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Quality Control Circles: Colombia's Experience

by Hernando Marino Navarrete
QUA1JTY control circles can play an Important rok in upgrading the of products sold on the International market and thereby strengthening their c ompetitiveness Various devc loping countries have begun Introducing this approach to quality Improvement, with positive effects on their export sales. One of these Is Colombia, where this technique has been In operation for over a decade.
The methodology adopted by a number of firms In Colombia to introduce and develop quality control circles II lust rates he steps involved and the requirements for effectively implementing such pro-
Hou- the idea developed
Ever since the first quality control circle (QCC) was set up In the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers In 1962. the establishment of such circles has been spread Ing throughout the world. The idea underlying QCCs and their operation was unknown in Colombia before the mid-1970s. when the Colombian Quality Control Association was established
The Association began studying quality control circles and undertook study tours to other Latin American countries ihal had already launched such programmes, including Brazil and Mexico, as well as to the United States and Japan. In addition. Japanese lecturers were Invited to Colombia to describe the experience tn their country of using these circles. This exploratory pro-cess In Colombia lasted five years.
At the beginning of the 1980s several Colombian enterprises. tn both the industrial and service sectors, de cidcd to introduce formal QCC programmes In their organizations These firms had various rationales for developing such schemes. For some, QCCs offered a means to Improve the quality of their products and services.
For others, quality control circles were seen as a method to increase prodtaWvIiy For yet plllcrs. the technique Was a wav to apply particlpafh-c management principles.
These' innovating companies included an export-oriented manufacturer of sports shoes; a large firm that produced printed materia) and also marketed office equipment such as computers and furniture: a commercial bank with a branch in Panama: a company producing vegetable fibre packaging and polystyrene; and a large foreign firm making synthetic fibres.
Objectives of the pro-
gramme
An analysis of Colombia's experience shows that enterprises that introduced QCC programmes have emphasised one of the following aspects: product quality and productivity. total quality or participative management. As a result, the name of the programme In a particular firm has tended to reflect the firm's specific objectives.
If the goal is to Improve the quality of products (cither goods or services), the name given to the scheme is usually QCCs, productivity circles or problem-solving groups. If the emphasis is on total quality development throughout the enterprise, the usual name is a QCC programme, if the scheme's purpose Is participative management. It is likely that the programme is referred to as a participation circle.
The nature of quality control circles varies depending on the firm's purpose in establishing them. In the case of * QCCs that are responsible for controlling and improving the quality of the firm's products (goods or services) and thereby increasing productivity, the circle Is usually a small group of employees meeting periodically at their won Initiative (generally, a non-hour meeting once a week) to identify. analyze and solve problems concerning the quality of the products made in the company or In their section of the company.
The objectives are one or more of the following: control and improve product quality; achieve higher productivity levels; reduce opcraltng costs; and produce fewer defective goods The members of the QCCs are more familiar than anyone else in producing the product and are therefore In a good position to resolve quality problems. In this situation the QCCs are expected to produce tangible and quantifiable results
Under the total quality ap proach. quality control circles generally take the form of a small group of persona worfc-
Ing together continuously as a team to upgrade quality tn order to satisfy the require menu and expectations of customers (both Internal and external). Management may seek to Incorporate these ctr cles Into the enterprise's over all quality control process, as a means to Improve the skills of staff at all levels (lop manage ment. middle management and the workforce) and thus upgrade quality In the broadest sense tn the company
A partklpatlvr circle is usually ,i small group of persons working In a specific part of a
company who meet from time to lime to analyze difficulties encountered tn the work place and propose solutions to them.
The objectives of such circles may include: application of participative management principles, development of a work climate that provides challenges and motivation. Integration of staff In the firm, promotion of a team spirit and enhancement of the status of the individual. The results sought through the establishment of quality control circles are above all therefore usually of an intangible nature.
Stages in developing a scheme
QCC programmes arc usually implemented tn a scries of stages that form part of a longterm process. Each Includes activities that have to be completed and raises critical prob 1cm that have to be resolved before the next can be started.
The five stages usually Included In a QCC programme are Initiation, pilot plan, expansion. growth and maturity, which arc described below.
Initiation: During this stage enterprises concentrate on collecting background information on QCC programmes, visit other firms that have already launched such schemes and organise courses for top management to determine what the programme to intended to achieve. In this phase the policy underlying the programme has to be defined and a pragmatic but realistic action framework has to be established. Decisions also have to be taken on how the programme will be carried out over the long term. It usually takes companies one year to complete this stage.
Pilot plan: During this second stage the programme Is tested on a small scale (with one or two pilot circles) to evaluate the policies laid down In the first phase, overcome any initial difficulties in starting the pilot circles and adopt an approach for developing the programme on a broader scale. Activities characteristic of this stage Include selecting the area or areas In which the pilot circles are to operate and organising training for the future leaders of the QCCs (both the pilot circles and the subsequent circles). It is also necessary to acquire or develop relevant training materials at this point.
During this stage as ad hoc executive coordinating committee should be set up with links to the pilot circles. This structure, which is parallel to he firm's overall organisational structure, offers an effective means of promoting the pilot stage. An ongoing evaluation system should also be designed to Identify any obstacles encountered in developing the pilot circles so that appropriate action can be taken to overcome them. This stage comes to an end when each pilot circle submits a draft report to the programme's executive coord'nating committee summarising its activities, any problems faced and recommended solutions.
Colombian enterprises have required an average of one year to complete this stage, although some have taken up to two years.
Expansion: The expansion stage is baaed on the assump Bon that the entire workforee la able to participate In the QCC programme The main activities undertaken during this
I Dtascmtnaie information about the programme to all of the staff to promote the programme Means such as puM eatiana. videos and meetings can be used to describe the purpose of the programme Ko operation. a summary of the n suks so far achieved within of^he experience of other
2 tOrc ruM and train persons responsible for carrying out the programme — the circle leaders and members These (unctions should be under taken on a voluntary basis The
firm should implement the expansion stage using Its own staff — it should not have to seek the assistance of external consultants The knowledge and experience acquired during the previous stages, together with in-house teaching materials, should be sufficient to provide adequate training for circle leaders and mem
The experience of Colombian firms Illustrates some of the key considerations during this stage:
a. The trade union should be fully Informed about the programme. This to important because It must be made clear that the programme is not intended to replace any trade union activity. For this reason QCCs do not deal with the questions of wages or promotions, for example.
b. The entire company and in particular is middle management should fully support the programme. A frequent error Is Io regard the QCC scheme as the exclusive domain of a particular department in the firm or a specific group of persons in the company. Staff should understand that the development of circles during the expansion stage to in the interest of all.
c. Management style should be adaptedi to the concept of worker participation underlying the Idea of quality circles. Experience shows that the programme can be most successfully expanded if company managers encourage constructive criticism by their subordinates and seek their advice.
d. Responsibility has to be delegated for developing circles in various areas of the firm.
The expansion stage usually lasts for a minimum of two years in a medium-size firm and up to five years in a larger one. Il Is the stage that presents the greatest difficulties and the one that demands a considerable amount of patience and determination
Growth: The main feature of the growth stage to the continuing activity of dozens or even hundreds of circles In the firm that, during the course of a year, may often submit proposals for solving quality prob lems and for improving work methods. Management should therefore devote adequate time and effort to examining such proposals, allocating the necessary resources so that, the QCCs may carry out the suggested improvements.
Maturity: The final stage in Implementing a QCC programme is that of maturity In this stage the firm should not only undertake the QCC programme at the base but also backstop it at other organisational levels. The vital tasks al this point arc to improve the existing training for the programme and ensure the acceptance of the programme.
Though must be given to providing Incentives and rewards for the successful work of the circles (Most companies do not, however, give economic benefits to their circles, although they do acknowledge in various ways the contributions made).
An enterprise that has reached this stage has clearly achieved success with the pro gramme It can at this juncture consider other questions, such as extending the programme In other directions, for in-stam-c by having the circles work with the firms suppliers and distributors
— World Trade Forum