PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT THROUGH CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Organizations have to simultaneously meet various stakeholders ’ demands related to delivery times, supply chains (horizontal, vertical and cross integration), quality, production processes, equipment, safety, environmental concerns, workforce etc. They must be driven by both effective and efficient management approaches and strategies to do so. One approach to improving the performance is to develop and implement Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). However, a number of organizations are failing to successfully implement such strategies. This paper describes successful TPM implementation in a continuous process firm in India and its effects, particularly on the firm’s performance. We describe the TPM concept, analyze the Indian manufacturing scenario briefly and thereafter chronicle the success of the firm. The paper tests the applicability of theoretical concepts in the Indian context, derives some managerial implications and provides suggestions to firms who are or shall be in the process of implementing such initiatives