Case Study: Total Quality Management at Douglas Electrical Inc.
CASE: DOUGLAS ELECTRICAL INC
Summary:
Jim Essinger is a management consultant and training specialist from St. Louis who specializes in continuous process improvement and total quality management. Each month, he goes to Springfield, Illinois and provides three days of training to employees of a privately owned electrical wholesaler-distributor, Douglas Electrical Supply Inc. One of the attendee is Tony, from Quincy branch.
Based on Jim and Tony’s conversation, Tony seem to be confused because of a work related problem. Tony has been in the company for eight years and he loves his job until he met an accident. While he was making a delivery, a lady pulled off and he has to hit the break really hard which caused his load stumble on his head. This resulted in some cuts and slight concussion. Because of this, his wife advised him to quit his job and get a much safer job. Tony loves his job and he tried to talk to Al, the one handling the branch where he works. However, based on their conversation, Al said that the Company cannot afford a $10K modification cost for the vans and that Tony is just being paranoid and will just have to drive carefully to avoid such accidents. Tony initially thought that the Company doesn’t care about his employees until the Company introduced to them the TQM training which is really expensive. Tony thinks that management really wants to improve its process. However, because he has no one to talk to regarding his concern, he feels that the TQM is hollow.
Problem Statement:
How could the company improve its organizational culture so that they will be able for to form a partnership with their employees in order to implement TQM?
SWOT Analysis
Strength * The company have shown its commitment to TQM by hiring a consultant Jim Essenger. Note that TQM is an expensive training, and giving this training to employees means that the Company has a positive vision in its organization. *
Weaknesses
*
Summary:
Jim Essinger is a management consultant and training specialist from St. Louis who specializes in continuous process improvement and total quality management. Each month, he goes to Springfield, Illinois and provides three days of training to employees of a privately owned electrical wholesaler-distributor, Douglas Electrical Supply Inc. One of the attendee is Tony, from Quincy branch.
Based on Jim and Tony’s conversation, Tony seem to be confused because of a work related problem. Tony has been in the company for eight years and he loves his job until he met an accident. While he was making a delivery, a lady pulled off and he has to hit the break really hard which caused his load stumble on his head. This resulted in some cuts and slight concussion. Because of this, his wife advised him to quit his job and get a much safer job. Tony loves his job and he tried to talk to Al, the one handling the branch where he works. However, based on their conversation, Al said that the Company cannot afford a $10K modification cost for the vans and that Tony is just being paranoid and will just have to drive carefully to avoid such accidents. Tony initially thought that the Company doesn’t care about his employees until the Company introduced to them the TQM training which is really expensive. Tony thinks that management really wants to improve its process. However, because he has no one to talk to regarding his concern, he feels that the TQM is hollow.
Problem Statement:
How could the company improve its organizational culture so that they will be able for to form a partnership with their employees in order to implement TQM?
SWOT Analysis
Strength * The company have shown its commitment to TQM by hiring a consultant Jim Essenger. Note that TQM is an expensive training, and giving this training to employees means that the Company has a positive vision in its organization. *
Weaknesses
*