Quality Management: Total Quality Management (Definitions)

"A concept that focuses on managing the total organization to deliver quality to customers. Four significant elements of TQM are employee involvement, focus on the customer, benchmarking, and continuous improvement." (Timothy J  Kloppenborg et al, "Project Leadership", 2003)

"A management concept (and associated tools) that involves the entire workforce in focusing on customer satisfaction and continuous improvement." (Martin J Eppler, "Managing Information Quality" 2nd Ed., 2006)

"A management strategy aimed at embedding awareness of quality in all organizational processes." (Linda Volonino & Efraim Turban, "Information Technology for Management" 8th Ed., 2011)

"Procedures and policies aimed at organization-wide continuous improvement." (Leslie G Eldenburg & Susan K Wolcott, "Cost Management 2nd Ed", 2011)

"Techniques, methods and management principles for continuous improvement, based on the work of Deming, Juran, Crosby and others." (DAMA International, "The DAMA Dictionary of Data Management", 2011)

"A management philosophy based on the premise that the quality of products and processes can be continuously improved." (Bonnie Biafore & Teresa Stover, "Your Project Management Coach: Best Practices for Managing Projects in the Real World", 2012)

"A philosophy and a set of principles that set the stage for a continuously improving organization." (Joan C Dessinger, "Fundamentals of Performance Improvement" 3rd Ed., 2012)

"A management philosophy from the 1940s and 1950s, consisting of various strategies to ensure quality products and services." (Sally-Anne Pitt, "Internal Audit Quality", 2014)

"A comprehensive approach to the management of quality from the production environment that proves that the costs of preventive quality management exceed the total costs for all reactive measures in the management of quality. This applies to material, as well as immaterial, goods like data." (Boris Otto & Hubert Österle, "Corporate Data Quality", 2015)

"A holistic approach to long-term success that views continuous improvement in all aspects of an organization as a process and not as a short-term goal." (Kijpokin Kasemsap, "Applying Lean Production and Six Sigma in Global Operations", 2016)

"A systematic, organization-wide approach to quality that stresses continually improving all processes that deliver products and services, with the major outcome of 'delighting' the customer." (Atila Ertas, "Transdisciplinary Engineering Design Process", 2018)

"An organization-wide management approach centered on quality, based on the participation of all members of the organization and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction, and benefits to all members of the organization and to society. Total Quality Management consists of planning, organizing, directing, control, and assurance. (ISO 8402)