A comprehensive approach to quality developed in the early 1980’s, building on the ideas of the quality gurus including W Edwards Deming (PDCA, 14 Points for Management), Joseph M Juran (Quality Control Handbook), Philip B Crosby (Zero Defects Quality is Free), and Kaoru Ishikawa (Ishikawa Diagram).
In TQM quality is the responsibility of all in the organization. Quality is defined as conformance to internal customer requirements. The TQM toolkit overlaps with Six Sigma. Six Sigma has a more project-based approach (DMAIC) than TQM. Lean focuses on flow of value to the customer. Theory of Constraints calls attention to constraints that limit the organization achieving its goal.
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