives

Stakeholder satisfaction

Customer satisfaction

Employee satisfaction

Upgrading competitiveness

Market share expansion

Profitability improvement

Employee ability improvement

Supplier collaboration improvement

TopMgt

SeniorMgt

MiddleMgt

Super-visors

x x x

x x x x

x x x x

x x x

x x

x x

x x x

x x x

Responsibility

Strategy

How to create

How to sustain

How to improve

How to assess

New product development

New technology development

New process development

Personnel development

x x

x x x

x x x x

x x x

x x

x x

x x

x x x

Mission statement

x x

For the successfulimplementation of TQM, it isimportant for management toestablish a clear vision forthe company and to presentvarious objectives andpolicies as guidance to directits employees.

As for more detailedobjectives and policies, thereare a number of elementsthat the company needs tomeet in line with its objectiveand vision. Yet, theresponsibilities taken willdiffer depending onindividuals’ positions withinthe organization. Fromfigure 24 you can see that topmanagement plays a majorrole in stakeholder, customer,and employee satisfaction,whereas supervisors assumemuch responsibility in regardto customers, employees,competitiveness, and theability of employees.

It is important to note thateven though the illustrationsuggests who the majorholders of responsibility are,it does not imply that otherswill not take any lead.There should always behorizontal collaborationsbetween the managementlevels in order to optimallypursue the organizationalobjectives.

As for strategy, thedevelopment of new products,technology, and processes, aswell as capacity building ofemployees, will take place tomeet the above objectives.


38

2-3 The Role of Management in Quality ManagementManagement commitment is indispensable in achieving quality management in acompany: such commitment is to be shown to employees, customers, and otherstakeholders.

In the commitment, management is expected to answer questions such as� What is on the company’s horizon—that is, what is its dream?� What approach should be taken toward that dream?� What specific action should be taken to realize the dream?� What physical action will management take to ensure that subordinates will

share in the responsibility and participate in policy formation (annual policyand goal setting)?

� How will management monitor and evaluate the outcome and determinewhether or not the goal to which they have made the commitment is beingachieved or not (daily-work management)?

Total Quality concerns are basically announced by the management, which iscommitted to the company’s policy and established goals. They are thendisseminated to all levels of departments and sections, with specific measurablepolicies and objectives.

A management decision can lead a company either upward or downward. It isnot difficult to find examples of established companies, with long-standing fame,being hit hard by scandal—seeing their favorable public reputation being lostquickly.

Therefore, in order to achieve sustainable business management, it is necessaryfor management to implement TQM to convincingly articulate to its subordinatesits firm commitment.

Then how do we proceed this in an organization? As was emphasized by Mr.Jack Welch, former president of General Electric, a company famous for goodquality management, managers should lead people rather than manage people.Managers are desired to lead in the following areas:

� Performance� Expertise� Ownership� Challenge and visibility� Mentoring, supporting, role modeling� Global experience, cultural breadth


39

2-4 Hoｗ is TQM organized?The process of TQM implementation varies largely, depending on factors such asthe size of the company, changes in business environment, and the mission of thecompany. Yet, it is important to note that there is an overall flow of theimplementation process. Figure 25 shows common steps to be taken bymanagement in those processes and some of the key elements required whenimplementing TQM in a company for the first time.

Figure 25

Stages Operation1. Preparation Phase ・ Investigation on implementation of TQM

methods・ Seminars for top and middle management・ Discussion on pros and cons of introducing

TQM2. Introductory Phase ・ Decision on responsible department

・ Announcement by CEO that TQM will beintroduced

・ Company-wide TQM implemented andmembers appointed

・ QCC training provided・ Individual departments and sections

commence improvement activities3. Promotion Phase ・ Introduction of policy management and

linking of improvement activities tomanagement policy

・ Standardization activities・ Operation of cross-functional management・ Introduction of management quality audit

4. Consolidation Phase ・ Collection and analysis of market quality・ New product development・ Quality training・ QC Circle activities

Kume 1996

It is important to note that some of the features of these processes vary fromcompany to company. Yet as Kanji states, the fundamental and common factorsthat each organization has to go through during these processes are somewhat thesame—the change will be “the change in management style (Kanji and Asher1993, 104).”

The first stage of development is a preparation phase in which managers discussthe approach toward TQM. They “identify and collect information about theorganization in the prime areas where improvement will have most impact onperformance” (ibid.), while exploring their knowledge on TQM by attendinginternal and external seminars. As has been discussed, the commitment ofmanagement and its strong leadership are two of the most important elements in


40

quality management. Therefore, management needs to be fully familiarizedwith TQM and fully understand the objectives, the methodology, and its impactson the company operations before disseminating them company-wide. As Kume(1996, 38) notes, many companies do not introduce TQM throughout the companystraight away. They try it in one part of the organization to see if it can beapplied in other departments of responsibility.

After TQM effectiveness is assured, the second stage is for management to decidewhich department will be responsible for its promotion. Many companies assignthis role to their planning office or QC Circle Office. Then management formallyannounces that TQM will be introduced in the company and it is implemented incompany-wide operation. At the same time, specific training is provided and theactivities are disseminated among the different levels of the company. Accordingto Kume (ibid., 40), at this stage, the most important challenge for theorganization is how to overcome the negative attitude of the part of the peopleresponsible for the work to be improved.

The third phase involves linkage of the TQM with management policy, andcommunicating that linkage. As Kume (ibid., 41) suggests, it is often the casethat policy is only a written exercise of management and never really isimplemented. Thus, linking the policy with improvement activity enables theactivity to be implemented systematically across the whole company. Once theactivities are seen to be effective, they are standardized and expanded company-wide.

As a cross-functional operation, after activities are well established, the companyoften tries to tackle problems that affect the company as a whole (ibid., 41). Alsoa management audit takes place so as to see whether—and if so, how—the policyis implemented in the organization. Management is expected to examine notonly the implementation of the activities but also the outcome of those activitiesand provide appropriate comments and guidance. Application for a qualityaward such as the Malcolm Baldrige Award or the Deming Prize can be one of thestimuli for the organization.

In the final phase, the main issues will be in regard to how to maintain theimproved company-wide quality management. Kume describes how a systemwill soon deteriorate if not looked after properly. It is important to make surethat the quality level does not deteriorate once it has been improved. Thisunderscores the importance for the company to improve and enhance its activitiesin a systematic manner from time to time.

Cost of Introducing TQM and QCCOne of the important issues in introducing TQM and QCC is cost. Managementin any company will be concerned with how much it will cost to start up theactivity. But, in fact, it is quite difficult to generalize the issue, as company sizevaries and the need for capacity building differs. For illustration only, figure 26 isan example suggesting how much a first year of embarking on a TQM and QCCprogram would cost a company of three hundred to five hundred employees,


41

assuming that it is a Japanese company. Figure 26 was based on a hypotheticalexample by the authors, based on Kume 1996.

The costs can be divided into three categories: costs for training, costs foroperating QC Circles, and costs for policy management (Kume 1996). As you cansee, a large part of the cost comes from training, since providing training for alldifferent levels of people in a company, from management to frontline operators, isindispensable in order for everyone to fully understand what is going to beintroduced and why and how is it going to be introduced. Training is to beconducted both outside and inside the company. Outside seminars provideopportunities for participants to learn lessons from other companies’ participantsabout their domestic and international experiences, whereas the internal trainingis effective in more company-focused learning. In the case of in-house lectures,organizers can mobilize international or domestic resource persons, depending onthe accumulation of capacities in a country.

The costs for operating QC Circles include expenditures related to QC Circleconventions, meetings, and other regular activities. Modest monetary bonusesare presented to Circles that win QCC convention awards, snacks are prepared forCircle meetings, and other related expenditures exist, such as that for publicationof theme examples and in-house pocket guidebooks on TQM and the QCC concept.The details of each activity are further discussed in Part II of this volume.

The final category, policy management costs, is for the holding of company-widemanagement meetings, where the senior managers gather and discuss theirannual policy and decide their annual goal for the following year. Travel costs forthis occasion may also have to be covered.


42

Figure 26 Example of TQM and QCC Promotion Costs

A: Costs for Training* Outside Seminar for Senior Management $2,000*5 persons = $10,000* In-House Seminar for Managers (30 persons*4 days*3 courses) Travel Expense + Venue $250*30*3 = $22,500 International Lecturer $5,000 Local Lecturers $1,500*2 = $3,000* Outside Seminar for Managers $1,600*5 persons = $8,000* In-House Seminar for Operators (30 persons*4 days*3 courses) Travel Expense + Venue: $250*30*3 = $22,500* Outside Seminar for Operators $800*10 persons = $8,000

B: Costs for Operating QC Circles* Prize General QC Circle Prizes (30 Circles, average $80) $80*30 Circles = $2400 Special Awards (visit neighbor company QC Circle) $80*5 persons = $400* QCC Meetings snacks $6/h; 20h/year; 100 cases:2 themes/year $6*20*100 = $12,000 publication of handbooks and newsletters $6*400 persons = $2,400

C: Costs for Policy Management* Annual Policy Presentation Meeting (travel costs) $150*30 persons = $4,500

78

175

ABC

A: $79,000

B: $17,200C: $4,500

Costs for TrainingCosts for Operating QC Circles

Costs for Policy Management

TOTAL: $100,700

As per figure 26, introduction of TQM and QCC to this hypothetical Japanesecompany would cost $100,700 in the first year. Of this, training costs account forabout 78 percent, QCC operation costs 17 percent, and policy management costs 5percent. Total costs are divided by the average number of employees to get theper-employee total annual cost for TQM/QCC (in this example, $251 for each of the400 employees). Comparing this cost with the average nominal starting salaryfor a newly recruited office worker, which is roughly about $33,333 on an annualbasis, a TQM/QCC program costs less than 0.8 percent of the nominal salary paidto an employee in her first year. From the second year, the training costs willdecrease substantially since one-shot seminars for initiating the TQM/QCCprogram will not be necessary. Thus, we can see from this example that thetangible costs for TQM/QCC introduction are reasonable.

However, as was explained, the figures quoted above are only of an example case.To interpret the cost implications and resolve possible problems for smallcompanies, the following are to be carefully considered:

■ The cost allocation over the years in an actual case will be somewhat flatterthan assumed in the hypothetical example in figure 26. In the first year, thecosts would be even far less than the 0.8 percent of each employees initialsalary since usually only a few pilot Circles are embarked on at the earlystage; however, training and operating costs for Circle leaders may graduallyincrease as the number of Circles increases.


43

■ As regards the training costs in developing countries, the costs to inviteinternational experts when initiating a TQM/QCC program constitute a goodpart of the total expenditure. Therefore, the manner of mobilizingexperienced experts is a major factor in the overall cost. Good internationalexperts focus on creating the capacities of QCC facilitators and leaders tomanage Circles and replicate them within a company, rather than relying onrepeat visits to teach methods to each new Circle. However, it is true thatsuch teaching (or coaching) by international experts needs to be repetitive tosome extent at the early stage of introduction. Therefore, a central issue isthe balancing of two modalities: the exploitation of international expertiseand the creation of internal capacities.

■ It is obvious that small companies have financial difficulties in invitinginternational experts, so directly applying the cost implication of figure 26 toa small company appears to be unrealistic. However, when such costs arecovered by the public sector or through donor support, small companies canhave good opportunities to initiate TQM and QCC, since the operational coststo carry on Circle activities are not a dominant factor. In fact, smallcompanies can drastically economize expenditures for Circle activities, sincethey can implement them in a very simple and substantive manner. This isexactly where international or domestic donors can play an active role insupporting initiation of TQM and QCC. Donors can organize and fundcapacity building programs for small- and medium-sized companies and movegradually on to developing the human capacities of QCC facilitators in acountry.

2-5 Historical Background of TQMAs stated earlier, TQM has now been widely implemented around the world.Even though the details of TQM implementation plans vary somewhat amongcountries and company cultures, the common aims are quality management andcustomer satisfaction. Here, we introduce how TQM has been developedworldwide and how it has contributed to development of quality management inJapan and the U.S.


44

TQM/ISO 9000 Relationship in U.S.A, EUROPE and JAPAN45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 2000

USAUSA

JPNJPN

EUROPEEUROPE

DEMING JURAN Reliability

SQCQ MGT

R & M

QC CircleForeman QC

Construction QC

Service QC

Int’l QCSocietyContribution

Environment QC

“B”Award

Reagan Declaration

ISO 9000 Revision

ＴＱＭ／ＴＱＣ

ＴＱＭ／ＴＱＣ

MIL-Q-5923

CWQC TQC

TQMNBCBroadcastingMIL-Q-9858A

Figure 27

TQM

2-5-1 JapanThe concept of quality control was first introduced in Japan right afterWWII. The U.S. General Headquarters had identified that one of thecauses for telephone line deficiency in Japan was due to quality deficiencyin vacuum tubes. Thereafter, in 1946, the General Headquarters (GHQ)introduced Statistical Quality Control (SQC) in some of the majortelecommunications companies through its Civil Communications Section(CCS). In 1949, the Industrial Standardization Law was passed as thefirst standardization law, and Japanese government established JapaneseIndustrial Standards (JIS) through which it could guarantee products viainspections.

The demand for dissemination of SQC became very high during thisperiod, yet there was not much opportunity for those who wanted tobecome familiarized with SQC. Consequently, a group of engineers,academics, and officers from related ministries for quality managementestablished the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). Aresearch group was formed within the union and it opened its firstseminar course for quality management in 1949. Since then JUSE hasplayed an important role in facilitating and disseminating qualitymanagement information, including that on the development of the QCCconcept.

In order to respond to high demand and improve people’s understandingof quality management, JUSE invited Dr. W. Edward Deming to conduct


45

lectures. About five hundred engineers attended the lectures, allattracted by the new idea of SQC. According to Fields (1987, 69), in hislectures, Dr. Deming explained quality management as a

most effective, most productive method that creates the most wantedproducts by customers in a most economical way. In order to managesystems in such way, it is important to make sure that design,production, research, and services are well circulated. And in order tocycle the system, statistical knowledge is utilized. And furthermore,what are most important are the enthusiasm and responsibilities ofmanagement toward quality management.

With the impact of these new concepts, companies started to introduceSQC. Yet, skilled operators who had up to that time relied greatly ontheir hunches and past experience did not really welcome this movement.They questioned the reliability of data and claimed that it was onlyengineers who could manage to use SQC (Fields 1987, 70). Then in 1954,Dr. J.M. Juran was invited to conduct some lectures on qualitymanagement as a management tool.

Figure 28

Operation

QC

in

the

1950s

President

Engineers

Supervisors

Production

Inspection

Operation

QC

in

the

1960s

President

Middle managementEngineersSupervisorsFrontline operators

Cost

Deliverydate

Safety

Motivation

Design

Preparation forproduction

Purchase

Production

Inspection

After-salesservice

Cost

Deliverydate

QC in the 1950s and 1960s

As seen in figure 28, one of the remarkable changes in the Japanesehistory of quality control is its shift in the 1960s. Before the 1960s,engineers and supervisors bore the core responsibility of qualitymanagement. Beginning in the 1960s, however, the range of thoseholding responsibility expanded to include frontline operators.


46

Japanese TQM started as TQC back in the 1960s, when Japaneseindustry was in the midst of the high growth economy, after theliberalization of the market. Open economies require quality in everyprocess of production (from market research, to planning, to production)and in after-sales service. The competitive market of the day also madeit necessary for producers to adopt total company management, whichfurther required commitment from all levels of employees (from CEO, tomiddle management, to operators). Soon TQC spread all over Japan,from manufacturing to service industries. In 1962, the first QC Circlewas operated in Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation(present NTT), and since then an increasing number of companies haveintroduced the activity.

One of the significant impacts of Japanese TQC is often explained bydescribing the development of car industry during the oil crises in the1970s. During this period, TQC was extended to activities for energyconservation and measures for resource maintenance. It greatlyimpacted various industries and became more securely established as avaluable quality framework for Japanese industrial development.

2-5-2 U.S.After WWI, American industry was positioned to systematize itsproduction mechanisms. Production departments were required tosupply large quantities of products that had characteristics ofcompatibility and were standardized. Within this period, in 1924, W.A.Shewhart first developed quality control. Utilizing mathematicalstatistics, Shewhart created control charts for managing productionprocesses.

During WWII, the U.S. Army and Navy actively introduced QualityControl to maximize their military hardware production. The AmericanNational Standards Institute (ANSI) established military standards andconducted seminars to disseminate those ideas. Yet in the 1970s,American industry was losing its competitiveness in the world market.Its previously dominant market was overridden by Japanese companiesand its quality and productivity declined.

In 1980, an NBC broadcast coined a famous saying “If Japan can, whycan’t we.” The program concluded that Japanese success was attributedto the teachings of Deming and Japanese adherence to his principles(Anschutz 1995, 17). Until this broadcast, Deming was not widelyrecognized, yet the broadcast provided the springboard to a wider and farmore receptive U.S. audience for Deming’s ideas (ibid.). Soon after thebroadcast, the American government started its catch-up movementunder the President Reagan regime. TQM was introduced by Ford, as astimulus, and many others followed. Later President Reaganestablished the “Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award” in 1987,aiming to expedite quick recovery action beyond the quality level that


47

Japan had achieved, by the year 2000.

Yet TQM was not well organized when it first was disseminated. Dr. J.M.Juran mentioned that only gradually did it become clear to upper-tiermanagers that the quality leadership could not be achieved by a peckingaway—by merely bringing in this or that tool or technique. They learnedthat, instead, it was necessary to apply the entire array of quality know-how (the quality disciplines) throughout the entire company, to allfunctions and at all levels of all departments in a coordinated way. Atthe outset there was no agreed standardized definition for TQM. As aresult, the concept of TQM became a blur among companies and even inthe general literature. This confusion has since been reduced by thepublication of the criteria used by the National Institute of Standards andTechnology, which was used to evaluate the applications for the UnitedStates Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (Baldrige Award). Bythe early 1990s, this wide exposure had made the Baldrige Award criteriathe most widely accepted definition of what is to be included in TQM.

2-6 Quality Management Awards2-6-1 Deming Prize (Japan)

The Deming Prize was established in the 1950s, after Dr. W.E. Deming cameto Japan to lecture in an 8-day seminar on SQC in Tokyo. The seminar onthe basics of SQC was greatly appreciated by Japanese management,engineers, and researchers and greatly contributed to later development ofJapanese industry. The prize was established with a contribution by Dr.Deming, with unanimous agreement at the JUSE board of directors’ meeting.So far, about 170 companies with proven significant effects from their qualitymanagement have been awarded the prize. The following is part of theJUSE guidelines for application for the Deming Prize.

The Deming Prize is an annual award presented to companies that haveachieved distinctive performance improvements through the applicationof TQM. Regardless of the types of industries, any organization canapply for the Prize, be it public or private, large or small, or domestic oroverseas-owned.

The application, examination, and awarding process for the Deming Prize iscarried out annually. The Prize is given to an individual who hascontributed greatly to dissemination of TQM or to research on TQM and itstools. It is also given to both a group and a company that successfullyoperate TQM either as a business unit or department or as a company as awhole.

The Prize is based on evaluation of the achievement and effectiveness of theapplicants’ quality management process—from its establishment of a themeand goal, to its kaizen activities, and to the achievement of the set goal. Theevaluator examines how the theme has been established according to needsand how much the improvements result in contributing to future activities.


48

Figure 29

1. Management policyand deploymentregarding qualitymanagement (20 points)

2. New productdevelopment/orwork processinnovation(20 points)

3. Maintenance ofand improvementin product andoperationalqualities (20points)

4. Establishment of systemsfor managing quality,quantity, delivery, costs,safety, environment, etc. (10points)

6. Humanresourcesdevelopment(15 points)

Evaluation Items and Points: Basic categories

5. Collection andanalysis of qualityinformation andutilization ofinformation technology(15 points)

Deming Prize Committee 2002

There are three categories for the award:

1. Basic Categories

2. Unique Activities

3. Roles of Management

According to JUSE, each category has its own evaluation criteria, and eachcriterion contains items and points that should serve as tentative standards(Deming Prize Committee 2002, 25). The evaluation is made using a scaleup to 100 points in each category.

As seen in figure 29, basic categories are arranged in six core elements, thepurpose of which is to see whether the applicant meets the basicrequirements of sustainable quality management. The unique activities areto see whether the applicant’s core quality-related activities are focused onunique ideas. Activities are of six basic category types. The exampleslisted in the guideline are


49

� Management vision, business strategies, and leadership� Creation of value for customers� Remarkable improvement in organizational performance� Establishment of the company’s management foundations

(Deming Prize Committee 2002, 28-29)

The roles of management are to investigate (evaluate) the employee’sunderstanding and enthusiasm for the establishment and deployment ofpolicies and to review activities through questions and answers in aninformal manner. As stated in chapter 2 section 4, the commitment ofmanagement is crucial in implementing TQM; therefore, this category isessential for demonstrating management enthusiasm.

Figure 30 10 Benefits of the Deming Prize

1. Quality Improvement

2. Productivity Improvement / Cost Reduction

3. Sales Expansion

4. Profit Enhancement

5. Ensured Performance of Management Plan

6. Fulfillment of Top Management’s Ambition

7. Company-wide Participation

8. Improved Management and Promotion of Standardization

9. Bottom-up Assembly and Morale Improvement

10. Establishment of Management System

Then what kinds of benefits can a company that receives the Deming Prizeexpect? As has been stated in the guidelines, a company or a group shouldnot implement TQM merely for the sake of applying for the award. It isdesirable that they will choose a theme that is most appropriate for theorganizational development. Yet being awarded the Prize can benefit thegroup in many respects. Figure 30 has suggested the common benefits thatone can expect.

2-6-2 Malcolm Baldrige Award (U.S.)The Malcolm Baldrige Award was established in 1987 as a national qualityaward in the United States. Its aim was to promote activities to achieveeconomic growth through labor output by improving the quality of productsand the understanding of customer needs and by strengthening quality


50

management. At the same time, it aims to publicize organizations’successful business performance and disseminate the business managementideas of the awarded companies. Now the award is the “highest honor forperformance excellence, and it is presented annually to U.S. organizations bythe President of the United States” (the National Institute of Standards andTechnology [NIST] homepage).

Winners of the award in 2001 were� Clarke American Checks, Incorporated (manufacturing)� Pal’s Sudden Service (small business)� Chugach School District (Education)� Pearl River School District (Education)� University of Wisconsin-Stout (Education)

In the past, companies like IBM Rochester, Xerox Corp., and Merrill LynchCredit Corp. have also won the award.

The award originated in circumstances in which American industrycompetitiveness in the world market was declining due to deficiencies inquality and productivity. U.S. industry’s long history of dominance in theworld market had made it less sensitive to the outside market, and caused itto neglect the development of new technology, which resulted in a lack ofpolicy strategy in production management. Beginning in the late 1970s, itsdominance in world markets, particularly in manufacturing industries, suchas automobile, textile, and semiconductor, was overridden by Japaneseproducts. Massachusetts Institute of Technology established a committeeon productivity and initiated its own research aimed to examine deficiency inAmerican productivity and find a potential strategy for quality control(Mikata 1995, 80). The two-year research revealed the following conclusionsabout U.S. industry in its final report.

� Outdated management strategy� Short-term perspective� Lack of technology in research and production� Neglected human resources� Lack of cooperative structure within the organization

(Mikata 1995, 80)

The research group also proposed a list of successful elements and effortscommonly seen in well performing companies. The cause of backwardproductivity was often explained by environmental factors, such asmacroeconomic issues, yet these elements had pointed out that much effortwas needed in management of the companies themselves.

The key elements identified were improvement in quality, cost and time ofdelivery; assurance of customer needs; relationship with suppliers; effectiveusage of technology for strategic management; decentralization of thestratum of organization so as to correspond to the management trend; and


51

introduction of human resource development. It was concluded thatcompanies should maintain those overall values in a balanced way.

Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence Framework:A Systems Perspective

2StrategicPlanning

(85 points)

5Human

ResourceFocus

(85 points)

3Customer

and MarketFocus

(85 points)

6Process

Management(85 points)

1Leadership(120 points)

7BusinessResults

(450 points)

4Information and Analysis

(90 points)

Customer- and Market-FocusedStrategy and Action Plans

2002

Baldrige National Quality Program 2002

Figure 31

The Baldrige Award criteria is published every year and has more than 2million readers. The criteria often change according to the trend in businessmanagement. These changes are meant to ensure that standards for theAward reflect the continuous progress in industry, “a systems perspective ofoverall organizational performance management” (Baldrige National QualityProgram 2002, 7). However, the 2002 criteria, for example, have not beenchanged from the 2001 criteria. The award is assessed with scores incategories and sub-categories that in total can yield 1,000 points. Theallocation of points among categories also changes yearly according to thefocus of the year.

The leadership category values how senior managers of the company directthe group by expressing clear visions and values and setting appropriateperformance expectations. The strategic planning category is to see how theorganization establishes its strategic planning. The third categoryexamines how requirements, expectations, and preferences of customers andmarkets are addressed, whereas category four focuses on how the companyconducts its information management. The fifth category evaluates thehuman resource management. This is to see how the organization provideseducation and training to its employees to maximize their potentials. Thesixth category judges all the key processes that a company goes through inorder to complete its mission objectives. And finally the last categoryexamines “the organization’s performance and improvement in key business


52

areas—customer satisfaction, product and services performance, financialand marketplace performance, human resource results, and operationalperformance” (Baldrige National Quality Program 2002, 26).

An apparent difference between the Deming Prize and the Baldrige Award isthat the latter focuses more on the management quality and excellence,whereas the former focuses more on the implementation of qualitymanagement, where group activities and participatory actions are highlyappreciated.

2-7 Relationship between TQM and the ISO 9000 Series

2-7-1 What is the ISO 9000 series?The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an organizationwhere the work of preparing international standards is carried out. Its ISO9000 series has been the standard since 1987 in terms of qualitymanagement standard.

According to ISO/CD 9001/2000, “ISO 9001 states quality managementsystem requirements for use as a means of ensuring conforming productand/or services, and may be used for certification purposes.” Theapplication for ISO 9000 presents requirements for quality managementsystems, the certification of which can be utilized (1) to demonstrate thecompany’s capability to meet customer requirements for products and /orservices, and (2) for assessment of that capability by internal and externalparties (International Organization for Standardization 1999, 19).

According to West, Ciafrani and Tsiakals (2000, 113), “while it is important tounderstand and apply the principles in the development of qualitymanagement systems, it is equally important to understand that theprinciples do not contain auditable requirements.” So, it is very importantthat we understand the rationale behind the requirements and ask ourselveswhy ISO is so important. In this respect, ISO established a commission toresearch basic quality principles, and figure 32 shows the main eight qualitymanagement principles.

ISO logo: from the ISO homepage


53

The Eight Quality Management PrinciplesFigure 32

The EightQuality

ManagementPrinciples

1. Customer-Focused Organization

2. Leadership 3. Involvement of People

4. Process Approach

5. System Approach to Management

6. Continual Improvement

7. Factual Approach to Decision Making

8. Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationships

Organizations depend ontheir customers andtherefore should understandcurrent and future customerneeds, meet customerrequirements, and strive toexceed customerexpectations.

Leaders establish unity ofpurpose and direction of theorganization. They shouldcreate and maintain theinternal environment inwhich people can becomefully involved in achievingthe organization’sobjectives.

People at all levels are theessence of an organization,and their full involvementenables their abilities to beused for the organization’sbenefit.

A desired result is achievedmore efficiently when relatedresources and activities aremanaged as a process.

Identifying, understanding,and managing a system ofinterrelated processes for agiven objective to improvethe organization’seffectiveness and efficiency.

Continual improvementshould be a permanentobjective of the organization.

An organization and itssupplier are interdependent,and a mutually beneficialrelationship enhances theability of both to create value.

Effective decisions are basedon the analysis of data andinformation.

Baldrige National Quality Program 2002

One particular aspect of ISO 9001 is its revised title. It no longer includesthe term Quality Assurance. According to the commission, “this reflects thefact that the quality management system requirements stated in this editionof ISO 9001 not only address the quality assurance of product and/or serviceconformity, but also include the need for an organization to demonstrate itscapability to achieve customer satisfaction” (International Organization forStandardization 1999, 15).

2-7-2 TQM and the ISO 9000 SeriesThere have been two distinct situations for harmonizing the two frameworks:(1) the ISO 9000 series framework is first established, followed by TQMintroduction, and (2) TQM is established first, followed by the ISO 9000series installation. In either case the relationship between TQM and theISO 9000 series is somewhat complementary. In the first case, the companyfirst applies for certification for the ISO 9000 series. As this series is widelyacknowledged, companies often need such certification in order to carry outtheir daily business; so, they acquire it, with the support of professionalconsultants. Yet, companies often feel that their product or service qualitydoes not improve much even after acquiring ISO certification, which leads toquestions about how to utilize and enhance the existing framework. In thissituation, introduction of TQM can play a significant role. TQM will notonly ensure and improve the quality but also provide unique methodology toimprove management quality. The company will take a more holisticapproach and try to improve the quality of its products and management.


54

The latter of the two remarkable cases suggests that a company willintroduce TQM as a management tool. Yet as the business environment haschanged over time, it has become necessary for the company to comply with amechanism for quality assurance—the ISO 9000. In this case, certificationof ISO not only assures that the company meets certain criteria on quality,but also strengthens the TQM framework of management.

Figure 33 suggests comparative aspects of the TQM and the ISO 9000 seriesframeworks.

Comparison of ISO 9000s and Total Quality ManagementFigure 33

1ActualPurpose Confirmation of Quality Assessment System

Strengthening of Corporate Structure throughQuality Management

2FieldSubjects Quality Assessment / Standardization

Quality Control / Quality Management(product management)

3Subjects forExamination Relevancy of QA System Certification Effectiveness of Quality Control Activities

4ExaminationMethod Exam Follows ISO 9000 Standards Vague and No Standard

5ExaminationCompliance Traceability; Records Kept (evidence-based) Compliant with Contents of Application

6 Examiner Exam Certified by Third PartyDiagnosis and Evaluation Done byThe two Parties

7Request forExam by Customers

Effective and Required forCommercial Transactions Not related to Commercial Transactions

8 Duration 1-2 Years (Short-Term) 5-10 years (Long-Term)

9PersonsInvolved

Departmentally Selected Persons(Narrow Range) Whole Staff Body (Wide Range)

10 Organization Strict Organization Total Participation

11Responsibilityand Authority Strictly Fixed Vague; Constantly in Question

12 Documentation Preparation of Strict Documents Essential No Detailed Documentation13 Public Quality Systemized Not Systemized

14GlobalQuality Standard Yes, in Many Cases Mostly No

15SocialBackground Contract-Based Society

Tacit Understanding,Consensus-Building Society

16ContinuousImprovement Not So Focused On Strongly Focused On

17 QCCInclusiveNot So Much Recognized

InclusiveStrongly Related

ISO 9000 series(Small Scope)

TQM(General TQM Activities Conducted in Japan)

ActivityItem

2-7-3 The ISO 9000 Series and QCCAs seen in figure 34, the ISO 9001:2000 version has emphasized a wide rangeof requirements in which QC Circle activities could be the most effectivemethodology, not only to achieve the objectives but also to enhance thepotentials of the categorical items. ISO aims to maintain quality at thecustomer satisfactory level by problem solving, analysis, preventive actions,and standardization. And in this respect, the QC Circle activities lead tohuman resource development, activate workplaces, and thus raise awarenesstoward quality in daily work. Therefore, the QCC method can be used as aninstrument by which a company can acquire ISO 9001 accreditation.

One of the major points in common between ISO 9001 and QC Circleactivities is the requirement for continual improvement. This requirementevaluates whether a company’s quality systems have met a certain level andmet standards in terms of defects. If any system deficiencies are found, the


55

company needs to take necessary actions to solve them. This kaizen-typeactivity for customer claims or process quality management is directlyrelated to the concept of QC Circle kaizen activities.

The following comprise the specific areas of change in ISO 9000 through the2000 framework (ISO 9000:2000).

Figure 34

New Requirement in the ISO 9000:2000～Key factors～

6.2 Human Resources6.2.1 Assignment of personnelThe organization shall assign personnel to ensure that those who haveresponsibilities defined in the quality management system are competenton the basis of applicable education, training, skills and experience.

6.2.2 Competence, training, qualification and awarenessThe organization shall establish and maintain system level procedures toa) determine competency and training needs;b) provide training to address identified needs;c) evaluate the effectiveness of training at defined intervals;d) maintain appropriate records of education, training, skills, and

experience;

The organization shall establish and maintain procedures to make itsemployees at each relevant function and level aware ofe) the importance of conformance with the quality policy, and with the

requirements of the quality management system;f) the significant impact of their work activities on quality, actual or

potential;g) the benefits of improved personal performance;h) their roles and responsibilities in achieving conformance with the quality

management system; andi) the potential consequences of departure from specified procedures.

8.4 Analysis of data for improvement

A system level procedure for the analysis of applicable data shall beestablished to determine the effectiveness of the quality managementsystem and for identifying where improvement can be made. Theorganization shall collect data generated by measuring and monitoringactivities and any relevant sources.

8.5 Improvement


56

8.5.1 General requirementThe organization shall continually improve the quality managementsystem. The organization shall establish a system level procedure thatdescribes the use of quality policy, objectives, internal audit results,analysis of data, corrective and preventive action and management reviewto facilitate continual improvement.

8.5.2 Corrective actionThe organization shall establish a process for reducing or eliminating thecauses of nonconformity in order to prevent recurrence.

The system level procedure for the corrective action process shall define therequirements fora) identification of nonconformities (including customer complaints);b) determination of the causes of nonconformities;c) evaluation of the need for actions to ensure that nonconformities do not recur;d) implementation of any actions determined necessary to ensure that nonconformities do not recur;e) recording the results of action taken; andf) reviewing that corrective action taken is effective and recorded.

8.5.3 Preventive actionThe organization shall establish a process for eliminating the causes ofpotential nonconformities to prevent occurrence. Quality managementsystem records and results from the analysis of data shall be used as inputsfor preventive action, as applicable.a) identification of potential nonconformitiesb) determination of the causes of the identified potential nonconformities

and recording the resultsc) determination of preventive action needed to eliminate causes of potential nonconformitiesd) implementation of preventive actione) reviewing that preventive action taken is effective and recorded

Source: Quality Management Systems Requirement ISO/CD2 9001:2000

Of the above criteria, requirement 6.2 seems to be of the most importance.This is where the focal necessity for QCC comes in. By installing QCC, thecompany can achieve quality objectives, with the involvement of all operators,from the professional quality engineers to the frontline operators.

In sum, in order to meet ISO 9001 requirements, it is important that eachemployee is aware of them so that they can achieve quality objectives by theirown initiatives under self-management. One realizes that this aim is thesame as those of QC Circle activities: the establishment of sound and healthyhuman capacity building for customer satisfaction and company prosperity.

Volume I Part II

Quality ControlCircle

3 What is a QCC?

58

3 What is a QCC?Today when one reads or hears about the transformation of Japan during the last threedecades from being a cheap product seller to being the leader in quality, one notes that therole of QC Circles is an integral part of its journey towards excellence. This chapterdescribes a series of events that led to the birth of QC Circles brought about by the need ofJapanese industries immediately after the Second World War, to improve the quality oftheir products so they could compete in the international market. This chapter alsodescribes how the QC Circle concept spread to the neighboring Asian countries and theUnited States.

3-1 The Birth and Spread of QC CirclesJapanJapanese companies had an unwelcome reputation for producing cheap productsafter World War II. Known as “cheap merchants of the world,” their products’prices were fairly competitive yet the quality was low. An anecdote says thatproducts made in Japan were bought in the morning and broke down already bythe afternoon. Today, however, Japanese products are known for their quality andreliability.

How did this happen? As stated in chapter 2 section 5-1 in the previous part, theJapanese companies undertook major steps, such as having their managementpersonally take charge of the quality function; having quality-related trainingthroughout the company hierarchy; and adopting the QC Circle concept as a meansof enabling the workforce to participate in the quality activities of the company.

The Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers, organized in 1946, played a majorrole in the training of management and engineers on quality. It organized in 1949,its Quality Control Research Group (QCRG), which was tasked with studying theinternational quality control field for information on how to rationalize the war-torn Japanese industries, how to improve quality of exports, and how to raise theliving standards of the Japanese.

The General Headquarters of the United States Armed Forces in that year, invitedmanagement of Japanese companies and some members of the QCRG to a lectureby Dr. W. E. Deming on the importance of Statistical Quality Control techniques tothe telecommunications industries, like those engaged in telephone equipment,maintenance and related services. The objective of the lecture was to help theseindustries organize themselves and improve the war-torn telephone network.

In 1950 Dr. Deming came to Japan upon the recommendation of QCRG to give adetailed lecture on Statistical Quality Control to management of differentindustries. And in 1954, Dr. J.M Juran, another guru on Quality Control, came toJapan to talk about Quality Control and Management.

After intensive study, management and the engineers woke up to the need to followthe recommendations of Mr. Deming and Dr. Juran. They were convinced that for

3 What is a QCC?

59

future development they needed to move away from the old concept of qualitycertification by inspection to a new one of quality control activities that promotedfull employee participation with the objective of ensuring customer satisfaction.However, there was no specialist or lecturer on this subject yet in Japan, somanagement and the engineers requested JUSE to spearhead a national radio-based campaign on Quality Control for concerned parties, especially foremen offactories.

The supervisors started introducing the concept of Quality Control in the workshopand tackled the quality control problems (e.g., defects) with their frontlineoperators using simple statistical tools like checksheets, graphs, histograms,scatter diagrams, Pareto diagrams and fishbone diagrams. Their efforts resultedin fewer defects and better products. The foremen were amazed with these results,so they started to tackle workshop problems voluntarily with their subordinates.This voluntary activity gave birth to the concept of QC Circles.

Management then recognized that their people are intelligent and must be givenopportunities to use their brains as well as their hands. They undertook amassive program of training them on quality control thus enabling them toparticipate in the quality revolution. JUSE published training materials,established a system of registering QC Circles and organized the QC CircleHeadquarters. The first Quality Circle was organized in 1962, and from then on,the QC Circle movement grew, slowly at first, then with increasing speed.

Figure 35 Number of QC Circles and MembersRegistered at JUSE (Japan)

0

100 ,000

200 ,000

300 ,000

400 ,000

500 ,000

600 ,000

700 ,000

1960 72 76

1980 82 84 86 88

1990 92 94 96 98

2000

0

500 ,000

1 ,000 ,000

1 ,500 ,000

2 ,000 ,000

2 ,500 ,000

3 ,000 ,000

3 ,500 ,000 Number of QCCirclesRegistered(left scale)

Number of QCCircleMembersRegistered(right scale)

As of October 2001 "QC Circle," A monthlymagazine published by

Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers 2001 JUSE (Photo by JUSE)

QC Circle Activity in Honda Motor Co. Ltd.: International application of theQCC concept

Honda is one of the leading automobile companies in the world. It hasestablished its regional offices in more than thirty-five countries worldwide, fromEurope to Africa to South America, including branch offices scattered throughout

3 What is a QCC?

60

Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina and other South Americancountries.

According to Hosokawa (1995), the Chief Engineer of Hamamatsu Factory, Hondahas its own unique network called “Global Network,” through which variousHonda companies around the world are united toward one mission, to provideproducts with highest sufficiency to customers worldwide. The managementpolicy assures a company environment in which the company can act withambition and its employees can develop fresh ideas in a most efficient way. Theharmonious flow of work is highly valued and so is the research and endeavor forthe mission.

So as to meet those criteria, QC Circle activities have been rigorously introducedsince 1971. As of 1995, there were more than 13,500 QC Circles in the companyworldwide. Honda refers to its small activities as “NH Circle Activity.” Its Circleactivities are founded on a principle of continual creation of a NEW HONDAthough pursuit of the next assignment based on current recognition (Hosokawa1995).

How is the NH program organized?

Head meeting

*NH Circle activities*4-point*global organization coordinator*meetings:1/year

Japan block

America block

Asia/Oceania block

Africa/Europe block

Honda group committee

Factory committee

Supplier committee

Supplier meeting

Promotiongroup

Circle

Sectionpromotiongroup

Circle

Planninginformationresearch

Organization of QC Circle Activities in HONDAFigure 36

Hosokawa 1995

3 What is a QCC?

61

Figure 37 is the summary of the history of Honda’s NH activity.

History of Honda Circle Activities

Figure 37

1970 Domestic Growth AgeStart of QC Circle activityStart of NH activity

1976 Domestic Honda convention1977 Foreign Invitation Age

All-factory convention in Japan1984 All-Honda world convention in Japan1985 Open Activation Age

Start of 4-point global system1990 4-Point Global System Age

All-Honda world convention in Hamamatsu, JapanAll-Honda world convention in the USA

Honda’s QC Circle activity has rapidly grown since the 1980s. Figure 38 shows thetrend of NH Circle activities, which clearly shows that the number of Circleactivities in foreign factories substantially increased. Honda’s market share in theglobal market has rapidly grown since the late 1970s and NH Circle activities havesupported this growth in terms of customer satisfaction.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

foreign factories

sales companies

suppliers

domesticfactories

(Cir

cle

nu

mbe

r)

(year)

Trend of QC Circle Activity in HondaFigure 38

Hosokawa 1995

One of the successful stories can be seen in Honda of American Manufacturing(HAM), a Honda automobile factory in Ohio established in 1977. HAM started itsNH Circle activities in 1985. The activities are carried out on a volunteer basis

3 What is a QCC?

62

and those who are interested in the activities but do not know how to start canattend special seminars and training. One of the distinct features of NH activitiesis the freedom in the activities. Usually operators are required to make apresentation and gain approval before starting a project; however, in the case of NHactivities, if the project is inexpensive, the members are free to start their activities.

Usually a NH Circle comprises 4–5 people who solve daily problems in their sharedworkplace. After solving each problem, the members present the solution in frontof management. At HAM, presentation is held each year in March and September.Members prepare color slides and charts to show how they solve problems. Afterthe presentation, members are asked questions by panels. Normally two groupsare awarded a prize and are sent to Honda’s international convention held in Japaneach year. Each year around twenty-six factories in more than ten countriesparticipate in the convention and exchange their experiences and strengthen theunity of the Honda group.

The Benefits of NH ActivitiesThe NH activities have brought various benefits, both tangible and intangible, toHonda as a whole. The tangible benefits can be often seen in the form of costreduction. For example, as a Circle solves a problem in the workshop, it oftenleads to minimizing the time required for production or the number of defects. Asa result, the Circle contributes to cost reduction in the company.

Another example, introduced by Shook (1989, 174), shows how one Circle in aMaterials Department tried to reduce the number of bolts required for packaging.The problem was that 160,000 bolt pieces, generated from operating a large numberof wooden boxes, were scattered all over the floor, and not only harmed the wheelsof forklifts but also were difficult to clean up. Through numerous discussions andmeetings, the Circle came up with the idea to create a special box to collect the boltseffectively. According to Shook (ibid.), the Circle found out that the collected boltpieces could be sold for US$1,400 annually. However, through discussions andmeetings, the Circle finally found out that it is rather efficient to send the boltpieces back to related companies in Japan for recycling. Consequently, the activitycontributes US$50,000 each year to the company.

The scale of tangible benefits varies depending on the cases that the Circles choose,yet it is important to note that the intangible benefits that NH activity brings to thecompany are also enormous in the long perspective: through the activity, memberswill enhance their capacity, and will learn to not only think systematically but alsosolve problems according to the necessary steps. A Circle activity also helps tounite its members, which eventually leads to loyalty to the company in the long run.

South Korea and TaiwanEconomic development in South Korea and Taiwan was greatly influenced byJapan, and because the two countries had access to Japanese managementpractices, it was easy for them to embrace the QC Circle philosophy.

3 What is a QCC?

63

They had firsthand knowledge about the intangible benefits gained by theJapanese companies from QC Circle activities—benefits that are qualitative innature, such as the Japanese operators’ empathy for their customers, bothinternally and externally. By putting themselves in the shoes of the customers,the operators realized that each customer has different needs and expectationsthat the company has to satisfy in order to survive. Being directly involved in thedelivery of products and services, they realized that they have a very importantrole in satisfying the needs of their customers: that the quality of every product andservice that the company provides depends on how they do their work. This wayof thinking brought about other benefits (e.g., they come to work on time, they areabsent less often, and they have better relationships with management).

Another intangible benefit is the Japanese operators’ delight in being able to solveworkshop problems as a team. They take pride in their collective efforts toimprove the way work is done in order to satisfy the needs of their customers.

Even though it was difficult to quantify the impact of these intangible benefits,other benefits, tangible ones, are quantifiable. Examples are reductions inprocess failure, machine downtime, and machine maintenance time; reduction indefects and claims; improvement in process capability and safety; on-time delivery;reduction in overtime; and increase in productivity.

These tangible benefits were shown in quantifiable terms, (e.g., defects werereduced by 50 percent, machine uptime was increased from 10 hours to 20 hours).

Other Asian countriesThe introduction of QC Circles in other Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia,the Philippines, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran,Bangladesh, Fiji, Mongolia, Nepal and Vietnam was made easy by the AsianProductivity Organization, or the APO.

The APO, an inter-governmental regional organization with headquarters in Tokyo,Japan, was established in 1961 by several governments in Asia. Its aim is toincrease productivity and hence promote economic development of the Asia Pacificregion through mutual cooperation among its member countries.

Each APO member country has a National Productivity Organization (NPO),whose mandate includes the propagation of the QC Circle philosophy. Theyorganize national QC Circle conventions where local companies exchange accountsof their experiences. Singapore is an interesting case in that it invites QC Circles,management, and facilitators from other countries to talk about their experiences,thus giving their national convention an international flavor and name,International Exposition of QC Circles (IEQCC).

The NPOs have also invited experts on QC Circles from Japan, who are usuallyfrom the academe or from companies with QC Circles, to conduct training andprovide consultancy to the local companies. Management conferences have alsobeen organized, whereby management from different Japanese companies have

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been invited to talk to their peers about their QC Circle experiences, focusing ontheir role in providing support, their difficulties in implementing the QC Circleprogram in their companies (and how such difficulties were addressed), and thebenefits they gained from their QC Circle activities.

Another form of learning that the APO sponsors for its member countries is theObservational Study Mission, whereby a group of top and middle managers fromdifferent companies visit Japanese companies with the objective of learning fromtheir QC Circle experiences. During these visits, they witness QC Circle casepresentations, they have discussion with their counterparts, and they get to seeactual improvement projects in the workplace.

The APO also supports the participation of representatives from its membercountries in the annual International Convention on QC Circles (ICQCC) bysponsoring their travel expenses and convention fees.

The ICQCC was organized by JUSE with the collaboration of South Korean andTaiwanese organizations that were promoting QC Circles. Delegates from variouscountries attend the convention each year. The first convention was held in Seoulin 1976, and Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei took turns in hosting the convention through1983. In that year, the organizers decided to bring the convention to othercountries in order to convince more management people to adopt the QC Circlephilosophy. So in 1984, the convention was held in a new venue, Manila,Philippines. In the years since then, other countries have hosted the convention.

The ICQCC is instrumental in hastening the growth of the QC Circle movement.The 2001 ICQCC was held in Taipei, with more than 450 participants fromfourteen countries such as Malaysia, India, Mexico, the U.S.A. and Japan. Morethan sixty cases were presented at the convention, some of them detailing a trendof the QCC movement expanding into a number of new areas such as public sectors,hospitals, banks, and hotels. Additionally, new QCC are being introduced insmall- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and even in schools (in India).

United States and EuropeThe movement reached America; however, early efforts to introduce QC Circlesthere were not successful, and there were many excuses but the more popular ofthese has to do with the Japanese culture.

A close look, however, shows that the reason behind the transformation of Japan asa maker of cheap products to being the leader in quality and reliability is thechange in the attitude of management in dealing with their people. Realizing thattheir people have brains in addition to hands, they gave them opportunities to useboth.

Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa, who is considered the father of the QC Circle movement, saysthat if management in any country or in any culture recognizes and commits topeople’s brainpower as an effective means for survival, then QC Circles willflourish anywhere. His belief was heralded by a fact-finding group from Lockheed

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Missile and Space Company and Burroughs Corporation that visited Japan in 1974to learn about the QC Circle phenomenon. They returned to their countryconvinced that the QC Circle concept could be implemented successfully anywhereas long as management supports it, people are trained, and the Japanese model isfollowed closely. The Lockheed advocates of QC Circles removed the word controlbecause it has a strong connotation, so Quality Circles of QC was the term theyused for their Circles.

To provide a forum for their QCs to share experiences, they organized a groupcalled the International Association of Quality Circles (IAQC). The interests ofthe member companies later expanded to include people participation, so theyrenamed themselves the Association for Quality and Participation (AQP). Thegroup is now known as the American Society for Quality. This society advocatesthe value of small group activities (e.g., QC Circles), regardless of what their nameis. The Lockheed Quality Circle experience prompted other companies in Americato embrace the QC Circle philosophy.

The QC Circle movement also reached European countries. Dr. J.M. Juran madethe first introduction of the QC Circle concept in June 1966 at a quality controlconvention in Stockholm, where he talked about an all-lady QC Circle in theHikone plant of Matsushita, which he observed in April 1966.

By the 1970s the movement spread to Rolls Royce and Wedgwood in England.Some French companies in the banking and automobile industries followed suit,basically due to the enthusiasm and devotion of management and facilitators.There was no support at the national level.

3-2 Definition of a QC CircleThe QC Circle headquarters of JUSE, which serves as the center for continuingeducation on QC Circles, defines a Circle as “a small group of frontline operatorswho continually control and improve the quality of their work, products andservices; they operate autonomously and utilize quality control concepts, tools andtechniques.”

Based on this definition, which has been adopted in many countries, the QC CircleHeadquarters enumerates the following features of a QC Circle:

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Characteristics of a QC Circle

Small group

Continual control and improvement in the quality of work, products, and service

Autonomous operation

Utilization of quality control concepts, tools and techniques

Part of TQM or company-wide QCC

Self-Development

SMALL GROUPThe Circle is normally composed of three to ten volunteers who come from thesame workshop and are under the same supervisor. Keeping the group smallenables the members to participate actively in Circle activities. During meetingsfor instance, each member has a chance to contribute ideas; whereas, if the groupis more than ten, it may happen that a member is not able to contribute an ideabecause of lack of time, for the Circle usually meets for an hour at most. If thegroup is small, the chances are high that members are able to foster betterinterpersonal relations and develop cohesiveness. Each member is able to definehis role and responsibilities better, making him feel more secure in his jobrelations and see his importance to the group; thus, his self-esteem is developed.If the Circle has less than three members, it is usually more difficult to get thingsdone, whereas if it has more than ten, the group becomes unwieldy.

The Circle is likened to a small community where everyone is familiar witheveryone, where one’s contribution is easily recognized, and where sense ofbelonging is realized. Coming from the same workshop, it is easier for them totalk about how to improve the way their work is done because they have a commonlanguage, have the same work environment and experiences, are affected by thesame factors, and have one goal.

CONTINUAL CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE FLOWOF WORKQC Circles continue to look for opportunities for improvement from the time theyreceive their inputs to the time they deliver their product or service to theircustomers. They employ the concept of the PDCA continual improvement.Because the customer is never satisfied, the Circles never stop looking for betterways of doing the work. Once a problem is solved, they move to solve otherproblems; thus, they are in a never-ending search for ways to satisfy the customer.

AUTONOMOUS OPERATION

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Circles solve problems in their own workshops; so, they operate autonomously inthe sense that they are free to choose the problems to solve, they identify whatdata to collect in order to better understand why the problems exist, and theirmembers analyze the problems’ causes among themselves (though they sometimesconsult other departments that affect their work). They analyze these causes indetail until they are able to isolate the most critical cause of the problem. Theyare on their own when they think of possible solutions to eliminate this mostcritical cause, although they are free to consult supervisors, engineers, orfacilitators for ideas. The decision on what is the best solution is theirs. Also,they decide how to implement their solution, confirm that the standard operatingprocedure is implemented, and show that the solution is effective.

Since they are the experts in their work, they have the job of identifying problemsin their workshop, of selecting the one they want to tackle, of working out theirsolution, and of selling their ideas to management. It is also their job toimplement their solutions once they are approved by management, monitor results,and ensure that the problems do not recur. So it is in this context that the QCCircle is practically left on its own in carrying out its activities.

UTILIZATION OF QUALITY CONTROL CONCEPTS, TOOLS ANDTECHNIQUESThe Circle works with the aid of data throughout its problem-solving activities.They show that a problem exists by collecting data (using a data collection form,like a checksheet) that they then summarize and analyze using simple statisticaltools like graphs, scatter diagrams, cause and effect diagrams, Pareto diagrams,and histograms. They also use problem-solving techniques like matrix diagrams,the What, When, Where, Who, Why, How (5W1H) concept, the Sorting,Systematizing, Sweeping, Sanitizing, Self-discipline (5S) concept, the Man,Machine, Materials, Method, Environment (4M1E), and the Muda (wastefulness),Muri (excessiveness), Mura (dispersion)(3Mu) concept.

PART OF TQM OR A COMPANY-WIDE QCC PROGRAMMany companies introduce Total Quality Management or company-wide QC Circleactivities as a company management tool in order to improve the quality of theirproducts and services. In the TQM framework, management announces thecompany’s mission and vision to its employees, and each one of them plays asignificant role in implementing quality management activities. QC Circleactivities play an essential role in a company’s management system, thedevelopment of which will lead to an activation of quality management throughoutthe company.

SELF-DEVELOPMENTA QC Circle contributes not only to the development of a sound workingenvironment but also to the enhancement of individuals’ abilities and potentials.In other words, the activities lead also to self-development of individuals.Through the activities, each member can develop various qualities, such as soundpersonal relations, analytical skills, presentation ability, and knowledge onvarious QC tools.

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3-3 Objectives of QC Circle Activities

Objectives of QC Circle Activities

Establishment of a pleasant workplace

Establishment of a state of control

Enhancement of morale

Establishment of sound human relations

Better income

Improvement in Quality Assurance

QC Circle Headquarters 1980

ESTABLISHMENT OF A PLEASANT WORKPLACEThe atmosphere of a workplace has two dimensions: the psychological and thephysical. The psychological is usually measured through organizational climatesurveys in which people are asked about their perceptions of leadership,availability of information and resources to do their job well, teamwork, rewardsand recognition, and job satisfaction. The physical pertains to orderliness andcleanliness; access to raw materials, tools and machines; and safety.

It is important that people perceive that their jobs offer opportunities for them tofully develop their potentials and have a say in how work is done and that theirworkplace is conducive to producing quality products and services. When thecompany’s employees are satisfied, its goal of ensuring customer satisfaction, theultimate goal of the QC Circle activities, is not difficult to achieve.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE OF CONTROLIt is very important that people operate their tasks according to the specified way.As Ishikawa (1981) avers, “Well controlled workshops are those that observeagreed standards, take adequate corrective measures or preventive measures,remove causes of abnormal or out of control conditions before problems becomereadily apparent, and revise standards if necessary.” And this cannot be done bymeans of mechanization, automation, and elimination of manpower—it has to becontrolled through human effort.

ENHANCEMENT OF MORALEQC Circle activity is aimed at enhancing the morale of Circle members.Ishikawa (1981, 29) suggests that “the morale should be elevated as a naturalconsequence of taking part in the activity.” By achieving self-developmentthough QC Circle activities, members can enhance their morale, both asindividuals and as members of society.

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ESTABLISHMENT OF SOUND HUMAN RELATIONSQC Circles provide a place where people can solve problems with activecommunication toward the achievement of common objectives. It is in thisrespect that a QC Circle can contribute to develop human relations among itsmembers and even with management. Members learn interpersonal skillsthrough their discussion with other members, acquiring a sense for building upharmonious relationships.

BETTER INCOMEIn the long run, with company income increases through QC Circle activities, theincome of the members will often increase. But we should not think of suchincreases as direct increases. As it will be stated later in this book, the benefit ofthe Circles can be measured not only by tangible impacts but also by intangibleimpacts.

IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY ASSURANCEAs Ishikawa (1981, 34) states, “It is well understood that better quality assuranceis a key to quality control.” There are many accidents and problems in aworkshop that can be addressed in the QC Circles. It is often the case thatproblems are caused by operators’ minor errors. The ultimate goal of QC Circleactivities is to achieve quality assurance. By solving problems in the workplacein a systematic manner, the Circle can achieve quality assurance in theworkplace, which consequently leads to improvement in the quality of life of theindividual operators.

3-4 Versatility of QC Circle Activities

Trends of QC Circles, by IndustryQC Circle activity first started in manufacturing companies in the 1960s. It wasfirst introduced in large manufacturers, and later disseminated to small- andmedium-sized enterprises in the same group. The movement was soon (1970s)joined by service industry companies such as those in construction and finance. Inthe following decade, QC Circle activity was introduced in other service industrycompanies such as retailers (supermarkets) and railways. Also, the first QCCircle in a hospital started around 1982. The number of QC Circle registrants hasincreased rapidly since the early 1980s, with the total number reaching over 30,000nationwide. Figure 39, developed from material published by JUSE, shows both asteady increase in the number of QC Circle registrants in Japan and their sector-wise dissemination (time of entry) during the period between 1962 and 2000.After a history of more than forty years, QCC activities can now be seen innumerous industries. Newly emerging industry companies such as employmentagencies are also adopting the QCC method, and traditional sectors such as publiccorporations and government agencies have been trying to exploit the QCC methodin their quality management frameworks.

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Figure 39 Trend of QC Circle Registration, by Industry in Japan

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

'62 '64 '66 '68 '70 '72 '74 '76 '78 '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00

Circles

QC Circle Started:Manufacturing Industry

Construction Industry

Finance/Insurance Industry

Retailer

Nippon Telegraph andTelephone Corporation (NTT)

Central Japan RailwayCompany (JR Tokai)

Hospital

Adapted by authors. Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers 2002

Figure 40 Number of QC Circles Registered atQC Circle Headquarters (Japan)

(a) According to industry category

(b) According to functional category

Manufacturing

Services

Constructionand otherindustries

Manufacturing

Sales and service

Research andtechnology

Indirect workrelated tomanufacturingGeneral clericalwork

Other industry

Notes: n: 13,020; Unit = %; 1990, 1992 and 1994 average

Saito 1995

Services: commercial, financial,transportation, electric power,

and communications firms.

4.4

55.839.8

34.3

23.610.3

8.8

8.2

14.8

Pie chart (a) of figure 40 shows that more than half of all registered QC Circleswere in the manufacturing sector as of the mid 1990s and almost forty percent

3 What is a QCC?

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were service industries, which supports the claim that QC Circle activityoriginated in the manufacturing sector but has become widespread in other sectorsincluding commercial, financial, transportation, energy and telecommunications.

Thematic Applicability of QC CirclesPie chart (b) of figure 40 indicates the amount of QC Circle activity accounted forby individual sectors. The applicable scope of QC Circle activity is surprisinglybroad. Across manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies, selected themesof QC Circle activities have been wide: in fields such as quality improvement inproduction and processing, cost reduction, remedial measures in delivery processes,enhancement of security, improvement in human services, boosting of employeemorale, and technical improvement in the designing stage of products (this listingis not exhaustive by any means). This applicability of QC Circles to diversethemes is exactly the reason they are applied in almost all types of industries andsub-sectors. To put it differently, QC Circles can choose any theme, as long as thechosen one is in line with the objectives established within the organization towhich the QC Circle belongs. See section 3-3, Objectives of QC Circle Activities.

Figure 41

EExxaammpplleess ooff TThheemmeess SSeelleecctteedd bbyy QQCC CCiirrcclleess

ManufacturingPrevention of frontline worker accidents in factoriesBetter understanding of production procedures and machineryReduction in material lossBoosting of workers’ morale to improve product quality and meet deadlinesEncouragement for reduction in and recycling of industrial wasteShortening of the preparation period required for experiments

Sales and Service (retailer, restaurant and so on)Achievement of 10% growth in sales to major customersIncrease in orders from retailers by 15%Enhancement of promotion for acquiring new customersReduction in billing errors at checkout countersDecrease in the number of wrong orders and shipmentsLearning of sign language for handicapped customers

SchoolsKeeping students’ focus in classImprovement in teaching methods according to students’ level ofunderstanding

HospitalsMinimization of patients’ waiting time for examinations, prescriptions, andappointmentsImprovement in in-hospital system to prevent mix-ups of medical chartsBetter comprehension of operations of present and new medical machinery

AgricultureImprovement in way of blending fertilizer and manure for cost reductionEffective use of farm equipment and toolsAdvancement of cultivation methods to prevent soil pollution

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72

4 How to Get Started: QC Circle ActivitiesCompanies follow a general pattern when they implement the QC Circle program: theyorganize the company QC Circle activities, they test the concept in one or twodepartments before they organize Circles company-wide, and they set up mechanismsto sustain the enthusiasm of QC Circles. The role of management in thesedevelopmental stages of QC Circles is very crucial as it is to direct and lead theemployees to disseminate the QC Circle concept, which is a new area to explore formost of the employees.

The installation of a QC Circle is normally carried out after taking several preparatorysteps. The QCC concept is commonly introduced where a company-wide qualityprogram such as TQM has been already carried out, becoming one of the components ofsuch a framework. There are largely two patterns of adoption of the QCC concept in acompany: (1) introducing it as a part of company-wide quality management activity(2) introducing it prior to the deployment of a company-wide quality control program.The procedures of the installation vary, depending on which of the two patterns applies.(QC Circle Headquarters 1991, 121).

(1) Introducing the QCC concept as a part of TQMIn this case, the management first learns the basic aspects of quality control, seven QCtools, problem solving procedures, and kaizen improvement activities. Managementtake the lead in directing its employees in the line with the company’s mission andvision—utilizing all human resources, from frontline operators to middle management.When the conditions are set for QC Circle activities, the management will announcethe introduction of the concept into the company.

(2) Introduction of the QCC concept prior to the deployment of company-wide qualitycontrol programsThis type of installation is often seen in the service industry. In it, the companyintroduces QCC activities and then learns about quality through those activities.JUSE has suggested the following merits for this approach:

- The resistance to introducing TQM will be small, as employees get used to thequality concepts when they are first introduced through QC Circles.

- The dissemination of TQM will be easier, as a foundation for the quality concept willbe already accepted by the employees.

On the other hand, there are also demerits for this approach:- Those who are engaged in the QCC concept will have more knowledge about quality

than will management. As a result, management will not be able to take a lead incompany quality management, which will make them disinterested in qualityactivities.

- From the standpoint of QC Circles, members tend to think that they are the onlyones working hard to make things better, and thus management will be lessrespected by its employees.


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As the QCC program achieves its goal or solves problems, management tends to get amisunderstanding that QCC is the only way for quality management, and thus tends toneglect other quality components (ibid., 121).

Even though we understand that there are two ways of QCC installation, we are goingto focus on the first one listed above, as it has been the most common.

3. Implementation Launch of Pilot CircleTackling of first problem by following the 7 steps of theQC Story 1. Theme selection 2. Current status grasping and goal setting 3. Establishment of activity plan 4. Cause analysis 5. Countermeasure examination and implementation 6. Assessment of effectiveness 7. Standardization and permanent fixCase presentation for managementEvaluation of Pilot Circle

4. Sustaining QCC Implementation of the QCC concept company-wideConduct meetingsEvaluation by Steering Committee and QC Circle Office

6 monthsto 1 year

Figure 42 Stages of QC Circle Development

1. Preparation Preparation of ManagementObservation of QC Circle Competitions and Study ofQCC/TQM

2. Installation Management Declaration of Commitment Establishment and Appointment ofQC Circle organization Steering Committee QCC Office FacilitatorQC Circle installation planIn-house trainingVolunteers for a Pilot Circle

Preparation

4-1 Preparation for Installation of a QC Circle Program

Key Factors in the Preparation Stage

Finding a rationale for QCC activities

Management indoctrinated in QC Circle activities

Management attendance at QC Circle convention


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Finding a rationale for QCC activitiesIt is important, before starting QCC activities, that management be fully awareof the importance of quality management and be fully convinced that QCC willhave significant impacts on the company’s quality management. Often QCCdevelop a sort of trend in the industry whereby once Company A introduces QCCactivities, so does Company B. This tendency is not undesirable, as it helps toopen the eyes of management to QCC activities, but each company’sestablishment of a unique vision and mission is important, relating them to thepotential QC Circle activities.

Management indoctrinated in QC Circle activitiesThe first step for management is to get to know about QC Circle activities.Although reading books and magazines is one way of learning, it is difficult tograsp the QCC concept without actually seeing the activity. Therefore,management is recommended to attend outside seminars and see how QCCactivities in other companies are organized and how they have contributed tothose companies’ visions and missions.

Management attendance at QC Circle conventionsAttending a QC Circle convention is one way for management to get to knowabout QC Circle activities in other companies. At the convention, selectedCircles will present the history of QCC activities in their organizations, their QCStories, their problem solving processes, and the benefits and other impacts thathave been seen in their daily operations.

Installation

4-2 Establishment and Appointment of a QC Circle OrganizationQC Circles are organized as part of TQM organization and include a QC CircleSteering Committee, QC Circle Office, and facilitators.

4-2-1 Management Commitment to QC CirclesManagement commitment is very important in the implementation ofTotal Quality Management and QC Circle activities. Management mustmeet with its people to explain that the only way for the company tosurvive in the ever-changing market is to ensure customer satisfaction atevery point in the life of the product or service.

Management must emphasize that in spite of advances in technology, themost important resource of the company is still its people and that thepeople who are doing the work are in the best position to improve thework, for they are the experts in that work. They know best what ishappening in the workplace; they know how work is being done; theyknow the quality and availability of raw materials, and the state of themachines and tools.


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Management has to underscore its belief that, through the help of QCCircles, the company will survive because it is able to ensure the qualityof products and services throughout their life cycles. This commitmentis best done during the launching of the QC Circle program, when allemployees are gathered at one place. The communication vehicles ofthe company, like the newsletter, bulletin boards, and email should alsobe utilized in communicating this commitment to QC Circles.

4-2-2 Establishment of a QC Circle OrganizationThe installation of the QC Circle program is managed by the QC CircleSteering Committee, and the QC Circle Office, which includesfacilitators. The QC Circle Office secretariat reports to the QC CircleOffice manager; whereas the facilitators report to the QC Circle Officemanager in matters relating to QC Circles and to their departmentmanagement in matters pertaining to their other functions.

Existing ManagementStructure

CEO/President

Department Head

Manager

Supervisor

Operator

QC Circle Steering Committee

Circle Leader

QCC Office

Chairperson

Circle Members

QC Circle

QC Circle Organization: A Large-Company Example

Figure 43

<QCC Structure>

Facilitator

4-2-3 QC Circle Steering CommitteeThe QC Circle Steering Committee is composed of senior managementchosen by the TQM Steering Committee and is chaired by the president(figure 44). It oversees and provides direction for the implementation ofthe QC Circle program. Its roles are as follows.


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Figure 44

CEO/President

R & DDepartment

EngineeringDepartment

Production Department

QualityDepartment

AdministrationDepartment

Human ResourceDepartment

QCC SteeringCommittee

Chairperson

Committee Members


QCC Office

QCC

Roles of the QC Circle Steering Committee:1. Define the ultimate goal of the QC Circle program in the

company.

2. Formulate a master plan for the installation of the program.The program plan includes how many and in whichdepartment(s) to organize pilot QC Circles, how many QC Circlesto organize during the company-wide implementation and inwhich departments to organize them, policies on training,evaluation of the QC Circle Office, and identification of QC Circleprojects.

3. Formulate a plan on how to recognize the exemplaryperformance of Circles, members, leaders and facilitators.Examples of titles given as a form of recognition:Model QC Circle, Model QC Circle Leader, Model QC CircleMember, and Model QC Circle Facilitator

The reward component answers the question, “How do we rewardthose we recognize?” Companies can give monetary or non-monetary rewards, or choose to employ a combination.Companies that give monetary rewards are often those that haveother programs that give rewards (e.g., suggestion contests).The amount given is dependent on the resources of the company.

Rewards are called non-monetary when there is no cash given tothe team or individual. Examples of this kind of reward are


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trips in which all the expenses of the team are covered by thecompany.

4. Formulate a plan on how to monitor and evaluate thecomponents of the QC Circle program.Monitoring includes identifying and designing monitoring forms,report formats, and items to monitor, and determining thefrequency of reporting the status of the program.

Evaluation includes formulating the criteria to be used forevaluating the different components of the program, and decidingthe frequency of the evaluation, and the format and content ofthe reports.

5. Formulate a budget for the program and identify sources offunds.

6. Define qualifications and functions of facilitators.

7. Act on concerns that may be raised by the QC Circle Office, thefacilitators, or the QC Circles themselves.

8. Evaluate the overall status of the QC Circle program, includingtraining, rewards and recognition, promotional activities, andprocedures for evaluation of QC Circle case studies andactivities.

9. Formulate corrective and preventive actions based on findings inthe evaluation.

4-2-4 QC Circle OfficeThe QC Circle Office is responsible for the day-to-day management of theQC Circle activities in the company. Specifically, the Office implementspolicies and plans formulated by the QC Circle Steering Committee;handles all paperwork and maintains records such as the QC Circleregistry, minutes of meetings, and QC Circle case studies; providessupport to the QC Circle Steering Committee and the leaders; andorganizes promotional activities like company-wide conventions. Servicein the QC Circle Office is usually a concurrent assignment of facilitators.


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(1) Training facilitators(2) Coordinating training courses, working closely with the department heads(3) Assisting leaders in their QC Circle activities(4) Motivating QC Circle leaders and members(5) Conducting QC Circle case presentations(6) Coordinating QC Circle activities(7) Approving QC Circle actions referred to them, such as those that have been found not to violate public law or regulation or company regulations

Basic Functions of a QC Circle Office

(1) It implements the policies and plans formulated by the QC Circle Steering Committee.(2) It handles all paperwork and maintains records like the QC Circle registry, minutes of meetings, and QC Circle cases.(3) It provides support to the QC Circle Steering Committee and the leaders.(4 )It organizes promotional activities like competitions and visits to other companies with QC Circles

Responsibility of a QC Circle Office

4-2-5 Appointment of FacilitatorsFacilitators, who are chosen from among the managers, comprise a keyelement that greatly influences the success of the QC Circle program,especially at the beginning of its development. In manufacturingcompanies the facilitators are often experienced manufacturingengineers.


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(1) Training leaders(2) Coordinating training courses, working closely with the department heads(3) Assist leaders in their QC Circle activities(4) Motivating QC Circle leaders and members(5) Arranging QC Circle case presentations(6) Coordinating QC Circle activities(7) Approving QC Circle actions referred to them like those that have been found not to violate public law or regulation or company regulation

Basic Functions of a Facilitator

Each department selects one to three facilitators, depending on the size ofthe company. In the beginning, one facilitator is usually assigned tothree QC Circles. The QC Circle leaders call on the facilitator when theyneed support during meetings.

　　　　　　　　　Facilitators

Management

ProductionDepartment

QualityDepartment


FacilitatorFacilitatorFacilitator


QC Circle Office

Figure 45

QCCs QCCsQCCs

Facilitator(full time)

(part time)dual function

4-2-6 Appointment of QC Circle LeadersParticipation in the basic activity of a QCC is normally on a voluntarybasis, yet there are several ways in which a Circle’s leaders are actuallyselected. In new Circles, supervisors often play the role of leader,because they are very familiar with the workplace and possess certain


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pertinent personal qualifications. Some Circles have their memberstake turns being the leaders, and others elect their leaders, but theseapproaches have the potential to create a dictatorial environment forleaders who are not well qualified for the role. Also, leaders can betempted to choose themes that are easy to solve. Therefore, a Circleleader must be selected carefully, particularly when it is at the beginningof its activities. After a few years of QCC implementation, when the QCmethods are well disseminated, Circles are able to select leaders (ortheme leaders) depending on the themes that they are going to tackle.

(1) Conducting QC Circle meetings(2) Deciding roles of individuals and proceeding QC Circle activity(3) Learning QCC tools and techniques(4) Disseminating what is learned in (3) above(5) Trying to improve members’ abilities(6) Establishing annual activity plan(7) Encouraging members(8) Doing administrative work for the QC Circle Office(9) Participating in industry-wide conventions(10) Studying about QC Circle activities and disseminating the knowledge(11) Seeking advise and support from the QCC Office on behalf of its members

Basic Functions of a Circle Leader

Implementation

4-3 Launch of a Pilot CircleAs in anything that is new, the QC Circle program should be tried first on a smallscale, in one to three departments. The company needs to have some priorexperience with QC Circles in order to manage a company-wide implementationsuccessfully. In the beginning of the program, it is important that the first-linesupervisors, who are closest to the frontline operators and are well familiar withthem and their operations, lead the activities.

It is critical that the first-line supervisors start and participate in the activities ona voluntary basis so as to encourage their subordinates to volunteer as well. Anyinitiative to direct their members to participate should be avoided, as directingintroduces the notion of commanding or controlling.

The implementation stage consists of organizing a pilot Circle, training itsmembers, solving its first problem, presenting the case to management, and thenevaluating the pilot Circle. Following is a flowchart of a pilot QCC’s activities atits implementation stage.


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4-3-1 Implementation ProcedureFigure 46 Implementation Procedure Flowchart

First-line supervisor submits implementation plan

First-line supervisor asks for volunteers

Leader registers QC Circle

Leader establishes one-year meeting schedule

Leader trains members

QC Circle tackles first problem

QC Circle presents case to management

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Pilot Circle evaluated8.

1. First-line Supervisor Submits Implementation PlanThe pilot Circle is organized, on a voluntary basis, by the first-linesupervisor, who acts as its leader. He formulates his implementationplan and submits this to the QC Circle Office.

QC Circle Leader’s Implementation Plan

Jan Feb Mar Apr MayJun Jul AugSept Oct Nov Dec

Brainstorming:Theme Selection

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Brainstorming:Cause Identification

Group DiscussionRoot-Cause Isolation

CountermeasuresEstablishment

Implementation ofCountermeasures

Review of Results

Evaluation ofOutcome

Standardization ofCountermeasures

Figure 47


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2. First-line Supervisor Asks for VolunteersThe first-line supervisor invites his people and explains, with theassistance of the facilitator assigned to his department, the followingtopics:

What a QC Circle is

Why they are needed in our company

What the prime objective of QC Circle

activity in our workshop is What the benefits to the company are

What is in it for us How we will participate

Pilot Circle leader

3. Leader Registers the QC CircleIf there are at least four volunteers, the QC Circle leader organizes aCircle and formally registers it with the QC Circle Office. Whenregistering they are often required to provide the followinginformation, which must be decided on by the Circle during its firstmeeting.

� QC Circle name� QC Circle logo� QC Circle leader

� Members (with simple bio data)� Facilitator� Meeting schedule

The QC Circles are required to register so that the company knowsthat they exist and the QC Circle Office can provide them thenecessary support.


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A Sample QC Circle Registration FormFigure 48

QC Circle Registration Form Branch/Department: Phone no.

Division/Area: Group: Head:

QC Name: Date Organized:

Frequency of Meetings:

QC Leader:

Asst. Leader:

Members:

Facilitator:

The rationale behind the registration is to make the existence of theCircle official; only registered Circles are recognized. The QC CircleOffice publishes the names of registered Circles in the companynewsletter and in bulletin boards located in department offices.

4. Leader Establishes One-hour Meeting ScheduleMost of the activities of the QC Circles are done through meetings, soit is necessary to consider how to eliminate members’ boredom duringmeetings, especially when they study the QC Circle concept, behaviorscience, and other customer satisfaction concepts. This is why the QCCircle should meet twice a month for the first year. The duration ofthese meetings is usually for an hour. This way, the leader is able tohold the attention of the members. Figure 49 is a typical QC Circlemeeting agenda.


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A Sample of QC Circle Meeting Schedule

Subject

0 ～ 05′Greeting, roll call, review of last meeting’s assignments, confirmation of today’s agenda

05 ～ 10′Group discussion on subject- Ideas submitted to leader on short memos

10 ～ 20′

20 ～ 40′

- Summarize submitted memos- Prepare a table for easy review

- Consolidate ideas

40 ～ 50′- Confirm consolidated ideas- Discuss remaining ideas

50 ～ 55′

55 ～ 60′

- Wrap up discussion- Record conclusion and items for discussion- Ask facilitator for comments- Confirm assignments- Announce next meeting’s agenda- Adjourn meeting

Figure 49

Time

5. Leader Trains MembersBased on the curriculum prepared by the QC Circle Office, the leaderteaches members, with the assistance of the QC Circle Officesecretariat. Usually, the leader handles technical topics, like the QCStory, the tools, and the techniques. Training sessions are best heldin the morning (for two hours), when members’ minds are still fresh.

The following is a list of topics usually taught in the QC Circlemeetings.

Issues to be Taught in QC Circle Training

1. The importance of customers Be thorough in Quality Assurance

2. Utilization of data Make good use of QCC tools

3. Usage of management cycle Introduce the PDCA cycle

4. The importance of tools Make good use of QCC tools

5. Concentration measures Make use of the Pareto diagram

6. Search for root causes Examine the cause and effect diagram

7. Pursuit of all causes Be conscious about quality

8. Importance of processes Fully standardize the process

ISSUES POINTS

6. Pilot Circle Holds Meetings: QC Circle tackles first problemThe QC Circle is now ready to tackle its first problem using the


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Quality Control Story approach. The first problem chosen should be asimple one (e.g., housekeeping, the 5S concept, or safety) so that theCircle is able to solve it within a short period of time. Solving oneproblem will often give the members a sense of accomplishment andmotivate them to pursue other problems they experience in their work.

Circles meet to study further the QC Circle concepts, tools, andtechniques that they learned in their training. Once they areconfident of their level of understanding, then they start to act on theirtheme. A Circle spends at least eighteen meetings in completing atheme before presenting it to management.

QC Circle Activity ProcedureFigure 50

Training

Organize QC Circle

Select a Leader

Register QC Circle

What kind ofproblems dowe have?

Selection of Theme

Grasping of Current Status and Setting ofGoals

Establishment of Activity Plan

Cause Analysis

Examination of Countermeasuresand Their Implementation

Standardization and Permanent Fix

Assessment of Effectiveness

Presentation to Managers

If Goal not met

Start!

Figure 50 shows the steps taken to carry out QC Circle activities.The Circle follows the so-called QC Story, in which each step hasindividual objectives that in sum solve the overall problem. Thedetails of the QC Story (how to proceed with the QC Story) will befurther discussed in chapter 6 of this book.

7. QC Circle Presents Case to ManagementWhen the QC Circle finishes its case, it presents it to the departmentmanagement. The case is presented for one of two purposes—namely,to inform management of their improvement efforts or to getmanagement’s support for the implementation of their solution. Forthis presentation, non-Circle personnel from the workshop are invitedso they get a chance to see what a QC Circle does and what benefitscan be derived from its activities. This is also an occasion for


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management to recognize the members for volunteering to be part ofthis pilot phase.

The presentation to management is followed by an open forum, bywhich management gets clarification on points they consider vague.Management must remember that this is an occasion for them to makethe Circle feel good about contributing to the betterment of thecompany. Therefore, the questions must not be focused on the Circleitself. It would help if management asks the facilitator forintroductory clarification before the presentation. In this way theCircle is spared certain questions. However, even though thefacilitator answers the question, he must inform the Circle leader thatsuch a question was raised so that the Circle includes this input in itspresentation.

The department management evaluates the case based on howeffectively the Circle used the QC Story, the tools, and the techniques.Evaluation criteria are summarized in a checklist, which is used as aguide when giving comments to the QC Circle about its project (figure51).

Evaluation Checklist for Beginner QC Circles’Case Presentations

Selection of clearly identified themes to be tackled by members

1. Theme Selection

Use of data and examination of isolated causes

Use of fishbone charts for cause isolation

2. Analysis

Clear establishment of countermeasures

3. Countermeasures

Observed result of value to the company

4. Effectiveness

Understanding of areas for recurrent preventive action

5. Standardization

Figure 51

If the Chairman of the QC Circle Steering Committee is available atthe time of the presentation, it is recommended that he attends andgives his comments. The facilitator also evaluates the case, using thefollowing parameters: how the Circle identified the problem, thedegree of member participation in the case study, the extent theyfollowed the QC Story, the utilization of the QC tools and techniques,


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and the level of satisfaction of the department management.

QC Circle Case Evaluation ChecklistEvaluation

CriteriaEvaluation Point Marks

1. Theme Establishment (20 marks)

1) Was the theme established by all members participating in the studies?2) Was the theme established in line with needs and importance?3) Is the anticipated solution effective enough?

2. Members’ Participation (20 marks)

1) Is each member attending the meetings?2) Is any necessary cooperation being furnished by a related organization?3) Are members positively supporting the activity?

3. Adequacy of Activity　 Proceeding (40 marks)

4. Utilization of Various Analysis Techniques (10 marks)

1) Was an adequate analysis technique utilized during each step?2) Were the QC techniques appropriately employed?3) Was any remarkable analysis technique specifically observed?

5. Management Satisfaction (10 marks)

1) Did the manager fully recognize the achievement?2) Did the manager recognize that the accomplishment resulted from the QC Circle activity?3) Was the manager satisfied with the leader’s action?

Evaluation Item Evaluation Item Marks1. Accomplishment of goal (10 marks)

1) Was the goal adequately established?2) Was the established goal fully met?

2. Analysis

(10 marks)

1) Was the past data fully available?2) Was the analysis deep enough to find true cause?3) Was the QC technique skillfully utilized?

0 　 10 　 20

0 　　 10 20

0 　　 20 40

0 　　 5 10

0 　 5 10

3. QC Circle activity (10 marks)

1) Was teamwork effectively displayed?2) Was positive cooperation gained?

4. Validation (5 marks)

1) Was the revealed result fully validated?2) Was the problem encountered during the validation process identified definitely?

5. Standardization (5 marks)

1) Was every necessary action for full standardization taken?

1 5 10

1 5 10

1 5 10

1 3 5

1 3 5

Figure 52

Total point 100

Aside from the department-based case presentation, it isrecommended that the QC Circle Office organize division andcompany-wide presentation of cases to challenge and encourage othersto organize their own QC Circles.

8. Pilot Circle EvaluatedIt is necessary to evaluate the pilot Circle before proceeding to thecompany-wide implementation of the QCC concept, so that the positivelessons are sustained and the negative lessons are addressed toprevent recurrence. The evaluation is normally conducted by the QCCircle Steering Committee, the QC Circle Office, the facilitators, thedepartment management where the pilot QC Circle was organized, theleaders, and the members.

The facilitators, leaders, and members also assess their level ofsatisfaction with their own competence and performance, viachecklists. The members can also evaluate the leader using theLeader’s Competencies Checklist, and the leader can evaluateindividual members using the Member’s Competencies Checklist.

The leader also assesses the QC Circle case using the same parametersused by the facilitator: how the Circle identified the problem, thedegree of members’ participation in the case study, the extent theyfollowed the QC Story, the utilization of the QC tools and techniques,


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and the level of satisfaction of the department management.

Evaluation by the QC Circle Steering CommitteeThe QC Circle Steering Committee is responsible for the overallevaluation using the goals, plans, and budget as reference. It alsoevaluates the QC Circle Office manager and the facilitator. It usesdetailed evaluation of the QC Circle Office, department management,facilitators, leaders, and members as inputs to its own evaluation.

Evaluation by the QC Circle OfficeThe QC Circle Office makes an evaluation of its own activities duringthe preparation phase and the support it provided the pilot Circlesduring their meetings and case presentations.

The facilitators evaluate the degree of their satisfaction with their owntechnical skills, people skills and management skills. The checklistfor self-evaluation of satisfaction in figure 53, Facilitator’sCompetencies Checklist, can be used. This same checklist can beused by the QC Circle leader to evaluate the facilitator assigned to theCircle.

If the facilitators are not satisfied with their performance, they mayconclude that they need more training and this should be addressedbefore the company goes for a company-wide implementation.

Training may come in the form of visits to companies with QC Circles,where facilitators can learn from others’ comparable experiences.The facilitators may also attend conferences on QC Circles whereseveral companies talk about their experiences, the lessons theylearned, and the corrective and preventive actions they took.

Evaluation by the Department ManagementThe department management evaluates the effects of the pilot Circleon its department and the usefulness of the assistance given by the QCCircle Office, specifically the support given by the department’sfacilitator.

The department management uses the experience of the pilot Circle inconvincing others in the department to organize their own QC Circles,so its direct participation in this kind of evaluation is a must.

Evaluation by QC Circle Leaders and MembersThe leaders and members, like the facilitators, also indicate their levelof satisfaction regarding their own competencies and performance.Additionally, the members can evaluate the leaders using the Leader’sCompetencies Checklist, and the leaders can evaluate individualmembers using the Member’s Competencies Checklist. Both leadersand members can also use the Facilitator’s Competencies Checklist.


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Figure 53 Facilitator’s Competencies Checklist Level of Satisfaction

Evaluation ItemsVerysatisfied Satisfied

Neithersatisfiednordissatisfied

1. Ability to teach QC Circle concept to leaders 2 1 02. Ability to teach QC Story to leaders 2 1 03. Ability to teach QC tools to leaders 2 1 04. Ability to teach QC Circle techniques to leaders 2 1 05. Ability to provide technical support to leaders 2 1 06. Ability to provide moral support to leaders 2 1 07. Ability to monitor and report progress of QC Circles 2 1 08. Ability to sustain Circle enthusiasm 2 1 09. Ability to get necessary support from management 2 1 010. Ability to attend QC Circle meetings regularly 2 1 0

Figure 54 Leader’s Competencies Checklist Level of Satisfaction



1. Ability to teach QC Circle concept to members 2 1 02. Ability to teach QC Story to members 2 1 03. Ability to teach QC tools to members 2 1 04. Ability to teach QC Circle techniques to members 2 1 05. Ability to encourage members to participate in discussions 2 1 06. Ability to keep meetings on track 2 1 07. Ability to get Circle to implement actions as planned 2 1 08. Ability to get members to help in the preparation of case presentation materials 2 1 09. Ability to encourage members to participate in case presentation 2 1 010. Ability to encourage Circle to tackle next theme 2 1 0

Figure 55 Member’s Competencies Checklist Level of Satisfaction



1. Understanding of QC Circle concept 2 1 02. Understanding of QC Story 2 1 03. Understanding of QC tools 2 1 04. Understanding of QC Circle techniques 2 1 05. Participation in discussions 2 1 06. Contribution in keeping meetings on track 2 1 07. Contribution to implementation of actions as planned 2 1 08. Contribution in the preparation of case presentation materials 2 1 09. Participation in case presentation 2 1 010. Willingness to tackle next theme 2 1 0


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A QC Circle meeting in atelecommunications company(Photo by JUSE)

A QC Circle meeting in amachinery-manufacturingcompany (Photo by JUSE)

4-3-2 In-house Pocket GuideThe QC Circle Office publishes a small handbook on the QCC concept,when first introducing a pilot circle. Such books are first distributed byfacilitators to individual QCC leaders. Later, at the stage when QCCircle activities are operated as company-wide activities, they aredistributed to each QC Circle member.

The reasons for producing these handbooks are firstly to disseminate theQCC concept, and secondly to make employees understand the rationalebehind the company’s decision for starting QC Circle activities. Thevoluntary action and self-motivation is a crucial driving force foroperating a QCC program. The handbook plays a very important role ingenerating employee interest; it can be an easy textbook to be used whenleaders explain QCC activities to their members for the first time; and itis sized so that members can carry it at all times and refer to it whenevernecessary.

With these purposes in mind, the handbook should be neither too complexnor too technical, rather it should be handy, easy to deal with, andinteresting to read, as it is an important way to disseminate knowledgeabout QCC for the first time in the company.

Each company produces its own handbook and incorporates variousgimmicks to make it appeal to their employees (e.g., by using comics orphotographs).

Here is a list of issues that that are often explained in these handbooks:

� Foreword: Message from the CEO� What a QCC is� Why QC Circle activities are being started� What the objectives of the activities are� How a QCC is organized� Who the people involved in QCC activities are


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� Tools and techniques� Some tips for successful QCC operations� Things about which to be careful when operating QC Circles

In addition to the above basic information on QCC, some companies alsocover the following topics in their handbooks:

� What quality is� An organizational map for quality management� Roles of management, facilitators, leaders, and members� QC Circle meeting guidelines� The 7 steps for solving problems� What to do if you face difficulties� QC Story case examples� Reference list (for further information)� Information on seminars and study tours

It is important to note here that the contents will also vary depending onwhether the company is introducing the QCC method as a part of TQM oras a single component. In the former case, some companies also includesome elements relating to TQM in the book, changing its title from QCCircle Pocket Guidebook to Pocket Guidebook on Quality Improvement.

What are the 7 QC Tools?

* Cause & Effect Diagram

* Pareto Diagram

* Histogram

* ………………….

…………

Cause & Effect Diagram

Figure 56

Examples of in-house pocket guides (Photo by DBJ)

Sustaining QC Circle Activities

4-4 Implementation of a Company-wide QC Circle ProgramGiven the experience of the pilot Circle, the company is now ready to organizemore QC Circles and the number depends on the size of the company and the plansof its QC Circle Steering Committee. The training procedure for an interestedfirst-line supervisor is the same as that for the pilot Circle leader. As the numberof Circles increases, several ways of systematically monitoring all QC Circle


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activities are employed. The following are some additional issues that areimportant during the company-wide implementation of QC Circles.

Facilitator Meets Circle Leaders Monthly

QC Circle Office Secretariat Meets FacilitatorsEvery Other Month

Evaluation

1.

2.

3.

Figure 57 Sustaining QC Circle Activities

Installation of More QC Circles

4.

1. Installation of More QC CirclesOnce a pilot circle has been proved successful, the company can hold alaunching ceremony and provide a chance to gather new members to join theQC Circle activity. The objective of this activity is to provide a forum for thepresident, who is the chairman of the QCC Steering Committee, to talk abouthis commitment to QC Circles, to explain why QC Circles are important to thecompany, to give an overview of the plans, and to enjoin his people to supportthe program. All levels of management and all the rank and file employeesare invited to the launching. It is usually held during office hours, therebyconveying the message that the program is important to the company.

In some Asian countries, the atmosphere is made festive by giving souvenirs(e.g., pencils, ballpoint pens, notepads) to those who attend. These items maycarry QC Circle slogans like “Have fun, be a QC Circle member!” In somecompanies, snacks are provided after the speech of the president. This giveshim a chance to go around while people are eating and engage them indiscussions. He can also ask what they think of QC Circles. For some of theemployees, it may be their first time to see him; so, when he asks them howthey are, it can mean a lot.

To get more people to attend the launching ceremony, some companies holdconventions or contests prior to the ceremony and announce the winners afterthe speech of the president. Examples focal points of such contests are slogans,posters, jingle compositions, and essay writing, all geared towards encouragingpeople to learn more about QC Circles and eventually join them.

Pictures of the highlights of the event are taken for later display on bulletinboards or in the newsletter. If the event was captured on video, it can be


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played in the cafeteria, with the intention of reminding everyone of theobjectives of the company in installing the program. The speech of thepresident can be played again and again for better understanding of hismessage, given the possibility that not everyone heard and understood himduring the ceremony. The launching ceremony usually lasts between 30minutes and 1 hour.

2. Facilitator Meets Circle Leaders MonthlyEach leader prepares a status report every month, indicating in which stepsCircle members and leaders encounter difficulties. He reports this during themeeting with other leaders. Collectively they come up with corrective andpreventive actions to address all of the Circle members’ difficulties. Themeeting duration is one hour.

Minutes of Leaders MeetingFigure 58

Facilitators fill in the date when each step is accomplished.QC Circle Name Smilies Challenge Dr. Smoke

Leader NameHanaYamada

TaroSuzuki

MitsuruSaito

1 Theme Selection

2 Grasping Status and Goal Setting

3 Establishment of Activity Plan17 Feb

25 Feb

4 Cause Analysis2 Mar

5Examination of Countermeasuresand Their Implementation

6 Assessment of Effectiveness

7 Standardization and Permanent Fix

Q

C S

tory

Ste

ps

3. QC Circle Office Secretariat Meets Facilitators Every Other MonthThe objective of this meeting is to provide a venue for the facilitators to talkabout their experiences and learn from each other. The QC Circle Officesecretariat summarizes the overall status of the Circles based on the minutes ofthe leaders meeting submitted by the facilitators.

The QC Circle Office secretariat prepares the minutes of each meeting, whichinclude the date, time and venue of the meeting; attendees; overall status of theQC Circle activities; concerns of the facilitators; and things to do (figure 59).


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Figure 59

Minutes of Facilitators Meeting

Facilitators Meeting

Held on , at

Present

Status of QC Circle Activities

QC Circle Name No. of Meetings ProblemStatement

Status (IndicateStep in QC Story)

Concerns and Action PlansAction PlansConcerns

To Do List (for next meeting)What to Do Person(s) Responsible

Next MeetingDate/Time/Venue

Agenda

4. EvaluationThe evaluation done in this phase is basically the same as the evaluation doneduring the pilot phase. The QC Circle Steering Committee does an overallevaluation based on planned activities, goals and budget; and the QC CircleOffice does an evaluation of specific activities, such as progress of Circles,training, promotional activities, and its support to Circles. The facilitators,leaders, and members evaluate themselves and each other’s support to theCircles.

� Evaluation by the QC Circle Steering CommitteeIt is important that the QC Circle Steering Committee assesses the progressof the program on a regular basis; most companies do it quarterly. This is toensure that corrective and preventive actions are taken in cases where plansand goals are not achieved and budgets are not kept.

� Evaluation by the QC Circle OfficeThe QC Circle Office has many concerns at this stage. They have to addressthe varying training needs of leaders and members. Some will needrefresher courses, especially on the tools, whereas others will needsupplemental courses on topics such as how to make meetings more effective.The Office must determine whether they are able to respond fully to theseneeds at any time.

� Evaluation by FacilitatorsThe facilitators, too, have to evaluate their own capabilities, performance,and level of enthusiasm, in order to head off any risk of burnout. They can


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use the Facilitator’s Competencies Checklist for this. It is recommendedthat the QC Circle Office manager or the QC Circle Office secretariat use thischecklist to evaluate the facilitators and to discuss what actions to take forimprovement in facilitators’ capabilities. The facilitators make quarterlyevaluations of the QC Circles assigned to them. They can use radar chartsto give pictorial representations of their evaluations (figures 60 and 61).

Evaluation ChartFigure 60

1stperiod

2ndperiod

a Theme Finished 1 2b Intangible Achievement 1 5c Tangible Achievement 10 20d Attendance Ratio 90 80e Speaking Out Ratio 75 90f Meeting Frequency 10 13g Duration (minutes) 35 40

hManagement CasePresentation 1 2

Evaluation

Evaluation Radar Chart(a) Theme Finished

(h) Management Case Presentation

(b) IntangibleAchievement

(c) Tangible Achievement

(g) Duration

(f) Meeting Frequency

(e) Speaking Out Ratio

(d) Attendance Ratio

50

50%

30 60

5

6

12

18

1

1

2

2 3

3

4

4

5

100%

10

100% 50%

2nd Period

1st Period

Figure 61


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Figure 62

*CA Stands forCircle Activity

1 2 3 N TOTALCircle NameTheme

Check Items0: No action yet1: CA established*2: CA implemented*0: Less than 80%1: More than 80%2: More than 85%3: More than 90%4: More than 95%0: No results1: Partially achieved2: Achieved3: Full standardization4: Next plan0.0: Less than 6 hours0.5: More than 6 hours1.0: More than 8 hours1.5: More than 12 hours2.0: More than 15 hours0.0: Less than 60%0.5: More than 60%1.0: More than 70%1.5 More than 80%2.0: More than 90%0.0: Not yet0.5: In section1.0: In dept.1.5: In plant2.0: In group2.5: In company3.0: In other company

0: None1: A little2: Some3: Very much

Facilitator Evaluations

Goal Achievement

Intermediate Report

Number of proposalsMonetary Evaluation (if possible)

Subtotal

Activity Status

Case Presentation

Attendance Ratio

Meeting Duration

Comments

Contribution toManagement

Total Marks

QC Circle Activity Status Report

� Evaluation by Department ManagementUsing the radar chart of each Circle in its department and the facilitators’Circle Activity Status Report, the department management makes its ownassessment of the progress of those Circles. Together with facilitators andleaders, it formulates corrective and preventive actions—it also makes anevaluation of any Circle case presented to it. If a Circle is just starting, thedepartment management uses the Evaluation Checklist for Beginning QCCircles. If the Circle is at a slightly advanced stage, it uses the followingcriteria: theme selection, analysis, countermeasures, effectiveness ofcountermeasures, standardization, future plan and case presentation (figure63).


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Evaluation Checklist for Slightly Advanced QCCircles’ Case Presentations

A) Identifiable theme for maintenance or improvementB) Goal defined by qualitative value

1. Theme Selection

A) Stratification fully utilized B) Pareto diagram correctly usedC) Cause and effect diagram correctly usedD) Analysis procedure followed as taughtE) Appropriateness of any trial action taken to define the right actions

2. Analysis

A) Actions determined by analysisB) Actions taken according to schedules

3. Countermeasures

A) Results evaluated by unit that established goalB) Evaluation is pictorially represented by graphing

4. Effectiveness

A) Appropriateness of any action taken to revise the SOP* or insert additional check items

5. Standardization

A) Self-examination considering the future plan6. Future Plan

A) Presented clearlyB) Clear visual aids

7. Case presentation

Figure 63

*SOP: Standardized Operational Procedure

� Evaluation by Leaders and MembersAs in the cases for pilot leaders and members, new Circle leaders andmembers also assess the level of their satisfaction, both of their owncapabilities and of the support given to the Circle. They can use theLeader’s Competencies Checklist and the Member’s Competencies Checklist.They also evaluate their own Circle and show it pictorially in a radar chart.

4-5 Necessary Arrangements for Sustainable QCC Implementation� Monitoring Board

Some companies have a bulletin board in their QC Circle Offices, in theircanteens, and in each department, where the status of the activities of thedifferent Circles is plotted, including the names of the current leaders andmembers. Sometimes if the size of the board allows it, a picture of the Circleis also posted.

A QC Circle Monitoring Board in afactory (Photo by JUSE)


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� Company NewsletterNewsletters are a very effective way of publicizing the progress of Circleactivities and motivating the concerned. For example, if the pictures ofsuccessful Circles are shown in the newsletter, those who are on track areinstilled with pride and those who are not on track can find resolve to getthere. The amount of column space reserved for QC Circle activities (asmany as eight pages in some companies, only a corner of a page in others)depends on the regular number of pages of the newsletter.

Newsletter inclusion of the QC Circle cases that have been presented tomanagement, in addition to publishing of the status of QC Circle activities, isanother positive idea. Sometimes the department that has the most numberof active QC Circles is featured, including photos related to conventions,training conducted for leaders, members, or facilitators, or any other QCCircle–related event.

NEWSLETTER EXAMPLE

　　　　

EXAMPLES of newsletters (Photo by DBJ)

5 Key Factors for Successful QCC Activities

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5 Key Factors for Successful QCC ActivitiesCircles die a natural death when there is no nurturing environment to supportthem. Different companies have different ways of keeping their Circlesenthused, depending on their corporate culture. Here are some of the keyfactors for maintaining successful QC Circle activities.

Key factors for successful QCC activities

� Management recognition schemes

� Maintenance of active QC Circle meetings

� Provision of supplemental training

� Provision of an active role for middle management

� Maintenance of Circle leadership

� Operation of QC Circle competitions

� Operation of conferences and convention

5-1 Management Recognition SchemesManagement’s visibility must be sustained, so, aside from attending casepresentations, they also attend ceremonies organized to honor the contributionsof QC Circles. Below are examples of areas in which companies can recognizegroups and individuals.

1. Group attendance ratio

2. Suggestion ratio

3. Theme accomplishment

4. Speaking Out ratio in meetings

5. Meeting duration

6. Meeting frequency

7. Number of case presentations

8. Use of the quality control tools

9. Tangible results

10. Intangible results

11. Safety awareness improvement

12. Improvement in customer

satisfaction awareness

Various Recognition Criteria for QCC Activities

Companies have all sorts of awards based on these criteria to encourage interest inQC Circle activities. Other possibilities are


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1. Most Active QC Circle, which is given to the Circle that has presented tomanagement the solutions to the greatest number of problems

2. Most Enthusiastic Leader, which is given to the leader with the largest numberof meetings

3. Most Enthusiastic Member, which is given to the member who has had perfectattendance at meetings, has best contributed ideas during discussions, and hascompleted assigned tasks on time

4. Most Enthusiastic Facilitator, which is given to the facilitator who has assistedthe largest number of Circles that have completed improvement projects andpresented them to management

The awardees usually receive a trophy or a certificate of recognition from thecompany president or someone else from management during award ceremonies,sometimes called the President’s Hour or the President’s Night. The ceremonyends with the president thanking all of the awardees for their contributions to thecompany’s success and he encourages them to continue their search for better waysto satisfy the customers. These ceremonies are ideal schemes for recognition bymanagement.

5-2 Maintenance of Active QC Circle Meetings

Elements of Successful QC Circle meetings

� QC Circle meetings kept lively

� Facilitator support provided, when needed

� Logistical support provided

QC Circle meetings kept livelyIt is necessary for the QC Circle Office to evaluate every member’s attitude andbehavior during meetings. It wants to ensure that meetings are lively so thatmembers always look forward to them, anticipating the chance to share theircreative ideas and listen to those of their teammates. Every meeting must meetmembers’ expectations. There must be a conscious effort on the part of the leaderand the facilitator to ensure the following ingredients for effective meetings:

1. Members actively participate in discussions2. Members are committed to the tasks assigned to them3. Members listen to each other at all times4. Discussions are thorough, open, and to the point5. Disagreements are accepted6. Members are comfortable in examining the causes of disagreement and work

toward a resolution


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7. Members are eager to perform well and continually seek to improve8. The leader provides necessary direction and encourages members to share in the

leadership

The facilitator must be quick to discuss any negative observations, and work outresolutions, with the leader.

Facilitator support provided, when neededWhenever a QC Circle meets and the leader requests assistance from thefacilitator, it is important that this is provided. In circumstances whendepartment facilitators are not able to provide the necessary support, they shouldfind suitable substitutes to meet the requests.

Logistical support providedQC Circles must be furnished with office supplies such as stationery, notebooks,flip charts, and colored pens. It is important that Circles have a place where theycan meet comfortably and discuss their themes freely. They should have access toequipment like overhead projectors, computers, and slide projectors.

In some companies, meeting rooms are designated solely for the use of Circles.These rooms have white/black boards, flip chart stands, overhead projectors, andscreens. Supplies like stationery should also be provided. Since there are moreCircles than rooms, the use of the rooms is scheduled by the facilitator.

5-3 Provision of Supplemental TrainingThe facilitators are able to identify the training needs of leaders and memberswhen attending meetings. These needs must be prioritized and addressedaccordingly by the QC Circle Office.

An example of a training need that may surface after a particular leader hasattended the basic course is how to speak effectively in public. Most Circle leadersand members are not born with the gift of public speaking, so they have to betaught; for no matter how important their case is, if the presentation is not doneproperly, the message that they want to convey to management may not reachthem because of their inability to express themselves well.

5-4 Provision of an Active Role for Middle ManagementDepartment management undergoes the same training as the facilitators, butaside from attending QC Circle case presentations and giving comments to themembers during these presentations, their role in the QC Circle program is notwell defined, especially when the QC Circle program is in its initial stages ofimplementation. Thus in some companies, the department management is notactively involved in QC Circle activities.

Historical reasons for relative inactivityIn the past, department management would sometimes feel left out, because,unlike executive management and the rank and file employees, they did not havevery defined roles. This was not by design but was more due to the fact that the


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QC Circle concept was new and everybody was in the learning stage. Only later,when some department managers reacted negatively to QC Circles, did the gap inthe program become clear. There were initiatives taken by QC Circle associationsand NPOs to find the cause of the negative reactions. The finding was that themanagement felt their role was very limited. Some said that they wanted moreactive involvement than merely attending case presentations.

Here are examples of department management’s negative reactions and wrongperceptions about QC Circles.

� They think that QC Circles can’t work in their companies—that they are viableonly in Japan, where the concept was invented.

� They think that QC Circles are just a fad that will die a natural death just likeother human resource development programs (e.g., the suggestion contestsintroduced in the past).

� When asked about their Circles, they only talk about their tangibleachievements, like reductions in defects. They do not recognize that changes intheir operators’ attitudes toward work, the company, and the customer were aresult of QC Circle activities.

� They think that QC Circles would undercut their authority—a fear broughtabout by the fact that Circles are able to make decisions on the quality of theirwork and have the opportunity to present their improvement projects tomanagement.

� They don’t want to attend QC Circle training, claiming it is a waste of time.� If the Circle is not active or is slow in its progress, they blame the leader, the

members, and especially the facilitator.� When they attend case presentations, they don’t really pay attention, because

they think it just for show.

As the QC Circle movement progressed and companies gained experience, the roleof department managers evolved. One thing is clear, companies came to realizethat in order to get the full support of department management, those managershave to be knowledgeable about QC Circles.


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Roles of middle management

� Attend QC Circle case presentations

� Evaluate QC Circle case presentations

� Address the concerns of Circles

� Act as trainers

� Monitor QC Circle activities in their departments

� Recognize circle achievements

Roles of middle management:� Attend QC Circle case presentationsWhenever a QC Circle solves a problem, it is presented to the departmentmanagement.

The presentation is held in order to recognize the Circle’s efforts to improve howtheir work is being done. The frequency for case presentations depends on thenumber of Circles in the department. Some companies have presentations everymonth; others have presentations every three months.

At times, the Circle runs into difficulties in completing its case study because ofone of the following reasons:

a. it cannot find the root cause, because the problem is too difficultb. it cannot find a solution, because the problem is too complicatedc. it cannot find an economical or quick action

When this happens, the Circle still presents its case and explains why it is havingdifficulty. In this case management is expected to comment and provide direction.

It is highly recommended that other employees from the same department andother departments attend the case presentations so that they can learn things thatthey can apply in their own Circles.

� Evaluate QC Circle case presentationsEvery QC Circle case presentation must be evaluated by the departmentmanagement. The evaluation is made at the end of the presentation so the otherattendees can hear the comments and learn from them.

� Address the concerns of CirclesQC Circle concerns (e.g., over the lack of a place to meet) are best addressed by the


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department management, with assistance from the QC Circle Office. Althoughthe QC Circle implementation is the direct responsibility of the QC Circle Office,the Circle members are organizationally within the jurisdiction of the departmentmanagement, so the QC Circle Office must officially inform them of any action thatrequires their attention.

� Act as trainersSometimes management is asked by the QC Circle Office to teach a subject such astools and techniques, depending on its expertise.

� Monitor QC Circle activities in their departmentsThe department management must take an active role in monitoring QC Circleactivities, because their knowledge of these activities is no less important than thatof any other department activities. In some companies, department heads areresponsible for updating management on the status of QC Circle activities in theirdepartments. In such cases, the facilitators in the departments submit regularstatus reports to them.

� Recognize Circle achievementsThe recognition of QC Circle achievements is best done first by the departmentmanagement. Recognition is acceptable either in writing or orally in the presenceof other people. In some companies, both are done—that is, the Circle isrecognized during case presentation and during assemblies, but also in a letter ofrecognition given to each member that is filed in the company records.

5-5 Maintenance of Circle LeadershipThe first leader of every QC Circle is generally the first-line supervisor, until one ofthe members is able to assume leadership. It is recommended that Circleleadership be changed every two years, to give everybody a chance to become aleader. The procedure for selecting a leader is by vote, and the members usuallybase their choice on the ability of the candidates to

1. Persuade workshop employees to join the QC Circle2. Teach members new tools or methods3. Study continuously to improve their own competencies4. Communicate with co-leaders for improvement5. Maintain contact with management in their own workshops6. Work with facilitators7. Help new members8. Organize meetings two or three times a month9. Plan meetings, including doing the logistics10. Persuade every member to attend the meetings11. Conduct meetings effectively

An ideal leader would have the qualities shown in figure 64.


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EARS

•Careful listener (to even minor problems)

•Collector of information

•Attentive Listener to all members’ opinions

Figure 64 Desirable QC Circle Leader

BRAIN

•Flexibility

•Reasonable and sound talk

•Cool judgement

•Expertise in QC 7 tools

•Self-suppressed feelings

•Understanding of the theme

HEART

•Responsibility

•High spirit

•Sympathy

•Empathy

•Courtesy

•Composure

FEET

•Contributor to discussions

•Acquirer of information

•Aggressive mover

MOUTH

•Persuasive power

•Humorous talk

•Contact w/smile

HANDS

•Skilled worker

•Quick worker

•Qualified worker

EYES

•Ability to identify workshop problems

•Always fully aware

BODY LANGUAGE

•Physical contact

•Empathetic expression

5-6 Operation of QC Circle Competitions

A QC Circle presentation in a hospital (Photo by JUSE)

Case presentationCompetitions for QC Circles are held to recognize their contributions and to rewardthe best among them.

The competing Circles present their cases to a panel of judges; they are given 10 to15 minutes to do this. It is up to the Circle to decide who among them will presentthe case; most Circles, however, choose to let every member participate in thepresentation, no matter how small the role is. What is important is that eachmember is given a chance to contribute. The participants field judges’ questions


106

for clarification at the end of their presentations.Competitions are held at various levels. The first is the department-widecompetition. Then the best Circle in the department competes with the bestCircles from other departments at the plant-wide level. The best Circle in eachplant moves to the division-wide level. In some companies, the best Circle fromamong the divisions is sent as a representative to a regional competition with othercompanies. The last level is the national competition, in which the best Circlefrom each region competes for recognition as the nation’s best Circle.

Other kinds of conventionsIt takes about 3 to 6 months for a QC Circle to complete a case, so companies mustthink of other fun activities in order to sustain the enthusiasm of Circles.Conducting different kinds of conventions has proven to be effective in keeping thespirit of the Circle members alive—conventions on, for example, cases, jingles,slogans, and posters, logos, essays, and bulletin boards. More emphasis is placedon some of these (e.g., case presentation) than on others (e.g. jingles—a creative,unique convention type found in the Philippines). All of these deserve explanation,but need to be structured with appropriate differentiation.

� JingleA jingle is a short song, on average running for one minute. The Circles are givena theme—for example, teamwork. They write a message on teamwork and put itto music. The music can be original or an adaptation of a popular song.

Here is an excerpt of a jingle composed by the Mills & Balls Circle of BacnotanCement Corporation, a plant located in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines.

Come everyone and join

The QC program

Think of Quality and Productivity

Because they bring good news

And we can move together towards progress.

Whatever we do and hope for

Will not be difficult

As long as we hold on together

Helping each other in everything

To achieve success

Bring out your brilliant ideas

Nothing limits success in QC my friend.


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The criteria for judging usually are message (40%), music (40%) and overall impact(20%). The latter includes costumes, musical instrumentation, and audienceparticipation. A jingle is good if the audience move their bodies to the beat andhum along—in other words, if they feel the music.

The Circle with the best jingle is asked to sing during Circle events such asconferences, and their recorded jingle is played in the cafeteria during lunch.

The Philippines is the first country to adopt this form of convention, which is quiteunderstandable because its people by nature love to sing. It is a very good meansof encouraging Circle members to have fun, and is a form of group convention.

� Posters and slogansPosters are graphical presentations of messages or slogans, such as “Together wewill zero out defects!” Like the jingle contest, they revolve around themes.

They are made from simple materials like colored pencils, crayons, and watercolors.The winning entries are usually displayed in strategic areas for everybody to see.They are also printed on notepads, pencils, stationery, and so forth.

The criteria are message (40%), illustration (40%) and overall impact (20%).There are two categories in this convention: group and individual.

� Logos and bannersAside from its nickname, a Circle identifies itself with a logo. The logo is mostoften an illustration of the nickname.

The logo and the nickname of the Circle are used to form a banner that is displayedevery time the Circle makes a presentation to management.

The criteria are message (20%), illustration (60%) and overall impact (20%) in thegroup convention.


108

� EssaysEssay contests also revolve around a given theme—for example, “What the QCCircle concept means to me.”

The criteria are message (60%) and language (40%). The language portionincludes evaluation of which language can best convey the message. If the localdialect is more prevailing than English is, then an essay in the local dialect gets ahigher rating.

The Circle may decide to submit a group entry or its members may submitindividual entries. The winning essay is published in the company newsletter.

� Bulletin boardsIn some companies, sections of bulletin boards are dedicated to Circle activities.To get Circles to maximize the use of such space, sometimes a dress-up-your-bulletin-board contest is held company-wide. This is a fine time for the Circles toshow off their accomplishments; they also display pictures taken during their casepresentations, training, or meetings.

The criteria are message (40%), layout (40%) and overall impact (20%). This is agroup convention, and it is usually held during celebration of QC Circleanniversaries.

5-7 Operation of Conferences and ConventionsSending leaders, members, and facilitators to national conventions and conferencesis a very good way to sustain enthusiasm in Circle activities. They get to comparetheir own experiences with those of their colleagues from other companies, learningnew things in the process. And to maximize the learning gained, they are asked toshare it with colleagues during forums specially organized by the QC Circle Officefor this purpose.

Being sent to these conventions or conferences is itself a reward, and theexperience of telling their colleagues what they learned is another form of reward.

A QC Circle Conference (Photo by JUSE)

5 Key factors for Successful QCC Activities

109

QC Circle National Conventions, Japan, 2002 (Photo by JUSE)

QC Circle World Convention (Photo by Miyauchi)

6 QC Story

110

6 QC StoryWe saw in an earlier chapter that QC Circles were organized in Japan as a way of gettingoperators to participate in quality control activities. In order to be efficient and effectivein their problem-solving activities, members follow the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, inwhich they plan for improvement, implement what is planned, check and analyze what hasbeen implemented, and act based on the results of the checks.

This problem-solving process is commonly referred to as the QC Story. Each Story showshow QCC members solve a problem in a systematic PDCA manner. By looking at thesestories, therefore, those who are not part of the QCC can also learn the problem-solvingprocesses for their own use. This chapter will direct leaders on what a QC Story is, how itis organized, what its benefits are, and how it is to be monitored. Evaluation andmonitoring play important roles in improving QCC activities. The chapter also discussesthe role of management in evaluating a QC Story.

6-1 What is a QC Story?The problem-solving processes of QCC activities will be often presented in the formof a QC Story. Initially this method was used to report Circles’ activities afterthey had solved their problems. Later it became what is now a problem-solvingprocess. This process is a very effective method for addressing not only chronicproblems in the workplace but also unforeseen problems and issues for which thecauses have not been identified. Following the standard flow of stories, the QCCmembers summarize the procedures and identify the main factors in the processes.The following is a depiction of the seven major steps in establishing a QC Story.

A QC Circle meeting in a factory (Photo by JUSE)

6 QC Story

111

Figure 65

DC

7 Stages of the QC Story

5. Examination of Countermeasures and Their Implementation

6. Assessment of Effectiveness

7. Standardization and Permanent Fix

1. Theme Selection

2. Grasping Status and Goal Setting

3. Establishment of Activity Plan

4. Cause Analysis

Try again!

A P

1. At the first stage, members select a theme from among the problems in theworkplace—a theme concerning problems for which they think solutions would bemost beneficial. This is to provide clear vision on the objectives for the activity.Members ask themselves, “What kinds of problems do we have and how do weimprove them?”

2. After a theme is selected, members try to understand the current situation of theproblem. They list all of the possible problems related to the process, use data tovalidate that the “problems” are indeed problems, select the priority problem, andagain use data to define the extent of this problem. The main objective of thesesteps is to gather information and grasp the status of the problem so that memberscan establish a detailed set of goals.

3. Based on the data acquired in the second stage, the members establish anactivity plan, according to the 5W1H concept. In this concept, five W questionsand one H question are addressed. The members decide the issues to be tackled(what), the rationale for tackling them (why), the detailed time scheduling of theprogram (when), and the place and resource allocation (where, and who and how).

4. The main objective of this stage is to confirm which measures can be taken forwhat kinds of problems. After a theme is selected, the causes and effects ofproblems are to be identified. This is the most important stage of the process, as itidentifies the root causes of the problems and shows what needs to be changed. Inproblem-solving processes, it is very important that results are examined in linewith causes, thus identifying the cause–effect relationship. Members consider allpossible causes of the problem and see if there is any correlation among them.Then they use data to verify that the “causes” are indeed causes, to decide whichones are root causes, and to select the one root cause that is most critical.

6 QC Story

112

Members also brainstorm on solutions to eliminate that critical root cause, selectthe best solution, and establish a detailed plan on how to implement it.

5. After causes are identified, countermeasures are examined, evaluated, andselected. This stage aims both to correct the root causes and to establish the mosteffective measures to prevent the reoccurrence of the problems. All the peopleconcerned on the issue are gathered to discuss it, considering factors such aseffectiveness, cost, condition of restrictions, and impacts on the other factors.Members then implement countermeasures in daily operations, according to theplan, and monitor the results.

6. Then an assessment is carried out to see whether the impediments have beenovercome or to what extent the initial objectives have been met. This assessmentis carried out together with evaluation for further improvement in the work. TheCircle identifies the tangible and intangible results, uses data to verify theseresults, and compares these with the initial set of goals. The tangible results areimprovements in processes, whereas examples of intangible results areimprovement in employee learning skills and education. It is important to notehere that if the result does not meet the goal, the process needs to be redone fromthe previous stages.

7. Finally after effective methods are identified, they are standardized and made apermanent part of daily operations. Based on the standardization, members trainthe people concerned. Also, new training manuals are created and disseminatedamong the people concerned, and evaluation is carried out from time to time, aimedat ensuring that the process is maintained appropriately. The last step in thisstage is for the Circle to determine the next problem to tackle, which may bechosen from the list generated in the beginning of the first QC Story.

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113

6-2 Benefits of the QC Story

Benefits of the QC Story

1. Easy to understand the problem-solving processes2. Can reflect on other activities3. Can be disseminated horizontally for deployment4. Facilitates accumulation of experiences and lessons learned5. Improves members’ analytical skills and statistical knowledge in a systematic manner6. Enhances individual abilities in a group orientation

Establishment of the QC Story is highly beneficial, not only because of itsproblem-solving properties but also because of what the members learn as theyproceed through the steps. In fact, the QC Story brings both internal and externalbenefit to those involved in the processes.

As for the internal benefit, through QC Story activities, members systematicallylearn analytical skills as well as knowledge on statistical tools used in the process.The steps of the QC Story can serve as a roadmap for those who are not familiarwith problem-solving processes. Members can reflect on their activities toenhance their future activities, applying lessons learned. Externally, the QCStory has greatly influenced horizontal relationships, as individual experiences aredisseminated among those interested in the QCC method.

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6-3 Example of a QC StoryThe following is based on presentation No. 501 in the 3,000th Tokyo HeadquartersQC Circle Competition, held in 1993. The numbered (1–12) presentation slidesdepicted here are English translations, by this handbook’s authors, of the actualJapanese slides. The accompanying explanations are based on the authors’understanding of the presentation.

Deltawide (Daihatsu), TownAce (Toyota)

Koji HamadaDaihatsu in Ikeda, Japan Factory Headquarters

Participants in national QCC conventions comefrom a broad range of industries and thus havevarying backgrounds. Therefore, Circlesusually start their presentations by introducingtheir companies, including their histories.Then they explain their workplace: the mainactivities and the vision and mission of theCircle’s activities. Most pertinently, the Circlesprovide information on the specific issuestackled in the case, focusing on why those issueswere chosen and how they were addressed.

1 Introduction

At Daihatsu, out motto is “Customer First, QualityFirst.” We are committed to “perfect production” and“perfect inspection,” to increase our customersatisfaction. Our product line-up includes Mira, Opti,Charade, Deltawide, Rugger, and others. OurKashiwagi Circle comprises young members (averageage of 26 years). When the Deltawide is sent on aconveyer belt from the coating factory, the outfittingline puts in the preliminary fittings. We monitor thisline, and when problems arise, all our members findsolutions for them and ways to improve our work.

0

50

100

150

200

(a)(b) (c)(d) (e) (f) (g)(h) (i) (j)

Nu

mbe

r of

cas

es

0%

50%

100%

(a) Assembly of left-side sliding door(b) Computer(c) No.1 pit(d) Front wipers(e) Back door

(f) Front motor(g) No.4 pit(h) No.2 pit(i) Butyl affix(j) Others

Pareto diagram on defectiveness

n=1996548

36

2 Reason for Selection

I. Slide door assembly defects account for 33% of the defects in the work done by the group.II. The group was not able to reduce errors to a satisfactory level.III. Refitting took 20 minutes per car.IV. As new employees were assigned to this process, we decided to tackle this in the QC Circle (before a bad routine developed in the workplace).

Reduction in left-side sliding door defects

6 QC Story

115

In selecting issues to address, Circles first investigate the numbers of defects found in therelevant work (e.g., in a manufacturing company’s assembly line). One such investigationby the Kashiwagi Circle revealed that among 199 defects that occurred in one month’sproduction of a minivan model, sixty-five (about 33 percent) involved the sliding door. TheCircle decided to address this as well as other issues such as not meeting targets in terms oferror reduction and not correcting areas of defectiveness in a timely manner.

From 65 doors/month (92/4) to 7 doors/month (end of 92/6)

Cas

es/m

onth

APR MAY JUN

65

90% reduction in defects inleft-side sliding door assembly

Left-side sliding door7

3 Goal Setting

The Circle set a goal of reducing the number of sliding-door defects from sixty-five in April1992 to seven in June, just two months later.

Plan Implementation

Person in Item charge ’92 May ’92 Jun

Understanding current status Kashiwagi

Factor analysis All

Countermeasures All

Implementation Furuya

Confirming effectiveness Hamada

Standardization Hamada

Permanent fix Kashiwagi

4 Implementation Plan

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116

After Circles set their goals, they query their members about what they understand theproblem to be (in general and currently), aiming at seeing the problem in as much detail aspossible. Often work-flows are listed both as they were planned and as they wereimplemented, and afterwards are analytically compared for the benefit of future goalsetting.

(1) outer handle

(3) lock

(2) remotely controlled door opener

(Inside side of the left-side sliding door)

Construction process of left-side sliding door (1) fit outer handle (2) fit remotely controlled door opener (3) fit lock

When fitting the remotely controlled door opener, it isdifficult to adjust the outer handle.

5 Work Outline

Introduction of the Quality Control Circle Name: Kashiwagi CircleEstablished in 1988

Registration no. of group 359704Number of meetings permonth 4

Members 9 Meeting duration 0.5 hrsAverage age 26 Themes reviewed 24Circle members’ averageyears in service 5 Duration of current topic '92/5-'92/6

Meeting time After workNumber of meetings untilcompletion of topic 8

(Position/Department of Speaker)Group 1, Second Manufacturing Dept., Factory headquarters in Ikeda5 years of experience in the department

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117

In the Kashiwagi Circle’s presentation, the members revealed their discovery that whenfitting the remotely controlled door opener, it was difficult to adjust the outer handle.They presented a mapping of the sequence for parts attachment in the assembly of thesliding door (first the outer handle, then the remotely controlled door opener, and finallythe door lock). They also gave an overview of the Circle: its members’ average age andyears of service, its meetings’ frequency and duration, and other basic information. Thenine members (on average, twenty-six years old with five years of service to the company)normally met for thirty minutes after work four times a month. As of early May 1992, theCircle had already achieved twenty-three objectives and had scheduled eight meetingsthrough the end of June to tackle its twenty-fourth.

45

7 4 3 3 1 1 10

10203040506070

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

Nu

mbe

r of

cas

es

0%

50%

100%

Process for the left-side sliding door

(Pareto diagram on defects)(a): bad attachment of outer handle(b): damaged lock bolts for the sliding door(c): lock bolts not tightened(d): outer handle not sufficiently tight(e): wire lock bolt not sufficiently tight(f): keys not made(g): inner handle stuck in the unlatch position(h): scratches on outer handle

6 Understanding Current Status

<Outer handle of left-side sliding door poorly fitted>

Extra space

n=65

According to this second Pareto diagram, of the sixty-five monthly defects that theKashiwagi Circle experienced, forty-five were in the category of bad attachment of outerhandle.

6 QC Story

118

7 Factor Analysis

Lack ofconfirmation

Slide lock boltnot gripping

Others

Operator

Parts

Operational procedures

Teacher

Adjustment

Back-up Temporarily attach

Adjusting bolt

Fall

Loosen

3 Too little time

Lack ofdirection

ProcedureLack of experience

Lack

Qualityconsciousness

2 Not tightlyfitted

Lack of skills

Too tight

Understanding

Education

A

NoneTooloose

Problem inadjusting outerhand le

Parts

OperatorOperational p rocedures

Body

1 Lack6 Inconsistent

4 Lack of training

Understanding

Types

Two types

Inner panel

Remote Control

5 Individual di fference

Check

Gap

Lack

Confirma tion

B

Curve

Procedure

Training

NarrowWide

Once Circles fully analyze the general, current status of their work, their members try toidentify the real root problems, using a cause and effect diagram (one of seven QC tools).As for the Kashiwagi Circle, the members identified two major defects in the sliding door:one, the slide lock bolt did not grip, and two, the outer handle was difficult to adjust. Thecause and effect diagram brought more detailed focus to the two problems and identified sixcrucial factors.

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119

8 Investigation/ Policy/ Effects

Notes: (big improvement), (improvement)

No. Investigation Policy Effects

1

Insufficient time for new operatorsto absorb contents of training

Hold meetings with group leaderduring training time

2

Wiring for door locknot tightly fitted

Teach workers to pull door lock wiresto the right side and secure with bolt

3

Too little time to work according toset process; forgot to fit door locks

Teach workers to follow work manualand go according to processeven when delays occur

Examples ofcountermeasures

Control Wire Bolt

Before

Before

After

First fit the bolt for adjustmentinto the long hole

After

(2)

(3)(1)

(3)

(2)

(1)(4)

Change the order of fitting

Change the order for fittingthe remotely controlled door opener

RemotelyControlledDoorOpener

Temporarilyattach

9 Countermeasures

Procedure

Once Circle members have constructed their cause and effect diagrams, they decide andprioritize countermeasures for the problems. In the case of the Kashiwagi Circle, themembers decided that the leader would head a meeting, designed to improve theunderstanding of new operators, and instituted a new procedure for securing the door lock.

6 QC Story

120

65

49

17

45

31

65

26

2 07

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

April May June July

Nu

mbe

r of

cas

es

The number of outer handles that were poorly fitted

Planned goal(for sliding door assembly)

Total number of defects produced during the sliding side door assembly

Result: decreased from 65 to 26 cases decreased from 45 to 2 casesIntangible effects: (1) increase in knowledge of products (2) increase in customer satisfaction through participation by all workers (3) increase in motivation of new employeesEffects on pricing: (1) 43 cases×20 min×¥43.3=¥37,238 (adjustment) ($310 approx.) (2) 9,970 cars×0.02 min×43.3=¥8,634 (progress in working capability) ($72 approx.)

Poorly fittedsliding side doors

Outer handlesthat were

poorly fitted

10 Confirmation of Effectiveness

Expected Goal

These countermeasures were effective. The total number of defects resulting from theassembly of sliding doors was reduced from sixty-five in April to twenty-six in mid June(not the targeted number, but a 60 percent improvement nonetheless). Among the sixty-five defects, those relating to poorly fitted outer handles were reduced from forty-five inApril to just two in June, and this number was subsequently reduced to zero.

11 Standardization

Revisions to work manual(1) When fitting the door’s lock, pull and attach the wire to the right side.(2) Handle parts carefully (e.g., by remote control).(3) Carry out indication maintenance once a month.

Additions to work manual(1) Check to see that all outer handles are tightly fitted.(2) When the outer handles are poorly fitted, adjust the settings.

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121

When good results are obtained, Circles then take steps to standardize the procedures andmaintain the improvement. The Kashiwagi Circle explained that to do this, it decided ontwo types of changes to its work manual: revisions and additions. Changes to the workmanual not only facilitated easy dissemination of the new practices among the membersbut also provided a benchmark by which the members could be assured that the newstandards were being adhered to appropriately.

The topic was to create a policy to curb the bad work processexercised by new employees. By getting all of the Circlemembers to understand the problem, we were able to minimizethe number of left-side sliding door defects by sixty percent,and for outer handles, we were able to decrease the number ofdefect cases from forty-five to two in June and to zero in July.

Merits: (1) Smiles appeared on the faces of new employees half way through our project. (2) Through the Quality Control Circle’s project we were able to measure mutual understanding of the group members.

Remaining task:Completely get employees to stop working on hunches.

12 Conclusion

The last part of a presentation in a QCC convention comprises the Circle’s summary oftheir QC Story and some conclusions. Here, Circles note their successes, both tangible,such as time and cost reduction, and intangible, such as improvement in the workenvironment; and if there were any failures, they cite the reasons for them, if possible.

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122

7 Benefits, Elements of Success,and Impediments

QC Circle activities produce many benefits, as can be attested to by Circle members,leaders, facilitators, and management of companies that have adopted the QC Circleconcept as a management tool to get everyone involved in ensuring the quality of productsand services as demanded by customers. The first part of this chapter explains thebenefits gained by such companies. These companies know from their own experiencethat the benefits come not on a silver platter but through the continuing process of trial anderror. What they have in common is that they implemented certain elements that weresuccessful, which are described in the second part of this chapter. The impediments tosuccess are illustrated in the last part.

7-1 Benefits from QC Circle ActivitiesThe benefits from QC Circle activities can be classified into intangible and tangiblebenefits. The intangible benefits are those that are qualitative—for example, wecannot say that teamwork was improved by 50 percent; we can only providemanifestations of improved teamwork, such as noting that attendance in meetingsimproved by 80 percent. Even though improvement in attendance is quantifiable,it is not equivalent to improved teamwork; it is just a manifestation. Tangiblebenefits, on the other hand, are those that can be quantified—for example,reduction in the defect rate from 50 percent to 10 percent.

For better appreciation of intangible benefits gained from QC Circle activities, thequestion of, “What is in it for me?” must be answered. The question has manyvariations—for example, “What is in it for the company if it has QC Circles?” Acorollary question is “What is in it for management, for the Circle leader, and forthe Circle members?”

7-1-1 Benefits for QC Circle Members

Benefits for QC Circle members

� Transformation of oneself into a thinking human being� Development of self-confidence� Establishment of closer relationships with colleagues� Improvement in customer orientation� Understanding of the requirements of the customer� Improvement in commitment to the goals of the company� Establishment of a better relationship with management


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� Transformation of oneself into a thinking human beingThe operators come to realize that they are not just doing but also thinkinghuman beings. And as thinking human beings, they discover that theyhave something to contribute to the way work is being done.

They discover during Circle meetings that they and other members haveideas. When a member gives an idea and it is accepted, he feels acceptedand this encourages him to give more ideas; thus, a spiraling of ideashappens.

� Development of self-confidenceEvery step in the QC Story contributes to the development of all members’self-confidence. They develop confidence as they learn to give their ideason problems they have in the work area; as they collect data, analyze it, andtranslate it into actionable information; as they make decisions on what isthe major root cause of their problem; and as they weigh their options as tothe best solution to their problem.

They develop confidence as they monitor the effects of their solution; as theymake judgment as to the effectiveness of their solution; as they decide onwhat needs to be done so as to make the improvement permanent throughstandardization; and as they decide on what problem to tackle next.

Their creative juices are unleashed, so one sees Circle members bloomingwith pride during management presentations.

� Establishment of closer relationships with colleaguesAs they get to communicate more with their colleagues, they form closerrelationships. They come to understand what each other is doing, and howtheir work is interrelated.

The closer relationship is also manifested in non-Circle activities that theydo together, such as eating meals, drinking coffee, going to the movies,swimming, bowling, and so forth. In other words, they develop arelationship that extends beyond work.

� Improvement in customer orientationThe QC Circle provides members with an opportunity to see the companyfrom management’s perspective: stature of the company, competitiveness,public perception of the corporate culture, and so on.

� Understanding of the requirements of the customerMembers realize that everything they do will contribute to the quality of theproduct or service that goes to the customer, and that the ultimate goal is toplease the customer with the product or service throughout its lifecycle.

� Improvement in commitment to the goals of the company


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Their being customer-focused brings personnel to another level ofcommitment, a commitment to the attainment of the goals of the company.They know that every defective product delays delivery and may cause thecustomer to stop buying from the company. They know that every call thatis not answered may be an opportunity lost, and that a customer complaintor request not handled well may mean customer dissatisfaction that canlead to losing the customer. They know that every wasted raw materialmay make the product more costly, thus priced too high for the intendedcustomer to afford it. They know that coming late to work will delay thedelivery of a service or the production of a product. In sum, the membershave a greater awareness of the importance of their work in theorganization.

　　A QC Circle meeting in a factory(Photo by JUSE)

A QC Circle meeting in an airlinecompany (Photo by JUSE)

7-1-2 Benefits for Circle Leaders

Benefits in addition to those to individual members

� Development of group skills� Development of analytical skills� Development of interpersonal skills

� Development of group skillsThe effectiveness of the meetings depends greatly on the group skills of theleaders. They prepare the meeting agenda, something they never didbefore. They get to summarize the points discussed, keep the discussion ontrack, and get the members to formulate a code of ethics to achieve thedesired behavior (e.g., timely completion of tasks).


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� Development of analytical skillsAs they direct the Circles to their objectives, the leaders develop aninquisitive attitude, making a habit of questioning in terms of what, who,why, when, where and how. And through such practice, they make it easyfor their colleagues to become analytical, too.

Leaders get the members to make attitude shifts—to think that there isalways a better way.

� Development of interpersonal skillsLeaders learn how to seek consensus instead of imposing their ideas. Theylearn how to read non-verbal communication and seek clarification all thetime.

They learn the value of not putting people down, of giving credit toindividuals, of not taking the behavior of difficult members as a personalaffront.

They learn to use words that don’t hurt the feelings of others and toestablish win-win situations in times when members strongly contradicteach other, thus playing the role of counselor.

They learn how to get excited about meetings, focusing only on positivethoughts, and to not bring irrelevant problems to Circle meetings.

7-1-3 Benefits for Facilitators

Benefits for facilitators

� Development of training skills� Development of coaching skills� Development of coordinating skills

Development of training skillsFacilitators learn how to convince Circle members of the benefits of learningnew skills, to do training needs analysis, and to design training programs.

As a trainer, they learn how to present ideas in a clear manner so that themembers can easily understand the topic. They prepare visual aids andhandouts that are concise, pleasant to the eye, legible, and easy tounderstand.

They have to know what questions to ask and how to ask them when theywant to check the level of the understanding of the members.


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They have to balance concepts with actual applications. They can’t beperceived as bookish—that is, when they teach, they should know the actualsituation in the workplace and use examples that are relevant to themembers.

They learn how to make their sessions fun-filled, because a very formalatmosphere inhibits creativity. By visiting other companies, going toschool libraries, and attending seminars and conventions they equipthemselves with treasure chests full of exercises on how to energize groups.

Development of coaching skillsAs a coaching function, facilitators show leaders how to accomplish whatthey set out to do. For example, they have to show new Circle leaders howto prepare a meeting agenda. Coaching is done by asking a lot ofquestions—questions that help the leader to think.

Coaching, in this sense, is more guiding than instructing. For instance,instead of telling leaders what their agendas are, they ask thought-provoking questions such as, “What is your objective for conducting thismeeting?” or “How much time do you generally need to review previousmeetings’ agendas?”

Facilitators do a lot of coaching. They coach the leaders on how to managemeetings, how to get support from difficult members, how to collect data andsummarize them into actionable information, how to document discussions,and so forth.

The coaching happens before and after the meeting and not during meetings,otherwise the leader’s credibility with the members could be tarnished.Thus, facilitators are the persons behind the successes of leaders.

Development of coordinating skillsFacilitators make sure that the things needed by a Circle are available. Inthe process, they learn how to coordinate with other units in the company,in obtaining another department’s data, for instance.

Facilitators also coordinate with management, and this task requires themto think like management. They must anticipate management questionsand be prepared to answer them. One frequently asked question is “Whatis the status of your Circle’s activities?”

In their coordinator roles, facilitators have to blend diplomacy andpsychology with their managerial skills.


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7-1-4 Benefits for Management

Benefits for management

� Reduction in the need for control and supervision� Establishment of smoother workflow� Improvement in the relationship between management and operators� Reduction of absenteeism and turnover� Improvement in leadership competency

All the benefits gained by the Circle members, leaders, and facilitators alsobenefit management. QC Circle activities also benefit management in thefollowing specific ways:

� Reduction in the need for control and supervisionNow that the Circle leaders and members are active participants in theoverall effort of the company to improve quality and productivity, the needfor supervision is reduced. As a matter of fact, companies’ experiences inQC Circle activities have brought about the concept of self-directed teams.A self-directed team is one in which the members manage a unit of work,including the hiring and firing of members. They can stop the work if theydetect that something is wrong. For further details, see other literatureson the subject.

Reduced supervision gives management more time for other managerialjobs.

� Establishment of smoother workflowWith the improved relationship among Circle members and strengthenedcoordination among departments, the workflow becomes smoother. So incompanies where the QC Circle concept has been adopted, people are awarethat quality products or services are assured only when there is quality interms of inputs, processes, and processors, and thus those companies exhibitstrengthened collaboration among departments.

� Improvement in the relationship between management and operatorsThe relationship between management and the operators is improvedbecause there is a change in attitude: not just in that of the operators butalso in that of the management.

The change in attitude of course starts with management believing that thepeople who are closest to the job know best how to improve the job.

Management used to think that operators were indifferent to the concernsof the company, but now their perception has changed; they see them


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viewing their work as meaningful activity that provides them with self-satisfaction, enriches their professional knowledge, and helps them win therespect of their colleagues and superiors.

� Reduction in absenteeism and turnoverAn obvious result of a committed people and their better relationships withcolleagues and management is a reduction in absenteeism. The workplaceis now seen as a source of new learning and new inspiration and as anenvironment conducive to achieving one’s personal goals, so people are lessinclined to leave the company.

� Improvement in leadership competencyGiven that their time is spent less on supervision and more on otherresponsibilities, management becomes more competent as leaders.Whereas before, they were too busy with solving routine problems, they nowcan lead their people toward the attainment of company goals.

7-1-5 Benefits for the Company

Benefits for the company

� Improvement in the quality of products and services� Improvement in productivity� Strengthened competitiveness� Increased profitability

So we see that what is good for its people is also good for the company. Inaddition, QC Circle activities benefit companies specifically in the followingways.

� Improvement in the quality of products and servicesThe end product of a committed people, improved processes, bettercooperation and coordination, and better relationship between managementand its people is a product or a service that not only meets customer needsand expectations but one that delights the customer anytime, anywhere.

� Improvement in productivityWith the new attitudes towards themselves, their work, and their company,people are now able to produce more products or services with the samenumber of inputs or even fewer. Thus cost per unit is reduced.

� Strengthened competitivenessWith improved quality and productivity, competitiveness is strengthened.The company becomes a more powerful competitor, not just within thecountry but across the globe.


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� Increased profitabilityWith improved quality and productivity, strengthened competitiveness, andall of the other above improvements, increases in profit come naturally, sowe again conclude that QC Circles are good for the company as well as itspeople. They are also good for the customer, and this too is good for thecompany and its people.

To illustrate actual benefits gained from the implementation of a QC Circleprogram, here is what Mr. Filemon T. Berba, the vice chairman of ManilaWater Company, Inc. (Philippines) had to say during ICQCC 1996 inManila.

The program not only gave due recognition to the employees’analytical skills but also challenged their creativity and ability tomake a difference, if only within a limited sphere.

The impact of the program cannot be ignored. Barely a year after itwas introduced, it has seen completion of seven projects, whichcombined have benefited the company to the tune of about 6 millionpesos, either in savings or in additional revenue generated.

What is remarkable, besides the financial returns the program hasrealized, is the way it has affected the people’s attitude, drive, andmindset. Long mired in lethargy and resigned to the bureaucraticsetup, the people suddenly found a vehicle to showcase their talents….Right within their midst, they started looking at the establishedsystems they have employed for years, trying to find out if there isanything that needed to be fine-tuned, improved or changed.

Mr. Berba cited the company’s Reductor Circle, composed of maintenancepersonnel in the General Administration Department. They implementedan energy conservation project that not only minimized power consumptionbut also improved the efficiency of the machines being operated. Thisproject saved the company 4,960,000 pesos in power cost.

Mr. Berba stressed that many of the projects undertaken by the Circles haveresulted in material returns, but that improvement in their systems andprocedures is always at the core of their Circle program.

He cited another QC Circle project that focused on improvement inprocedures. The Circle, named Catalysts, is in the Human ResourceAdministration and Services Department, and was able to reduce theprocessing time for social security loans from 1.5 days to 3 hours, and forhousing loans from 2.5–3 days to 6 hours.

7-2 Elements of SuccessThe benefits that can be derived from QC Circle activities are plentiful, dependentonly on the environment in which the QC Circle philosophy is allowed to grow.


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Companies that have shown relative success in the implementation of QC Circleshave the following elements in common.

Elements of success

� Management commitment� Participation by everyone� Effective operation by the QC Circle Office� Continuous training and education� Continuous promotional activities� Effective monitoring and evaluation� Establishment of recognition and reward systems� Gradual implementation

� Management commitmentThe commitment of management is well defined and is communicated to everyonein the company. It is only management that can muster the institutional will tobring the company to a new way of doing business; so without its support, QCCircle implementation can never take off the ground. Management translatesits commitment visibly by attending QC Circle case presentations, giving peptalks during training of leaders and members, allowing Circles to meet oncompany time, attending QC Circle training designed for them, talking about QCCircle achievements to their peers inside and outside the company, and so on.

� Participation by everyoneEveryone in the organization, from management to the frontline operators, isactively involved in the Circles: management is on the QC Circle SteeringCommittee, department and division managers manage the QC Circle activitiesin their departments or divisions, and supervisors and operators act as leaders forthe activities of newly established Circles until they mature.

� Effective operation by the QC Circle OfficeThere is a full time QC Circle Office manager and a full time facilitator who aretasked with managing the QC Circle program implementation.

There is at least one facilitator in each department who, on a part-time basis,provides support to the Circle leaders in the department.

� Continuous training and educationAs the company gains experience in its QC Circle activities, its QC Circle Officeaddresses the training needs of the company’s leaders, members, and facilitators.

Standard training courses are formulated, and materials are designed and madeavailable to anybody who is in a position to conduct training. The companyestablishes minimums in hours of training required in order to hold the variouspositions in the QC Circle organization. Training rooms and equipment are


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available when needed.

A certain amount of budget is allocated for people who want to attend conventionsor conferences outside the company. Visits to companies that have QC Circlesare included in the annual plan for the QC Circle program.

� Continuous promotional activitiesPart of the annual plan and budget of the QC Circle Office is a provision forpromotional activities such as QC Circle conventions.

Leaders, members, and facilitators are counseled on how to energize QC Circlesand sustain the enthusiasm of members.

Visits to companies with QC Circles are encouraged, and QC Circles from othercompanies are invited during company conferences, providing opportunity fordiscussion about each other’s experiences.

� Effective monitoring and evaluationA mechanism for monitoring and evaluating QC Circle activities and projects is inplace. Regularly scheduled meetings are held to discuss the status of QC Circleactivities, and reports on these meetings are provided to management, also on aregular basis.

� Establishment of recognition and reward systemsEvery QC Circle accomplishment is recognized and outstanding achievements arerewarded. The recognition and reward scheme is evaluated regularly to ensurethat it is still relevant.

� Gradual implementationThey start with a pilot Circle or two, and as they gain experience, they graduallyincrease the number of Circles every year.

7-3 Impediments to SuccessCompanies that have experienced difficulties in implementing their QC Circleprograms talk about the same elements described earlier, but in these cases thepoint is that those elements were either absent or lacking.

Impediments to success

� Lack of management commitment� Lack of capacity� Lack of participation by department management� No person assigned on a full-time basis

� Lack of management commitmentManagement commitment is lacking or is not communicated well to everyone in


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the company. Management commitment is lacking in companies in whichmanagement assigns a division or department head to study and implement theprogram. Because this person has other functions, this assignment is not givenmuch priority, and therefore a lot of the important steps in the implementation ofthe program are not done—one of which is for management to define itscommitment to the program.

� Lack of capacityThere are also cases where the person assigned does not have the capacity to dothe job. He goes to training on QC Circle implementation and formulates animplementation plan but is not able to convince management to carry out his plan.In some companies, the impediment is that the commitment of management wasnot communicated to everyone, or, in some cases, it was communicated but notenough time was provided to get people to understand it.

Some of these companies were able to correct such impediments by subsequentprogram launchings in which their presidents explained their personalcommitment, talked about the initial efforts of the company, and enjoinedeveryone to support the program. The management of the various departmentsthen had their own meetings with their own people and discussed thecommitment of management in more detail.

� Lack of participation by department managementAgain, this is seen in companies in which there is not enough preparation for theimplementation of the program.

When the department management was not participating at all, or even worse,was showing negativity toward the Circles, upper management met with themand clarified their role.

In one company, management sent its department managers to international andnational conventions to provide them an opportunity to understand the QC Circlephilosophy better. In another, management included QC Circle involvement inthe performance evaluation of department management.

� No person assigned on a full-time basisThe program cannot really get off the ground without assigning a person orpersons to manage it on a full-time basis.

Other impediments to success may include the following:� No specific budget is allocated for training and education.� No activities are provided to sustain enthusiasm among members.� No monitoring and evaluation mechanism exists.� No clear reward and recognition system exists.� Implementation is done company-wide all at once from the start.

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Appendix:LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS PROMOTING TQM/QCC INASIA

The purpose of a list of organizations promoting TQM and/or QCC in Asian countries is toprovide interested organizations or individuals in Latin American and Caribbean countrieswith useful information in reference to active Asian private and public organizations thatfacilitate quality management in diverse ways domestically and internationally. Afterinitial monitoring and screening processes, a survey was conducted during May and June2003, in the form of a questionnaire targeting Asian organizations in Bangladesh, China,Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea,Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand. Organizations in Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Japan,Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan kindly responded to this survey andagreed readily to disclose the information about their activities, including information thatcannot be obtained from the Internet. As for organizations in the other countriesconcerned, the listed information only includes URLs of their websites.

I. Organizations that Cooperated in the Survey

BANGLADESHBangladesh Society for Total Quality Management

GENERAL INFORMATION1. Organization DataName Bangladesh Society for Total Quality ManagementAddress C/o: MICRO, BSCICElectronics Complex (7th.Floo), Section:7,

Dhaka-1216, BangladeshTEL 880-2-8012244, 8012288, 9005109FAX 880-2-98012266URL N/AOrganization Type A membership-based welfare organization that operates as a

nonprofit societyNo. of Employees 2No. of Members 350

2. Contact Person in Charge of TQM/QCCName Mr. Md.Nefaur Rahman

Title President

Department BSTQM

TEL 880-2-8012244, 8012288, 9005109

FAX 880-2-98012266

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E-mail [email protected]

Contact in English Yes

3. Organization ProfileBangladesh Society for Total Quality Management (BSTQM) is a voluntary organizationfocused to promote Quality Management in Bangladesh. BSTQM was established in 1996and is registered under societies act.

Membership of the society is open to quality practitioners and interested personalities.Main activities of the society include organizing Annual Quality Convention, seminars,training courses, discussion programs, publication of books and newsletter andcooperation with relevant agencies at home and abroad.

An Executive Committee having 15 members elected every two years manages the affairsof the society. Executive Committee accounts to the Annual General Meeting held everyyear. A chartered accountant appointed in the Annual General Meeting audits the society.Initially few interested persons formed a TQM Club in 1994, which, was later converted toBSTQM.

TQM/QCC ACTIVITIESFocus TQM, QCC and others (5-S activities, Statistical Methods, ISO-

9001QMS, Behaviour Modification for Improved EmployeeParticipation, Organisational Development Issues)

When Initiated 1996Activities/Services Training, Conference organization and Media exposure

1. Training Program/ServiceName Total Quality Management, Quality Control Circles, 5-S

Techniques, etc.When Initiated 1994Times per year Twice a year at most

2. Consulting Service Not Applicable

3. Conference OrganizationName Total Quality Management, Quality Control Circles, 5-S

Techniques, ISO-9001 QMS, SA-8000, ISO-14001 EMS,Leadership, Behaviour Modification etc.

When Initiated 1994Times per year When required

4. Other QCC and/or TQM -related ActivitiesAdministering Quality Awards, suggestion scheme

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Centre for Management Development (Bangladesh)

GENERAL INFORMATION1. Organization DataName Centre for Management DevelopmentAddress House No:33 (3rd. Floor), Road No:4, Dhanmondi Residential Area,

Dhaka-1209, BangladeshTEL 880-2-9661228FAX 880-2-9660503URL N/AOrganization Type Private, Voluntary SocietyNo. of Employees 15

2. Contact Person in Charge of TQM/QCCName Mr. Syed Masud Hasan

Title Managing Director

Department Centre for Management Development

TEL 880-2-9661228

FAX 880-2-9660503



3. Organization ProfileCentre for Management Development popularly known, as CMD is an enterprise engagedin the field of Consultancy, Training and Research in the area of Management, Qualityand Productivity. It is a private limited company registered under companies’ act of thegovernment of Bangladesh.

Services offered by CMD includes major fields like Management, Total QualityManagement, Quality Control Circles, 5-S Techniques, Suggestion Scheme, PolicyManagement, Corporate Policy management, Statistical methods for Processimprovement, ISO-9001 QMS, SA-8000, ISO-14001 EMS, Leadership, MaterialsManagement, Project Management etc.

There are four fulltime Directors including the Managing Director who, manages allactivities of the company. In total there are 8 shareholders.

TQM/QCC ACTIVITIESFocus TQM, QCC and others (5-S activities, Statistical Methods, ISO-

9001QMS, Behaviour Modification for Improved EmployeeParticipation, Facilitators Skill Training, OrganisationalDevelopment Issues)

When Initiated 1991

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Activities/Services Training, Consulting, Conference organization and Mediaexposure

Foreign Partnership We collaborate with Bureau Veritas, India for ISO-9001, SA-8000and other certification. We are also working with theInternational Institute of Education-Energy Group, USA inimplementing various programs mentioned above.

1. Training Program/ServiceName Management, Total Quality Management, Quality Control Circles,

5-S Techniques, Suggestion Scheme, Policy Management,Corporate Policy management, Statistical methods for Processimprovement, Facilitators Skill Training, ISO-9001 QMS, SA-8000, ISO-14001 EMS, Leadership, Materials Management,Project Management, Training of Trainers etc.

When Initiated 1991Times per year On request or whenever need arises

2. Consulting ServiceName We have implemented TQM, QCC, ISO-9001 and other Quality

Management Tools in many organisationsWhen Initiated 1991Times per year Several times on requirement

3. Conference OrganizationName Management, Total Quality Management, Quality Control Circles,

5-S Techniques, Suggestion Scheme, Policy Management,Corporate Policy management, Statistical methods for Processimprovement, ISO-9001 QMS, SA-8000, ISO-14001 EMS,Leadership, Training of Trainers, Behaviour Modification etc.

Initiation Time 1991Times per year When required

4. Other QCC and/or TQM -related Activities5-S Techniques, Suggestion Scheme, Policy Management, Corporate Policy management,Statistical methods for Process improvement, ISO-9001 QMS, SA-8000, ISO-14001 EMS,Leadership, Behaviour Modification, Training of Trainers etc.

HONG KONGHong Kong Productivity Council

GENERAL INFORMATION1. Organization DataName Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC)Address HKPC Building, 78 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong KongTEL (852) 2788 5678

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FAX (852) 2788 5900URL http://www.hkpc.orgOrganization Type NPONo. of Employees HKPC employs approximately 700 highly-trained, skilled

consultants and staff.

2. Contact Person in Charge of TQM/QCCName Mr Edmund Sung

Title Director (Services and Business)

Department Services and Business Branch

TEL (852) 2788 5820

FAX (852) 2788 5900



3. Organization ProfileThe Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a multi-disciplinary organizationestablished by statute in 1967. Its mission is to promote productivity excellence throughthe provision of integrated support across the value chain to innovative and growth-oriented Hong Kong firms, helping them to effectively utilise resources, add value to theirproducts and services, and strengthen international competitiveness.

HKPC is governed by a Council comprising a Chairman and 22 members. Theyrepresent managerial, labour, academic and professional interests, as well as a number ofgovernment departments concerned with productivity issues.

The operation of HKPC is supported by fee income from its services and a governmentsubvention in balance.

HKPC provides a diverse range of services in consultancy, training, technology transferand product development for Hong Kong’s manufacturing and related sectors in four keyservice programmes:Manufacturing Technologies, Environmental Technologies, Information Technologies andManagement Systems.Some facts and figures about HKPC:- HKPC’s headquarter at the HKPC Building in Kowloon Tong houses over 30 Centres

of Excellence, 10 testing laboratories, a library, as well as exhibition and trainingfacilities;

- HKPC employs about 700 highly trained consultants and staff;- HKPC conducts over 1,500 consultancy projects each year;- HKPC organises over 1,200 training and seminars each year for over 20,000

participants;- HKPC organises over 50 exhibitions and study missions each year;- HKPC receives over 10,000 local and overseas visitors each year;

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- HKPC provides services to over 4,000 companies each year;- HKPC publishes 14 trade journals and directories for various manufacturing and

related services industries.

TQM/QCC ACTIVITIESFocus TQM and QCC; Remark: QCC also regarded as QIT/WIT (Quality

Improvement Team/Work Improvement Team)When Initiated 1981 (for QCC), 1995 (for TQM)Activities/Services Training, Consulting, Conference organization and Media

exposureForeign Partnership Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE), Japan

1. Training Program/ServiceName QIT/WIT Facilitator, Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award Model,

Quality Improvement Process, TQM Implementation, etc.When Initiated 1981 (QCC), 1995 (TQM)Times per year Around 20

2. Consulting ServiceName Malcolm Baldrige Quality Management Model Implementation,

QIT/WIT Establishment/Facilitation, TQM ImplementationWhen Initiated 1995Times per year Around 10

3. Conference OrganizationName Quality Management Convention; co-organized with Hong Kong

Quality Management Association (HKQMA)When Initiated 1991 (cooperated with HKQMA)Times per year Once per two years

4. Other QCC and/or TQM -related ActivitiesStrategic Planning, Managing For Result, Benchmarking, Business Process Improvement,Performance Management, Balanced Scorecard, Six Sigma

JAPANUnion of Japanese Scientists and Engineers

GENERAL INFORMATION1. Organization DataName Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE)Address 5-10-11, Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0051, JapanTEL 81-3-5379-1230FAX 81-3-3356-1798URL http://www.juse.or.jp/

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Organization Type NPONo. of Employees 100No. of Members 1,004 member companies

2. Contact Person in Charge of TQM/QCCName Mr. Ichiro Kotsuka

Title General Manager

Department Operations Division

TEL 81-3-5378-9812

FAX 81-3-5378-1220



3. Organization ProfileJUSE was established in May 1946 and authorized as a juridical foundation under thesupervision of the Science and Technology Agency (now the Ministry of Education,Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) of the Japanese government. The objective ofJUSE is to promote systematic studies needed for the advancement of science andtechnology, whereupon to contribute to the development of culture and industry. The fieldof science and technology that JUSE has been involved in since its establishment is “soft”technology in which mathematical and statistical methods can be applied to corporatemanagement. Quality management has been the primary subject of JUSE and greatefforts have been made to develop and disseminate technology for it. Today, JUSE iswidely known in and out of the country as a "Center of Quality in Japan". JUSE hasadministered the Deming Prize, which is well known in the field of Total QualityManagement. In recent years, more than 20,000 people per year, including roughly 500 ofsenior managers from enterprises, have been taking part in our education and trainingcourses in the fields of TQM. The activities of JUSE are today implemented with thesupport and cooperation of approximately 1,700 persons from academic fields, industries,and governmental institutions. These people are members of 200 different JUSE-affiliatedcommittees. Most JUSE income is derived from its undertakings for the membercompanies. No financial support by the government is received. JUSE has itsheadquarters and an annex in Tokyo, and a branch office in Osaka. It has two affiliatedcompanies, the Institute of JUSE, Inc. (computation center) and JUSE Press Co., Ltd.,adjacent to its headquarters.

TQM/QCC ACTIVITIESFocus TQM, QCC, Reliability Engineering, Software Quality, ISO9000,

ISO14000, ISMS, and Clinical TestingWhen Initiated May 1946Activities/Services Training, Consulting, Conference organization, and Media

exposureForeign Partnership USA -American Society for Quality (ASQ)

EU - European Organization for Quality (EOQ)

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India - Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)Korea - Korean Standards Association (KSA)

1. Training Program/ServiceName (1) TQM Seminar for Top Management

(2) TQM Seminar for Managers(3) TQM Seminar for Section Chiefs(4) Introductory Course for TQM(5) Policy Management Seminar(6) Strategy Planning Seminar for Policy Deployment(7) Introductory Course for Purchasing Department(8) Introductory Course for Sales Department(9) International Seminar for TQM (English)(10) QC Basic Course(11) QC Introductory Course(12) Problem Solving Seminar for Foreman(13) Problem Solving Seminar for QC Circle Leader(14) Quality Management Correspondence Course(15) Quality Function Deployment Seminar(16) Introductory Seminar on Quality Function Deployment(17) Introductory Course for P7(18) Introductory Course for N7(19) Problem Solving Skill-up Seminar Using PC(20) Introductory Course for Problem Solving Method-“It’s Easy

with EXCEL”(21) Introductory Course for Problem Solving Practice-“It’s Easy

with EXCEL”(22) Task Achieving Type QC Story Seminar for Management(23) Good Manufacturing Practice Seminar(24) QC Circle Seminar for Managers(25) QC Circle Course for Promoters(26) QC Circle Leader Course(27) Task Achieving Type QC Story Seminar for Facilitators(28) QC Circle Elementary Course for Beginners(29) Skill-up Course for Conceptional Development

When Initiated (1) TQM Seminar for Top Management (1957)(2) TQM Seminar for Managers (1955)(3) TQM Seminar for Section Chiefs ((1992)(4) Introductory Course for TQM (1956)(5) Policy Management Seminar (1989)(6) Strategy Planning Seminar for Policy Deployment (1996)(7) Introductory Course for Purchasing Department (1983)(8) Introductory Course for Sales Department (1983)(9) International Seminar for TQM (English) (1988)(10) QC Basic Course (1949)(11) QC Introductory Course (1951)

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(12) Problem Solving Seminar for Foreman (1966)(13) Problem Solving Seminar for QC Circle Leader(14) Quality Management Correspondence Course (1971)(15) Quality Function Deployment Seminar (1989)(16) Introductory Seminar on Quality Function Deployment

(1989)(17) Introductory Course for P7 (1995)(18) Introductory Course for N7 (1984)(19) Problem Solving Skill-up Seminar Using PC (Unknown)(20) Introductory Course for Problem Solving Method-“It’s Easy

with EXCEL” (Unknown)(21) Introductory Course for Problem Solving Practice-“It’s Easy

with EXCEL” (Unknown)(22) Task Achieving Type QC Story Seminar for Management

(1995)(23) Good Manufacturing Practice Seminar (Unknown)(24) QC Circle Seminar for Managers (1980)(25) QC Circle Course for Promoters (1972)(26) QC Circle Leader Course (1977)(27) Task Achieving Type QC Story Seminar for Facilitators

(Unknown)(28) QC Circle Elementary Course for Beginners (Unknown)(29) Skill-up Course for Conceptional Development (Unknown)

Times per year (1) TQM Seminar for Top Management (1)(2) TQM Seminar for Managers (6)(3) TQM Seminar for Section Chiefs (4)(4) Introductory Course for TQM (2)(5) Policy Management Seminar (3)(6) Strategy Planning Seminar for Policy Deployment (1)(7) Introductory Course for Purchasing Department (2)(8) Introductory Course for Sales Department (2)(9) International Seminar for TQM (English) (1 or 2)(10) QC Basic Course (4)(11) QC Introductory Course (6)(12) Problem Solving Seminar for Foreman (2)(13) Problem Solving Seminar for QC Circle Leader (7)(14) Quality Management Correspondence Course (2)(15) Quality Function Deployment Seminar (2)(16) Introductory Seminar on Quality Function Deployment (4)(17) Introductory Course for P7 (2)(18) Introductory Course for N7 (7)(19) Problem Solving Skill-up Seminar Using PC (1)(20) Introductory Course for Problem Solving Method-“It’s Easy

with EXCEL” (1)(21) Introductory Course for Problem Solving Practice-“It’s Easy

with EXCEL”(1)(22) Task Achieving Type QC Story Seminar for Management (1)

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(23) Good Manufacturing Practice Seminar (1)(24) QC Circle Seminar for Managers (4)(25) QC Circle Course for Promoters (5)(26) QC Circle Leader Course (7)(27) Task Achieving Type QC Story Seminar for Facilitators (5)(28) QC Circle Elementary Course for Beginners (6)(29) Skill-up Course for Conceptional Development (2)

2. Consulting ServiceName Lectures, in-house seminars, on-site consultations, TQM

diagnosis, preliminary assessment of management systemsWhen Initiated Since 1960sTimes per year 150

3. Conference OrganizationName (1) Reliability & Maintainability Symposium

(2) Symposium on Quality Control of Software Production(3) Quality Function Deployment Symposium(4) Quality Control Symposium(5) TQM Forum for Top Management(6) Quality Forum for Managers(7) All Japan QC Circle Conference(8) National QC Circle Conference(9) International Convention on QC Circles (co-sponsored with 13

NPO organizations within Asia)(10) International Conference on Quality (co-sponsored with ASQ

and EOQ)(11) World Conference for Software Quality (co-sponsored with

ASQ and EOQ)

When Initiated (1) Reliability & Maintainability Symposium (1971)(2) Symposium on Quality Control of Software Production (1981)(3) Quality Function Deployment Symposium (1991)(4) Quality Control Symposium (1965)(5) TQM Forum for Top Management (1964)(6) Quality Forum for Managers (2000)(7) All Japan QC Circle Conference (1971)(8) National QC Circle Conference (1963)(9) International Convention on QC Circle (1976)(10) International Conference on Quality (1969)(11) World Conference for Software Quality (1995)

Times per year (1) Reliability & Maintainability Symposium (1)(2) Symposium on Quality Control of Software Production (1)(3) Quality Function Deployment Symposium (1)(4) Quality Control Symposium (2)

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(5) TQM Forum for Top Management (1)(6) Quality Forum for Managers (1)(7) All Japan QC Circle Conference (1)(8) National QC Circle Conference (3)(9) International Convention on QC Circle (1)(10) International Conference on Quality (1 every 3 years)(11) World Conference for Software Quality (1 every 5 years)

4. Other QCC and/or TQM -related ActivitiesJUSE manages three quality awards: The Deming Prize, Japan Quality Medal, and JapanQuality Recognition Award. All are awarded to individuals/organizationspracticing/promoting excellent TQM.

MALAYSIANational Productivity Corporation

GENERAL INFORMATION1. Organization DataName National Productivity CorporationAddress P.O. Box 64, Jalan Sultan, 46904 Petaling JayaTEL 603-79557266FAX 603-79561966URL http://dominoapp.npc.org.my/npc.nsf/index?OpenFramesetOrganization Type Partially governmentalNo. of Employees 304

2. Contact Person in Charge of TQM/QCCName AB. RAHIM YUSOFF

Title Director

Department Training Division

TEL 603-79561152

FAX 603-79558068



3. Organization ProfileNational Productivity Corporation (Incorporation)(Amendment) Act 1996

The National Productivity Corporation (NPC) formerly known as the NationalProductivity Centre, was established in 1962 as a joint project between the United

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144

Nations Special Fund and the Federal Government, with the International LabourOrganisation acting as its executing agency.

In 1966, the National Productivity Council (Incorporation) Act No. 19 was passed makingthe Centre an autonomous body. It was later amended as the National ProductivityCouncil (Incorporation) (Amendment) Act A305 1975, to cater for expansion of theCentre's role. This act was subsequently amended as the National Productivity Centre(Incorporation) (Amendment) Act A801 1991.

With the Act coming into effect on 1 December 1991, the National Productivity Councilbecame the National Productivity Corporation. In keeping with the expanded role of theCorporation, the Act was further amended to become National Productivity Corporation(Incorporation) (Amendment) Act 1995. In accordance with the provisions under Section 7of the Act, the functions of the Corporation are as follows:

� To lead in the promotion and dissemination of productivity related information andissues;

� To establish an information and reference centre for productivity indices for thecountry and for management systems and case studies;

� To generate local expertise in the field of productivity, quality, management andentrepreneurship;

� To enhance the development of human resource both at the supervisory andmanagement levels in the country;

� To advise on and coordinate the implementation of programmes and activities relatedto productivity and quality;

� To assess and certify supervisory and management training programmes,entrepreneurship programmes and productivity and quality managementprogrammes conducted by the private sector for the public;

� To conduct training or other programmes relating to productivity, quality,management and enterpreneurship;

� To provide consultancy services relating to productivity, quality, management andentreprenuership;

� To collect, produce and publish information on productivity, quality, management andentrepreneurship and other related matters;

� To carry on business undertakings for the purpose of the discharge of its functionsunder this Act with the approval of the Minister;

� To report annually to the Ministry on the progress and problems of raisingproductivity in commerce and industry and to make recommendations on the mannerin which such problems may be dealt with; and

� To do such matters and things as may be incidental to or consequential upon thedischarge of its functions under the Act.

TQM/QCC ACTIVITIESFocus TQM and QCC and othersWhen Initiated Since 1982Activities/Services Training, Consulting, Conference organization and Media

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exposure

1. Training Program/ServiceName Short course programme

(e. g. QCC for Facilitators, TQM for Management）When Initiated 1982Times per year programme in 2003 (Quality Management Programme)

2. Consulting ServiceName 1) TQM 2) QCC 3)ISO 9000, 2000When Initiated QCC: 1982, ISO 9000, 2000: 1995Times per year Average: 20

3. Conference OrganizationName 1) Seminar as TQM

2) Regional & National QCC ConventionWhen Initiated 1984Times per year 11 time

4. Other QCC and/or TQM -related ActivitiesTQM Model Company Project (Consultancy Project)

THE PHILIPPINESDevelopment Academy of the Philippines

GENERAL INFORMATION1. Organization DataName Development Academy of the PhilippinesAddress DAP Building., San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City 1600, PhilippinesTEL (632) 631-09-21 to 30FAX (632) 631-21-23URL Http://www.dap.edu.phOrganization Type National Productivity Organization (government corporation)No. of Employees 447 (292 regular staff, 155 non-regular)

2. Contact Person in Charge of TQM/QCCName Arnel D. Abanto

Title Assistant Vice President

Department Center for Quality and Competitiveness

TEL (632) 631- 21-37

FAX (632) 631-21-37


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3. Organization ProfileThe Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), as the National ProductivityOrganization (NPO) was established in 1973, by virtue of Presidential Decree Number205, its mandate has been to assist in the country's development efforts in two ways: aschange catalyst and as capacity builder. Remaining constantly focused on this two-foldmission, it has assisted in building individual and institutional capabilities fordevelopmental change through training, research, and technical assistance. Specifically, ishas helped in shaping new government policies, crafting innovative developmentprograms, and modernizing the management of government agencies and privateenterprises.

As the NPO, DAP acts as the implementing arm of the Asian Productivity Organization(APO) activities in the country. The APO, of which the Philippines is a founding member,is an inter-governmental agency dedicated to the promotion of productivity improvementto accelerate economic growth of member countries through mutual cooperation.

TQM/QCC ACTIVITIESFocus TQM and QCCWhen Initiated Since 1980'sActivities/Services Training, Consulting, Promotions, and PublicationsForeign Partnership Key Partner: Asian Productivity Organization (APO) including

the National Productivity Organizations in 19 APO-membercountries

1. Training Program/ServiceName a. Training Course on TQM – 5 days

b. Training Course on Quality Management Assessment – 4 daysc. Training Course on Quality Control Circle – 3 daysd. Training Course on QCC for Facilitators and Leaders – 4 days

When Initiated a. For TQM: 1996b. For QCC: 1980's

Times per year a. TQM: Twice a year (public offering); for in-company training, asthe need arises

b. QCC: same

2. Consulting ServiceName For year 2003 alone:

a. In-company training on TQM; TQM Installationb. In-company training on QCC; QCC Installation

When Initiated January 2003Times per year As the need arises

3. Conference Organization

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Name We only provide assistance/support to partner associations in theconduct of International, National and Regional Conference onQuality and QCC

When Initiated 1980'sTimes per year Once

4. Other QCC and/or TQM -related ActivitiesWe also help in institutionalizing a National Quality Award System and Program, frompolicy formulation to institutional infrastructure building and systems administration.We conduct training for Quality Management Assessors, Application Development, anddevelop criteria handbooks for business sector, health care sector, education, and publicsector including handbook for assessors/examiners.

SRI LANKASri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Quality andProductivity

GENERAL INFORMATION1. Organization DataName Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Quality and

Productivity(SLAAQP)Address No 25, Fife Road, Colombo 5, Sri LankaTEL 0094-1-553974FAX 0094-1-553974URL N/AOrganization Type non-governmentNo. of Members 91

2. Contact Person in Charge of TQM/QCCName Mr. Sunil G. Wijesinha

Title President, SLAAQP

TEL 094-1-553974

FAX 0094-1-553974



3. Organization ProfileThe OrganisationSri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Quality and Productivity (SLAAQP) is anindependent, non-governmental organisation established in 1996 by a group of quality andproductivity professionals for the purpose of promoting quality and productivity nationallyto help in the rapid industrial and economic development of the country.

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148

Prior to the establishment of the SLAAQP an association by the name “ Quality CirclesAssociation of Sri Lanka” (QCASL) was in existence since 1989, and it had as its majoractivities promoting quality circles in industry. The majority of members of QCASL deemedit necessary to expand the scope of activities of the association very much and thus wasborn the SLAAQP.

ObjectivesThe SLAAQP aims to assist organisations enhance their quality and productivity andconsequently accelerate the industrial and economic development of the country. TheSLAAQP seeks to realize its objectives by:

� Performing the role of national training consultant, adviser and clearing house forinformation on quality and productivity improvement

� Promoting and disseminating modern quality and productivity philosophies, techniquesand developing related skills in people

� Sharing experiences and propagating quality and productivity awareness� Liaising and cooperating with national, regional and international quality and

productivity organisations in the promotion of quality and productivity for nationaldevelopment

MembershipSLAAQP currently has four categories of membership and is open to professionals,managers, executives, technical personnel and students as well as institutions andorganisationsThe Categories are:

� 1 Honorary Life Member� Individual Member� Institutional Member� (Universities and Institutes of education)� Organizational Members� (State or private enterprises)

Activities� Convention /Awards

Annual National Convention on Quality and Productivity (on-going)Regional Convention on Quality and Productivity (held in 1997 in Colombo)International Convention on Quality Control Circle (ICQCC) (held in 1998 inColombo)

� Establishing Quality / Productivity Circles in Schools� National Registration of Quality Circles� Publishing a Newsletter “Productivity News”� Training/consultancy on Quality/Productivity

TQM/QCC ACTIVITIESFocus TQM, QCC and others (Productivity, Kaizen, 5S and TPM)When Initiated Since 1989 through QCASL

Appendix

149

Activities/Services Training, Consulting, Conference organization, Media exposureand Convention

Foreign Partnership Presently exploring possibility of liaising with IQA, UK

1. Training Program/ServiceName Training for Management, Training for SupervisorsWhen Initiated 1989 through the QCASLTimes per year 2-3

2. Consulting ServiceName Setting up QCCsWhen Initiated 1999Times per year Depend on request

3. Conference OrganizationName � Annual National Convention on Quality and Productivity

� Regional Convention on Quality and Productivity� International Convention on Quality Control Circle (ICQCC)

When Initiated 1991Times per year Once

4. Other QCC and/or TQM -related ActivitiesSeminars and workshops on;� Productivity� Kaizen� 5S� Suggestion Systems� TPM

TAIWANPioneer Enterprise Think Tank

GENERAL INFORMATION1. Organization DataName Pioneer Enterprise Think TankAddress No.275,Chien Hsing Rd.,Lung Tan,Tao-Yuan Hsien,TaiwanTEL 886-3-4895881FAX 886-3-4791646URL www.pett.com.twOrganization Type PrivateNo. of Employees 22

2. Contact Person in Charge of TQM/QCC

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150

Name Joseph Lin

Title Managing Director

Department Consulting Business

TEL 886-3-4895881-15

FAX 886-3-4791646



3. Organization ProfilePioneer Enterprise Think Tank (PETT) has been established since year 1970 by Mr.Chaw-Son Tsong. The mission of the Tank is to promote TQM、QCC、SPC and otherquality related management skills as well as to provide consulting programs to escalatequality level of Taiwanese enterprises. After years of efforts, the Tank was well knownand renowned as an efficacious TQM、QMU、QCC and SPC consulting company. Most ofthe current leading 500 companies in Taiwan had received training / consulting programson TQM, QCC, QMU, SPC, etc., from PETT since the establish of the Tank. Mr. Tsong wasalso rewarded “The 2nd National Quality Control Award” in year 1991 due to his greatcontribution to promote the country’s quality level.Mr. Tsong was graduated from National Tokyo University, Engineering Graduate Schooland majored in Quality Control. During his stay in Japan, he studied under instruction ofDr. Ishikawa and had been engaged as a lecturer in JUSE.

PETT consists of 4 divisions. They are:1.Training Division2.Consulting Division3.Publish Division4.Pioneer Quality Control Research Association（PQCRA）National Headquarter on Quality Control Circle

TQM/QCC ACTIVITIESFocus TQM, QCC, and others (QMU, SPC, ISO9000s, QS9000

consultation )When Initiated TQM—1980,QCC—1970 and QMU(Quality Management Unit)—

1975Activities/Services Training, Consulting, and Conference organization

1. Training Program/ServiceName � TQM---Enterprise officials training program

� SPC---Basic course for statistical quality control� QCC---Q-PAT Method for work floor technician, QCC

facilitator training program� QMU---Quality management training program for managers

or supervisors

When Initiated � TQM—1980

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151

� QCC—1970Times per year � TQM—10

� QCC—50� QMU—20� SPC—6

2. Consulting ServiceName � TQM Consulting Program

� QMU Consulting Program（Quality Management Unit）� QCC Consulting Program

When Initiated 1970Times per year 10

3. Conference OrganizationName � International Convention on QC Circle

� National Convention on QC Circle� National Golden Award Convention on QC Circle

When Initiated 1970Times per year � International Convention on QC Circle—in turn of Convention

Committee’s decision,� National Convention on QC Circle--Quarterly, （ Held by

monthly before ’90. 170 times had been held since 1970 untilnow）

� National Golden Award Convention on QC Circle—Yearly

4. Other QCC and/or TQM -related ActivitiesQMU （Quality Management Unit） / SQC （Statistical Quality Control）

II. Other Organizations

CHINAChina Association for Quality (CAQ)Name China Association for Quality (CAQ)Address No. 12 Zhongjing Jidao, P.O. Box 2210, Beijing 100032, ChinaTEL 86-10-66079146FAX 86-10-66021408URL http://www.caq.org.cn/

INDIAQuality Circle Forum of India (QCFI)Name Quality Circle Forum of India (QCFI)Address 306, Ⅲ Floor, Navketan Chambers 62. SD Road, Secunderabad 500

0003, India

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152

TEL 90-631-8068FAX 90-780-5660URL http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/3257/about. html

INDONESIAIndonesian Quality Management Association (IQMA)Name Indonesian Quality Management Association (IQMA)Address Menara Kartika Chandra F. 502-504 J1.Gatot Subroto Kav. 18-20,

Jakarta 12930, IndonesiaTEL 021-525-6671FAX 021-520-2348URL http://www.pacific.net.id/~pmmi/1ind.htm

SINGAPORESPRING Singapore (Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board)Corporate HeadquartersName SPRING Singapore (Standards, Productivity and Innovation

Board) Corporate HeadquartersAddress 2 Bukit Merah Central Singapore 159835TEL 65-6279-3709FAX 65- 6274-8078URL http://www.spring.gov.sg/portal/main.html

SOUTH KOREAKorean Standards Association (KSA)Name Korean Standards Association (KSA)Address Machinery Complex Annex, 13-31, Yoido-Dong, Yongdungpo-ku, Seoul

150-729, KoreaTEL 82-2-369-8102FAX 82-2-369-8109URL http://www.ksa.or. kr/

THAILANDQC Headquarters of ThailandName QC Headquarters of ThailandAddress Rama 6 Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, ThailandTEL 662-481-419FAX 662-464-300

153

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Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers. 1998. Dai Yonkai ISO 9000 to TQM no Yūgō Seminā (Thefourth seminar on harmonising ISO 9000 and TQM). Tokyo: Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers.(in Japanese only)

Vasquez, Roberto A. et al. 1983. Productivity Improvement Circles: A Manual. Productivity and DevelopmentCenter of the Development Academy of the Philippines.

West, Jack, Charles A. Cianfrani, and Joseph J. Tsiakals. 2000. ISO 9000:2000 Shifts Focus of QualityManagement System Standards, Quality Progress, February 2000. American Society for Quality.

Yamauchi, Yasuhito. 2001. TOYOTA ni okeru QC Sākuru Katsudō (Toyota's QC Circle Activities). MonthlyText on Quality 306. Tokyo: Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers; Tokyo: Japanese StandardsAssociation. (in Japanese only)

Yatsu, Susumu. 1994. Genshō no Kansatsu o Ikashita Hinshitsu Kaizen Sutōrī (The quality improvementstory: Through observing the phenomenon). Tokyo: Japanese Standards Association. (in Japanese only)

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AAuutthhoorrssRyu Fukui, Deputy Director General, Development Bank of Japan (Japan)Yoko Honda, Development Bank of Japan (Japan)Harue Inoue, Development Bank of Japan (Japan)Noriharu Kaneko, Executive Director, Service Quality Management Ltd. (Japan)Ichiro Miyauchi, Counselor, Union of Japanese Scientists & Engineers (Japan)Susana Soriano, Senior Manager, Customer Care Department, BPI Family Bank(Philippines)Yuka Yagi, Development Bank of Japan (Japan)

Spanish Translators:Rebecca González-Ávila, Vicerrectoría, Innovación Investigación e InternacionalizaciónITESM (Mexico)Nicholas Gibler (Mexico)

157

Published in October 2003.

The views expressed within this publication are the views of the authors and do notnecessarily reflect the views, or policies, of the Inter-American Development Bank(IDB). IDB makes no representation concerning this information, these opinions, orviews expressed.



VVoolluummee IIII



VVoolluummee IIIIHHooww ttoo SSttaarrtt QQCCCC

AA GGuuiiddee ffoorr FFaacciilliittaattoorrssaanndd CCiirrccllee LLeeaaddeerrss

CCoonntteennttss ((VVoolluummee IIII))Foreword ⅶ

Acknowledgements ⅸ

Introduction ⅹ

List of Abbreviations ⅹⅲ

1 What is a QCC? 11-1 The Birth and Spread of QC Circles 1

1-1-1 History of QC Circles in Japan 11-1-2 Spread of QC Circle Philosophy to Other Countries 2

1-2 What is the QC Circle concept? 51-2-1 Why do we need QC Circle activities? 51-2-2 Definition of a QC Circle 61-2-3 Characteristics of QC Circles 61-2-4 Objectives of QC Circle Activities 9

2 How to Get Started: QC Circle Activities 112-1 Preparation for Installation of a QC Circle Program 122-2 Establishment and Appointment of a QC Circle Organization 13

2-2-1 QC Circle Steering Committee 142-2-2 QC Circle Office 152-2-3 Appointment of Facilitators 162-2-4 Appointment of QC Circle Leaders 17

2-3 Launch of a Pilot Circle 182-4 Implementation of a Company-wide QCC Program 29

3 QC Story 363-1 What is a QC Story? 363-2 Why do we use the QC Story? 373-3 QC Story Procedure 373-4 Benefits of the QC Story 44

4 Seven QC Tools and QCC Techniques 454-1 Data Collecting and Analysis 45

4-1-1 What is data? 454-1-2 How is data collected? 474-1-3 Analyzing Data 47

4-2 Seven QC Tools 494-2-1 Stratification 504-2-2 Pareto Diagrams 514-2-3 Cause and Effect Diagrams (Ishikawa Diagrams) 534-2-4 Graphs 544-2-5 Checksheets 574-2-6 Histograms 604-2-7 Scatter Diagrams 654-2-8 Control Charts and Supplemental Tools for QCC Beginners 66

4-3 QCC Techniques 684-3-1 Brainstorming 694-3-2 Why-Why Approach 704-3-3 Affinity Diagrams 754-3-4 5S Concept 784-3-5 3Mu Elimination Approach 794-3-6 5W1H 804-3-7 4M1E 81

5 Meetings and Case Presentations 825-1 What is a meeting? 825-2 What does presentation for management entail? 825-3 The Role of Leaders: Overall 865-4 The Role of the Leader in Conducting Meetings and Presentations 88

5-4-1 Preparation 885-4-2 During the Meeting 89

6 Benefits and Impediments 936-1 Benefits for QC Circle Members 936-2 Benefits for Circle Leaders 966-3 Benefits for Facilitators 986-4 Impediments to Progress in QC Circle Activities 99

7 A QC Circle Case Example 103

References 114Authors 117

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FFoorreewwoorrddIn this globalized world and business environment quality is the key to competitiveadvantage.

No man is a prophet in his own land, and this is particularly true of the work of Edward W.Deming. Deming’s work and his original recommendations on quality were ignored in hishomeland before Japanese business imported his ideas and made them work in Japan.Deming encouraged the Japanese to adopt a systematic approach to problem solving. Healso encouraged senior managers to become actively involved in their company's qualityimprovement programs. His greatest contribution was the concept that the consumers arethe most important part of a production line. Meeting and exceeding the customers' needsand requirements is the task that everyone within an organization has to accomplish.Quality means satisfying customers’ requirements continually. In addition, themanagement system has to enable everyone to be responsible for the quality of his outputto his internal customers.

During the period 1955—60, following the visits of Deming and Joseph M. Juran to Japan,the Company-wide Quality Control (CWQC) movement started to develop. Kaoru Ishikawawas its leader, and this movement asserts that quality refers to more than product qualityalone. It also takes in after-sales service, quality of management, the company itself, andhuman life. Ishikawa also made a significant contribution to the development of TotalQuality Management (TQM). The other quality management gurus such as Crosby, Demingand Juran have shaped the dimensions, practices and basis of the concept, but none havegurus actually coined the term TQM. By the end of 1980s, TQMconcept had become a recognized part of quality-related language.

Total Quality Management includes a number of management practices, philosophies andmethods to improve the way an organization does business, makes its products, andinteracts with its employees and customers. Kaizen (the Japanese word for continuousimprovement) is one of those philosophies. Other recognized TQM practices are:

Japanese 5-S Practice (Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu and Shitsuke; which stands forStructurize, Systemize, Sanitize, Standardize, and Self-discipline); Business Process Re-engineering (BPR); and Quality Control Circles (QCCs).

The success of Japanese business in Canada, Latin America, and the United States as wellas in Europe is attributable to TQM, a concept now widely practiced throughout Asia

In this context, and as a knowledge exchange between Asia and Latin America and theCaribbean, the Japan Program organized a workshop on the topic of Quality Control at theIDB’s headquarters in December 1999.

As a follow-up activity, to develop and disseminate the Total Quality Management andQuality Control Circle (TQM/QCC) system in Latin America and the Caribbean, the JapanProgram of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has entrusted the DevelopmentBank of Japan (DBJ) and the Japan Economic Research Institute (JERI) with the task ofproducing a TQM/QCC handbook.

viii

It is hoped that this publication will be useful and we welcome readers' comments andsuggestions for improving this manual.

Kaname OkadaChief of the Japan ProgramInter-American Development Bank

ix

AAcckknnoowwlleeddggeemmeennttssThis book was prepared by a team of the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) and JapanEconomic Research Institute (JERI), under contract with the Japan Program of the Inter-American Development Bank. The team was led by Ryu Fukui and comprises NicholasGibler, Rebecca González-Ávila, Yoko Honda, Harue Inoue, Noriharu Kaneko, IchiroMiyauchi, Susana Soriano, and Yuka Yagi. Fukui, Honda, Inoue, Kaneko, Miyauchi,Soriano and Yagi are jointly responsible as authors of the original English version. Honda,Inoue and Yagi took charge of designing, producing, and editing of charts and figures, andof making effective layouts for the manuals. Gibler and González-Ávila are responsible forthe Spanish translation. (The above-mentioned names are in alphabetical order; their titlesand institutions are listed at the end of the Handbook.) Besides the authors and translators,Hiromi Kyogoku and Sakiko Sakama of DBJ supported production of charts and figures;and Maiko Sudo of JERI provided logistical support.

The team is indebted to other collaborators as follows: Masahiko Nakahata of Shin-EtsuHandoutai Co., Ltd. provided comments and advice; Masanori Kitajima, Ryoichiro Tanaka,and their colleagues at PL General Hospital, and Ikuko Okada of Higashi-SumiyoshiMorimoto Hospital extended views and opinions through interviews and papers; and theUnion of Japanese Scientists & Engineers generously granted the use of literatures andphotographs and, through Toshie Sonoda, introduced QCC practitioners for interviews.

x

IInnttrroodduuccttiioonnUntil around 1950, Japanese products were perceived worldwide as being very inexpensive,but with poor quality. By the 1980s, products made in Japan were known all over theworld for their high quality and reliability. What happened during those three decades?

Also in the 1980s, U.S. companies were gradually losing their industrial competitiveness,so they and the U.S. government undertook a series of revolutionary movements thatincluded thorough exploitation of Japanese quality management. The subsequentrecovery of U.S. industries in competitiveness is well-known. An anecdote for theirsuccessful recovery was the big three (automobile companies)’s revival in the 1990s. Whathad they found in Japanese management practices and which parts contributed to therecovery?

Are such events only incidents of the past? We do not think so. They are relevant tocontemporary questions on quality management that are shared around the world.

Historically, quality control, in its modern terms, was born in the U.S., and Japan, in itshigh economic growth period, imported and developed that concept as Total Quality Control(TQC), which later evolved as Total Quality Management (TQM). Contrary to manymisunderstandings, TQM is not a tool merely for big companies or the manufacturingsector; it is a way of managerial thinking for any type of corporation.

The Quality Control Circle (QCC) method, a Japanese-made institutional development toolby which employees continuously strive for improvement in their work, usually functions asan integral part of TQM. More generally speaking, the QCC method can serve to enhancepeople’s problem-solving skills in organizations that have not yet introduced TQM as aleading management policy: not only in profit-making organizations but also in non-profitorganizations, public administration, associations, and any voluntary group. However,QCC functions best as part of TQM, and company-wide quality management through TQMis the most effective way to sustain QCC activities in an organization.

Are TQM and QCC Japanese things? Are they effective only in some cultures in the world?Our answer is a firm, “No!” They are not and should not be perceived to have such a narrowscope. Our firm belief is that they are applicable anywhere because they invoke universalvalues, and this is why this handbook has been produced. In our view, TQM and QCCvalues are much more than so-called Japanese management.

Pursuit of quality management never stops. We face more and more tasks in controllingand improving quality in the increasingly integrated world. Requirements of the ISO(International Organization for Standardization) 9000 series are representative of thattruth. We are certain that TQM and QCC can contribute tremendously to any institutionthat has become conscious about quality management, including those doing so throughcompliance with the ISO 9000 series.

xi

HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK

Nature of the Handbook. This two-volume handbook is a guide for people at all levels whohave wide-ranging desire to improve the quality of work in their organizations. It is abasic manual cum explanatory guide—that is, it aims at providing not only hands-onknow-how to install and implement Total Quality Management and Quality Control Circleprograms but also explanations as to why and in which ways they are useful fororganizations. In order to establish appropriate objectives, one must first completelyunderstand what is to be tackled. TQM and QCC do not come in a one-size-fits-all manual,yet they are not complicated. They merely require that the decision-makers in anorganization be really convinced of the usefulness of the well-elaborated and standardizedmethodology.

Target Readers. Volume I is intended for managers: explaining what TQM andQCC are all about and how to install and implement them in their organizations. Ittargets many levels of decision-makers, from top managers of corporations to middle-levelmanagers functioning as division heads. Its topics range from the theoretical concept ofTQM to practical knowledge on QCC—showing managers how these quality concepts havedeveloped worldwide, how QCC activities have contributed to the development ofcompany-wide quality management, and what kinds of benefits QCC may bring.

Volume II is a practical guide for starting QCC. Under the full support of managementthat is sold on TQM and QCC, focal persons or units of quality management (regardless ofwhether they were already in place or were newly appointed to install TQM and QCC) willtake the lead in promoting QCC movements and educating employees on QCC techniques.Those focal persons are called facilitators. In the implementation process, leaders willusually be selected by the individual Circles, which are formed in frontline operation oradministrative units. This volume is for these practitioners (facilitators and Circleleaders). It will direct them on how to carry out daily QCC activities and how to tacklecommon problems that facilitators as well as Circle leaders and members often finddifficult to solve.

Both Volume I and Volume II attempt to explain TQM and QCC to the degree required fortheir respective targeted readers. Note that the technical aspects of implementing theQCC method are kept to a minimum in Volume I, whereas the description of QCC tools,techniques, and tips are compiled in detail in Volume II. However, any managerinterested in QCC practices may find Volume II also useful, and any frontline operatorinterested in TQM or the QCC concept may want to refer to Volume I. The authorsassume that Volumes I and II will be always distributed as a set, not in a separate manner,to ensure this type of multiple use. Another type of reader may be persons who are interested particularly in QCC—forexample, people who are working in organizations where quality management has alreadybeen firmly established but are searching for ways to strengthen employee participation.Such persons may be eager to learn about the QCC concept, but not necessarily all theaspects of TQM. Or, readers may belong to a voluntary group or association and belooking for problem-solving methods for the group. These persons may also find QCC to be

xii

the right answer. Such readers are recommended to focus on Volume II, and, dependingon their interests, occasionally refer to Part 2 of Volume I, (e.g., on parts such as chapter 7,which describes QCC benefits).

This handbook also is meant for readers with different types of concerns than those ofimplementers—that is, readers who are willing to support, technically or financially, theimplementers of quality management. Examples are government policy makers; businessassociations; academic persons; international or domestic donors; or any other private orpublic institutions that support quality management of the corporate sector. Indeed,introduction of TQM and QCC in a country is only possible with the help of such supporters,particularly in the case of small- and medium-sized companies; so the authors stronglydesire that the handbook contribute to raise awareness on TQM and the QCC conceptamong those supporters. These types of readers may find interesting both thedescriptions about the historical background of TQM and QCC and the supportinginstitutions in Asia, both in Volume I and Volume II.

For Readers in Small Organizations. Finally, a note for readers who manage orbelong to relatively small organizations that may want to introduce TQM or QCC.Technical explanation of institutional arrangements of TQM and QCC in this handbookmay appear, to their eyes, to be relevant only to medium- or large-sized enterprises—forexample, QCC, as a company-wide movement, is implemented by various units and groupswith several layers: steering committees, QCC offices, facilitators, Circle leaders, members,and so forth. However, adapting those explanations for less stratified organizations is nota difficult task, and small organizations can implement QCC in a manner appropriate totheir size, once readers gain core knowledge on QCC methodologies and minimuminstitutional requirements. Because the Handbook is targeted at a broad range of readers,some of its parts have to be comprehensive.

AS MATERIAL FOR AN INTRODUCTION SEMINAR

This handbook’s design enables a reader to start self-learning, but its best expectedapplication is as a material for a seminar that either introduces TQM and QCC or explainsQCC as an institutional development tool. In such a case, the reading of this handbook inits entirety after the seminar will be even more beneficial.

TQM and QCC seminars are typically organized so as to present the material to managersand facilitators in separate groups. A half-day seminar for managers may be organized byQCC resource persons, utilizing figures and charts in Volume I as presentation materials.And perhaps a three-day seminar for facilitators could include figures and charts in VolumeII and introduction of discussions and exercises. Any subsequent guidance to facilitatorsfrom QCC resource persons may not particularly require organized materials.

A seminar for Circle leaders may be organized as another undertaking, once pilot Circlesare identified in an interested organization. Circle leaders are typically instructed onQCC implementation in a one-day seminar, after which the facilitators provide theguidance.

xiii

AAbbbbrreevviiaattiioonnssAPO Asian Productivity OrganizationATM Automatic Teller MachineCL Center LineFMEA Failure Mode Effects AnalysisFTA Fault Tree Analysis5M1E 4M1E + Measurement (or Money)5S Sorting, Systematizing, Sweeping, Sanitizing, Self-discipline5W1H What, When, Where, Who, Why, How4M1E Man, Machine, Materials, Method, EnvironmentICQCC International Convention on QC CirclesISO International Organization for StandardizationJUSE Union of Japan Scientists and EngineersNPO National Productivity OrganizationPDCA Plan-Do-Check-ActQC Quality CircleQCC Quality Control CircleQCRG Quality Control Research GroupSL Specification Lower LimitSOP Standardized Operational ProcedureSU Specification Upper Limit3Mu Muda (wastefulness), Muri (excessiveness), Mura (dispersion)TPM Total Productive ManagementTQC Total Quality ControlTQM Total Quality Management

1 What is a QCC?

1

1 What is a QCC?Today when one reads or hears about the transformation of Japan during the last threedecades from being a cheap product seller to being the leader in quality, one notes that therole of QC Circles is an integral part of its journey towards excellence. This chapterdescribes a series of events that led to the birth of QC Circles brought about by the need ofJapanese industries immediately after the Second World War, to improve the quality oftheir products so they could compete in the international market. This chapter alsodescribes how the QC Circle concept spread to the neighboring Asian countries and theUnited States.

1-1 The Birth and Spread of QC Circles1-1-1 History of QC Circles in Japan

After World War II, Japanese companies could not compete in the worldmarket, because even though their products were cheap, they wereconsidered of poor quality. Today, however, Japanese products are knownfor their quality and reliability.

How did this happen? The Japanese companies undertook major steps, suchas having their management personally take charge of the quality function;having quality-related training throughout the company hierarchy; andadopting the QC Circle concept as a means of enabling the workforce toparticipate in the quality activities of the company.

The Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers, organized in 1946, played amajor role in the training of management and engineers on quality. Itorganized in 1949, its Quality Control Research Group (QCRG), which wastasked with studying the international quality control field for informationon how to rationalize the war-torn Japanese industries, how to improvequality of exports, and how to raise the living standards of the Japanese.

The General Headquarters of the United States Armed Forces in that year,invited management of Japanese companies and some members of the QCRGto a lecture by Dr. W. E. Deming on the importance of Statistical QualityControl techniques to the telecommunications industries, like those engagedin telephone equipment, maintenance and related services. The objective ofthe lecture was to help these industries organize themselves and improve thewar-torn telephone network.

In 1950 Dr. Deming came to Japan upon the recommendation of QCRG togive a detailed lecture on Statistical Quality Control to management ofdifferent industries. And in 1954, Dr. J.M Juran, another guru on QualityControl, came to Japan to talk about Quality Control and Management.

After intensive study, management and the engineers woke up to the need tofollow the recommendations of Mr. Deming and Dr. Juran. They wereconvinced that for future development they needed to move away from the

1 What is a QCC?

2

old concept of quality certification by inspection to a new one of qualitycontrol activities that promoted full employee participation with the objectiveof ensuring customer satisfaction. However, there was no specialist orlecturer on this subject yet in Japan, so management and the engineersrequested JUSE (Union of Japan Scientists and Engineers) to spearhead anational radio-based campaign on Quality Control for concerned parties,especially foremen of factories.

The engineers started introducing the concept in the workshop and tackledthe quality problems with frontline operators, teaching them simplestatistical methods that resulted in fewer defective products. The frontlineoperators were amazed with the results and from then on voluntarily tackledthe problems in the workshop with their colleagues. This voluntary activitywas the start of QC Circles.

Management recognized that its people are intelligent and must be givenopportunities to use their brains as well as their hands. They undertook amassive program of training them and the entire hierarchy on how tomanage for quality. Thus, they adopted the QC Circle concept as a means ofenabling the workforce to participate in the quality revolution. The firstQuality Circle was organized in 1962, and from then on, the QC Circlemovement grew, slowly at first, then with increasing speed.

1-1-2 Spread of QC Circle Philosophy to Other CountriesThe QC Circle philosophy spread first to Japan’s neighbors South Korea andTaiwan, later to Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Hong Kong, andthen to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Vietnam. It isworth noting that these countries have one thing in common; they are allmembers of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO).

The APO, an inter-governmental regional organization with headquarters inTokyo, Japan, was established in 1961 by several governments in Asia. Itsaim is to increase productivity and hence promote economic development ofthe Asia Pacific region through mutual cooperation among its membercountries. APO’s programs are implemented in the member countries byorganizations designated by each country’s official representative, and suchorganizations are called National Productivity Organizations (NPOs).

NPOs often have significant roles in the promotion of QC Circle philosophy,such as-Arrangement of observational study missions for management-Training of management, middle management, engineers, and supervisors-Development of Circle associations-Arrangement of international and national conventions on QC Circles-Publication of training materials

Arrangement of observational study missions for managementIn Japan, the study missions visit companies that have installed QC Circles.

1 What is a QCC?

3

They discuss various issues with their counterparts, hear QC Circle casepresentations, and tour company premises to see for themselves the actualimprovements generated by QC Circles.

Training of management, middle management, engineers, and supervisorsThe NPOs invite experts from Japan, usually from the academe or fromcompanies with QC Circles, to conduct training. They also provideconsulting services to these companies, teaching them how to install a QCCircle program.

Development of Circle associationsThe NPOs organize associations with the objective of providing forums forcompanies to talk about their experiences and difficulties in implementation.They also provide venues and other logistical support (e.g., snacks for themembers attending the meetings).

Arrangement of International and national conventions on QC CirclesThe NPOs support the participation of delegates from member countries ininternational conventions by sponsoring their travel expenses and conventionfees. They organize national conventions in cooperation with the Circleassociations.

QC Circle National Conventions, Japan, 2002 (Photo by JUSE)

1 What is a QCC?

4

QC Circle World Convention (Photo by Miyauchi)

Publication of training materialsThey develop training materials (e.g., QC Circle case studies suited to theneeds of the local companies). Thus, it is easy for the companies in thesemember countries to adopt the QC Circle philosophy.

The QC Circle movement not only spread in Asia, but also reached the UnitedStates. A group from Lockheed Missile and Space Company went to Japanin 1974 to learn about the QC Circle phenomenon and went home convincedthat the QC Circle concept could be implemented successfully anywhere aslong as there was management support and people were trainedappropriately. They implemented QC Circles the following year, callingthem Quality Circles (QCs). They dropped the word control because it has astrong connotation. The Circle activities were successful—they were able toreduce the number of defects per thousand man-hours by two-thirds. Twoyears later they surveyed their personnel and found that the majority of theCircle members believed that Quality Circles were useful and the programmust be expanded throughout the company. The Lockheed experienceprompted other companies in the United States to adopt the QC Circleconcept. By the late 1970s the QC Circle movement had spread to GreatBritain, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, and France.

1 What is a QCC?

5

1-2 What is the QC Circle concept?

Organize QC Circle with same-workshop

operators

Establish teamworkthrough full dialogue

in shop

Participate in QCC conferences

and seminars

QCC implementation

plan

Wish to applyphysically whathas been learnt

Jointly beginto study

QC method

Respect humanity and build a happy, bright, meaningful workshop to work in

Respect humanity and build a happy, bright, meaningful workshop to work in

Display human capabilities fully, exploring infinite possibilities

Display human capabilities fully, exploring infinite possibilities

Develop people- building

Develop people- building

Enhance individualcreativity

Enhance individualcreativity

Presentationof case study

Analyze problems in workshopComplaint by

customer

Contribute to the improvement and development of the enterprise

Contribute to the improvement and development of the enterprise

Self-evaluationand

incentives

QC CircleimplementationProblem solution

capability improved

QC Circle Activity Flow ChartFigure 1

1-2-1 Why do we need QC Circle activities?Customers are very difficult to please nowadays. Their demand for betterproducts and better service is never ending. Take the banking sector forinstance. Customers used to be burdened by having to go to the bank to paytheir utility bills, where the time spent for such service was about half anhour—in addition to their travel time. Then came the automatic tellermachine (ATM), which when modified to process payments, reduced the timeit took to pay bills to about one minute, depending on the number of peoplewaiting to use it. Yet the customers still had complaints. This exampleshows that speed of service is not the only determinant of satisfaction.Accuracy of transaction receipts, access to ATMs, and courtesy andcompetence of bank personnel are other determinants of satisfaction on thequality of service. Thus in any company, management must mobilize thewhole organization towards providing products and services that satisfy thecustomers. This means that quality must be ingrained in the mind andheart of every member of the organization; must be built into each process,each raw material, each machine, and each technology; and must be palpableeven in the work environment. This also means that processes have to beimproved; standards have to be defined if they don’t exist, or revised if theydo exist; policies have to be revised; people have to be trained; and machineshave to be replaced if they are no longer efficient.

Making all these changes happen requires a lot of political will frommanagement and a lot of help from the whole organization (executives,middle management, supervisors, and operators), all of whom are expected tobe value-creators for customers as they work together in teams called Quality

1 What is a QCC?

6

Control Circles, or QC Circles.

QC Circle activities are carried out as part of Total Quality Management(TQM), with the objective to develop the members’ capabilities to the fullestand make the workshop a pleasant place to work in order that memberscontribute to the company goal of ensuring customer satisfaction.

The QC Circle provides an opportunity for members to develop their creativethinking as they look for better ways to do their work, which is imperative ascustomers become more demanding and their needs become more varied andcomplex.

As the members study and learn together, their full potential is realized.They understand their work better, they see their importance in the company,they enhance their analytical skills, and they learn new things, not justabout their jobs but also about their company: its vision, mission, and goals;its convention; its partners; its suppliers; and the requirements of itscustomers. And as the QC Circle matures through the years, the membersbecome involved in the improvement efforts of the company; and for them toparticipate actively, the various members’ training needs, which becomediverse over time, must be addressed. Therefore, companies that haveimplemented QC Circles have established a training program for their Circlemembers.

There are various potential benefits brought by Circle activities: overall theproductivity will be enhanced, management’s ability to improve will bedeveloped, and teamwork will be improved through encouragement by bothmanagement and colleagues, resulting in higher morale on the frontlineoperation. The QC Circle activities are essential for the operators but alsofor the management, as such activities are designed to improve therelationship between the two.

1-2-2 Definition of a QC CircleThe QC Circle headquarters of JUSE, which serves as the center forcontinuing education on QC Circles, defines a Circle as “a small group offrontline operators who continually control and improve the quality of theirwork, products and services; they operate autonomously and utilize qualitycontrol concepts, tools and techniques.”

1-2-3 Characteristics of QC CirclesBased on this definition, which has been adopted in many countries, the QCCircle Headquarters enumerates the following features of a QC Circle:

1 What is a QCC?

7

Characteristics of a QC Circle

Small group

Continual control and improvement in the quality of work, products, and service

Autonomous operation

Utilization of quality control concepts, tools and techniques

Part of TQM or company-wide QCC

Self-Development

SMALL GROUPThe Circle is normally composed of three to ten volunteers who come from thesame workshop and are under the same supervisor. Keeping the groupsmall enables the members to participate actively in Circle activities.During meetings for instance, each member has a chance to contribute ideas;whereas, if the group is more than ten, it may happen that a member is notable to contribute an idea because of lack of time, for the Circle usually meetsfor an hour at most. If the group is small, the chances are high thatmembers are able to foster better interpersonal relations and developcohesiveness. Each member is able to define his role and responsibilitiesbetter, making him feel more secure in his job relations and see hisimportance to the group; thus, his self-esteem is developed. If the Circle hasless than three members, it is usually more difficult to get things done,whereas if it has more than ten, the group becomes unwieldy.

The Circle is likened to a small community where everyone is familiar witheveryone, where one’s contribution is easily recognized, and where sense ofbelonging is realized. Coming from the same workshop, it is easier for themto talk about how to improve the way their work is done because they have acommon language, have the same work environment and experiences, areaffected by the same factors, and have one goal.

CONTINUAL CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT THROUGHOUT THEFLOW OF WORKQC Circles continue to look for opportunities for improvement from the timethey receive their inputs to the time they deliver their product or service totheir customers. They employ the concept of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)continual improvement. Because the customer is never satisfied, the Circlesnever stop looking for better ways of doing the work. Once a problem issolved, they move to solve other problems; thus, they are in a never-endingsearch for ways to satisfy the customer.

1 What is a QCC?

8

AUTONOMOUS OPERATIONCircles solve problems in their own workshops; so, they operateautonomously in the sense that they are free to choose the problems to solve,they identify what data to collect in order to better understand why theproblems exist, and their members analyze the problems’ causes amongthemselves (though they sometimes consult other departments that affecttheir work). They analyze these causes in detail until they are able toisolate the most critical cause of the problem. They are on their own whenthey think of possible solutions to eliminate this most critical cause, althoughthey are free to consult supervisors, engineers, or facilitators for ideas. Thedecision on what is the best solution is theirs. Also, they decide how toimplement their solution, confirm that the standard operating procedure isimplemented, and show that the solution is effective.

Since they are the experts in their work, they have the job of identifyingproblems in their workshop, of selecting the one they want to tackle, ofworking out their solution, and of selling their ideas to management. It isalso their job to implement their solutions once they are approved bymanagement, monitor results, and ensure that the problems do not recur.So it is in this context that the QC Circle is practically left on its own incarrying out its activities.

UTILIZATION OF QUALITY CONTROL CONCEPTS, TOOLS ANDTECHNIQUESThe Circle works with the aid of data throughout its problem-solvingactivities. They show that a problem exists by collecting data (using a datacollection form, like a checksheet) that they then summarize and analyzeusing simple statistical tools like graphs, scatter diagrams, cause and effectdiagrams, Pareto diagrams, and histograms. They also use problem-solvingtechniques like matrix diagrams, the What, When, Where, Who, Why, How(5W1H) concept, the Sorting, Systematizing, Sweeping, Sanitizing, Self-discipline (5S) concept, the Man, Machine, Materials, Method, Environment(4M1E), and the Muda (wastefulness), Muri (excessiveness), Mura(dispersion)(3Mu) concept.

PART OF TQM OR A COMPANY-WIDE QCC PROGRAMMany companies introduce Total Quality Management or company-wide QCCircle activities as a company management tool in order to improve thequality of their products and services. In the TQM framework, managementannounces the company’s mission and vision to its employees, and each oneof them plays a significant role in implementing quality managementactivities. QC Circle activities play an essential role in a company’smanagement system, the development of which will lead to an activation ofquality management throughout the company.

SELF-DEVELOPMENTA QC Circle contributes not only to the development of a sound workingenvironment but also to the enhancement of individuals’ abilities and

1 What is a QCC?

9

potentials. In other words, the activities lead also to self-development ofindividuals. Through the activities, each member can develop variousqualities, such as sound personal relations, analytical skills, presentationability, and knowledge on various QC tools.

1-2-4 Objectives of QC Circle Activities

Objectives of QC Circle Activities

Establishment of a pleasant workplace

Establishment of a state of control

Enhancement of morale

Establishment of sound human relations

Better income

Improvement in Quality Assurance

QC Circle Headquarters 1980

ESTABLISHMENT OF A PLEASANT WORKPLACEThe atmosphere of a workplace has two dimensions: the psychological andthe physical. The psychological is usually measured through organizationalclimate surveys in which people are asked about their perceptions ofleadership, availability of information and resources to do their job well,teamwork, rewards and recognition, and job satisfaction. The physicalpertains to orderliness and cleanliness; access to raw materials, tools andmachines; and safety.

It is important that people perceive that their jobs offer opportunities forthem to fully develop their potentials and have a say in how work is done andthat their workplace is conducive to producing quality products and services.When the company’s employees are satisfied, its goal of ensuring customersatisfaction, the ultimate goal of the QC Circle activities, is not difficult toachieve.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE OF CONTROLIt is very important that people operate their tasks according to the specifiedway. As Ishikawa (1981) avers, “Well controlled workshops are those thatobserve agreed standards, take adequate corrective measures or preventivemeasures, remove causes of abnormal or out of control conditions beforeproblems become readily apparent, and revise standards if necessary.” Andthis cannot be done by means of mechanization, automation, and eliminationof manpower—it has to be controlled through human effort.

1 What is a QCC?

10

ENHANCEMENT OF MORALEQC Circle activity is aimed at enhancing the morale of Circle members.Ishikawa (1981, 29) suggests that “the morale should be elevated as anatural consequence of taking part in the activity.” By achieving self-development though QC Circle activities, members can enhance their morale,both as individuals and as members of society.

ESTABLISHMENT OF SOUND HUMAN RELATIONSQC Circles provide a place where people can solve problems with activecommunication toward the achievement of common objectives. It is in thisrespect that a QC Circle can contribute to develop human relations among itsmembers and even with management. Members learn interpersonal skillsthrough their discussion with other members, acquiring a sense for buildingup harmonious relationships.

BETTER INCOMEIn the long run, with company income increases through QC Circle activities,the income of the members will often increase. But we should not think ofsuch increases as direct increases. As it will be stated later in this book, thebenefit of the Circles can be measured not only by tangible impacts but alsoby intangible impacts.

IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY ASSURANCEAs Ishikawa (1981, 34) states, “It is well understood that better qualityassurance is a key to quality control.” There are many accidents andproblems in a workshop that can be addressed in the QC Circles. It is oftenthe case that problems are caused by operators’ minor errors. The ultimategoal of QC Circle activities is to achieve quality assurance. By solvingproblems in the workplace in a systematic manner, the Circle can achievequality assurance in the workplace, which consequently leads toimprovement in the quality of life of the individual operators.


11

2 How to Get Started: QC Circle ActivitiesThe installation of a QC Circle program in a company needs careful planning for it to besuccessful. It cannot be left to chance, because once an attempt to introduce it fails, theeffect on the company’s people may last long. The experiences of some companies, forinstance, show that after an initial failure, people are apathetic to new attempts atintroducing participation-based programs. The companies that implemented QC Circleactivities more successfully followed a roadmap in installing the program, and the generalsteps they took are described in this chapter.

The installation of a QC Circle is normally carried out after taking several preparatorysteps. The QCC concept is commonly introduced where a company-wide quality programsuch as TQM has been already carried out, becoming one of the components of such aframework. There are largely two patterns of adoption of the QCC concept in a company:(1) introducing it as a part of company-wide quality management activity (2) introducing itprior to the deployment of a company-wide quality control program. The procedures of theinstallation vary, depending on which of the two patterns applies. (QC Circle Headquarters1991, 121).

(1) Introducing the QCC concept as a part of TQMIn this case, the management first learns the basic aspects of quality control, seven QCtools, problem solving procedures, and kaizen improvement activities. Managementtake the lead in directing its employees in the line with the company’s mission andvision—utilizing all human resources, from frontline operators to middle management.When the conditions are set for QC Circle activities, the management will announce theintroduction of the concept into the company.

(2) Introduction of the QCC concept prior to the deployment of company-wide qualitycontrol programsThis type of installation is often seen in the service industry. In it, the companyintroduces QCC activities and then learns about quality through those activities.JUSE has suggested the following merits for this approach:- The resistance to introducing TQM will be small, as employees get used to the

quality concepts when they are first introduced through QC Circles.- The dissemination of TQM will be easier, as a foundation for the quality concept will

be already accepted by the employees.

On the other hand, there are also demerits for this approach:- Those who are engaged in the QCC concept will have more knowledge about quality

than will management. As a result, management will not be able to take a lead incompany quality management, which will make them disinterested in qualityactivities.

- From the standpoint of QC Circles, members tend to think that they are the onlyones working hard to make things better, and thus management will be lessrespected by its employees.

- As the QCC program achieves its goal or solves problems, management tends to geta misunderstanding that QCC is the only way for quality management, and thus


12

tends to neglect other quality components (ibid., 121).

Even though we understand that there are two ways of QCC installation, we are goingto focus on the first one listed above, as it has been the most common.

3. Implementation Launch of Pilot CircleTackling of first problem by following the 7 steps of theQC Story 1. Theme selection 2. Current status grasping and goal setting 3. Establishment of activity plan 4. Cause analysis 5. Countermeasure examination and implementation 6. Assessment of effectiveness 7. Standardization and permanent fixCase presentation for managementEvaluation of Pilot Circle

4. Sustaining QCC Implementation of the QCC concept company-wideConduct meetingsEvaluation by Steering Committee and QC Circle Office

6 monthsto 1 year

Figure 2 Stages of QC Circle Development

1. Preparation Preparation of ManagementObservation of QC Circle Competitions and Study ofQCC/TQM

2. Installation Management Declaration of Commitment Establishment and Appointment ofQC Circle organization Steering Committee QCC Office FacilitatorQC Circle installation planIn-house trainingVolunteers for a Pilot Circle

Preparation

2-1 Preparation for Installation of a QC Circle Program

Key Factors in the Preparation Stage

Finding a rationale for QCC activities

Management indoctrinated in QC Circle activities

Management attendance at QC Circle convention


13

Finding a rationale for QCC activitiesIt is important, before starting QCC activities, that management be fully awareof the importance of quality management and be fully convinced that QCC willhave significant impacts on the company’s quality management. Often QCCdevelop a sort of trend in the industry whereby once Company A introduces QCCactivities, so does Company B. This tendency is not undesirable, as it helps toopen the eyes of management to QCC activities, but each company’sestablishment of a unique vision and mission is important, relating them to thepotential QC Circle activities.

Management indoctrinated in QC Circle activitiesThe first step for management is to get to know about QC Circle activities.Although reading books and magazines is one way of learning, it is difficult tograsp the QCC concept without actually seeing the activity. Therefore,management is recommended to attend outside seminars and see how QCCactivities in other companies are organized and how they have contributed tothose companies’ visions and missions.

Management attendance at QC Circle conventionsAttending a QC Circle convention is one way for management to get to knowabout QC Circle activities in other companies. At the convention, selectedCircles will present the history of QCC activities in their organizations, their QCStories, their problem solving processes, and the benefits and other impacts thathave been seen in their daily operations.

Installation

2-2 Establishment and Appointment of a QC Circle OrganizationEstablishing a QC Circle organizationThe installation of the QC Circle program is managed by the QC Circle SteeringCommittee, and the QC Circle Office, which includes facilitators. The QC CircleOffice secretariat reports to the QC Circle Office manager; whereas the facilitatorsreport to the QC Circle Office manager in matters relating to QC Circles and totheir department management in matters pertaining to their other functions.


14

Existing ManagementStructure

CEO/President

Department Head

Manager

Supervisor

Operator


Circle Leader

QCC Office

Chairperson

Circle Members

QC Circle

QC Circle Organization: A Large-Company Example

Figure 3

<QCC Structure>

Facilitator

2-2-1 QC Circle Steering CommitteeThe QC Circle Steering Committee is composed of senior management chosenby the TQM Steering Committee and is chaired by the president (figure 4).It oversees and provides direction for the implementation of the QC Circleprogram. Its roles are as follows.

Figure 4

CEO/President

R & DDepartment


Production Department

QualityDepartment

AdministrationDepartment

Human ResourceDepartment

QCC SteeringCommittee

Chairperson

Committee Members


QCC Office

QCC


15

Roles of the QC Circle Steering Committee: 1) Define the ultimate goal of the QC Circle program in the company.2) Formulate a master plan for the installation of the program.3) Formulate a plan on how to recognize the exemplary performance of

Circles, members, leaders and facilitators.4) Formulate a plan on how to monitor and evaluate the components of the

QC Circle program.5) Formulate a budget for the program and identify sources of funds.6) Define qualifications and functions of facilitators.7) Act on concerns that may be raised by the QC Circle Office, the facilitators,

or the QC Circles themselves.8) Evaluate the overall status of the QC Circle program, including training,

rewards and recognition, promotional activities, and procedures forevaluation of QC Circle case studies and activities.

9) Formulate corrective and preventive actions based on findings in theevaluation.

2-2-2 QC Circle OfficeThe QC Circle Office is responsible for the day-to-day management of the QCCircle activities in the company. Specifically, the Office implements policiesand plans formulated by the QC Circle Steering Committee; handles allpaperwork and maintains records such as the QC Circle registry, minutes ofmeetings, and QC Circle case studies; provides support to the QC CircleSteering Committee and the leaders; and organizes promotional activitieslike company-wide conventions. Service in the QC Circle Office is usually aconcurrent assignment of facilitators.

(1) Training facilitators(2) Coordinating training courses, working closely with the department heads(3) Assisting leaders in their QC Circle activities(4) Motivating QC Circle leaders and members(5) Conducting QC Circle case presentations(6) Coordinating QC Circle activities(7) Approving QC Circle actions referred to them, such as those that have been found not to violate public law or regulation or company regulations

Basic Functions of a QC Circle Office


16

(1) It implements the policies and plans formulated by the QC Circle Steering Committee.(2) It handles all paperwork and maintains records like the QC Circle registry, minutes of meetings, and QC Circle cases.(3) It provides support to the QC Circle Steering Committee and the leaders.(4 )It organizes promotional activities like competitions and visits to other companies with QC Circles

Responsibility of a QC Circle Office

2-2-3 Appointment of FacilitatorsFacilitators, who are chosen from among the managers, comprise a keyelement that greatly influences the success of the QC Circle program,especially at the beginning of its development. In manufacturing companiesthe facilitators are often experienced manufacturing engineers.

(1) Training leaders(2) Coordinating training courses, working closely with the department heads(3) Assist leaders in their QC Circle activities(4) Motivating QC Circle leaders and members(5) Arranging QC Circle case presentations(6) Coordinating QC Circle activities(7) Approving QC Circle actions referred to them like those that have been found not to violate public law or regulation or company regulation

Basic Functions of a Facilitator

Each department selects one to three facilitators, depending on the size of thecompany. In the beginning, one facilitator is usually assigned to three QCCircles. The QC Circle leaders call on the facilitator when they needsupport during meetings.


17

　　　　　　　　　Facilitators

Management

ProductionDepartment

QualityDepartment


FacilitatorFacilitatorFacilitator


QC Circle Office

Figure 5

QCCs QCCsQCCs

Facilitator(full time)

(part time)dual function

2-2-4 Appointment of QC Circle LeadersParticipation in the basic activity of a QCC is normally on a voluntary basis,yet there are several ways in which a Circle’s leaders are actually selected.In new Circles, supervisors often play the role of leader, because they arevery familiar with the workplace and possess certain pertinent personalqualifications. Some Circles have their members take turns being theleaders, and others elect their leaders, but these approaches have thepotential to create a dictatorial environment for leaders who are not wellqualified for the role. Also, leaders can be tempted to choose themes thatare easy to solve. Therefore, a Circle leader must be selected carefully,particularly when it is at the beginning of its activities. After a few years ofQCC implementation, when the QC methods are well disseminated, Circlesare able to select leaders (or theme leaders) depending on the themes thatthey are going to tackle.


18

(1) Conducting QC Circle meetings(2) Deciding roles of individuals and proceeding QC Circle activity(3) Learning QCC tools and techniques(4) Disseminating what is learned in (3) above(5) Trying to improve members’ abilities(6) Establishing annual activity plan(7) Encouraging members(8) Doing administrative work for the QC Circle Office(9) Participating in industry-wide conventions(10) Studying about QC Circle activities and disseminating the knowledge(11) Seeking advise and support from the QCC Office on behalf of its members

Basic Functions of a Circle Leader

Implementation

2-3 Launch of a Pilot CircleAs in anything that is new, the QC Circle program should be tried first on a smallscale, in one to three departments. The company needs to have some priorexperience with QC Circles in order to manage a company-wide implementationsuccessfully. In the beginning of the program, it is important that the first-linesupervisors, who are closest to the frontline operators and are well familiar withthem and their operations, lead the activities.

It is critical that the first-line supervisors start and participate in the activities ona voluntary basis so as to encourage their subordinates to volunteer as well. Anyinitiative to direct their members to participate should be avoided, as directingintroduces the notion of commanding or controlling.

The implementation stage consists of organizing a pilot Circle, training itsmembers, solving its first problem, presenting the case to management, and thenevaluating the pilot Circle. Following is a flowchart of a pilot QCC’s activities atits implementation stage.


19

Figure 6 Implementation Procedure Flowchart

First-line supervisor submits implementation plan

First-line supervisor asks for volunteers

Leader registers QC Circle

Leader establishes one-year meeting schedule

Leader trains members

QC Circle tackles first problem

QC Circle presents case to management

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Pilot Circle evaluated8.

1. First-line Supervisor Submits Implementation PlanThe pilot Circle is organized, on a voluntary basis, by the first-line supervisor,who acts as its leader. He formulates his implementation plan and submitsthis to the QC Circle Office.


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QC Circle Leader’s Implementation Plan

Jan Feb Mar Apr MayJun Jul AugSept Oct Nov Dec

Brainstorming:Theme Selection

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Brainstorming:Cause Identification

Group DiscussionRoot-Cause Isolation

CountermeasuresEstablishment

Implementation ofCountermeasures

Review of Results

Evaluation ofOutcome

Standardization ofCountermeasures

Figure 7

2. First-line Supervisor Asks for VolunteersThe first-line supervisor invites his people and explains, with the assistance ofthe facilitator assigned to his department, the following topics:

What a QC Circle is

Why they are needed in our company

What the prime objective of QC Circle

activity in our workshop is What the benefits to the company are

What is in it for us How we will participate

Pilot Circle leader

3. Leader Registers the QC CircleIf there are at least four volunteers, the QC Circle leader organizes a Circle and


21

formally registers it with the QC Circle Office. When registering they areoften required to provide the following information, which must be decided onby the Circle during its first meeting.

� QC Circle name� QC Circle logo� QC Circle leader

� Members (with simple bio data)� Facilitator� Meeting schedule

The QC Circles are required to register so that the company knows that theyexist and the QC Circle Office can provide them the necessary support.

A Sample QC Circle Registration FormFigure 8

QC Circle Registration Form Branch/Department: Phone no.

Division/Area: Group: Head:

QC Name: Date Organized:

Frequency of Meetings:

QC Leader:

Asst. Leader:

Members:

Facilitator:

4. Leader Establishes One-hour Meeting ScheduleMost of the activities of the QC Circles are done through meetings, so it isnecessary to consider how to eliminate members’ boredom during meetings,especially when they study the QC Circle concept, behavior science, and othercustomer satisfaction concepts. This is why the QC Circle should meet twice amonth for the first year. The duration of these meetings is usually for an hour.This way, the leader is able to hold the attention of the members. Figure 9 is atypical QC Circle meeting agenda.


22

A Sample of QC Circle Meeting Schedule

Subject

0 ～ 05′Greeting, roll call, review of last meeting’s assignments, confirmation of today’s agenda

05 ～ 10′Group discussion on subject- Ideas submitted to leader on short memos

10 ～ 20′

20 ～ 40′

- Summarize submitted memos- Prepare a table for easy review

- Consolidate ideas

40 ～ 50′- Confirm consolidated ideas- Discuss remaining ideas

50 ～ 55′

55 ～ 60′

- Wrap up discussion- Record conclusion and items for discussion- Ask facilitator for comments- Confirm assignments- Announce next meeting’s agenda- Adjourn meeting

Figure 9

Time

5. Leader Trains MembersBased on the curriculum prepared by the QC Circle Office, the leader teachesmembers, with the assistance of the QC Circle Office secretariat. Usually, theleader handles technical topics, like the QC Story, the tools, and the techniques.Training sessions are best held in the morning (for two hours), when members’minds are still fresh.

The following is a list of topics usually taught in the QC Circle meetings.


23

Issues to be Taught in QC Circle Training

1. The importance of customers Be thorough in Quality Assurance

2. Utilization of data Make good use of QCC tools

3. Usage of management cycle Introduce the PDCA cycle

4. The importance of tools Make good use of QCC tools

5. Concentration measures Make use of the Pareto diagram

6. Search for root causes Examine the cause and effect diagram

7. Pursuit of all causes Be conscious about quality

8. Importance of processes Fully standardize the process

ISSUES POINTS

Figure 10 is an example of a training course outline for the Circle members.

Figure 10 Training Course Outline for MembersTopic Description Number

of hoursConcept ofQC Circles

1. Birth of QC Circles in Japan2. Spread of QC Circles in other countries3. Description of a QC Circle, its objectives4. QC Circle organization5. Importance of QC Circles

1.0

Installation of QCCircles in a company

1. Preparation phase2. Pilot phase3. Company-wide implementation4. How to sustain QC Circle activities5. Roles of the QC Circle Steering Committee,

QC Circle Office, department management,facilitators, leaders, and members

1.0

QC Circle activities 1. PDCA concept2. QC Story3. Tools and techniques4. QC Circle case study

12.0

Benefits, elements ofsuccess, andimpediments

1. Benefits to the members, to the leaders,and to the company

2. Elements of success3. Impediments

1.0

Total number of hours 15.0


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6. Pilot Circle Holds Meetings: QC Circle tackles first problemThe QC Circle is now ready to tackle its first problem using the Quality ControlStory approach. The first problem chosen should be a simple one (e.g.,housekeeping, the 5S concept, or safety) so that the Circle is able to solve itwithin a short period of time. Solving one problem will often give themembers a sense of accomplishment and motivate them to pursue otherproblems they experience in their work.

Circles meet to study further the QC Circle concepts, tools, and techniques thatthey learned in their training. Once they are confident of their level ofunderstanding, then they start to act on their theme. A Circle spends at leasteighteen meetings in completing a theme before presenting it to management.

The details for each meeting will be covered in chapter 3.

QC Circle Activity ProcedureFigure 11

Training

Organize QC Circle

Select a Leader

Register QC Circle

What kind ofproblems dowe have?

Selection of Theme

Grasping of Current Status and Setting ofGoals

Establishment of Activity Plan

Cause Analysis

Examination of Countermeasuresand Their Implementation

Standardization and Permanent Fix

Assessment of Effectiveness

Presentation to Managers

If Goal not met

Start!


25

Elements of Successful QC Circle meetings

� QC Circle meetings kept lively

� Facilitator support provided, when needed

� Logistical support provided

QC Circle meetings kept livelyIt is necessary for the QC Circle Office to evaluate every member’s attitude andbehavior during meetings. It wants to ensure that meetings are lively so thatmembers always look forward to them, anticipating the chance to share theircreative ideas and listen to those of their teammates. Every meeting must meetmembers’ expectations. There must be a conscious effort on the part of theleader and the facilitator to ensure the following ingredients for effectivemeetings:

1. Members actively participate in discussions2. Members are committed to the tasks assigned to them3. Members listen to each other at all times4. Discussions are thorough, open, and to the point5. Disagreements are accepted6. Members are comfortable in examining the causes of disagreement and work

toward a resolution7. Members are eager to perform well and continually seek to improve8. The leader provides necessary direction and encourages members to share in

the leadership

For any negative observation, the facilitator must be quick to discuss this with theleader and work out a resolution together.

Facilitator support provided, when neededWhenever a QC Circle meets and the leader requests assistance from thefacilitator, it is important that this is provided. In circumstances whendepartment facilitators are not able to provide the necessary support, they shouldfind suitable substitutes to meet the requests.

Logistical support providedQC Circles must be furnished with office supplies such as stationery, notebooks,flip charts, and colored pens. It is important that Circles have a place wherethey can meet comfortably and discuss their themes freely. They should haveaccess to equipment like overhead projectors, computers, and slide projectors.


26

In some companies, meeting rooms are designated solely for the use of Circles.These rooms have white/black boards, flip chart stands, overhead projectors, andscreens. Supplies like stationery should also be provided. Since there are moreCircles than rooms, the use of the rooms is scheduled by the facilitator.

7. QC Circle Presents Case to ManagementWhen the QC Circle finishes its case, it presents it to the departmentmanagement. The case is presented for one of two purposes—namely, to informmanagement of their improvement efforts or to get management’s support for theimplementation of their solution. For this presentation, non-Circle personnelfrom the workshop are invited so they get a chance to see what a QC Circle doesand what benefits can be derived from its activities. This is also an occasion formanagement to recognize the members for volunteering to be part of this pilotphase.

The department management evaluates the case based on how effectively theCircle used the QC Story, the tools, and the techniques. Evaluation criteria aresummarized in a checklist, which is used as a guide when giving comments to theQC Circle about its project (figure 12).

Evaluation Checklist for Beginner QC Circles’Case Presentations

Selection of clearly identified themes to be tackled by members

1. Theme Selection

Use of data and examination of isolated causes

Use of fishbone charts for cause isolation

2. Analysis

Clear establishment of countermeasures

3. Countermeasures

Observed result of value to the company

4. Effectiveness

Understanding of areas for recurrent preventive action

5. Standardization

Figure 12

If the Chairman of the QC Circle Steering Committee is available at the time ofthe presentation, it is recommended that he attends and gives his comments.The facilitator also evaluates the case, using the following parameters: how theCircle identified the problem, the degree of member participation in the case


27

study, the extent they followed the QC Story, the utilization of the QC tools andtechniques, and the level of satisfaction of the department management.

QC Circle Case Evaluation ChecklistEvaluation

CriteriaEvaluation Point Marks

1. Theme Establishment (20 marks)

1) Was the theme established by all members participating in the studies?2) Was the theme established in line with needs and importance?3) Is the anticipated solution effective enough?

2. Members’ Participation (20 marks)

1) Is each member attending the meetings?2) Is any necessary cooperation being furnished by a related organization?3) Are members positively supporting the activity?

3. Adequacy of Activity　 Proceeding (40 marks)

4. Utilization of Various Analysis Techniques (10 marks)

1) Was an adequate analysis technique utilized during each step?2) Were the QC techniques appropriately employed?3) Was any remarkable analysis technique specifically observed?

5. Management Satisfaction (10 marks)

1) Did the manager fully recognize the achievement?2) Did the manager recognize that the accomplishment resulted from the QC Circle activity?3) Was the manager satisfied with the leader’s action?

Evaluation Item Evaluation Item Marks1. Accomplishment of goal (10 marks)

1) Was the goal adequately established?2) Was the established goal fully met?

2. Analysis

(10 marks)

1) Was the past data fully available?2) Was the analysis deep enough to find true cause?3) Was the QC technique skillfully utilized?

0 　 10 　 20

0 　　 10 20

0 　　 20 40

0 　　 5 10

0 　 5 10

3. QC Circle activity (10 marks)

1) Was teamwork effectively displayed?2) Was positive cooperation gained?

4. Validation (5 marks)

1) Was the revealed result fully validated?2) Was the problem encountered during the validation process identified definitely?

5. Standardization (5 marks)

1) Was every necessary action for full standardization taken?

1 5 10

1 5 10

1 5 10

1 3 5

1 3 5

Figure 13

Total point 100

Aside from the department-based case presentation, it is recommended that theQC Circle Office organize division and company-wide presentation of cases tochallenge and encourage others to organize their own QC Circles.

8. Pilot Circle EvaluatedIt is necessary to evaluate the pilot Circle before proceeding to the company-wideimplementation of the QCC concept, so that the positive lessons are sustainedand the negative lessons are addressed to prevent recurrence. The evaluation isnormally conducted by the QC Circle Steering Committee, the QC Circle Office,the facilitators, the department management where the pilot QC Circle wasorganized, the leaders, and the members.

The facilitators, leaders, and members also assess their level of satisfaction withtheir own competence and performance, via checklists. The members can alsoevaluate the leader using the Leader’s Competencies Checklist, and the leadercan evaluate individual members using the Member’s Competencies Checklist.


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Figure 14 Facilitator’s Competencies Checklist Level of Satisfaction



1. Ability to teach QC Circle concept to leaders 2 1 02. Ability to teach QC Story to leaders 2 1 03. Ability to teach QC tools to leaders 2 1 04. Ability to teach QC Circle techniques to leaders 2 1 05. Ability to provide technical support to leaders 2 1 06. Ability to provide moral support to leaders 2 1 07. Ability to monitor and report progress of QC Circles 2 1 08. Ability to sustain Circle enthusiasm 2 1 09. Ability to get necessary support from management 2 1 010. Ability to attend QC Circle meetings regularly 2 1 0

Figure 15 Leader’s Competencies Checklist Level of Satisfaction



1. Ability to teach QC Circle concept to members 2 1 02. Ability to teach QC Story to members 2 1 03. Ability to teach QC tools to members 2 1 04. Ability to teach QC Circle techniques to members 2 1 05. Ability to encourage members to participate in discussions 2 1 06. Ability to keep meetings on track 2 1 07. Ability to get Circle to implement actions as planned 2 1 08. Ability to get members to help in the preparation of case presentation materials 2 1 09. Ability to encourage members to participate in case presentation 2 1 010. Ability to encourage Circle to tackle next theme 2 1 0

Figure 16 Member’s Competencies Checklist Level of Satisfaction



1. Understanding of QC Circle concept 2 1 02. Understanding of QC Story 2 1 03. Understanding of QC tools 2 1 04. Understanding of QC Circle techniques 2 1 05. Participation in discussions 2 1 06. Contribution in keeping meetings on track 2 1 07. Contribution to implementation of actions as planned 2 1 08. Contribution in the preparation of case presentation materials 2 1 09. Participation in case presentation 2 1 010. Willingness to tackle next theme 2 1 0

The leader also assesses the QC Circle case using the same parameters used bythe facilitator: the method the Circle used to identify the problem, the level ofmembers’ participation in the case study, the extent they followed the QC Story,the utilization of QC tools and techniques, and the level of satisfaction of the


29

department management.

A QC Circle meeting in atelecommunications company(Photo by JUSE)

A QC Circle meeting in amachinery-manufacturingcompany (Photo by JUSE)

Sustaining QC Circle Activities

2-4 Implementation of a Company-wide QCC ProgramGiven the experience of the pilot Circle, the company is now ready to organizemore QC Circles and the number depends on the size of the company and theplans of its QC Circle Steering Committee. The training procedure for aninterested first-line supervisor is the same as that for the pilot Circle leader. Asthe number of Circles increases, several ways of systematically monitoring all QCCircle activities are employed. The following are some additional issues that areimportant during the company-wide implementation of QC Circles.

Facilitator Meets Circle Leaders Monthly

QC Circle Office Secretariat Meets FacilitatorsEvery Other Month

Evaluation

1.

2.

3.

Figure 17 Sustaining QC Circle Activities

Installation of More QC Circles

4.

1. Installation of More QC CirclesOnce a pilot circle has been proved successful, the company can hold alaunching ceremony and provide a chance to gather new members to join theQC Circle activity. The objective of this activity is to provide a forum for thepresident, who is the chairman of the QCC Steering Committee, to talk abouthis commitment to QC Circles, to explain why QC Circles are important to thecompany, to give an overview of the plans, and to enjoin his people to support


30

the program. All levels of management and all the rank and file employeesare invited to the launching. It is usually held during office hours, therebyconveying the message that the program is important to the company.

In some Asian countries, the atmosphere is made festive by giving souvenirs(e.g., pencils, ballpoint pens, notepads) to those who attend. These items maycarry QC Circle slogans like “Have fun, be a QC Circle member!” In somecompanies, snacks are provided after the speech of the president. This giveshim a chance to go around while people are eating and engage them indiscussions. He can also ask what they think of QC Circles. For some of theemployees, it may be their first time to see him; so, when he asks them howthey are, it can mean a lot.

To get more people to attend the launching ceremony, some companies holdconventions or contests prior to the ceremony and announce the winners afterthe speech of the president. Examples focal points of such contests areslogans, posters, jingle compositions, and essay writing, all geared towardsencouraging people to learn more about QC Circles and eventually join them.

Pictures of the highlights of the event are taken for later display on bulletinboards or in the newsletter. If the event was captured on video, it can beplayed in the cafeteria, with the intention of reminding everyone of theobjectives of the company in installing the program. The speech of thepresident can be played again and again for better understanding of hismessage, given the possibility that not everyone heard and understood himduring the ceremony. The launching ceremony usually lasts between 30minutes and 1 hour.

2. Monthly Meeting of Facilitator with Circle LeadersEach leader prepares a status report every month, indicating in which stepsCircle members and leaders encounter difficulties. He reports this duringthe meeting with other leaders. Collectively they come up with correctiveand preventive actions to address all of the Circle members’ difficulties. Themeeting duration is one hour.


31

Minutes of Leaders MeetingFigure 18

Facilitators fill in the date when each step is accomplished.QC Circle Name Smilies Challenge Dr. Smoke

Leader NameHanaYamada

TaroSuzuki

MitsuruSaito

1 Theme Selection

2 Grasping Status and Goal Setting

3 Establishment of Activity Plan17 Feb

25 Feb

4 Cause Analysis2 Mar

5Examination of Countermeasuresand Their Implementation

6 Assessment of Effectiveness

7 Standardization and Permanent Fix

Q

C S

tory

Ste

ps

3. Every-Other-Month Meeting of QC Circle Office Secretariat with FacilitatorsThe objective of this meeting is to provide a venue for the facilitators to talkabout their experiences and learn from each other. The QC Circle Officesecretariat summarizes the overall status of the Circles based on the minutesof the leaders meeting submitted by the facilitators.

The QC Circle Office secretariat prepares the minutes of each meeting, whichinclude the date, time and venue of the meeting; attendees; overall status ofthe QC Circle activities; concerns of the facilitators; and things to do (figure19).


32

Figure 19

Minutes of Facilitators Meeting

Facilitators Meeting

Held on , at

Present

Status of QC Circle Activities

QC Circle Name No. of Meetings ProblemStatement

Status (IndicateStep in QC Story)

Concerns and Action PlansAction PlansConcerns

To Do List (for next meeting)What to Do Person(s) Responsible

Next MeetingDate/Time/Venue

Agenda

4. EvaluationThe evaluation done in this phase is basically the same as the evaluation doneduring the pilot phase. The QC Circle Steering Committee does an overallevaluation based on planned activities, goals and budget; and the QC CircleOffice does an evaluation of specific activities, such as progress of Circles,training, promotional activities, and its support to Circles. The facilitators,leaders, and members evaluate themselves and each other’s support to theCircles.

Evaluation ChartFigure 20

1stperiod

2ndperiod

a Theme Finished 1 2b Intangible Achievement 1 5c Tangible Achievement 10 20d Attendance Ratio 90 80e Speaking Out Ratio 75 90f Meeting Frequency 10 13g Duration (minutes) 35 40

hManagement CasePresentation 1 2

Evaluation


33

Evaluation Radar Chart(a) Theme Finished

(h) Management Case Presentation

(b) IntangibleAchievement

(c) Tangible Achievement

(g) Duration

(f) Meeting Frequency

(e) Speaking Out Ratio

(d) Attendance Ratio

50

50%

30 60

5

6

12

18

1

1

2

2 3

3

4

4

5

100%

10

100% 50%

2nd Period

1st Period

Figure 21

� Evaluation by the QC Circle Steering CommitteeIt is important that the QC Circle Steering Committee assesses the progress ofthe program on a regular basis; most companies do it quarterly. This is toensure that corrective and preventive actions are taken in cases where plansand goals are not achieved and budgets are not kept.

� Evaluation by the QC Circle OfficeThe QC Circle Office has many concerns at this stage. They have to addressthe varying training needs of leaders and members. Some will need refreshercourses, especially on the tools, whereas others will need supplementalcourses on topics such as how to make meetings more effective. The Officemust determine whether they are able to respond fully to these needs at anytime.

� Evaluation by FacilitatorsThe facilitators, too, have to evaluate their own capabilities, performance, andlevel of enthusiasm, in order to head off any risk of burnout. They can usethe Facilitator’s Competencies Checklist for this. It is recommended that theQC Circle Office manager or the QC Circle Office secretariat use this checklistto evaluate the facilitators and to discuss what actions to take forimprovement in facilitators’ capabilities. The facilitators make quarterlyevaluations of the QC Circles assigned to them. They can use radar charts togive pictorial representations of their evaluations (figures 20 and 21).


34

� Evaluation by Department ManagementUsing the radar chart of each Circle in its department and the facilitators’Circle Activity Status Report, the department management makes its ownassessment of the progress of those Circles. Together with facilitators andleaders, it formulates corrective and preventive actions—it also makes anevaluation of any Circle case presented to it. If a Circle is just starting, thedepartment management uses the Evaluation Checklist for Beginning QCCircles. If the Circle is at a slightly advanced stage, it uses the followingcriteria: theme selection, analysis, countermeasures, effectiveness ofcountermeasures, standardization, future plan and case presentation (figure22).

Evaluation Checklist for Slightly Advanced QCCircles’ Case Presentations

A) Identifiable theme for maintenance or improvementB) Goal defined by qualitative value

1. Theme Selection

A) Stratification fully utilized B) Pareto diagram correctly usedC) Cause and effect diagram correctly usedD) Analysis procedure followed as taughtE) Appropriateness of any trial action taken to define the right actions

2. Analysis

A) Actions determined by analysisB) Actions taken according to schedules

3. Countermeasures

A) Results evaluated by unit that established goalB) Evaluation is pictorially represented by graphing

4. Effectiveness

A) Appropriateness of any action taken to revise the SOP* or insert additional check items

5. Standardization

A) Self-examination considering the future plan6. Future Plan

A) Presented clearlyB) Clear visual aids

7. Case presentation

Figure 22

*SOP: Standardized Operational Procedure

� Evaluation by Leaders and MembersAs in the cases for pilot leaders and members, new Circle leaders andmembers also assess the level of their satisfaction, both of their owncapabilities and of the support given to the Circle. They can use the Leader’sCompetencies Checklist and the Member’s Competencies Checklist. Theyalso evaluate their own Circle and show it pictorially in a radar chart.

5. Necessary Arrangements for Sustainable QCC Implementation� Monitoring BoardSome companies have a bulletin board in their QC Circle Offices, in theircanteens, and in each department, where the status of the activities of thedifferent Circles is plotted, including the names of the current leaders andmembers. Sometimes if the size of the board allows it, a picture of the Circleis also posted.


35

A QC Circle monitoringboard in a factory (Photoby JUSE)

� Company NewsletterNewsletters are a very effective way of publicizing the progress of Circleactivities and motivating the concerned. For example, if the pictures ofsuccessful Circles are shown in the newsletter, those who are on track areinstilled with pride and those who are not on track can find resolve to getthere. The amount of column space reserved for QC Circle activities (asmany as eight pages in some companies, only a corner of a page in others)depends on the regular number of pages of the newsletter.

Newsletter inclusion of the QC Circle cases that have been presented tomanagement, in addition to publishing of the status of QC Circle activities, isanother positive idea. Sometimes the department that has the most numberof active QC Circles is featured, including photos related to conventions,training conducted for leaders, members, or facilitators, or any other QCCircle–related event.

NEWSLETTER EXAMPLEExamples of newsletters(Photo by DBJ)

3 QC Story

36

3 QC StoryWe saw in an earlier chapter that QC Circles were organized in Japan as a way of gettingoperators to participate in quality control activities. In order to be efficient and effectivein their problem-solving activities, members follow the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, inwhich they plan for improvement, implement what is planned, check and analyze what hasbeen implemented, and act based on the results of the checks.

This problem-solving process is commonly referred to as the QC Story. Each Story showshow QCC members solve a problem in a systematic PDCA manner. By looking at thesestories, therefore, those who are not part of the QCC can also learn the problem-solvingprocesses for their own use. This chapter will direct leaders on what a QC Story is, how itis organized, what its benefits are, and how it is to be monitored. Evaluation andmonitoring play important roles in improving QCC activities. The chapter also discussesthe role of management in evaluating a QC Story.

3-1 What is a QC StoryThe problem-solving processes of QCC activities will be often presented in theform of a QC Story. Initially this method was used to report Circles’ activitiesafter they had solved their problems. Later it became what is now a problem-solving process. This process is a very effective method for addressing not onlychronic problems in the workplace but also unforeseen problems and issues forwhich the causes have not been identified. Following the standard flow of stories,the QCC members summarize the procedures and identify the main factors in theprocesses. The following is a depiction of the seven major steps in establishing aQC Story.

Figure 23

DC

7 Stages of the QC Story

5. Examination of Countermeasures and Their Implementation



1. Theme Selection



4. Cause Analysis

Try again!

A P

3 QC Story

37

3-2 Why do we use the QC Story?QC Circles follow a problem-solving process that provides guidelines for processesto be taken in order to run QCC activities. But why do we need to follow aprocess? Why not follow our own ideas and procedures? Why are guidelines soimportant?

The reason is that in problem-solving procedures, it is very important to analyzethe data and provide appropriate judgment according to scientific evidence. Inother words, operators on the floor should observe conditions, collect data, andanalyze the problems using the evidence taken from the observation. If one doesnot rely on data, but rather make judgment based on one’s own experiences andinstinct, the problem is unlikely to be solved in the fastest and most efficient way.However, if, instead, one uses an already existing procedure, while making use ofones own specialized skills, it will lead to an efficient way of solving problems.

Some have noted that problem-solving procedure is patterned and organized in away that everybody is assured to reach a solution in the most efficient way. Mostanyone who uses this procedure can solve even difficult problems in a fast andefficient way.

3-3 QC Story ProcedureEach stage of the Story has steps that are common to all cases. The following isthe detailed flow of processes. The steps in problem solving are explained in thischapter, but the tools and techniques will be explained in chapter 4.

1. Theme Selection

At the first stage, members select a theme from among the problems in theworkplace—a theme concerning problems for which they think solutions would bemost beneficial. This is to provide clear vision on the objectives for the activity.Members ask themselves, “What kinds of problems do we have and how do weimprove them?” � Select a theme to tackle

A process to deliver products or services consists of activities carried out tocomplete a job. Suppose that we know a process has a problem, but do notknow exactly which part of the process causes the problem, and to whatextent. The QC Circle cannot study all of the activities of its work sectionsimultaneously, so it has to focus on the most critical part of the process,which is determined by factors like the number of customers affected,potentials for bottlenecks, the number of complaints, and so on. If themost critical part of the process is not obvious, then the QC Circle can use amatrix diagram to arrive at a decision.

3 QC Story

38


After a theme is selected, members try to understand the current situation of theproblem. They list all of the possible problems related to the process, use data tovalidate that the “problems” are indeed problems, select the priority problem, andagain use data to define the extent of this problem. The main objective of thesesteps is to gather information and grasp the status of the problem so thatmembers can establish a detailed set of goals.

An investigation in a machinery-manufacturing company (Photo by JUSE)

� List all possible problems related to the processBrainstorming can be used to get each member’s ideas as to what problemsexist in the workshop. Not everything identified will necessarily be aproblem (e.g., some causes of problems might be mentioned), so at the endof the brainstorming session, the QC Circle must determine whether eachidea is a problem or is a cause of a problem. A business process has bothinputs and outputs. The inputs come from suppliers or service providers,and the outputs go to customers. Anything negative about the input is acause of a problem; and anything negative about the output is a problem.Here is an example to illustrate it.

Example: Ordering in a Restaurant

Process: Order-taking in a restaurantProcessor: WaiterOrder Source: CustomerInput: OrderOutput of the waiter: Filled-out order slipProblem: Wrong order servedCause: Order not written correctly

because waiter did not hear it clearly

3 QC Story

39


Based on the data acquired in the second stage, the members establish an activityplan, according to the 5W1H concept. In this concept, five W questions and oneH question are addressed. The members decide the issues to be tackled (what),the rationale for tackling them (why), the detailed time scheduling of the program(when), and the place and resource allocation (where, and who and how).

How to establish an activity plan1. Confirm the problems

Brainstorming is based on opinion, so the ideas classified as problems mustbe confirmed with data. The need to speak with facts rather than opinionshas to be stressed because we all have opinions and very often they are alldifferent. This makes it very difficult for the Circle to arrive at a decisionand may lead to frustration. Checksheets and other forms are used for easycollection, summarization, and analysis of data. (The details ofbrainstorming are further discussed in chapter 4.)

2. Select a high priority problemThe choice of a high priority problem is based on the data collected in step 1.If data is not readily available, the QC Circle can use a matrix diagram toarrive at a high priority problem. Confirm the problem. Once the problemhas been selected and confirmed, the Circle states it from the customer’s pointof view—like was done in the restaurant example: “Wrong order was served.”

3. Define the extent of the problemThe extent of the problem must be defined in quantifiable terms (e.g., fromJanuary to March 2002, 30 percent of the orders were not processed correctly).

This is a very important step because it establishes the baseline data and it willbe used later as a reference in measuring improvement generated by the Circle.A mere statement to the effect that there was reduction in incorrect ordersserved is insufficient; the reduction has to be backed up by data. Therefore, ifhistorical data is not available, the QC Circle must collect data as the process isbeing done (e.g., by tallying how many orders are correctly served and howmany are not).

4. Establish a goalThe goal must be based on data; it must be quantified and time-bound (e.g., thefilling out of order slips must be done correctly 100 percent of the time by theend of the second term in 2002).

4. Cause Analysis

The main objective of this stage is to confirm which measures can be taken forwhat kinds of problems. After a theme is selected, the causes and effects of

3 QC Story

40

problems are to be identified. This is the most important stage of the process, asit identifies the root causes of the problems and shows what needs to be changed.In problem-solving processes, it is very important that results are examined inline with causes, thus identifying the cause–effect relationship. Membersconsider all possible causes of the problem and see if there is any correlationamong them. Then they use data to verify the causes, narrow these down to rootcauses, and finally select the most critical root cause. They then consider allpossible solutions to eliminate the most critical root cause, select the best solution,and establish a detailed plan on how to implement it.

How to proceed cause analysis1. List all possible causes of the problem

The Circle brainstorms on the causes of the problem. A very importantquestion in this step begins with the word why. Why are the ordersincorrectly served? The Circle members enumerate their answers to thisquestion until they have exhausted all possible causes.

2. Show relation among the causesAfter enumerating the causes, the Circle groups the related causes accordingto man, method, machine, materials, and environment (4M1E; explained inchapter 4 section 3-7). And to show relation among the causes, the causeand effect diagram is used. Once the causes are fitted into the cause andeffect diagram, the Circle asks “why?” again for each cause. The more times“why?” is asked, the more extensive is the analysis.

3. Identify the causesThe cause and effect diagram is a structured brainstorming, so it is alsobased on opinion. It is necessary, therefore, to identify the causes usingdata. A cause is valid if there is proof both that it occurs and that when itoccurs, the problem exists. For example, the Circle may say that one causeof serving something other than what a dining customer ordered is that theorder slip was not filled in correctly. To assert this, they have to establishthat there is a correlation between serving wrong orders and incorrectlyfilling out order slips.

4. Select root causesFrom the valid causes, the QC Circle selects the root causes. If there is adirect relationship between the cause and the problem and this cause is seenrepeatedly in the cause and effect diagram, then it is a root cause.

5. Select most critical root causeAmong the root causes, the Circle selects the one that is most directly relatedto the problem. Voting can be used to decide which root cause to work on.

6. List all possible ways to eliminate the most critical root causeAgain the QC Circle brainstorms to generate ideas from the members. Theleader must be able to challenge the members to be creative, to let go of theirpreconceptions. If a QC Circle hits a mental block—that is, it is not able to

3 QC Story

41

come up with ideas—it leaves the list where everyone can see it (e.g., on awall in the workplace) and add new ideas easily. This helps provide alonger list for consideration at the next meeting.

7. Select a best solutionThe suggested solutions must be carefully evaluated and tested for potentialcomplications. The QC Circle can use matrix diagrams to select the bestsolution.

8. Establish a detailed planThe next step is for the QC Circle to flesh out the details on theimplementation of the solution by asking the question “How?” For eachactivity, someone is given responsibility and a timetable. The details of theplan are summarized in a Gantt chart.

5. Examination of Countermeasures andTheir Implementation

After causes are identified, countermeasures are examined, evaluated, andselected. This stage aims both to correct the root causes and to establish themost effective measures to prevent the reoccurrence of the problems. All thepeople concerned on the issue are gathered to discuss it, considering factors suchas effectiveness, cost, condition of restrictions, and impacts on the other factors.Members then implement countermeasures in daily operations, according to theplan, and monitor the results.

1. Implement action plansThe Circle is now ready to implement its action plans. Teamwork is verycrucial in this step. The solution may be a very good solution and the plansmay be very detailed, but if not everyone does their share of the work, thedesired result may not be achieved.

2. Monitor activities and resultsImplementation must be monitored according to the agreed procedure tocheck both if the activities are implemented according to the plan and if theexpected results are observed. Actual implementation dates must bereflected against the planned dates as seen in the Gantt chart.


Then an assessment is carried out to see whether the impediments have beenovercome or to what extent the initial objectives have been met. It is carried outtogether with evaluation for further improvement of the work. The Circleidentifies the tangible and intangible results, verifies them using data, andcompares them with the initial goal. Tangible results are results targetedthrough changes in processes, whereas intangible results are those in areas such

3 QC Story

42

as improvement in employee learning skills and education. If the results do notmeet the goal, then the Circle needs to return to previous stages and reexaminethe processes.

1. Identify tangible and intangible resultsTangible results are those that can be quantified, like when a defect rate isreduced by a certain percent. Intangible results on the other hand are thosethat are qualitative, like when teamwork among the members is improved.

The Circle must be able to establish at this point that the project gains alsobring them direct personal benefit. Therefore, a very important questionthat each QC Circle must answer is “What is in it for me?” By answering thisquestion, the members realize that they themselves, in addition to thecompany, benefit from the project, which induces personal satisfaction as wellas a sense of achievement. This sense of achievement is the most importantintangible result of QC Circle activities.

Take, for example, a case in which a defect rate is reduced by 90 percent.Obviously this is good for the customer, and what is good for the customer isgood for the company, but how is it good for the Circle members? A memberwho is sold on the QC Circle philosophy will say, “It is good for me becausenow I can be proud of my work, whereas before, I was ashamed of thedefective parts that I was making.”

2. Verify resultsThe QC Circle verifies the results over time. For instance, has the 90percent reduction in defects been sustained over a period of two weeks, over amonth, over a quarter? Is improved teamwork manifested in all activities atthe workplace or only during QC Circle–related activities?

3. Compare tangible results with goalsThe QC Circle may achieve some results but these must be compared with thegoal set in stage 3 step 4. Various types of diagrams can be used, butaccurate comparisons cannot be made between diagrams of the differenttypes—that is, the same type must be used consistently.


Finally after effective methods are identified, they are standardized and made apermanent part of daily operations. Based on the standardization, memberstrain the people concerned. Also, new training manuals are created anddisseminated among the people concerned, and evaluation is carried out fromtime to time, aimed at ensuring that the process is maintained appropriately.The last step in this stage is for the Circle to determine the next problem to tackle,which may be chosen from the list generated in the beginning of the first QCStory.

3 QC Story

43

1. Standardize solutionIf the goal is achieved, the new procedure should be standardized. If the goalis not achieved, then the QC Circle must retrace its steps, starting withanalysis of the causes. Standardization ensures that the solution stayspermanent.

2. Train employees on the new SOPIf the work is done in more than one shift but the QC Circle members comefrom only one shift, then all employees in the other shifts must be trained onthe new SOP (Standardezed Operational Procedure). This way, the benefitfrom the new SOP is maximized.

3. Verify that the SOP is followedLike for any other SOP, monitoring is needed for this new one to see thateveryone concerned is adhering to it all the time. If they are not, then thereasons must be determined and countermeasures must be put in place.Spot checks must be conducted from time to time.

4. Select next problem to tackleThe QC Circle activity does not end once the solution to one problem has beenfound, because there are other problems in the workshop that have to beaddressed. The Circle may choose to solve the second most critical problem intheir list of problems identified at stage 2 step 1.

Thus the PDCA wheel continues to turn as the QC Circle looks for better waysto satisfy the customer even better.

3 QC Story

44

3-4 Benefits of the QC Story

Benefits of the QC Story

1. Easy to understand the problem-solving processes2. Can reflect on other activities3. Can be disseminated horizontally for deployment4. Facilitates accumulation of experiences and lessons learned5. Improves members’ analytical skills and statistical knowledge in a systematic manner6. Enhances individual abilities in a group orientation

Establishment of the QC Story is highly beneficial, not only because of itsproblem-solving properties but also because of what the members learn as theyproceed through the steps. In fact, the QC Story brings both internal andexternal benefit to those involved in the processes.

As for the internal benefit, through QC Story activities, members systematicallylearn analytical skills as well as knowledge on statistical tools used in the process.The steps of the QC Story can serve as a roadmap for those who are not familiarwith problem-solving processes. What Circle members learn through theseactivities can be applied to future processes. Externally, the QC Story has greatimpact horizontally, as it disseminates individual experiences among all thoseinterested in the QCC concept.

4 Seven QC Tools and QCC Techniques

45

4 Seven QC Tools and QCC Techniques QC Circles need a well-defined process for collecting facts and data that help them tounderstand situations in real time and develop countermeasures (implemented through thefollowing PDCA management cycle or the QC Story) to address problems and prevent themfrom recurring. QC tools and QCC techniques, weapons to help QC Circles make decisionsthat allow them to properly follow the QC Story, are not only powerful but also imperative.In other words, it is impossible for QCC members to follow the QC Story without proper QCtools. This chapter describes the seven QC tools and QCC techniques that QC Circles allover the world use in their problem solving.

4-1 Data Collecting and Analysis4-1-1 What is data?

The most critical matter for QC Circles is to understand facts and data.Without correct data collecting and analysis, it is impossible to solveproblems in the workshop. Points concerning the treatment of data aredescribed hereinafter.

Data is information about a certain event or matter expressed objectively andthrough both numerical values (numerical data) and language (verbal data).

Numerical data has measurement values and discrete values.1. Measurement values—Fixed data such as length, weight, and profit2. Discrete values—Variable data such as the number of defects

Verbal data has logical expression words and emotional expression words.(1) Logical expression words—Communicated objectively (instrumental

words for reporting)(2) Emotional expression words—Needing translation into logical expression

words


46

Process Flowchart for QCC Tools

0

1 0

2 0

3 0

4 0

5 0

6 0

P S T D R B

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 0

0

10

20

30

40

50

a b c da b c d e f g h I

(1) Theme Selection

Pareto Charts Control Charts Line Graphs Histograms

Find critical items Show status ofmaintenance

Show habits and tendencies

Increaseprocess ability

n =

UCL

CL

x

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

a b c d e f g h I

n =

SL

SU

JanPerson in Charge Sept Oct Nov DecItemSchedule

Theme Selection

Data Collection

Cause Identification

Leader

member 1

member 2

QC Circle Plan of Action

Bar Charts

(3) Establishment of Activity Plan

Show what, when, and how much

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Goal

(2) Status Grasping

and Goal Setting

Line Graphs

Figure 24

Check-sheetLook at changes in

timen=24

(4) Cause Analysis

Record dataM o n T u e W e d T h u F r i

A // / / / / / / // // / / / // / / / //

B / / / / / /

C // / / / /

D / / / /

Summarize factor-results relationship

Separate layers

Histograms Control Charts

CL

CLUCL

LCL

UCLConfirm correlation

Scatter Diagrams

y

x

n=24

ChecksheetsCause and Effect Diagrams

(6) Assessment of Effectiveness

Provision n= n=effect

Pareto ChartsLine Graphs

(5) Examination of Countermeasures and their Implementation

(7) Standardization and Permanent Mix

Control Charts

UCL

CLp

10/1 2 3 4 5 6

A //// / /

B / // //// / //// //// //

C / /

D // // /

ChecksheetsEffective

Not Effective


47

4-1-2 How is data collected?How to collect dataStep 1: Clarify the objectives of collecting data.Step 2: Clarify the items to be understood within the problem.Step 3: Determine the method of stratification.Step 4: Make a checksheet.Step 5: Gather facts from the data using QC tools.

Points to consider when collecting numerical data� Have the objectives of collecting data been clarified?� Is the sampling fit for the purpose of the subject item?� Is there sufficient time to collect the required amount of data?� Is the method of stratification appropriate?� Is the checksheet adequate?� Have the proper QC tools been used?� Is the graphing adequate?� Has the technique been properly tested?

Points to consider when collecting verbal data� Understanding of the background of spoken language and the ways of

expression by speakers is important in order to prevent misunderstandingwhen collecting verbal information.

4-1-3 Analyzing Data

1. Correct use of verbal information (words):� Translate verbal language into report language.� Avoid making inferences or conclusions.� Communicate objectively with logical language.� Translate emotional language into logical language before presenting it.


48

Translation from Emotional Words to Logical Words

Figure 25

Dual Works of Language

Logical words

Scientificinformation

transmission

Emotional words

Affectiveinformation

transmission

Lan

guag

eInstrumental

words forreporting

Translation

Informativeconnotations

� Be multi-value oriented in all expressions.� Avoid two-value orientations, such as yes/no questions.� Use expressions for which multiple values can apply—explaining the

method, amount, and extent of things.In two-value expressions, evaluation is by only one scale (e.g., something iseither good or it is bad, with no degrees in between). Actions based ontwo-value orientations will often fail to reach objectives.

In multi-value expressions, rather that an all or nothing choice, a moredetailed degree of evaluation is possible (e.g., with options such very bad,bad, so-so, good, and very good). Even under complicated conditions,actions taken from multi-valued orientation have a high chance of reachingtheir objectives.

(Hayakawa 1985)

2. Caution in terms of word abstraction (see figure 26)� Mixed usage of an abstracted word can be the critical cause of

misunderstandings.� Indicate concretely as much about the actual thing as possible, then

summarize to a higher abstraction level for better communication.


49

Stratums of Word Abstraction

Favorite Item

Coffee

Tobacco

AlcoholicBeverages

Brewage

Mixture

SpirituousLiquor

JapaneseWine

Beer

Wine

Liqueur

Brandy

Gin

Vodka

Whisky

CanadianWhisky

ScotchWhisky

IrishWhisky

BourbonWhisky

White Horse

Glenfiddich

Old Parr

Ballantine

17-YearBallantine

12-YearBallantineBrewage: Fermentation of raw materials

Spirituous Liquor: Distilling the brewage with high % of alcoholMixture: Mixture of various kinds of materials

Classification upon Manufacturing process

Figure 26

4-2 Seven QC ToolsFigure 27 7 tools of QC

Shows a relation between the QC Story’s steps and its toolsShows strong effectiveness between the two

No. Steps MethodStratifi-cation

ParetoCharts

Cause andEffectDiagrams Graphs

Check-sheets Histograms

ScatterDiagrams

ControlCharts

1 Theme Selection

2Learn CurrentStatus

Set Goal

3Establishment ofActivity Plan

4 Cause Analysis

Study RelationshipbetweenFactors and ResultStudy Past andPresent Situation

Separate the layersLook at Changes inTime

Look at Correction

5Implementation ofCountermeasures

6Assessment ofEffectiveness

7Standardizationand Permanent Fix

Status Grasping andGoal Setting


50

The seven QC tools (figure 27) are used to collect, summarize, and analyze data(quantitative and qualitative), whereas basic techniques such as brainstorming,the why-why approach, affinity diagrams, 5S, 3Mu, 5W1H, and 4M1E are used toassist members to think creatively.

The seven QC tools and QCC techniques described here are the most basic ones.As the Circle matures and the members are able to handle more complex QC toolsand techniques, these should be made available to them by the QC Circle Office.

The seven tools are usually considered to be1. Stratification2. Pareto diagrams3. Cause and effect diagrams

(Ishikawa diagrams)4. Graphs5. Checksheets6. Histograms7. Scatter diagrams

(8. Control Charts)A QC Circle meeting in a hospital(Photo by DBJ)

Although stratification is sometimes replaced as a tool by control charts,beginners are recommended to follow the seven QC tools listed above.

4-2-1 StratificationThe objective of stratification is to grasp a problem or to analyze its causes bylooking at possible and understandable factors or items. Collected data of asingle population is divided—by time, workforce, machinery, workingmethods, raw materials, and so on—into a number of stratums (or layers) tofind some latent characteristics among the data—be they the same or similar.For example, after collecting data on photocopy mistakes, we can find somefactors or peculiarities that can be stratified in terms of operator, photocopymachine, sheet size, time, date, or copy operation method.

How to stratify dataStep 1: Clarify the objectives of stratifying data.Step 2: Clarify the items to be stratified within the problem.Step 3: Determine the method of collecting data.Step 4: Check and compare the stratified data items.Step 5: Find causes by finding big differences among data items

If a big difference is not found, keep going back to step 2 to add some otherstratifying items until obvious peculiarities among the data are discovered.


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Typical Categories of Stratification� By time: year, month, week, day, hour, night, afternoon, morning, period,

etc.� By workforce: division, section, dayshift, nightshift, group, age, experience,

etc.� By machinery: line, equipment, machine number, model, structure, jigs,

dies, etc.� By working method: working procedure, manual, speed, etc.� By raw material: place of origin, supplier, lot, charge, etc.� By product: country, unit, order, manufacturer, service provider, etc.� By environment: temperature, humidity, weather, etc.

4-2-2 Pareto Diagrams

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

GW SP OP SC TC Others0

20

40

60

80

100

Cum

ula

tive

Perc

enta

ge

330%

Num

ber

of B

reak

ages

April 1－7, 2003

Total Sample = 330

GW: Glasses for waterSP: Square platesOP: Oval plates

SC: SaucersTC: Teacups

Figure 28 Pareto Diagram of Kitchen-Ware Breakage, by Type

A Pareto diagram is a form of bar chart with the items arranged indescending order so that you can identify the highest contributing factors to aproblem. A Pareto diagram shows which defective items should be tackledfirst. This type of diagram was given its name by Dr. Joseph M. Juranbecause of its likeness to the 19th century work of Vilfrido Pareto on uneveneconomic distribution—work postulating that 80 percent of the wealth of anation is owned by 20 percent of its population. Applying the principle tothe production of a typical company, Juran referred to the 20 percent ofworkers who produced 80 percent of its output as the vital few and theremainder as the trivial many. By depicting events or facts in order ofdecreasing frequency (or decreasing cost, decreasing failure rate, etc.) aPareto diagram can easily separate the vital few from the trivial many.They are also used to compare conditions over time, to see how both the


52

distributions and the total effects have changed after corrective action hasbeen taken. This type of diagram is one of the most common statistical toolsused by QC Circles.

How to construct Pareto diagramsStep 1: Clarify the objectives of constructing a Pareto diagram.Step 2: Clarify the stratified items of collected data within the problem.Step 3: Design a data tally sheet listing the items with their totals (figure

29).Step 4: Fill out the tally sheet and calculate the totals.Step 5: Make a Pareto diagram data sheet listing the items, their

individual totals, cumulative totals, percentages of overall total,and cumulative percentages (figure 30).

Step 6: Arrange the items in terms of number of occurrences and fill outthe data sheet. The item “others” should be on the last line, nomatter how large it is. This is because it is a collection of itemsfor which the largest number of occurrences of any one item issmaller than that for the smallest of the individually listed items.

Step 7: Construct a Pareto diagram from the Pareto diagram data sheet(figure 28).1. Draw two vertical axes, marking the left-hand vertical axis with

a scale from 0 to the overall total and the right-hand with ascale from 0% to 100%.

2. Draw a horizontal axis. Then construct a bar diagram,dividing the horizontal axis according to the numbers of items.

3. Draw the cumulative curve (Pareto curve)Step 8: Add necessary information regarding the diagram: title,

significant quantities, units, sampling period, subject and place ofdata collected, total number of data, etc.

Figure 29

Data Tally Sheet of Kitchen-Ware Breakage

…………………

Breakage items Tally TotalTeacups 10Glasses for water 150Saucers 20Oval plates 30Square plates 70Others 50Total 330


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Figure 30 Pareto Diagram Data Sheet of Kitchen-Ware BreakageTheme: Cost reduction of kitchen-ware breakage

Total Sample: 300

Period: April 1－7, 2003

Date: May 01, 2003

Name: N. Kaneko

Items Number ofBreakages

CummulativeTotal

Percentage ofOverall Total

CumulativePercentage

Glasses for water 150 150 46 46Square plates 70 220 21 67Oval plates 30 250 9 76Saucers 20 270 6 82Teacups 10 280 3 85Others 50 330 15 100Total 330 100

4-2-3 Cause and Effect Diagrams (Ishikawa Diagrams)

Cause & Effect Diagram (Ishikawa Diagram)

HouseholdProcedures

Food SupplyMaterials

ElectricAppliances Occupants

Why

Hig

h H

ouse

hold

Elec

tric

Bill

?

Heat food every timesomeone eats

different schedules

No schedules

Ironing ofclothes doneonly whenneeded

Need a lot ofprocessing

Frozen foodnot given timeto thaw

Old type

One inliving room

TV

One ineach room

Refrigerator

No frost

Family

Lights left on

Don’t eattogether

Helpers

Not aware ofenergyconservation

Watch TV inown room

Children

Watch TV in ownroom

Father/mother

Lighting

Not turned-offwhen room is left

Figure 31

So many

This diagram composed of lines and symbols is designed to represent therelationship between effects and their causes. It is sometimes called anIshikawa diagram, after Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa who is considered the father ofQC Circles. Others call it a fishbone diagram due to its resemblance to afish skeleton. It is a very effective tool for analyzing the causes of a problem,even household problems like high consumption of electricity.


54

How to construct cause and effect diagrams

environment manmaterials

problem

methodmachine

Cause and Effect Diagram

twig arrow

main arrow

branch arrow

Makeangle75 degrees

Figure 32

Step 1: Write the problem on the right side and box it. Draw a mainarrow from left to right, with the head of the arrow pointing to theproblem.

Step 2: Identify all of the main categories of causes of the problem, forexample, man, method, materials, machine, and environment. Infigure 31, these factors were grouped as appliances, occupants,household procedures, and household food supplies. Use brancharrows to connect the categories to the main arrow.

Step 3: Using twig arrows, connect the individual main causes identifiedin step 2 to their respective branch arrows.

Step 4: Identify the detailed causes of each main cause and connect themto the twig arrows, using even smaller twig arrows.

4-2-4 GraphsA graph is a tool used to present an area of interest in visual form. Thereare various types of graphs, and the most common are bar graphs, linegraphs, and pie charts. People involved in QCC activities are recommendedfirst to decide on the data to be collected and the period in which it will becollected, regardless of the type of graph they will use.


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Ten merits of graphs(1) Numbers can be visualized.(2) Readers get to sense the whole picture.(3) They require few words.(4) They are interesting to look at.(5) Contents can easily be understood.(6) They are objective.(7) They are easy to make.(8) Comparisons are easy to display.(9) They are a universal form of language.(10) They enhance the image of the contents.

A. Bar graphs

Bar Graph

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 year

Production Line A

Qty

(pac

kage

s)

Figure 33

Bar graphs are used to show trends (e.g., of a product or service). Theymake use of bars whose lengths represent the size of the factors underconsideration. The bars may be positioned vertically or horizontally.

How to construct a bar graphStep 1: Draw the horizontal and vertical axes of the graph, using the

horizontal axis for the period and the vertical axis for thevalue.

Step 2: Divide the horizontal axis into equally spaced vertical columns,each column representing a period.

Step 3: Divide the vertical axis into as many equally spaced horizontalrows as required, each higher row representing a higher value.

Step 4: Draw the bars.


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B. Line graph

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

'97 '98 '99 '00 '01

export

domestic

Line Graph

year

Annual sales($1,000)

Figure 34Annual sales, domestic and for export

Line graphs are used to show actual situations at given points in time.They may also be used to predict future trends. They may be brokenlines or straight lines.

How to construct a line graphStep 1: Draw the horizontal and vertical axes of the graph, using the

horizontal axis for the period and the vertical axis for thevalue.

Step 2: Plot the points corresponding to the values.Step 3: Connect the points.

C. Pie chart

Pie Chart

Reason for Joining QCC in 2002

Figure 35

Voluntary

Requested bysupervisors

Required bycolleagues

Encouraged byothers

50%25%

20%

5%


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A pie chart is used to denote relative portions of a situation; each slice ofpie represents a percentage of the whole.

How to construct a pie chartStep 1: Draw a circle.Step 2: Divide the circle into slices that correspond in size to the

relevant percentages. For instance, if you divide the circleinto four equal slices, then each is 25 percent of the whole.

Step 3: Moving clockwise from the topmost part of the chart, arrangethe items in order of percentage size, unless another order isinherently logical.

Step 4: Indicate the name of the item and its percentage.Step 5: Consider what color or pattern to use for identification of

items.

The by-objective bases of selecting a graph:

(1)When comparing the size of numbers

� bar graph, band graph

(2)When showing a change over time

� line graph

(3)When giving a breakdown

� pie graph, band graph

4-2-5 ChecksheetsChecksheet are forms used to collect data in an organized manner. They areused to validate problems or causes or to check progress duringimplementation of solutions. Checksheets can come in different shapes andsizes, and Circle members must be able to design them to suit their needs.

How to design a checksheetStep 1: Include the date on the checksheet

This can be expressed as a single date (e.g., August 11, 2002), as aweek (e.g., week ending August 19, 2002), or as a month (e.g., monthending August 31, 2002). The date is vital—to show when the datawas collected.

Step 2: Include a titleThe title should include the location and the type of informationbeing collected—for example; The causes of breakdown of machine#2.

Step 3: Indicate the name of the data collectorPutting the name of the person who collected the data is important,especially in case there is a later need to clarify data gathered.

Step 4: Ensure that everyone is using the same form


58

In cases where more than one member is collecting data, the Circlemust ensure that the same form is being used by all of the collectors.It is frustrating for the Circle to have collected a large mass of dataonly to find out later that large-scale analysis is required and maybesome of the collected data are not really required.

As the Circle designs its checksheet, it must consider some questions toestablish how much information must be collected.

Q. What is to be done if the information to be collected is seasonal?An example would be if data on absenteeism were collected onlyduring winter. This could be biased because absenteeism may behigh also during summer when families want to go out of town. Thismeans data must be collected throughout the year, to cover allseasons.

Q. Is there anything unusual in the normal pattern of working thatwould affect the information being collected?For example, if a Circle is investigating how many people are in linewaiting for their turn to make a transaction with a teller, it has toconsider related factors like the operational status of the ATM insidethe branch and the number of tellers present.

Q. Is there anything unusual in the outside world that would affect theinformation being collected?For instance, the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11,2001 might have affected the number of tourists that entered theUnited States. The Circle therefore, must collect data from July toNovember in order to get a complete picture of the number of tourists.

Q. How often does this particular effect being studied happen?Does it happen every day, or is it once a week, once a month, or someother frequency? If it happens every day, five days of data isacceptable; if once a week, five weeks of data; and if once a month,five months of data are needed.

Checksheets come in several types, depending on the objective forcollecting the data. Some of the more common ones are as follows:


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A. Recording checksheet

Recording ChecksheetCharacteristic: Customer Complaints on RefrigeratorsPeriod of data collection: June 2002Source of data: logbook

Figure 36

Location ComplaintsFrequencyof Occurrence Subtotal Percent

A Paint bubbles//// //// //// //// ////

//// //// //// //// 45 35.2B Dents //// //// //// 15 11.7C Scratches //// //// //// //// //// //// 30 23.4

DRubber lining of doornot fixed //// //// /// 13 10.2

E Bulb does not light //// 5 3.9

FTrays for ice cubesnot included //// //// //// //// 20 15.6

128 100TOTAL

Bits of data are entered for subsequent tallying and analysis. Suchchecksheets are usually used to collect data on defects. The types ofdefects are listed, and with each occurrence of a defect, a runningtotal is tallied using five-bar gates (i.e., multiples of five—fourvertical marks with one crossing them), which makes addition easy.

B. Location checksheet

Location Checksheet

Defects on Refrigerator Door

AC

BD

Paint bubbles

Scratch

Scratch

Figure 37


60

The location and/or condition of something (e.g., a defect, is indicatedin a drawing). It is a pictorial way of indicating the location of aproblem. It makes investigation easier by evoking the question“Why there?”

C. Checklist checksheet

Checklist ChecksheetFigure 38

Items to bring for trip abroad Yes No Remarks1 toothpaste x Toothpaste available in airplane2 toothbrush x3 comb x4 shampoo x5 lotion x6 Rubber shoes x No laces7 Leather shoes x 2-inch heels8 Leather jacket x Hip length9 Black hat x Bring white hat

10 Red scarf x11 Long black skirt x12 Denim pants (Levi's) x Bring Guess denim pants13 White slacks x14 White long-sleeve blouse x15 Jogging pants x16 Three white T-shirts x 2 white and 1 off white

Observed results or conditions are recorded by choosing amongdiametric opposites (e.g., yes or no, on or off, present or not present)for each item on a list. They are sometimes referred to as inspectionchecklists. Checksheets simplify data collection, organizeinformation, increase accuracy and facilitate verification of data.

4-2-6 HistogramsProcesses’ outputs naturally vary from one to another. A product may besaid to be uniform, but actually no two units are exactly the same. Usingprecision instruments, these differences will be detected. For example, if weexamine the weight of a bottle specified as 50g � 1g, we may be surprised tofind that the bottles vary in weight.


61

How to construct a Histogram (I)

•Characteristic being measured: Weight of 100 coffee bottles

•Data collection period: produced on August 11, 2002; taken after every 10 bottles

•Data collector: Naomi Isabel Aquino

Specification: 50g±1

Figure 39

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Low High1 50 55 49 46 49 48 50 50 51 52 46 552 56 54 52 50 51 52 55 47 49 54 47 563 45 53 54 52 51 50 53 50 51 52 45 544 49 47 48 50 51 52 54 53 52 50 47 545 48 48 49 51 52 49 48 50 49 48 48 526 50 48 45 49 50 51 52 51 53 52 45 537 51 49 48 50 51 52 50 52 51 52 48 528 52 50 51 55 46 51 53 50 51 50 46 559 49 49 51 50 54 52 52 51 54 55 49 55

10 49 49 48 50 51 53 50 53 50 51 48 53

Arranging these data into a histogram will show how dispersed the weightsare. Since the use of average is sometimes misleading, it is necessary to seehow values are distributed in a population in order to get a true picture ofperformance.

The Circle collects data to be studied (e.g., in terms of weight of bottle) anddecides on the period of data collection. Data must be collected usingchecksheets, which are used to construct the histogram in the followingmanner.

How to construct a histogramStep 1: Determine the highest and lowest values.Step 2: On the top row, write the values observed, increasing from left to

right.Step 3: In the left-hand column, list in multiples of five, increasing from

bottom to top, which makes it easier to keep count.Step 4: Put marks in the appropriate columns, starting from the bottom

row and ascending by multiples of 5.Step 5: Add the total number of marks per column and write the sum at

the bottom of the row.Step 6: Indicate the standard. This helps pinpoint the columns that

exceed the standard.


62

How to construct a Histogram (II)•Characteristic being measured: Weight of 100 coffee bottles

•Data collection period: produced on August 11, 2002; taken every after 10 bottles

•Data collector: Naomi Isabel Aquino

Specification:50g±1

Figure 40

Weight(g) 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56LowerSpecs

Specs UpperSpecs

302520 //// /// /15 /// //// //// ////10 //// //// //// //// //// // /5 // // // //// //// //// //// //// //// //// //// /

TotalFrequency

2 2 2 9 13 20 18 16 7 6 4 1

Use histograms for a visual presentation of the data distribution. Theyfacilitate the QCC’s understanding of the present situation, drawingattention to significant items so that causes of problems can be determinedand countermeasures devised.

A. Bell-shapedBell-shaped or Symmetrical Histogram

SL SUCL

Figure 41

Specification Lower Limit Center Line Specification Upper Limit


63

The bell-shaped histogram is a normally distributed curve, where the leftside is equal to the right side. This shows how frequently the samplesfall within the standard of the given operation.

B. Skewed

1. Skewed to the rightThis type deviates fromthe normal curve. Takingthe packaged volume ofshampoo as an example, ifthe distribution shape isskewed to the right, it maymean that the company isover-filling the containers.

Skewed to the Right Histogram

SL SUCL

Figure 42

2. Skewed to the leftThis type also deviatesfrom the normal curve; thesamples fall to the left ofthe standard. Using thesame example, a left-skewed histogram maymean that the company isunder-filling the shampoocontainers.

Skewed to the Left Histogram

SL SUCL

Figure 43

C. Cliff-likeA cliff-like shape shows a certain peak in the graph, not necessarilywithin the standard. This could be the result of a problem in datacollection, but it also could indicate a problem in machine operation.


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Cliff-like Histogram

SL SUCL

Figure 44

D. Comb-likeA comb-like shape is a combination of several cliff-like shapes, indicatingthat the distribution is uneven. This may be attributed to severalfactors (e.g., the person doing the work, the machine, or even thestandard itself).

Comb-like Histogram

SL SUCL

Figure 45

E. Island-typeAn island-type histogram is normally the result of a small isolated peakin addition to the major part centered around the standard. It suggeststhat there might be “a small inclusion of data from a different distribution,such as in the case of process abnormality, measurement error” (Kume1985, 51) or some data inclusion from different processes.


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Island Type Histogram

SL SUCL

Figure 46

4-2-7 Scatter Diagrams

Common Scatter DiagramsY increases as X increases

(strong positive correlation)Y decreases as X increases

(strong negative correlation)

No relation between X and Y(no correlation)

X

X

X

YY

Y

Figure 47

A scatter diagram examines the relationship between paired data. This toolis usually used by the QC Circle when it wants to establish the relationshipbetween cause and effect, the relationship between one cause and another, ora relationship between one cause and two causes.

Examples include the relationship between an ingredient and the hardness ofa product, the relationship between the speed of cutting and the variation inthe length of parts cut, the relationship between the level of illumination in aroom and mistakes in validating a bank transaction slip.


66

The scatter diagram is used when a number of people or procedures areproducing widely varying results.

The scatter diagram may show that two variables have positive correlation,have negative correlation, or have no correlation at all.

How to construct a scatter diagram:Step 1: Collect data samples of pairs whose relationship is to be studied.

Enter these data in a data sheet (figure 48).Step 2: Draw a vertical axis (effect); calibrate it from smallest to largest

value (from top to bottom).Step 3: Draw a horizontal axis (cause); calibrate it from smallest to

largest value (from left to right).Step 4: Plot the paired values. If values are repeated, make concentric

circles (in the graph indicated as pink).Step5: Plot data in a graph, with material content as the horizontal axis

and elongation as the vertical axis.

Number ofpaired data

MaterialContent(%) x

Elongation(%) y

1 9 942 4 663 1 404 2 305 7 526 3 667 4 448 6 689 2 3510 3 5511 3 5012 3 6213 5 6614 5 6615 4 5616 2 5017 3 3518 9 7119 5 8720 4 4921 5 5722 8 8323 5 7124 7 7525 5 75

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 2 4 6 8 10

Figure 48

The circle is a double counted value.

Scatter Diagram

4-2-8 Control Charts as Supplemental Tools for QCC BeginnersControl charts, first proposed by W. A. Shewhart of Bell TelephoneLaboratories in 1924, are used for maintaining both process andmanufacturing control in a stable condition. A pair of lines indicating thecontrol limits are drawn on the control chart, and the points expressing thequality of products or whether the manufacturing process is in a stable


67

condition can be examined by checking whether these points fall within oroutside the control limits.

Specific features of control charts:1. They can be understood at a glance; the status of operation (good/bad,

normal/abnormal, right/wrong) is clearly identified.2. They can be utilized to monitor the trends and changes during certain

time spans, thus enabling users to identify abnormal occurrences at earlystages of operation.

How to interpret a control chart:If the plotted points on the control chart are all within the control limits, asillustrated in figure 49, the manufacturing process may be regarded as stable,but if a point falls outside the control limits, as shown in figure 50, themanufacturing process may have a problem. In such cases, corrective actionshould be taken.

Because the application of this statistical tool is sometimes difficult tounderstand, QCC beginners should focus on the seven basic QC tools at first.Control charts are supplementary tools for QC Circles. For details, pleaserefer to other QC technical books on how to construct control charts and howto use them.

UCL

LCL

Under Control Condition

x

Figure 49


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UCL

LCL

Not Under Control Condition

out of control limits

x

Figure 50

Figure 51 Additional Information

UCL

LCL

Not Under Control

3 consecutive runs on one side

x

UCL

LCL

Not Under Control

more than 4 consecutive runs on the UCL side of the mean

x

UCL

LCL

Not Under Control

7 consecutive runs on the LCL side of the mean

x

UCL

LCL

Not Under Control

CL

1/3

1/3

1/3

1/3

1/3

1/3

3 out of 7 observations are within highest third ofthe area between the UCL and the mean

4-3 QCC TechniquesIn addition to their use of the seven QC tools, QC Circles are stronglyrecommended to use other problem-solving and idea generation techniques suchas brainstorming, the why-why approach, affinity diagrams, 5S, 3Mu, 5W1H, and4M1E to aid them in their QCC implementation. They are also encouraged toexperiment with how they conduct their meetings.

QC Circles are not expected to use all of these techniques during their problem-solving activities; only the appropriate ones. In summary, there are specific tools


69

and techniques for each step of the QC Story.

The following are techniques for QCC activities.

1. Brainstorming

4-3-1 BrainstormingBrainstorming is used extensively by QC Circles at various stages in theirproblem-solving activities. This technique was developed in 1930 by AlexOsborne as a way of encouraging groups to be more creative with their ideas.It is important to recognize that there are barriers to creative thinking.

One is the tendency to assume that the way things have always been done isthe only way they can be done. We often hear people say, “Yes, but we’vealways done it this way!”

Another barrier is the fear of looking foolish. This fear limits our range ofcontribution—to things that are safe and conventional—and leads to ourgiving the expected answer.

A third barrier is the tendency to make hasty judgement on what is said,without careful consideration. How many ideas get thrown in the waste binwithout anyone really thinking about them and trying them, merely becausethey initially seem impractical, impossible, or crazy?

A fourth barrier is the commonly held view that there is always one rightsolution to every problem. This leads people to look for the obvious andlogical answer rather than the less obvious, creative solution.

Having discussed barriers to creative thinking, we will now definebrainstorming. Brainstorming is a method of getting a group of people togenerate a lot of ideas in a short space of time. Group thinking usuallyproduces more ideas than individual thinking.

A QC Circle can use brainstorming to identify problems in the work area, tofind causes of a problem, to search for a solution to a specific cause of aproblem, to choose a name for the Circle, or to search for a format on how topresent a project to management.

Rules to follow in brainstorming:1. Establish a relaxed atmosphere.

The most creative ideas come from a relaxed atmosphere, so the leadershould attempt to loosen up the group either through humor or a quickexercise using a non-work related subject. The leader can ask, forexample, “If you win the lottery tomorrow, how will you spend it?”


70

2. Ensure participation by all members.To ensure participation by all members, the leader may begin by askingeach member, in sequence around the room, to contribute. After one ortwo members say “pass,” the leader may accept ideas from anyone.When there are seemingly no more ideas, the leader announces a lastround and again queries each member in sequence. This last roundusually results in important and productive ideas.

3. Go for a large number of ideas.A large number of ideas are required to make brainstorming fruitful.� Do not criticize ideas.

One way to receive a large number of ideas is to see to it that none arecriticized during brainstorming. In addition to discouragingmembers from putting forward their ideas, criticism also dampensthe creative spirit of the Circle.

� Welcome suitable and non-suitable ideas.Even the seemingly non-suitable ideas must be accepted.Oftentimes they act as stimulus for other members to generate moresuitable ideas.

� Combine ideas.Two or more ideas can sometimes be combined to evolve into animproved idea, and this new idea can even lead to another new idea.

� Record all ideas.All ideas must be recorded. The appointed recorder notes the ideasas they are given. Lengthy ideas are reworded concisely. It is theresponsibility of the individual members to ensure that their ideasare reworded and recorded correctly.

2. Why-Why approach

4-3-2 Why-Why ApproachCuriosity is a marvelous part of the human mind. Our curiosity causes usto analyze and isolate critical root-causes and corrective actions via theWhy-Why approach as follows.

General why analysis on problem solvingWhen a problem is observed, remedial actions such as stopping operation,hitting the cut-off switch, notifying the supervisor, and waiting forinstruction for the next action are taken in workshops. Then, some actionto prevent recurrence of the problem will be presented by supervisors whothought about why the problem occurred.

But such solutions are apt to not be so effective or long-lasting. It is difficultto give proper countermeasures and isolate root-causes of problems unlesswe have a proper analytic idea generation method such as the Why-Whyapproach.


71

5 Why approachOne variation of the Why-Why approach involves repeating the question whyfive times to analyze things. This basic procedure is meant to effectivelyand efficiently utilize time, funds, and human resources to eliminateproblems (e.g., problems in terms of quality, price, delivery, safety, orenvironment protection) in any operation, ensure customer satisfaction, andmaintain employee participation.

Numerous recurrent problems have been observed in various forms ofprocessing, not only in production sectors but also in clerical offices; and mostof the time, the responses to those processing problems are merely remedial-type patchwork. Some of those recurring problems occur many times anhour and waste much money.

It is a shame to have a preventable mistake or error repeated at a station,shop, or office. A TQM and QCC implementation program that pays carefulattention to analysis of root causes of problems and establishes correctiveactions can be implemented for 100 percent assurance against preventablewaste.

Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. is one of the most well known adherents to the 5 Whyapproach in Japan, and without it, their kaizen (continuous improvementactivities) would never have been successful.

5 Why processingA. Initial Stage

Until becoming fully familiarized with the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle,it is necessary to identify root causes of rather easily solvableproblems through data collection, analysis, and evaluation and toestablish corrective actions—not by the 5 Why approach, but by a 2or 3 why approach.

B. Why-Why analysis for simple problem solutionAs shown in figure 52, problems with simple causes can sometimesbe tackled by easy solutions (section A). Through skillimprovement, problems with simple causes but difficult solutions(section B) or problems with complicated causes but simple solutions(section C) can be tackled through two or three levels of whyquestioning. Through this questioning, issues such as whathappened and when, where, and how it happened are addressed. Afishbone chart (figure 53) aids in visualizing the process.


72

B D

CA

Simple Complicated

Sol

uti

on o

f pr

oble

m

Har

dE

asy

Cause of problem

Figure 52 Cause and solution types

C. 1st Why analysis1. Verification of fact

� By personal verification of problem at the site where the issuearose

� By verification of problem status and collection of physicalevidential data

� By analysis of data� By comparison with the standardized operational procedure

(SOP), standards, or specification requirement—to justify theirstatus

� By comparison with general engineering/technical principles orrules—to verify their conformance

2. Preparation of problem/failure mechanism flowchartTechnical interpretation of how a problem or failure is manifestedas shown in figure 53.(a) First, identify the immediate problem based on observed

factual symptoms (e.g., smoke, abnormal noise, vibration).(b) Then, hypothesize on probable causes of the symptoms (e.g.,

motor oil burned, bearing broken).(c) Next, establish the identified probable causes as the as

shown in the following schematic, and assume their probablecauses (e.g., no oil on bearing, ball bearing broken).

(d) Thus, fact is a fundamental source to be studied andanalyzed to identify probable causes—causes that are interimin nature, and to be analyzed for the next round of probablecause identification, and on and on.


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Fact-finding relationships flowchart and the why approach

When WhatWhere

Problem

WhoHow

ProblemWhat happened

Where

When

How

Who observed

Why it happened

Factsidentification

Observation

Date Shopfloor

Motoroil

Bearingbroken

Supervisor

OperatorPoormaintenance Vibration

Broken

Night

Night shift2nd team

FACTS

SmokeNoiseVibration

Whitesmoke

ImproperSOP Machine

broken

Figure 53

These summarization charts are eventually formed as failure-mechanism flowcharts for identification and isolation of problemcauses and establishment of corrective action. Doing this(answering why) five times to find probable causes to root causesis the 5 Why approach.

3. Comparison with engineering requirement, specifications,standards, SOPs, technical principle, and law.

4. In the first stage of why analysis, many other possible causes arerevealed in other sectors.


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Probable Causes to Root Causes by 5 why approach

Fact

Observed

Probablecauses

1st WHY

Why did ithappen?

Fact

Observed

Probablecauses

2nd WHY

Why did ithappen?

Fact

Observed

Probablecauses

3rd WHY

Why did ithappen?

Fact

Observed

Probablecauses

4th WHY

Why did ithappen?

Fact

Observed

Rootcauses

5th WHY

Why did ithappen?

Figure 54

5. These analyses are important information to keep as records.They can be arranged in a cause and effect diagram (Ishikawadiagram) as shown in figure 53. In such diagrams, all possiblecauses of an effect can be listed. So even if a probable causecannot be isolated immediately, it can be detected through aprocess of elimination whereby all the other possible causes areruled out one by one. Ishikawa diagrams not only are recordingtools, but also are useful for evaluating the effectiveness of, andimprovement in, the company’s problem-solving system.

6. Fault tree analysis (FTA) and Failure mode effects analysis(FMEA) are also recommended methods for probable causeisolation. These methods are basically used in design-stagereliability engineering, but they could also be quite effective forisolating causes of operation/production failure.

Daily routine operation stageAfter all staff members have become familiarized with the above-mentionedprocedures, not only can problems of the types in sections B and C of figure52 be dealt with more frequently, but also its section D-type problems(those with complicated causes and difficult solutions) can be addressed.And in cases of minor problems observed in the day-to-day operations ofparticular workshops, the responsibility is delegated directly to therelevant supervisors, or even operators, as per their capacity developmentunder the program.


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3. Affinity Diagram

4-3-3 Affinity DiagramsDefinitionAn affinity diagram is a tool to clarify the nature of an uncertain problem orchaotic event by coordinating ideas and obtaining concepts through theintegration of relevant verbalized data on the basis of affinity. (This methodwas originated by Prof. Jiro Kawakita as the KJ Method, a Japaneseregistered trademark, but here in after we will refer to such diagrams asaffinity diagrams.)

Preparation of an Affinity DiagramWhen preparing an affinity diagram, two approaches are recommended: oneby individual action, the other by group action. As for management or staffpersonnel, individual preparation is better when trying to do the following.� Identify the facts related systematically to the chaotic and unknown

problems or areas.� Summarize one’s own ideas without interference of others.� Establish one’s own creative ideas that may be in conflict with

conventional ones.

As for QC Circles, group preparation is better when trying to foster ateamwork spirit to achieve a solution to a common problem.

For Individual Preparations

A. Determine the theme.B. Collect factual data for the determined theme.

Collect data, opinions, and creative ideas. At this time, brainstorming,observation, survey, and interviewing procedures are quite useful.Verbal information (it can be fact or opinion) is best stated in the (subject+ predicate) form—that is, substantive expressions are not convenient.

C. Write the above verbal information onto cards, called data cards, one pieceof information per card.


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Data card

Verbalized data － only data cards

Data card Data cardData card

Data card

Data cardData cardData card Data card

Affinity card Data cardData card

Data cardData cardData card

Affinity card

Figure 55

D. Shuffle the data cards, then lay them out on a flat area. Read throughevery card carefully (two or three times), looking for relationshipsbetween them and then grouping them accordingly. Continue thisprocess until you identify several groupings of two or three cards.

E. Double-check that these groupings are the most appropriate.F. Consolidate these small card groups into larger groups, linking them by

new (subject + predicate) expressions that incorporate all of the smallergroups expressions without broadening the category. The card with thenew expression is called an affinity card.

F. Repeat steps (D) through (F) until all data cards’ possible affinities areexhausted.

Data card

Data card

Figure 56

Affinity card

Affinity card

Affinity card

H. Position the bundled/consolidated cards on a large sheet of paperaccording to their relationships.

I. Maintaining the groups, strategically spread out the affinity cards anddraw lines of relationship.


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Data card Data card

Data card Data card

Affinity card

Affinity card

Figure 57

Note that in some cases a data card with a very specific expression willindependently constitute one group.

For Group PreparationsA. Determine a theme.B. Collect data by way of brainstorming.C. Get an understanding of all verbal information collected from every

member. In some cases the data must be rewritten to prevent anymisinterpretation or misunderstanding.

D. Do the same as for individual preparations’ steps C and D.Affinity Diagram of House Cleaning

Clean room well

Vacuum orsweep floor well

Anti-slip floor maintenance

Dust-free floormaintenance

Keeping floor polished

Ensuringtrash picked up

Removalof dust,dirt, andhair

Anti-slip floor maintenance

Good toilet paper supply

Dust-free lavatory sink

Keepingfaucetspolished

Taking out trashto collection site

Separating trashproperly

Dispose rubbish properly

Clean upbathroom

Figure 58

Noriharu Kaneko


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Affinity

Representative card for “A”

Representative card for “B”

Verbaldata “a”

Verbaldata “b”

Verbaldata “d”

Verbaldata “c”

Figure 59

Representative cardfor “A” and “B”

Benefits of Affinity Diagrams� enable both collection of verbal information amid a chaotic environment

and identification of problems after summarizing such data� enable the gathering of new ideas by way of break-through thinking� enable both the isolation of essential points of problems and the

recognition of the priority of those points by all personnel� enable one’s own and others’ ideas to be implemented, contributing to

motivation through participation

4. 5S Concept

4-3-4 5S ConceptIn Japan, 5S is considered the basis for continuous quality and productivityimprovements and it represents good housekeeping concepts. Goodhousekeeping and workplace organization are directly linked to achievingdiscipline in manufacturing workshops and even in clerical environments.Bad housekeeping problems in terms of production control, maintenance,quality assurance, and layout will lead to a disorganized workplace. Incontrast, good housekeeping and workplace organization will result in bettercompliance with schedules, fewer machine breakdowns, lower defect rates,and prompt exposure of problem areas.

5S implementation is very common in various kinds of industries in Japan.The term 5S comes from the English equivalents of five Japanese words,whose Romanized spellings also begin with s.1) Sorting (seiri, 整理 ), meaning to sort out unnecessary items in the

workplace and discard them2) Systematizing (seiton, 整頓), meaning to arrange necessary items in good

order so that they can be easily obtained for use3) Sweeping (seiso, 清掃), meaning to clean your workplace completely so

that there is no dust on the floor, machinery, or equipment


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4) Sanitizing (seiketsu, 清潔 ), meaning to maintain high standards ofhousekeeping and workplace organization at all times

5) Self-Discipline (shitsuke, 躾), meaning to train people to follow goodhousekeeping disciplines habitually, without being directed

Tangible Results Expected from 5S Concept Implementation1) From people

� Employees will be disciplined to be more aware of untidy workplacesand motivated to improve the level of cleanliness.

� Greater team spirit and cooperation can be built up throughinvolvement of all employees within the organization.

� Employees will be disciplined to follow safer and better ways of work,resulting in reduced risk of accident.

� Employees will be more conscious of improvement that leads to greaterefficiency and effectiveness.

2) From machines and tools� Machine troubles can be detected at earlier stages to prevent major

breakdowns, when machinery are cleaned daily by the operators.� Daily cleaning of measuring instruments will ensure accuracy and

reliability.� The productive lives of machines and tools can be extended

significantly when they are handled with care and placed in theirdesignated locations.

3) From materials and work-in-progress� Flow of materials and work-in-progress will become smoother.� Floor space becomes well organized and possible areas for

improvement can be easily identified by quick observation.� Inventories of material and work-in-progress become clearly visible

and easy to handle.� The material yield ratio can be improved.� The work and time required for material handling can be reduced.

4) From products and customers� A clean workplace will ensure that final products will be free from

dust.� A clean workplace will result in lower defect rates and prompt

exposure of quality problems.� Sales people will be eager to show customers the plant as a marketing

tool.

5. 3Mu Elimination Approach

4-3-5 3Mu Elimination ApproachThe term 3Mu stands for three elements—muda (wastefulness), muri(excessiveness) and mura (dispersion)—that should be eliminated to raiseefficiency in the workplace.


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A 100-seat bus that always has one hundred passengers is an example ofhighest order efficiency—one without wastefulness, excessiveness, ordispersion. In reality, however, more than 130 passengers can be observedat rush hours in the morning and late afternoon, but only two or threepassengers might be aboard 100-seat buses in mid afternoons. Thecondition of 130 passengers on a 100-seat bus exemplifies muri(excessiveness), two or three passengers on that same bus is muda(wastefulness), and the condition of flux between inbound and outboundoccupancies within the day is mura (dispersion).

The 3Mu concept can also be expressed in terms of the relationship betweenobjective and means. To cut a twig with a chain-saw would be an example ofmuda; to cut a two-meter-in-diameter tree trunk with a knife would be muri;and to alternate between the two mismatches of objective and means wouldbe mura. QCC people have to understand 3Mu concepts and eliminate themto improve quality and productivity.

6. 5W1H

4-3-6 5W1H5W1H signifies six words that begin questions that are needed to beanswered in order to describe a fact correctly: what, when, where, who, why,and how. QCC people are recommended to follow and ask these questions inorder to grasp the facts without any omission. For example they defineproblems by asking and answering the following questions.

5W1H Approach (I)

5W1H Approach (II)

Figure 60

The Circle can also use this approach when they formulate their solution.

What should bedone?

Where should itbe done?

When shouldit be done?

Who should beresponsible?

How should it bedone?

Why should it be done?Is there a better way?

Why should it bedone there?

Why should itbe done then?

Why should this person beresponsible?

Why should it bedone this way?

What is theproblem?

Where does theproblem happen?

When does ithappen? Who is responsible? How does it happen?

Order slips are notfilled out correctly. At the tables

During thelunch peak The waiters

The waiters fill out theorder slips while welcomingother guests oracknowledging other guests'requests for assistance.

Why is it aproblem?

Why does ithappen there?

Why does ithappen then?

Why is this personresponsible?

Why does it happen thatway?

The food served isnot what the guestsordered.

This is where theorder-taking is done.

There are somany guests.

They are the ones takingthe orders from theguests.

There are not enoughwaiters during lunch, so thewaiters try to respond to theneeds of many customers atthe same time.


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7. 4M1E

4-3-7 4M1E4M1E stands for the five elements needed in production (man, machine,materials, method, and environment). Four words start with the letter m,and one with e, thus it is called 4M1E. This is often used as a method ofstratification in cause and effect diagrams. Sometimes this system isreferred to as 5M1E, with the fifth m representing either measurements(since data is obtained through them) or money.

　　A QC Circle meeting in a factory(Photo by JUSE)

5 Meetings and Case Presentations

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5 Meetings and Case PresentationsMeetings and case presentation are key factors in implementing sound QC Circle activities.The ways meetings are conducted and case presentations are arranged are crucial as theyhelp mold the members’ principles and overall attitude toward company-wide QCCactivities. Also, leaders’ roles in those activities can determine whether their respectiveCircles achieve further development or take a few steps backward. Therefore, allmembers need to be cognizant of what their leaders expect and how it can be achieved. Inthis chapter, some of the key factors concerning meetings and case presentation areintroduced. The roles of the leaders in each step are also discussed.

5-1 What is a meeting?Meetings constitute one of the crucial aspects of QC Circle activity, which, itself,involves a group of people in the same workshop who share common interests andobjectives. The following benefits are derived through QC Circle activity.

Benefits of QC Circle Meetings

1. Establishment of a broadened point of view2. Changes in the way of thinking (becomes more positive)3. Enhancement of individual ability4. Establishment of a sound communication network5. Improvement of individual character6. Provision of an opportunity to speak out

QC Circle meetings develop various aspects of individual ability. In them,members come together to work through problem-solving processes. Throughdiscussion and other exchange, members can broaden their way of thinking.They encourage each other and work together toward common objectives,engendering a positive way of thinking. In small group meetings like those ofQC Circles, all members have individual roles. Therefore, members can learn tobe responsible while simultaneously enhancing their ability to make things better.The word individual suggests uniqueness in terms of values and personalities, sowhen several individuals are pooled together in a Circle, there is abundantopportunity to learn in an environment of mutual exchange of ideas andinformation. Another good aspect of QC Circle meetings is that job titles are leftaside; all members are on equal standing and are free to express their opinionsand suggestions.

5-2 What does presentation for management entail?There are two reasons for QC Circles to present their projects to management: to


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get management’s approval or to inform them of their efforts to improve theirprocess. It is a very important event in the life of any QC Circle, especially forthose whose members seldom get to talk to management face-to-face. It is amoment where the Circle members take pride in their achievement andmanagement in turn shows how grateful they are for their contributions andchallenge them further to greater heights.

� Proper presentationLess-experienced Circles have only thirty minutes to make their presentations,and more mature ones have only fifteen minutes; so they have to be mindful ofthe agreed sequence for them. A facilitator keeps members aware of the timeby flashing cards that say “10 minutes more” or “last 2 minutes,” or byperiodically ringing a bell.

� Open forumEvery presentation to management is followed by an open forum. Theobjective of this portion is for management to receive clarification on pointsthey consider vague. It is recommended that the facilitator remindmanagement of this objective before the presentation so that they phrase theirquestions in such a way that the Circle does not feel that it is being grilled. Ithelps if the management is distributed a copy of the presentation beforehand.It also helps if management asks the facilitator for some clarification, evenbefore the presentation. In this way the Circle is spared some potentiallyhumbling questions. However, even though the facilitator answers thequestion, he must inform the Circle leader that such a question was raised sothat the Circle can consider it.

Most of the time, however, management gets the documents during thepresentation and has to be reminded that this is an occasion for them to makethe Circle feel good about contributing to the company.

� AgendaThe QC Circle Office prepares an agenda for the presentation. It usuallycontains the following parts:

A. Opening activitiesThe company hymn is sung, a short community prayer follows, and thefacilitator welcomes everybody and introduces the management memberwho will give the opening remarks. In a department presentation, thedepartment head does this.

B. Case presentation

C. Closing activitiesThe facilitator announces the end of the presentation and introduces themember of management who will give the closing remarks—again, thedepartment head in the case of a department presentation.


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Example QCC Presentation AgendaFigure 61

4:00－4:10 Singing of company song Opening by QC Circle leader Opening remarks by the supervisor

4:10－4:45 QC Circle case presentation (1) 4:10－4:25 QC Circle case presentation 4:25－4:30 QC Circle sings jingle 4:30－4:45 Open forum4:45－5:20 QC Circle case presentation (2) 4:45－5:00 QC Circle case presentation 5:00－5:05 QC Circle sings jingle 5:05－5:20 Open forum5:20－5:30 Closing remarks by the supervisor

A QC Circle presentation in a hospital (Photo by DBJ)

� Attendees of presentationThe QC Circle Steering Committee, the QC Circle Office, the departmentfacilitator, the Circle, and management are the key people present in amanagement presentation. Additionally, facilitators, leaders, and membersfrom other departments may be invited.

� VenueThe choice of where the presentation is done is very important to the Circle.The more prestigious the place is, the more honored the members feel. Mostoften, presentations are done in multi-purpose halls because they are big, butany room can be used as long as it is free of disturbance, it can sit everyone


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invited, and it allows for the use of presentation equipment like overheadprojectors, slides, and PC projectors.

� Presentation procedureThere are several forms of recognition that a QC Circle can receive for itsefforts: for example, management presentation within and outside the company,publicity through company newsletters, participation in QC Circle conventionswithin or outside the country, exhibition of photos and projects on companybulletin boards, and inter-company visits. Among these, presentation in frontof management is the most important because a presentation is a very powerfulway for a QC Circle to get things done, including selling its concept tomanagement, so the Circle must carefully prepare for it.

� Preparation for presentationThe Circle’s preparation for the presentation is intense because it is thehighlight of the Circle activities.

The following aspects must be done in this phase:

1. Establish what the Circle wants to get out of the presentation.In some circumstances, the Circle may be aiming for a clear decision at theend of the presentation; in others, a commitment to further investigate whatis being sought. The Circle must not lose sight of what they want toachieve.

2. Try to see things from management’s point of viewThe Circle must try to get into the head of management and see thingsfrom their point of view. One of the things that may be present in theminds of management is the question, “What is in it for the company?” Insome companies, Circles do cost–benefit analysis; in others, they just highlyemphasize the tangible and intangible benefits.

3. Ensure that the sequence of the presentation is logicalCircles generally use the following sequence:

a. Introduce their Circle—Circle name, leader, assistant leader, members,and facilitator—and give the date when the Circle was organized and thenumber of meetings they have had

b. Outline the problem the Circle is tacklingc. Examine the facts that have been gatheredd. Go through the possible solutions that were considerede. Highlight the selected solution and the reasons for its selectionf. Stress the benefits of this solutiong. Detail the actions done or needed to implement the solutionh. Examine the effectivenessi. Examine the standardizationj. Invite questions


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4. Prepare notes and visual aidsThe Circle has a wide spectrum of choices as to how to present its case: fromhaving a word-for-word script to speaking entirely from memory. Howeverthey want to do it, they must bear in mind that although presentations formanagement are fairly formal, they are not entirely so. The atmospheremust be relaxed as much as possible.

Another point to consider is for every member to come to the presentationwith an understanding of all aspects of the case. As for the visual aids, theCircle must consider that pictures are worth a thousand words becausepeople remember more what they see than what they hear.

5. RehearseThe facilitator plays a very important role during rehearsals. He giveseach member a critique on loudness of voice, body language, eye contact,and handling of presentation materials.

6. Ready the room and equipmentThe Circle leader, with the assistance of the facilitator, ensures that theroom is properly ventilated and lighted, that there are enough chairs foreveryone, and that the equipment, including the microphone, is in goodworking order.

5-3 The Role of Leaders: OverallQC Circle LeadershipThe first leader of every QC Circle is generally the first-line supervisor, until oneof the members is able to assume leadership. It is recommended that Circleleadership be changed every two years, to give everybody a chance to become aleader. The procedure for selecting a leader is by vote, and the members usuallybase their choice on the ability of the candidates to

1. Persuade workshop employees to join the QC Circle2. Teach members new tools or methods3. Study continuously to improve their own competencies4. Communicate with co-leaders for improvement5. Maintain contact with management in their own workshops6. Work with facilitators7. Help new members8. Organize meetings two or three times a month9. Plan meetings, including doing the logistics10. Persuade every member to attend the meetings11. Conduct meetings effectively

An ideal leader would have the qualities shown in figure 62.


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EARS

•Careful listener (to even minor problems)

•Collector of information

•Attentive Listener to all members’ opinions

Figure 62 Desirable QC Circle Leader

BRAIN

•Flexibility

•Reasonable and sound talk

•Cool judgement

•Expertise in QC 7 tools

•Self-suppressed feelings

•Understanding of the theme

HEART

•Responsibility

•High spirit

•Sympathy

•Empathy

•Courtesy

•Composure

FEET

•Contributor to discussions

•Acquirer of information

•Aggressive mover

MOUTH

•Persuasive power

•Humorous talk

•Contact w/smile

HANDS

•Skilled worker

•Quick worker

•Qualified worker

EYES

•Ability to identify workshop problems

•Always fully aware

BODY LANGUAGE

•Physical contact

•Empathetic expression

It is obvious that the QC Circle meetings are the lifeblood of Circle activities.Thus, it is very important that the leader has a good understanding of the QCCircle concept, the tools and techniques, and the QC Story, and has good groupdynamics and communication skills so that he can conduct the meetingseffectively. In addition, each member should take the following responsibilities.� Being on time—not wasting other members’ valuable time by making

them wait� Listening without interrupting—not engaging in private conversation that

disrupts the meeting� Listening with understanding—listening to the points that others are

trying to convey, regardless whether one agrees or not� Thinking analytically—before speaking, organizing in a logical sequence

what is to be said, making it short and simple� Making only constructive criticism—giving only objective and sincere

criticism, and following it with viable alternatives� Making sure that all members understand the decisions reached—

Clarifying to eliminate the chance for doubt—agreeing all details at themeeting, so that decisions can be implemented without complications

� Making sure that members’ objections are expressed only duringmeetings—not letting them outside of meetings


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5-4 The Role of the Leader in Conducting Meetings and Presentations

-Determines the objective of the meeting

-Seeks supervisor’s approval to hold the meeting

-Determines time and place of the meeting

-Informs members of time and place of the meeting

-Prepares an outline to guide the discussion

-Opening the session

-Leads the discussion

-Moderates the discussion

-Documents the discussion

-Checks progress of Circle against master plan

The Role of a Leader in QC Circle Meetings•PREPARATION

•DURING THE MEETING

During Preparation

5-4-1 Preparation� Determines the objective of each meeting

Since meetings are usually held for an hour only, the objectives must bevery specific and clearly stated. For example, the objective of the firstmeeting is to be able to select the process to focus on and list the possibleproblems pertaining to it.

� Prepares an outline to guide the discussion1. What topics are to be covered?2. How much time should be given to each topic?

The leader must be able to identify who among the members will be of helpin achieving the objective of the meeting.

In like manner, the leader must be able to identify who are likely to make itdifficult for the group to achieve the objective of the meeting. In this case,the leader must consult the facilitator before the meeting on how to get thecommitment of these members. The facilitator may also assist the leaderduring the meeting in handling difficult members.


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It is important that any dissenting member be given a chance to explainhis idea and that the leader and members listen attentively, so the groupcan arrive at common ground.

� Determines the usual time and place of meetingsThe usual time and place of meetings is normally determined at the start,when the Circle is organized; however, there are times when the agreedtime is not followed, so in those cases it must be established throughconsultation with the members.

When there is a change in schedule, the meeting room previously arrangedmay not be available, so the leader, with the assistance of the facilitator,may have to look for another place.

� Seeks the supervisor's approval to hold the meetingAny new time allocated for a meeting must be approved by a supervisor.It may be that the supervisor will not approve it, as is because of an urgentmatter where everyone’s participation is needed. In this case thesupervisor suggests an alternative schedule.

� Informs members of time and place of the meetingAlthough at the end of every meeting the leader reminds the memberswhen the next meeting is, the leader still has to remind them again later.

During the Meeting5-4-2 During the Meeting

� Opens the sessionThe leader begins the meeting by stating the topic and connecting it withthe previous topic, because it is important to show continuity in thediscussions in order to sustain the members’ interest.

� Leads the discussionThe leader guides the discussion in such a way that he creates anenvironment where discussion can take place freely, ensures that the groupunderstands and accepts the objective of the meeting, stimulates theexpression of ideas, ensures that every member has an opportunity toparticipate, keeps the meeting on track, clarifies comments, clarifiespreviously vague ideas, defines terms when necessary, and listens carefullyto every idea. He must also be able to summarize the discussion points.

� Moderates the discussionThe leader keeps the discussion on track by asking questions that are brief,simply worded, and related to one point only. If there is a need for asequence of questions, they must be asked in logical order. It is importantthat the leader knows how to deal with different types of Circle members sothe group does not get off track. The most common types of members are


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the argumentative, the overly talkative, the shy, the disinterested, and thegrudge-bearers.

� The ArgumentativeSuch members’ reasons for arguing are to oppose the leader. They arelikely to split hairs over trivial matters, but here, the leader must staycalm. The leader can ask specific questions so as to draw out thesemembers and turn them over to the group but must remember to keepthe members from getting personal.

� The Over-talkativeThis member wants to do all of the talking. The best way to deal withthis member is to have a rule in the group that no one should speak toolong on any subject until everyone has had a chance to say something.When a member forgets this rule, the leader must tactfully interrupt andask others to comment on the subject. The leader can say, “John, thankyou for your ideas, can we ask the others what they think?”

� The ShyThese members are usually withdrawn. The leader can draw out thesemembers by asking them simple questions that they are sure to answerand praise them for answering. The leader can find something for themto do—for example, the leader can assign them to look for a venue for thecase presentation to management and let them report on this during themeeting.

� The DisinterestedThe leader can ask for this member’s opinion pertaining to some featuresof the meeting. For example, the leader can ask what the memberthinks about the assigned task, or ask about non-work matters like if themember has seen the movie that is the talk of the town.

� The Grudge-bearerThese members carry personal grudges against certain members. It isbest that the leader avoids discussion about their grudges and asks thefacilitator to intervene outside the meeting if the grudge persists.

� Documents discussionsThe leader ensures that discussions during meetings are documented.This is the role of a secretary, a role that is rotated among the membersevery meeting so that everybody gets to experience how to documentimportant points in a discussion. It is recommended that Circle membersare provided with notebooks so each member is encouraged to take notes.For easy reference, a format for writing minutes of Circle meetings isprovided by the QC Circle Office as follows.


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Minutes of QC Circle Meeting

Time: July 7 (Mon) 08:30a.m.－ 09:00a.m.

Place: Meeting Room, Emcee: Taro Yamada

Participants: Members—All present

Theme: Reduction of time to retrieve common tools

Agenda: Current Status Grasping

1.

2.

3.

Figure 63

Next meeting: July 14 (Mon)

Agenda: Goal Setting

� Checks progress of Circle against master planThe Circle leader keeps track of the progress of the group by regularlyasking the members where they are compared with the plan theyformulated at the start of their Circle activities.

A check of each member’s accomplishments will do the group well inensuring that they are on track. If this is not done, the Circle may finditself overly extending its timetable for completing a project, and this is onereason that members lose their enthusiasm.


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When to Have a QC Circle Meeting

QC Circle Meetings

Meeting for

kaizen

Activities

StudyMeeting

ContactMeeting

ReportMeeting

MemberRepresentative

Meeting

・when problem occurs

・between operations

FriendshipMeeting

・60-90minutes afterwork

・1or 2 month

・5-10 minutesin the morningassembly


・3-5 minutesafter eveningassembly

Duringworkhours

Afterwork

・after morning assembly


・60-90 minutesafter work

・1or 2 month

・ 5-10minutes inthe morning/ evening assembly

・2-3minutesafter eveningassembly

・lunch time・1hour after work

Figure 64

6 Benefits and Impediments

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6 Benefits and ImpedimentsThere are many benefits attributed to the QC experiences of members, leaders, facilitators,and management of companies that have adopted the QC Circle concept as a managementtool. It is important to note that the QC Circle activities will bring both tangible andintangible benefits to the company and its employees. Being actively involved inimproving processes to ensure the quality of products and services as demanded bycustomers will contribute not only to solving problems in the workplace but also toincreasing the capacity of the Circles’ leaders and members. Nonetheless, we cannotneglect that there are impediments to success as well; and these are described in the lastpart of the chapter.

Benefits from QC Circle ActivitiesThe benefits from QC Circle activities can be classified into intangible and tangible benefits.The intangible benefits are those that are qualitative—for example, we cannot say thatteamwork was improved by 50 percent; we can only provide manifestations of improvedteamwork, such as noting that attendance in meetings improved by 80 percent. Eventhough improvement in attendance is quantifiable, it is not equivalent to improvedteamwork; it is just a manifestation. Tangible benefits, on the other hand, are those thatcan be quantified—for example, reduction in the defect rate from 50 percent to 10 percent.

For better appreciation of intangible benefits gained from QC Circle activities, the questionof, “What is in it for me?” must be answered. The question has many variations—forexample, “What is in it for the company if it has QC Circles?” A corollary question is “Whatis in it for management, for the Circle leader, and for the Circle members?”

6-1 Benefits for QC Circle Members

Why is QC Circle good for its members?

� Transformation of oneself into a thinking human being� Development of self-confidence� Establishment of closer relationships with colleagues� Improvement in customer orientation� Understanding of the requirements of the customer� Improvement in commitment to the goals of the company� Establishment of a better relationship with management

� Transformation of oneself into a thinking human beingThe operators come to realize that they are not just doing but also thinkinghuman beings. And as thinking human beings, they discover that they havesomething to contribute to the way work is being done.


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They discover during Circle meetings that they and other members have ideas.When a member gives an idea and it is accepted, he feels accepted and thisencourages him to give more ideas; thus, a spiraling of ideas happens.

� Development of self-confidenceEvery step in the QC Story contributes to the development of all members’self-confidence. They develop confidence as they learn to give their ideas onproblems they have in the work area; as they collect data, analyze it, andtranslate it into actionable information; as they make decisions on what is themajor root cause of their problem; and as they weigh their options as to the bestsolution to their problem.

They develop confidence as they monitor the effects of their solution; as theymake judgment as to the effectiveness of their solution; as they decide on whatneeds to be done so as to make the improvement permanent throughstandardization; and as they decide on what problem to tackle next.

Their creative juices are unleashed, so one sees Circle members blooming withpride during management presentations.

� Establishment of closer relationships with colleaguesAs they get to communicate more with their colleagues, they form closerrelationships. They come to understand what each other is doing, and howtheir work is interrelated.

The closer relationship is also manifested in non-Circle activities that they dotogether, such as eating meals, drinking coffee, going to the movies, swimming,bowling, and so forth. In other words, they develop a relationship thatextends beyond work.

� Being customer focusedThe QC Circle provides members with an opportunity to see the company frommanagement’s perspective: stature of the company, competitiveness, publicperception of the corporate culture, and so on.

� Understanding of the requirements of the customerMost importantly, members learn the requirements of the customer. Theyrealize that everything they do will contribute to the quality of the product orservice that goes to the customer and are reminded that the ultimate goal isensuring that the customers are satisfied with the product or servicethroughout its lifecycle.

As an example, the USABLE Circle, a Circle of the Urban DevelopmentAuthority of Singapore, said in their case presentation during the InternationalConvention on QC Circles (ICQCC) held in the Philippines in 1999 that “Highercustomer satisfaction was achieved as decisions (on development applicationsfor change of use of land) are released earlier. We received thirteencompliments compared to four for the same period last year.”


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� Commitment to the goals of the companyTheir being customer-focused brings personnel to another level of commitment,a commitment to the attainment of the goals of the company.They know that every defective product delays delivery and may cause thecustomer to stop buying from the company. They know that every call that isnot answered may be an opportunity lost, and that a customer complaint orrequest not handled well may mean customer dissatisfaction that can lead tolosing the customer. They know that every wasted raw material may makethe product more costly, thus priced too high for the intended customer to affordit. They know that coming late to work will delay the delivery of a service orthe production of a product. In sum, the members have a greater awareness ofthe importance of their work in the organization.

� Establishment of a better relationship with managementBecause of management’s recognition of their contribution, the relationshipbetween management and the operators is improved. There is a change inattitude—not just in the attitude of the operators towards management butalso in the attitude of management towards operators.

The change in attitude starts with management believing that the people whoare closest to the job know best how to improve the job.

Management used to think that operators may not really care for the company,but when they see that the operators are viewing their work as a meaningfulactivity giving them self-satisfaction, enriching their professional knowledge,and helping them win the respect of their colleagues and superiors, theirattitude towards the operators changes.

Here are some example QC Circle presentations from national or internationalconventions.

1. From the MEMS Quality Circle of Pasar Corporation, located in Isabel,Leyte, Philippines (presented in the 1996 national convention in Manila,Philippines)a. The Circle members exhibited improved confidence in solving problems.b. Circle members’ skills in using QC tools improved.c. Members learned to accept criticism as part of QC Circle activities.

2. From the Work Club of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Departmentof the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (presentedin ICQCC’99 held in Manila, Philippines)a. Our spirit in providing quality customer service was acknowledged by

our customers.b. The staff benefited from the opportunity to exchange experiences and

knowledge.c. Customer and staff satisfaction improved.


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3. From the Watch 3 Circle of Yazaki Torres Manufacturing, Inc, Philippines(presented in ICQCC’99 held in Manila, Philippines)

Figure 65Circle Criteria Points Before QC

Circle ActivitiesTargetPoints

Points After QCCircle Activities

Teamwork 3 6 6QC Circleknowledge

3 6 7

Communicationability

2 4 5

Ability to solveproblems

2 4 6

Self confidence 3 6 7

4. From the Southern D’Light Circle of the Engineering-Electrical/Instrumentation Section of Manila Electric Co., Philippines(presented in the ICQCC’99 held in Manila, Philippines)

We learned additional knowledge in air conditioner repair and we learned tosolve complex problems.

5. From the TOTAL CONTROL TEAM of Petronas Carigali, Malaysia(presented in the ICQCC’99 held in Manila, Philippines)Their communication, presentation, computer skills, and knowledge of theEnglish language were improved.

A QC Circle meeting in an airlinecompany (Photo by JUSE)

6-2 Benefits for Circle Leaders In every way that the members benefit from QC Circle activities, so too do theleaders.


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What are the benefits for a Circle Leader?

� Development of group skills� Development of analytical skills� Development of interpersonal skills

� Development of group skillsThe effectiveness of meetings depends greatly on the group skills of the leaders,who prepare the meeting agenda, often a new experience. The leaders get tosummarize points discussed, keep the discussion on track, and get the membersto formulate codes of ethics that the leaders use when desired behaviors are notmanifested—like when people don’t finish their assigned tasks on time.

� Development of analytical skillsThe leaders lead their Circles to their objectives, and in the process develop aquestioning attitude. They ask about what, who, why, when, where and how(5W1H) all the time, and through this behavior are able to make colleaguesbecome analytical too.

The leaders get to encourage the members to make paradigm shifts: to thinkthat there is always a better way.

� Development of interpersonal skillsThe leaders learn how to seek consensus instead of imposing their ideas. Theylearn how to read members’ non-verbal communications. They seekclarification all of the time. They learn the value of not putting down people,of giving credit to individuals, and of not feeling assaulted by the behavior ofdifficult members.

The leader learns to use words that don’t hurt the feelings of others. Theylearn how to establish win-win situations in times when members stronglycontradict each other. In the process they act as counselors.

They learn how to remain positive about and composed in meetings, keepingonly positive thoughts on their minds and not bringing to meetings whateverproblems they have outside the Circle.

Thus, leadership in the QC Circle is a very good opportunity for the frontlineoperators to prepare themselves for supervisory responsibilities. Such is thecase of a bank in the Philippines where the frontline operators can becomesupervisors if they pass an officer-training program. The requirements foracceptance to this training program include proving leadership capabilities.For leaders to be considered for the officer-training program, their Circles must


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successfully complete a project for improvement and present it to management.

Such experience also prepares Circle leaders to become community leaders—forexample, in initiating programs to encourage proper disposal of rubbish,improve security, and controlling the populations of stray animals. Andyounger Circle leaders can organize sports festivals for the youth duringvacations.

6-3 Benefits for Facilitators

What are the benefits for facilitators?

� Development of training skills� Development of coaching skills� Development of coordinating skills

Development of training skillsFacilitators learn how to convince Circle members of the benefits of learning newskills, to do training needs analysis, and to design training programs.

As a trainer, they learn how to present ideas in a clear manner so that themembers can easily understand the topic. They prepare visual aids and handoutsthat are concise, pleasant to the eye, legible, and easy to understand.

They have to know what questions to ask and how to ask them when they want tocheck the level of the understanding of the members.

They have to balance concepts with actual applications. They can’t be perceivedas bookish—that is, when they teach, they should know the actual situation in theworkplace and use examples that are relevant to the members.

They learn how to make their sessions fun-filled, because a very formalatmosphere inhibits creativity. By visiting other companies, going to schoollibraries, and attending seminars and conventions they equip themselves withtreasure chests full of exercises on how to energize groups.

Development of coaching skillsAs a coaching function, facilitators show leaders how to accomplish what they setout to do. For example, they have to show new Circle leaders how to prepare ameeting agenda. Coaching is done by asking a lot of questions—questions thathelp the leader to think.

Coaching, in this sense, is more guiding than instructing. For instance, instead oftelling leaders what their agendas are, they ask thought-provoking questions suchas, “What is your objective for conducting this meeting?” or “How much time do


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you generally need to review previous meetings’ agendas?”

Facilitators do a lot of coaching. They coach the leaders on how to managemeetings, how to get support from difficult members, how to collect data andsummarize them into actionable information, how to document discussions, and soforth.

The coaching happens before and after the meeting and not during meetings,otherwise the leader’s credibility with the members could be tarnished. Thus,facilitators are the persons behind the successes of leaders.

Development of coordinating skillsFacilitators make sure that the things needed by a Circle are available. In theprocess, they learn how to coordinate with other units in the company, in obtaininganother department’s data, for instance.

Facilitators also coordinate with management, and this task requires them tothink like management. They must anticipate management questions and beprepared to answer them. One frequently asked question is “What is the status ofyour Circle’s activities?”

In their coordinator roles, facilitators have to blend diplomacy and psychology withtheir managerial skills.

6-4 Impediments to Progress in QC Circle ActivitiesLeading a Circle towards the completion of its activities is not an easy job.Several factors have potential to hinder progress, and once the leader overcomesthem, his self-esteem is boosted. The more common of these factors are asfollows.

Impediments to Progress in QC Circle Activities

� Leader can’t motivate members� Leader lacks knowledge of QC Circle concepts, tools, and techniques� Leader lacks group skills� Lack of time� Circle can’t seem to get anywhere� Solution the Circle chooses is not effective� Circle thinks there are no more problems to solve� The facilitators are too busy

� Leader can’t motivate membersThe leaders themselves may be hindrances to the progress of QC Circleactivities, especially in cases where they were not chosen by the members, butby their supervisors. Ideally the leaders are selected by the members, but in


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some companies, the supervisor or the manager appoints the leader when theperson selected by the members does not want to be a leader and no one wantsto volunteer to become a leader. In some cases, the person is not well liked bythe members and this becomes a leadership issue. Such persons are not veryeffective in motivating the members to actively participate in Circle activities.

What the facilitator can do to help is to spend time with the leader before theCircle meeting to prepare him for the meeting. Preparation means not onlyknowing what to discuss in the meeting and having the materials for discussionready but also knowing how to discuss it and how to get members who don’t likehim very much to participate in the discussion.

Also, after the meeting, the facilitator again meets with the leader to evaluatehow he feels about the meeting, what he did well and what he did not do well,and together they formulate means to address remaining issues.

� Leader lacks knowledge of QC Circle concepts, tools, and techniquesLeaders lacking in knowledge of QC concepts, tools, and techniques, havedifficulty in leading discussions, and this may result in their Circles focusingtoo long on one theme. When this happens, the members lose theirenthusiasm.One way to eliminate this impediment is for the leader to list the subjects thatare not too clear to him, including specific questions he has, and discuss themone-on-one with the facilitator. He should also have a self-study plan.

� Leader lacks group skillsThis is one factor that is difficult to eliminate because group skills can only belearned practically. It can be eliminated over time with a lot of help from thefacilitator.

A more experienced facilitator will point out after every meeting how the leadercould have handled a very difficult question from a member, how he could havemoderated a very talkative member, or how he could have generated moreideas from the members. In essence, the leader has to do a lot of self-assessment and draw up plans for self-improvement in each meeting.

Not being able to bring a group to the completion of a project can be frustrating,and in some such cases the leader is tempted to quit trying. Some companiesrealize that leaders can also help each other, so they organize regular meetingsfor them. In these meetings they thoroughly discuss their difficulties andpossible countermeasures. Such meetings are very helpful in the sense thatthe leaders are able to vent their frustrations. And when they realize thatother leaders have similar situations, they begin to feel better and areemboldened to implement the countermeasures arrived at by the group.

� Lack of timeThe ideal frequency of meetings is once a week for one hour. Normally a usualmeeting day is set when the Circle is organized. However, the Circle is not


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always able to meet as planned. If the agreed day is going to be missed (say ona Wednesday), the makeup meeting must be rescheduled for as soon as possible(no later than Friday). Otherwise, the Circle will lose its enthusiasm.

There are also times when it is impossible to hold meetings, even rescheduledones, because of workload. In such cases, some leaders go around and ask theindividual members for their input. He summarizes their ideas and relays theinformation to all the members. So the next time they meet, they have a newagenda based on the ideas generated through this approach.

Some leaders are very creative. If they can’t hold a meeting, then they put upa big sheet of paper on the wall and ask that as the members come up withideas, they add them to the list. In one branch of a bank, for instance, such asheet is posted on the wall of their cafeteria. As the members think of ideaswhile having lunch, they write them immediately—in time filling the paper.

� Circle can’t seem to get anywhereThere is a tendency for beginning QC Circles to choose a big problem. Theyjump at the chance to solve a problem that has long been besieging them, notknowing in some cases that it is beyond their capacity to solve. They get stuckand don’t know how to proceed.

Some companies allow the facilitator to lead the QC Circle in such cases, whilealso requiring the Circles to define the start and end of the process they choseto study—that is, the source of the problem. In this way, it is easy to checkwhether the problem is something they can solve or not.

� Solution the Circle chooses is not effectiveSome Circles have difficulty in coming up with solutions to their problems.One reason is the members are not used to being asked to think of better waysto do the work, so the tendency is to be contented with obvious solutions thatare not effective.

Naturally, Circles are discouraged when they see the problem not improving inspite of having implemented their “solutions.” If such a situation is allowed topersist, some members will start skipping meetings and the Circle will be indanger of dying.

The facilitator comes to the rescue by encouraging the Circle to review whathappened. Sometimes it is a question of poor implementation. At othertimes, the area they chose to address was not the most critical one; so, even ifthe solution is very good, the effect is lost because the most critical causeremains unsolved.

Situations like these have actually prompted some companies to conductcreative thinking sessions for Circles that are about to formulate solutions totheir problems. Such sessions are conducted by facilitators who have attendedcreative thinking training outside the company.


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� Circle thinks there are no more problems to solveWhen a Circle is about five years old, its members get a feeling of having solvedall the problems in their workshop. A closer look, however, will show thatthere are other opportunities for improvement. In such cases, becausemanagement has a broader perspective of problems—from a company-widepoint of view—they either provide a list of problems from which the Circles canchoose or, in some cases, have a supervisor or someone in departmentmanagement tell the Circle what problems to solve.

� Facilitators are too busyIn companies in which supervisors are the facilitators, the facilitating role canbe overstrained because too many Circles are assigned to one facilitator.Ideally there should be one facilitator for every two Circles, but in someinstances, a facilitator has four to six Circles to assist.

Some companies address this impediment by having their facilitators meet theleaders once a week to find out how they are doing instead of meeting with eachCircle.

In one company, a facilitator who was assisting six Circles, designated the mostsenior leader among those Circles to act as an assistant facilitator, assigningthree Circles to him. This move gave the selected leader another opportunityto develop his potential, boosted his morale, and made him work hard to assistthe three leaders put in his charge.

7 A QC Circle Case Example

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7 A QC Circle Case ExampleThe following is based on presentation No. 205 in the 1,906th Tokai Region QC CircleCompetition, held in 1987. The numbered (1–18) presentation slides depicted here areEnglish translations, by this handbook’s authors, of the actual Japanese slides. Theaccompanying explanations are based on the authors’ understanding of the presentation.

Toyoda Machine Works Ltd.

Shinji FukushimaShinobu Kondo

T o y o d a M a c h i n e W o r k s L t d .manufactures and sells machine tools,automotive components, instrumentcontrols, and industrial robots. Weare a part of the main factory, locatedin Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture.There are also factories in OkazakiCity, Takahama City, and KodaTown. Branch offices and sales andservice centers are in nice domesticlocations, and overseas we have staffstationed at offices in the U.S.,Germany, and Brazil.

1 Introduction

Atsumi Peninsula

* Kariya Main Factory* Higashi Kariya Factory* Okazaki Factory* Tado Misaki Factory* Koda Factory

Aichi Prefecture

Chita Peninsula

In nationwide conventions, audiencescome from various companies andindustries, with different backgrounds.Therefore, a presentation normally startsby introducing some information aboutthe company and its history. If thecompany is in the manufacturing sector,the Circle also provides a briefintroduction of its products and services.

Business Activities1. Post-sale service for the machine center2. Nationwide technical support for customers by telephone

Motto of the Quality Control Circle‘WE ARE THE PIPE BETWEEN THECUSTOMER AND THE COMPANY. WEARE THE CUSTOMER’S SERVICEMAN!!’

2 The Workplace

Business Service Department

Dr. Slump

Section 2

Division 2 Division 3Division 1 Division 4 Division 5

Section 1

Then the Circle explains about its workplace, answering the question, “What are themain activities and the vision and mission of the QC Circle activities?” Thecomposition of the Circle will be also introduced—“When was it established? Whatare the ages of its members? What is the average age?” and so on.

Reduction in Time to Retrieve Common ToolsTHEME


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Introduction of the Quality Control Circle Circle Name: Dr. SLUMPRegistration No.of Group 1,454,348 Date of Establishment March 1, 1983

Members 7Meetings Held perMonth 4

Average Age 27.7 Meeting Duration 2 hrs

Maximum Age 41Meetings Held(Outside/Inside) Working Hours Outside

Minimum Age 21 Number of Themes Addressed 13th theme(Name of Office)TOYODA MACHINE WORKS LTD: Sales & Service Division

Stay healthy night & day!Don’t get in a slump!

Customers’ machine

I’m in topcondition!

3 History of the Circle Name In some cases, the Circle relates how itsname was derived. In the case of Dr.Slump, its name was chosen as a reflectionof the members’ wishes and ideal goal tokeep QC Circle activities healthy—that is,to keep the activities from slumping.

Stage of Development and Reflections

Who’s doing what?

Let the leader do it!

I don’t knowhow to do anything!

There are too few peopleat meetings!

Business Service Divisiongets the Gold Prize!

year

1982

1983

1984

1986

1985

4 Stages of Growth Then the members describe thechronological steps their QC Circle hastaken. In the case of Dr. Slump, whenthe Circle was first established, themembers did not really know everyone’sindividual role. In other words, theydid not know who was playing what rolein their activities. In the followingyear, the Circle had some problems ofnot knowing what to do. They were notyet familiarized with QCC tools andtechniques, and therefore haddifficulties in understanding the QCCprocedures.

In 1984, Dr. Slump’s third year of operation, members neglected some basic aspects of QCC:they were a bit bored with their activity and tended to leave all the tasks to the leaders.As time went by, the situation got worse, and in 1985, the Circle faced critical problems, as


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members started to avoid the meetings. Yet the Circle somehow overcame the problem in1986 was awarded the Gold Prize at the general meeting.

5 Reasons for Selection (I)

When total productive managementactivities were addressed in thecorporate strategy, our Sales ServiceDivision began studying TPM, as didthe Quality Control Circle. Becausein our company we frequently go toour customers to repair theirequipment or offer support, wemeasure to what extent the toolmanagement has been organized,using a hypothetical Company T,and how long it takes to retrievetools in the factory.

Time required to retrieve 9types of tools

Total: 24 min 10 sec

Average time: 2min 41 sec / per

tool

Time requi red t oretrieve tools is toolong!!

After introducing background informationabout the company and the Circle’sactivities, the Circle starts presenting theirmain theme for the convention in the form ofthe QC Story. First, they present thereason they chose the theme and how it isrelated to the company’s qualitymanagement activities. In the case of Dr.Slump, they started the QCC as a part ofTPM, based on its framework, decided whichproblem areas the QC Circle would address.

Conducted a questionnaire tofind out what members thoughtof the current tool-handlingsystem

Results of questionnaire

The average points for persons A, B, C, D, E, and F was low, 1.7

Person A B C D E F Total AverageItem

1 How quickly can you take the tools out? 1 2 2 1 3 3 12 2.02 How well do you know where to put them? 1 2 1 2 2 2 10 1.73 How well do they fit in their strorage compartments? 1 1 1 2 2 2 9 1.54 How well can you identify tools at a rough glance? 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1.05 How good is the prevention against faulty tools? 3 3 2 2 2 2 14 2.3

TotalAverage 1.7

6 Reasons for Selection (II)

Measurement: Good=3, Average=2, Bad=1

The next step in the presentation is for Circle members to use hard data to rationalize theirtheme selection, because selection based simply on leaders’ emotional appeals isinappropriate. The Dr. Slump members conducted a questionnaire to see to what extentthe employees were satisfied with the way the tools were organized. They found that theemployees’ satisfaction level was very low in every aspect of the management of tools.


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Plan Implementation

Jul Aug Sep

Theme Selection

Establishment of Goals

Understanding CurrentStatus

Factor Analysis

Countermeasures

Confirmation ofEffectiveness

Permanent Fix

1 Jul－30 Sep 1986

7 Implementation Plan After covering their theme selection, Circlespresent the schedules they developed tosolve their problems. Often the flows arepresented for both the planning stage andthe actual implementation. Comparing thetwo flows at the end of the activitiesprovides tips for the planning andimplementation processes of the next phaseor theme to come.

1. Time to take out common tools:2 min 41 sec

2. Graded average score: 1.7

Reduce time to under 1 min

Raise average score to 2.5

8 Goals

With the theme having been selected, the next step in the schedule is theestablishment of goals.


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9 Grasping the Current Status

A 5mm wrenchB 17mm spannerC cross-recess screw driverD electric drill

Standard Tools

1'40'' 1'30'' 1'10'' 2�e50'' 3�f25'' 4'30''

D E FA B C

50' ' 40'' 60''

G H I

AverageTime

3'35''1'26''

RetrievalTime

Measurement ToolsCommon Tools

50' '

E hacksawF turret headG levelH small testerI test bar

Office

D

5m

Wall

3m6 m

A

C

BMethod of Measuring Current Status:Time to take out specified tools fromshelves A to D and carry them to the office

We asked Mr. A to retrieve some tools (predetermined) in threecategories (standard, common, and measurement) while we timed him.

Average time taken to retrieve tools

St and ar dtools

Com montools

Measure-ment tool s

It takes a long time totake out common tools.

Let�fs look at thecurrent status!!

1'26''

.50''

Min

4

3

2

1

3'35''

Total: 170 sec

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

time to retrieve electricdril l

Time to F ind

Time to Wa lk

Time to Retrie ve

Time to Read y

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

time to retr ievehacksaw

0

50

100

150

200

250

time to retrieve turrethead

Total: 205 sec

Total: 270 sec

After the goal is set, members present their actual understanding and analysis of thecurrent status of the problem, aiming at seeing the extent of the problem in as muchdetail as possible. In the case of Dr. Slump, the Circle measured how long it took toretrieve each tool from its shelf. There are various tools in the workshop, so theCircle timed the retrieval of every tool. After they identified the tools that were themost difficult to retrieve, the Circle looked into the procedures in more detail-to seewhich steps took the longest time. They measured the time required to walk andfind a tool, take it from its shelf, and take it to the work area and put it on the desk,ready for use.

The measurements suggested that the retrieval time for common tools was thelongest, at 3 minutes 35 seconds, whereas that for standard tools was 1 minute 26seconds and that for measuring tools was 50 seconds.


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Environment Human

Return

Method

It t

akes

tim

e to

fin

d th

e to

ols!

Tools are notorganized

People do notknow where

tools are

Storage placeundecided

Tools and partsare in the same

place

(III)Tools are

not separatedaccording toapplication

(II)There is no

specified area

(I)There is no special shelf

for tools

ProblemsWhat we found

Aisle

No light

Light

Place toput tools

NarrowShelf

Place to return

Not returned towhere it used to be

Organized

Placed in the sameplace as parts

not designated

Not wellorganized

Do notorganize

Returnedseparately

Not clean

Not decided tools

Do notknowwhere

they are

Do not knowthe names

Awareness

10 Factor Analysis (I)

(1)(3)

(2)

(4)

After the current status is fully analyzed, members will try to identify the problem’sreal causes and effects, using a cause and effect diagram—one of the seven QC tools.From the diagram, four critical causes are identified: (1) tools and parts are in thesame place; therefore, it takes time to find the needed tool, (2) the places to store toolsare not well designated; so, tools are stored at random, not systematically by kind, (3)people simply do not know where the tools are, and (4) an organized method for storingthe tools does not exist.

Then members think of the real, critical causes of the problem. Dr. Slump isolatedthree: (I) there is no special shelf for tools, (II) there is no specific area for storing thesetools, and (III) tools are not separated according to usage.


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Effectiveness

11 Countermeasures (I)

Problems Countermeasures Who When1 (I) Designate shelves A and B as special tool shelves Miharu Aug. 3 2 (II) Label boxes with tool names, and organize Kondo Aug. 15 3 (III) Separate and arrange tools into categories: 1, 2, and 3 Yamada Aug. 15

Note: The circles designate satisfactory effectiveness.

Through discussion, members identify the countermeasures to the problems, who is incharge of implementing each countermeasure, and by when the task should beaccomplished. As for problem I in the case of Dr. Slump, shelves A and B are to bedesignated as shelves for special tools only, and Mr. or Ms Miharu is to be in charge.Other countermeasures are organized to solve problems II and III.

Time required to retrieve common tools (secs)

Questionnaire Good=3, Average=2, Bad=1

12 Confirm Effectiveness (I)

(1)

(2)

Note: The circles and crosses designate satisfactory andunsatisfactory effectiveness, respectively.

Question A B C D E F Total Average Evaluation1 How quickly can you retrieve the tools? 2 2 2 2 3 3 14 2.33 2 How well do you know where to put them? 2 2 3 2 3 3 15 2.503 How well do they fit in their strorage compartments? 2 2 2 2 2 2 12 2.00 4 How well can you identify tools at a rough glance? 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1.00 5 How good is the prevention against faulty tools? 2 2 2 2 3 3 14 2.33

Total 2.03

Person

A B C D Average EvaluationElectric drill 45'' 40'' 45'' 35'' 41.3'' Hacksaw 50'' 55'' 45'' 40'' 47.5'' Turret head 55'' 60'' 50'' 45'' 52.5''

47.0''

Person


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After members take countermeasures to the problems, they look at their effectiveness.Dr. Slump took two approaches to measure the effectiveness: (1) by taking the averagerate of time and (2) by having employees answer a questionnaire. The Circle also setthresholds for satisfactory evaluations: time less than one minute for the first and anaverage score of more than 2.5 for the second. Among the four people timed inretrieval of common-type tools, the average time was 47 seconds, far less than theprevious time of 3 minutes 35 seconds and under the goal. As for the 5-questionquestionnaire, however, the overall average score given by the six respondents was2.03, which was below the goal that the members had set. These results indicatedthat even though the time to retrieve tools had been greatly shortened, the operators’satisfaction in working in the environment had still not met the targeted level.

Brainstorming for 1, 3 & 4

Place for tools too small

Discuss issues with supervisors

Received guarantee ofspecial place & shelves for tools

Determine how to use special toolspace efficiently!

13 Grasping the Current Status (II) Having the initial results in hand, themembers set about improving the conditionsto get satisfactory responses to questions 1,3, and 4 of the questionnaire. They startedby brainstorming and found that membersfelt that the places for storing the tools weretoo small, making it too difficult both to getand to return them. They decided to getadvice from their supervisor, who agreed toarrange for new special shelves in which theoperators could organize their tools. Withthat settled, the operators were free to seehow they could design the space for mostefficient use of the tools.


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Evaluation points: 3-Yes 2-Normal 1-No

To use the special tool space efficiently we need to;

Improve theenvironment

Improve themethods

Sort outtools

Providetraining

Policies are necessary for possible solutionswith combined ratings of 5 or 6.

14 Factor Analysis (II)

No. Possible solutions effect possibilityCombined

rating1 Make storage area brighter 2 3 52 Facilitate cleanliness and tidiness 1 3 43 Use keys 2 3 54 Make able to tell tools apart by looking 3 3 65 Make able to know who took what 3 3 66 Make able to take out in one motion 3 3 6

7Distinguish such that anyone can tellwhat's what 3 3 6

8 Label tools by name 3 3 69 Designate place 3 2 5

10 Sort out necessary tools 2 3 511 Train staff on how to arrange tools 2 2 412 Return tools 2 1 3

Having obtained additional space for storing special tools, the Circle members begandiscussing how to use it efficiently. They first identified what kinds of elementscould affect the efficiency and listed possible solutions, dividing them into fourcategories: (1) environment (2) methods (3) sorting of tools, and (4) training. Thenthey rated each possible solution in terms of its probable effectiveness and thepossibility of putting it into practice. As shown above, those with combined ratingsof 5 or 6 were selected as possible solutions worth implementing.

15 Countermeasures (II)

No. Topics in Practice Countermeasure PersonDuedate Grade

1Make storage areabrighter Use flashlights Matsumoto Sep. 20

2 Use keys Use metal fittings Miharu Sep. 20

3Make able to tellapart by just looking

Separate and color-codethe tools Kondo Sep. 20

4Make able to knowwho has what

Place name card in spaceafter taking tool Fukushima Sep. 20

5Make able to take outin one motion Put opening in middle Kondo Sep. 20

6Give better viewing ofthe tools Label tools Yamada Sep. 20

7 Label tools by name Label tools and their boxes Fukushima Sep. 20

8 Designate placeSeparate common toolsfrom special tools Yamada Sep. 20

9Store the tools inproper places

Store necessary tools in setsof same-type tools Miharu Sep. 20

After members identify the possible solutions to focus on, they decide on measures forimplementing them. Again, members here decide who will be responsible forcarrying out the task and by when. For example, make storage area brighter is one


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possible solution that got a combined rating of 5. Therefore, the members looked formeasures to increase the brightness and decided that the best way was to useflashlights. Mr. or Ms. Matsumoto was put in charge of this and was expected tocomplete it by September 20. The other possible solutions were handled in a similarmanner.

16 Confirm Effectiveness (II)

Time required to retrieve common tools (secs)

Questionnaire evaluation ratings Good=3, average=2, bad=1

Item A B C D Avg.Evalu-ation

Electric drill 25" 28" 26" 23" 25.50"Hacksaw 22" 23" 20" 20" 21.25"Turret head 30" 33" 29" 30" 30.50"

25.75"

Person

Question A B C D E F Total Avg.Evalu-ation

Could take out quickly 2 2 3 3 3 3 16 2.66Have place designated to return tools 3 2 3 3 3 3 17 2.83Organized in proper order 3 3 3 3 3 2 17 2.83Can tell tools apart by looking 2 3 3 3 2 3 16 2.66Elimination of faulty tools 3 3 2 2 3 3 16 2.66

2.72

Person

Time required to retrieve tools Questionnaire evaluation

We easily surpassed the goal!

Time (secs)

Good!

Good!

0

1

2

3

before 1st 2nd Time

0

1

2

3

before 1st 2nd T ime

(2�e 5�f�e)2�e 7''

2�e 1''

1�e 07''

7''

47''

2�e 41''

(1�e 00�f�e)

After implementing the new measures, the Circle examines their effectiveness inexactly the same manner as was done in the first confirmation. For Dr. Slump thesecond results were much better than the first. The average time to retrieve a toolwas much shorter now, shortened by almost 60 percent. The answers to thequestionnaire were also better, an average rating of 2.7. Thus, the Circle achievedits initial goals: less than 1-minute retrieval and an average rating of more than 2.5.

17 Permanent fix

No. Item Person whodoes it

Personresponsible

Due date

1Record status of toolson checklistat time of their return All Miharu Time of return

2Person responsible managesmissing or faulty toolsbased on the checklist Yamada Weekend

Upon obtaining successful results, Circles plan how to maintain the improvement.In this case, the group came up with two points: first to record the status of tools ona checklist at the time of their return, and second to assign a person responsible formanaging missing or faulty tools based on the checklist. In this way, the Circlecan continuously maintain what they achieved in the second confirmation andproduce better effects.


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1. Together with two additional members, we aim to master quality control methods more quickly2. Keep standard tools (those issued to every individual) in good order and well organized3. Use storage space efficiently as space becomes smaller with the increase in special tools

18 Future plan

Lastly the Circle decides its future plan. In the case of Dr. Slump, they decidedthat all of the members will improve their technical knowledge in QC tools andtechniques, that they will try to improve the organization of standard tools, andthat they would utilize the storage space efficiently.

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AAuutthhoorrssRyu Fukui, Deputy Director General, Development Bank of Japan (Japan)Yoko Honda, Development Bank of Japan (Japan)Harue Inoue, Development Bank of Japan (Japan)Noriharu Kaneko, Executive Director, Service Quality Management Ltd. (Japan)Ichiro Miyauchi, Counselor, Union of Japanese Scientists & Engineers (Japan)Susana Soriano, Senior Manager, Customer Care Department, BPI Family Bank(Philippines)Yuka Yagi, Development Bank of Japan (Japan)

Spanish Translators:Rebecca González-Ávila, Vicerrectoría, Innovación Investigación e InternacionalizaciónITESM (Mexico)Nicholas Gibler (Mexico)

(alphabetical order)

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Published in October 2003.

The views expressed within this publication are the views of the authors and do notnecessarily reflect the views, or policies, of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).IDB makes no representation concerning this information, these opinions, or viewsexpressed.

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