Analyse two problems SF may experience when implementing total quality management (TQM).

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. TQM is a method of quality assurance that aims to involve all employees in quality improvements.
2. Encourages workers to get it right first time and to achieve zero defects.
3. Problems may include: Cost of training for employees.
4. Resistance from employees.
5. Short term negative impacts on productivity and or quality as changes are embedded.
6. Lack of managerial skills of motivation, delegation of decision making, teamwork, communication and coordination.
7. Requires a change in culture within the business.
8. Impact of making quality inspectors redundant.
9. Time consuming – with a reason e.g. training staff, changing culture, change policies, employees checking work.
10. Nature of the product – TQM on ice cream – how to implement quality checks?
11. SF's use of flexible contracts including part-time, temporary and zero-hours.
12. Temporary workers employed at harvest time for short period.
13. Current approach focuses on detection of quality problems rather than prevention.
14. Factory operating close to capacity.
15. Limited training given to peripheral employees.
16. Unskilled workers – more training required.
17. Difficult to change culture of business as many employees are on flexible contracts and may therefore lack commitment to the business AN
18. Cost of training will be relatively high as workers on temporary contracts not in the business for long. Each new group of temporary workers at harvest time each year will need training, increasing costs AN.
19. No need for quality inspectors so may need to make redundancies AN adding to costs of implementation and causing concerns over job security which could reduce productivity L2AN
20. In short-term may result in increase in defective products as adjusting to TQM approach takes time. This could result in short-term customer dissatisfaction and impact sales negatively AN and therefore reducing profit L2AN