QUALITY CIRCLES

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Presented By
Veena Peter
4/14/12

What is a Quality Circle(QC) ??

A quality circle is a small group between three and twelve people who do similar work, voluntarily meeting together regularly for about an hour per week in paid time, who are trained to identify, analyze and solve some of the problems in their work, presenting solutions to management, and where possible, implementing the 4/14/12

Nature of a Quality Circle

Quality Circles are (informal) groups of

employees.
Usually the members of a particular

team (quality circle) should be from the same work area or who do similar work.
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Other Names of Quality Circles

Small Groups Action Circles Excellence Circles Human Resources Circles Productivity Circles

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What type of org can use it??

Every organization offering goods or services needs Quality circles to involve its people in Quality consciousness. QCs are now used in such diverse industries as : - Engineering industries, - Merchandising, - Hospital, - Canteen,
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How about Meetings??

For the purpose of continuity and effectiveness it is advisable to hold meeting :
Meetings are important part of quality circle's

working.

Meetings are attended by all the members of

the quality circle.

In general, meetings take place once a week

or once in a fortnight.

Each meeting lasts for approximately one 4/14/12

Objectives of QCs
Change in Attitude

From "I don't care" to "I do care. Continuous improvement in quality of work life through humanization of work.
Self Development

Bring out the hidden potential of people. People get to learn additional skills.
Development of team spirit
4/14/12 "I could not do but we did it. Eliminate

 Improved Organizational Culture

Positive working environment involvement of people at all levels Higher motivational level

Total

Participate Management process.

Promote job involvement Create problem solving capability Improve communication Promote leadership qualities Promote personal development Develop a greater awareness for cleanliness
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 Reduce errors Enhance quality Inspire more effective team work Build an attitude of problem prevention Promote cost reduction Develop harmonious manager,

supervisor and worker relationship

Improve productivity Increase employee motivation
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What Quality Circles are Not?? (Misconcepts)

QCs do not tackle just quality problems QC is not a substitute or replacement for

task forces, product committees, joint plant councils or works committees, quality assurance department, suggestion schemes. organizational structure or the chain of command.
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QCs do not change the existing

 QCs are not a means for the

management to unload all their problems.

QCs are not just another technique. QCs are not a panacea for all ills.

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Structure of QC Program
Top Management Steering Committee Co-ordinator Facilitator Leader
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Roles Played by them

Top Management

The success of the QCs depends solely on the attitude of the Top management and plays an important role to ensure the success of implementation of QCs.
Steering Committee

It is called middle management which consists of chief executive heads of different divisions or a co-ordinator plays a positive role in quality circle activities for the success of the efforts. The meetings are conveyed 4/14/12 at least

 Co-ordinator

They also act as facilitators, is an individual responsible for coordinating and directing the QCs activities within an organization and carries out such functions as would make the operations of QCs smooth, effective and self-sustainable.
Facilitator

Communicating with all levels of management and obtaining their support and assistance Providing training to QC leaders and
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 Ensuring QC members direct their activities

to work-related problems

As a mediator in problem-solving As a resource person to the Circle Evaluating the costs and benefits of the QC

program and reporting to the Management.

Leader

Leader of the quality circles is chosen by the members among themselves .

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Responsible for the smooth operation of QC

activities and fostering the spirit of cooperation and harmony among members; keeping and in the preparation of management presentations effective manner

Assisting the Circle members in record

Conducting meetings in an orderly and Showing interest and support to the Circle Encouraging other workers to become

members

4/14/12 Assisting members in problem-solving and

 Members

Members of the quality circles are the small group of people from the same work area or doing similar type of work whereas non-members are those who are not members of the quality circle but may be involved in the circle recommendation.
Attending meetings regularly Directing their efforts towards solving work-

related problems

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 Identifying problems, contributing

ideas, undertaking research and investigation (where necessary) and assisting the QC in problem-solving.
Participating in management

presentations.

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How Do Quality Circles Operate?

Appointment of a steering committee,

facilitator and QC team leaders. enrolment of QC members. consultant).

Formation of QCs by nomination/voluntary Training of all QC members (by an expert Training of non-participating employees (by

an expert consultant).

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 Problem data bank and identification of

problems for QC work.

Presentation of QC solutions to

management.
Evaluation of award/recognition.

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PROCESS OF OPERATION
Problem identification: Identify a number of

problems

Problem selection : Decide the priority and

select the problem to be taken up first.

Problem Analysis : Problem is clarified and

analyzed by basic problem solving methods evaluate causes and generate number of possible alternative solutions 4/14/12

Generate alternative solutions : Identify and

 Prepare plan of action : Prepare plan of

action for converting the solution into reality which includes the considerations "who, what, when, where, why and how" of solving problems.
Present solution to management circle

members present solution to management fore approval.

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Benefits of QC
Self development. Promotes leadership qualities among

participants.
Recognition. Achievement satisfaction. Promotes group/team working. Serves as cementing force between

management/non-management groups. 4/14/12

Pitfalls and Problems

Lack of faith in and support to Quality Circle

activities among management personnel

Lack of interest or incompetence of

leaders/facilitator
Apathy, fear and misunderstanding among

middle level executives

Delay or non-implementation of Circle

recommendations
Irregularity of Quality Circle activities 4/14/12

 Lack of or non-participation by some members

in the Circle activities

Circles running out of problems Antagonism of non-members towards Quality

Circle operations

Inadequate visibility of management support Complexity of problems taken up Non-maintenance of Quality Circle records Too much facilitation or too little Language difficulty in communication Communication gap between Circles and 4/14/12

Approach to problems
With positive attitude instead of tendency to

shrug off problems.

Open discussion and Brain storming with

every one participating and a positive and cooperative manner will shed new light on the problem. application of quality management techniques, circles should approach with 4/14/12 confidence to find solutions.

Knowledge and training imparted in

BASIC PROBLEM SOLVING TECHNIQUES

These are called the old QC tools:
Brainstorming Pareto analysis Cause and effect diagram /fish bone diagram

/Ishikawa diagram

Histogram Scatter diagram Stratification

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New QC Tools
Quality circles started using additional seven tools as they started maturing:
Relations diagram Affinity diagram Systematic diagram or Tree diagram Matrix diagram Matrix data analysis diagram PDPC (Process Decision Program Chart) Arrow diagram
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APPLICABILITY IN GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS

The Public Works Department of Government

of Maharashtra is responsible for the construction and maintenance of about 2.00 lakhs km. of road net work in the state and a large number of Government-owned buildings spread all over the state.
The sub-ordinate officers and staff working

in the field and who are well-acquainted with the day-to-day problems in their work areas, 4/14/12 are the best judges to decide upon the line

 The top management in Maharashtra

P.W.D. realized this need of the time and introduced the concept of Quality Circle as employee participation method in the organization. The concept of Quality Circle was launched in the Public Works Department of Govt. of Maharashtra on 18-11-1997. Some of the problems solved by the Quality Circles in P.W.D. of Maharashtra 4/14/12 are as follows:

 Speeding up pot-hole filling on roads

during monsoon.
Up keeping of service records of

employees
Maintaining Govt. offices clean. Stream-lining reservation system of

Govt. rest houses.

Improvement in maintenance of Govt.

Hospital at Sholapur
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To Conclude With
Quality circles are easily introduced, are simple, and after taking root they can help to create a participatory management culture in organizations. They have considerable potential for altering organizational cultures from topdown, hierarchical, role -bound ones to more participatory, open and experimental ones in development
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