Facilitating implementation of total quality management through information technology

There is growing interest in the service industries in the adoption of quality management programs to improve their operational efficiency and market competitiveness. Deming's total quality management (TQM) philosophy is one of the well-known ones. The TOM emphasizes continuous improvement through statistical control and the continuous training of people in the principles of quality management. One of the maim implementation issues is the large volume of data that must be statistically analysed. Although recent researches have reported on how TQM is applied in various industries, few have discussed the importance of information technology in ensuring a successful TQM program. This paper reports on the application of information technology in the TQM process and how it can support management decisions. A case example is included to support these views. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved