'Top Management Commitment' Assessment for TQM Implementation in Engineering Education-A Framework

Abstract

Major facets of TQM are Customer focus, Top Management Commitment, Total Employee Involvement, Continuous Improvement (CI), all these should be aptly supported by an adequate measure. Of these Top Management does inspire and drive the culture towards that of a total quality organization. Even in most quality awards like EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) model, leadership drives the policy, strategy, and people management within the organization, providing the resources and processes necessary for it to thrive. Thus, Top Management Commitment (TMC) has been emphasized widely in literature, but, the evidence to assess the commitment, and means to initiate have been inadequate or absent. TMC has been emphasized widely in literature, but, the evidence to assess the commitment, and means to initiate have been inadequate or absent. Unless this measure exists, it is difficult to assess the status of the organization and commenting on the lack of TMC would be unfair and in many a case, an eye opener is required to the management to show how they really are aiding in the TQMICI implementation. This paper discusses only an approach towards the measure of TMC assessment in an Engineering education system and also methodology has been spelt out to make it dynamic with the changes in time.