QUESTION 1

(i) Total Quality Management (TQM) has been coined to describe a philosophy that makes quality the driving force behind leadership, design, planning, and improvement initiatives. It is now becoming recognised as a generic management tool applicable to all sectors. For this, TQM requires the help of eight key elements. Briefly explain these eight key elements that an organization should concentrate on in an attempt to implement TQM successfully

(ii) Outline the key steps that management must conduct and set in place with a view towards the implementation and certification to QMS ISO 9001:2008

QUESTION 2

(a) According to Parasuraman et al, there are gaps in service delivery which lead to customer dissatisfaction. You are required to identify and comment on those gaps

(b) "Management has gathered a bad name for itself over the years. However, it is still a vital part of every organization and business environment. Leadership without management can neither sustain change nor improve the present." Discuss this statement

QUESTION 3

Benchmarking has become a significant tool for total quality improvement in both manufacturing and services sectors. It is also a continuous process targeting performance improvement within various aspects of the organization. In the light of this statement, discuss the widely accepted five different phases of benchmarking