Cost of quality as a baseline for total quality management (TQM) implementation

The author presents the concept of using cost of quality as an effective tool in implementation of a total-quality-management (TQM) approach. The essence of TQM is defined as the search for opportunities for improvement. TQM implementation and the need for baseline are discussed. The requirements for establishing a baseline are discussed, with the focus on cost of quality. The use of the cost-of-quality baseline is detailed, with emphasis on its continuous value. The establishment of certain `universal truths´ which address the use of TQM and cost of quality in a given environment is examined