Many Chinese multinational corporations have adopted systematically managing customer relationship which is a crucial and primary process in TQM. This process helps company to measure customer satisfaction and act on the results. The success of Lenovo group Corporation is a good prototype in this field. At the beginning of this century, this Chinese leading electronic company was in a critical stage of its development. Their overseas sales volumes which were affected by the world-wide economic downturn declined largely. But this company hasn’t adopted the measure of cutting down the price to keep the regular customer and attract more new customers. It accomplished establishing more than 100 customer service centers all over the world. (quote lenovo.com,2004) As well as being responsible for repair, their centers try to get an appointment and contracting for service. In the communication with customers, they collect the data about their products from users and research it through statistical process. Ultimately any defects with products and inconsiderate service will be improved. Therefore Lenovo builds a good brand image in many customers’ mind. Customers are more likely to stick Lenovo’s personal computers and subsequently the company got rid of the crisis.
Secondly, by using TQM, the organization can hone a set of consistent, reliable processes to build a quality product. (“Total Quality Management”, Oakland, J, 2000, pp201) We can find out the means of Chinese firms to appeal customers is on the basis of cutting costs. This action directly leads to the shrink of profit. In fact, saving cost can be obtained from the whole manufacturing procedures through the implementation of process approach based on effective use of resource. The process approach focuses on the factors such as resources, methods, and materials that will improve key activities of company. Before Chinese firms is to explore a market, it’s very essential to evaluate possible risks, consequences and impact of activities on, suppliers, employees, financiers and local community with the help of process approach.
On the other aspects, we also can learn total quality management play remarkable impact on the development and consummation of Chinese enterprises. However, obviously there are a lot of obstacles and problems in the process of deployment TQM in china.
The top-down approach causes a lot of problems in implementing the quality management. (home.pacific.net, Marina Chan, 2004) The policy and regulations are also implemented from the top to the bottom levels of the management. Eventually specific intention is applied into practice by employees inside the company. The enterprises are imposing the employees to participate instead of encouraging them to get involved. They are not enthusiastic because they seem it as a command. The participation is declined.
The concept of earning quick money, which is very popular among people, is another obstacle in improving quality. (home.pacific.net, Marina Chan, 2004) People would rather sacrifice high quality for higher productivity and cheaper price.
On the other hand, the implementation of TQM demand sufficient funds supported. So it is not suitable for small-scale firms to adopt TQM for the reason of limited funds and inadequate technology.
It is no doubt that TQM could attribute Chinese companies to enter the global market. Quality management would create new strategies by improving skills and developing resources that allow firms to take advantage of opportunities and avoid risks. But we must make constant efforts to adapt ourselves to TQM so that it can be successfully affected. Although Chinese government has lain down some policies and regulations to promote the TQM, they should remove the fear among the managers and make them believe the resource invested on quality will one-day increase productivity and profit.
In short, there are many benefits for Chinese companies to implement TQM. In my point of view, Chinese businesses should adopt Total Quality Management if they are to succeed internationally. And I’m sure that the fierce competition arising from global market will make more and more Chinese enterprises take and fully implement TQM.
References
Oakland, J (2000) Total Quality Management: Text with Cases (2nd edition),
Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann,pp 193-201.
Li, C.K. and Cheung, F.S. 1996. ISO 9000 and Chinese Management Culture. Hong Kong Economic Journal Monthly Vol 228, pp 70-75.
Yu, C.S.,Cochran, D.S. and Spencer, B. 1998.Quality Management Practices in China. Quality Management Journal, no. 2, pp 91-106.
Website:
home.pacific.net.hk/~williamw/qmchina.htm, 2003-09-30, Marina Chan, Kitlen Fung, Tony Mak , William Wong
www.iso.ch/iso/en/ISOOnline.frontpage, 2004-04-01, Copyrighted 2004.
www.lenovo.com/Support/Policy/, 2004-04-01, Copyrighted 1998-2004.
